MILLIONS OF BODIES TONED. BILLIONS OF MUSCLES BURNED. AND WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

This is us.

The Bar Method exists to equip and empower people of any age, body type, and ability to pursue the strongest, healthiest version of themselves. We do this through our highly efficient, total-body workout that builds both physical and mental strength—we believe both are essential to living your best life.

20 YEARS STRONG

MILLIONS OF CLASSES TAUGHT

BILLIONS OF MUSCLES BURNED

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How it started

The Bar Method’s founder Burr Leonard has always been an avid lover of ballet and jazz classes; in 1981, Burr was introduced to the Lotte Berk Method while living in New York. She became a devoted student and noticed an incredible transformation in her body. Burr dreamed of creating her own version of the exercise technique that would empower people of all ages and physical abilities to build strong, lean, toned, and healthy bodies for life. Working in close collaboration with a team of physical therapists, Burr honed the method to make it safer for the joints and to more effectively target the muscles. When the technique was perfected, she borrowed inspiration from her father George Leonard’s book “Mastery” to develop a teaching approach that would enable and encourage students to make lifelong changes to their bodies and their everyday lives outside the classroom. The product of her passionate work created The Bar Method that we know and love today.

In 2001, Burr and Carl Diehl opened the very first flagship studio in San Francisco, California. Their loyal clients loved the workout and sense of community so much that they started exploring the idea of opening their own studios. Burr loved the idea of helping individuals pursue their passion and become entrepreneurs, so she helped oversee the opening of the first franchised studios in California. The buzz for The Bar Method quickly spread across the country and studios opened doors in New Jersey, Chicago, and New York. Today there are close to 100 studios owned by brave and brilliant entrepreneurs across the United States and Canada.

Our community

Our clients, instructors, and owners are what make The Bar Method such a resolute and powerful community. They range in age, background, and body type but are connected in mindset; all are motivated, hard-working, passionate about wellness, and strive to live a fulfilled life. Many of our clients go on to be instructors and owners because their lives have been so positively impacted by The Bar Method. They find it incredibly rewarding and fulfilling to align their personal passions and career goals. Our remarkable group of predominantly female studio owners have incredible drive, talent, leadership, and passion for the brand. They inspire one another across the company and within their local communities every day. Our mantra is together we are stronger!

A versatile workout

The Bar Method targets all major muscle groups, alternating between the front and the back of the body. The unique exercises keep students working long and intensely enough to transform and sculpt the muscles. Active and passive stretching follows each exercise to create a graceful, dancer-like body that is at the same time lean and defined. Whether you’re in your 20s or your 70s, you will see AND feel the results within weeks.

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