EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE: A FULL BODY AND MIND WORKOUT FROM THE BAR METHOD

By John Grossi

It’s hard to describe this incredibly unique, accessible, and effective workout without first taking a class… so we encourage you to try a Bar Method class and see if it’s for you!

Not to be compared to any other “bar” class you may have taken at another gym, Bar Method workouts are 45-minute, revolutionary full body workouts that focus on isometrics, core, and interval training with a mind-body connection. Rigidly rooted in science and physical therapy, the Bar Method manages to incorporate almost the entire spectrum of health and wellness into one workout.

Stabilizer Muscles

One reason the Bar Method draws in such a wide range of demographics is the system’s unique emphasis on “stabilizer” muscles. You may have heard the old gym-rat slang referring to the biceps, triceps, and pectorals as “hero” muscles… because those are the ones that get the most eyes, and therefore usually the most attention at the gym.

But the body is full of hundreds of smaller muscles that are often ignored. Through small, focused, isometric movements, the Bar Method classes build up all these other muscles daily. The result is a full body strength that means your “hero” muscles are literally no longer carrying all the weight! After just a few classes, you’ll begin to notice better posture, resistance to injury, and overall strength.

From senior citizens hoping to move more safely around their homes, to professional athletes looking to stave off injury and find a competitive strength edge, the Bar Method’s scientific strength program focuses on personal growth, with modifications for injury and all body types. This class is all about YOU!

Meet The Local Ownership Duo

In 2011, Joanna (Jo) West transitioned from a career as neurophysiologist to opening her own Bar Method Studio in Long Beach, after just a few short months of training at a Bar Method Studio in LA.

“I was hooked. I basically took one class and said this is it for me,” laughs Jo. She and her husband practically moved to Long Beach sight-unseen for the sole purpose of accessing the “Long Beach territory” of this popular, yet niche, fitness franchise.

Ten years later, Jo was almost ready to sell the business she loved. Having navigated the rough years of running this “indoor” business through the COVID pandemic, then hit with the news that her lease would not be renewed due to new residential developments coming to Marketplace Long Beach (the other 2nd and PCH), Jo decided maybe it was time for her to step back and sell the franchise to someone else.

“To be clear, I would never leave the Bar Method. I’ll be taking this class ‘til I die,” Jo declares. “I just thought maybe this community was ready for a new face of the franchise.”

Enter long-time member Camille Dunbar. She responded to Jo’s email with a counteroffer… she would become a co-owner… but only if Jo stayed on as the other partner.

Camille too had been proselytized by the Bar Method’s incredible benefits. For Camille, a mom with 20 years of putting the needs of everyone else in the family above her own, a few not-so-fun doctor visits awoke her to the fact that it was time to prioritize her health. The Bar Method became her one-stop shop, where she can work out five times a week and achieve full-body benefits in strength, flexibility, posture, and mind-body alignment.

Moving To LBX

With their new, powerful two-woman ownership group, Camille and Jo have found a wonderful new location for the Bar Method-Long Beach in the revitalized LBX development right in the middle of the city. Classes will continue at their Marketplace Long Beach location until Spring 2025, when the move becomes official!

The Bar Method Long Beach currently offers five varieties of the “Bar Method” to its members… most of whom take advantage of all five. Available at convenient times for the members, and staggered each week on the schedule are:

• The Bar Method OG class

• Bar Strength - more muscular overload than the OG class

• Cardio - for those who want a little more sweat

• Bar Restore - half is bar class and half is restorative stretches

• Bar Flow Class - for a more yoga type of workout

Want to give it a try? Email longbeach@barmethod.com and mention this article for one complimentary class!