Just Opened:

Jan. 10-16, 2008

OPEN BAR Pilates and yoga are so ubiquitous these days that even our mother takes weekly classes – which means it’s time to welcome the next It exercise craze: The Bar Method has already scored fanatics in California and New York, and it arrives in Chicago this week.

The discipline – which gets its name from the ballet bar it uses as a balancing prop – is similar to yoga, Pilates and ballet because it focuses on stretching and strengthening the core muscles. But unlike other methods this practice will work your muscles until they tremble. “The only way to change the shape of your body is to lengthen it when it’s fatigued,” says Catherine Wendel, the Chicago studio co-owner.

Each core muscle group is targeted with slow-burn exercise – for example, work your thighs by standing on your toes with bent knees, and pulse until you think you may collapse – so you get an intense fat-burning, muscles-sculpting workout. Unlike Uggs and leggings, this is one trend we welcome with open arms.

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