The Bar Method - Chicago, Chicago

Founder Burr Leonard, a lover of ballet and jazz classes, discovered the Lotte Berk Method while living in New York in 1981. She became a devoted student after noticing an incredible transformation in her body. In 2001, after decades of running her own Lotte Berk studio, she teamed with a physical therapist to refine the movements of this workout to target specific muscles while reducing the impact on joints. The resulting workout became known as the Bar Method.

This signature technique has proven to be a fast and efficient way to reshape the entire body. Precise exercises keep students working “in the muscle,” followed by stretching to lengthen and elongate the area just worked. The result is a strong, dancer-like body, with sculpted arms, flat abs, a lifted seat and elongated thighs, as well as improved posture and body alignment. The fast pace of the class spikes the heart rate at different intervals to burn calories not just in the classroom, but long after. The remarkable body transformations of this workout has lead to more than 120 studios opening in the United States and Canada.