Helen Liu traded courtroom dramas for pliés and pliability, opening her Bar Method franchise in Berkeley, Calif., in 2013. Her love story with the ballet-inspired fitness brand began in 2005 during her law school days in San Francisco. With no studio nearby, she had to wait until moving to San Diego in 2009 to take her first class. One session was all it took—Liu never looked back.
Known for its low-impact, ballet-barre-centered workouts, The Bar Method—founded in 2001—has gracefully expanded to over 90 locations across North America. Combining Pilates, yoga, and strength training, the brand emphasizes alignment, form, and high-repetition, low-resistance training, sculpting not just bodies but also client loyalty. Liu's studio, with its community-first ethos, exemplifies this.
As a former lawyer, Liu described the career transition as one fueled by a yearning for flexibility and purpose. “Litigation was tough to schedule around family,” she explained. Moving to Berkeley when her husband joined UC Berkeley opened a serendipitous opportunity to blend passion with profession. Her Bar Method studio is celebrated for its rigorous instructor training and client-focused approach, attracting mother-daughter duos and spouses alike.
Running a business hasn’t been without its challenges, though. The COVID-19 pandemic forced her studio to close for over a year. However, Liu and her team quickly pivoted to livestream and outdoor classes. In her words, “The community support was incredible.” Her resilience paid off as her clients returned with renewed commitment to fitness.
Liu remains awestruck by her clients' transformations, noting the holistic focus on physical and mental wellness in today’s world. “We help people feel good in their bodies and minds. That’s key to living a full life,” she remarked.
