The Bar Method Opens At Bell Works In Holmdel

HOLMDEL, NJ — Attention, Holmdel residents — and those who work in Bell Works — there's a new workout in town: A Bar Method studio just opened up inside Bell Works in Holmdel this past Friday, Jan. 25.

The Bar Method Holmdel is owned by Chrissy Valerio, a Monmouth County resident who has owned The Bar Method Shrewsbury for the past ten years, since 2008. The Bar Method is a series of patented workout postures with its roots in ballet. The class is open to men and women. Word has already gotten out: Since their grand opening this past Friday, all the classes they've offered have been nearly packed, Valerio said.

"There are a few existing gyms in Holmdel, but I do think they are lacking the boutique fitness studios," Valerio told Patch on Friday, standing inside her carpeted studio. All Bar classes are strictly done in socks. "And that is exactly what we are. What separates us from other types of gyms and other types of fitness studios is that our instruction is very personalized, and very specialized. You'll feel like you're coming into a spa."

What prompted her to open a boutique fitness studio inside Bell Works?

"I grew up in Middletown and I come to Holmdel all the time. I came to a charity event at Bell Works about a year ago," recalled Valerio. "When I walked into this building, I thought it was amazing. The vision that Somerset Development has was inspiring to me. It's such a unique location, and we have nothing like this around here. I really was excited to bring Bar Method to the community of Holmdel, but especially to this building."

They offer a classic class for one hour, and then an express class for 45 minutes. The studio is targeting those who live in the surrounding Holmdel and Middletown countryside, as well as the men and women who work in Bell Works and are looking to squeeze in a quick workout before or after work. A full-service gym is being planned to open in Bell Works in the future.

"You will tone your core and burn calories," said Valerio, who herself started doing Bar Method more than a decade ago when she had trouble losing the final ten pounds from her second pregnancy. She loved the workout so much she decided to open her own franchise.

"It works every muscle in your body. You'll see results very quickly. I'm talking weeks," she said. "Within weeks, you'll see changes like definition in your arms, leaner thighs and your waist starting to pull in a little bit. This is what I hear from clients who've signed on for a one-month membership. You don't bulk in Bar Method. You get lean, toned muscle."

"We have men who come here, too. We have golfers who say, 'Oh, my swing has improved since I started taking your classes because my core strength improved,' or people who say, 'I shaved a few minutes off my marathon time,'" she added.

The Bar Method Holmdel will be offering Classic Bar Method classes (one hour) and Bar Express classes (45 minutes). They soon plan to add a Bar Advanced (a more advanced Bar Method), Bar Move (Bar Method but with more cardio) and Bar Restore, a deep stretching and restorative class.

The Bar Method Bell Works location will be open Monday - Saturday with class times in the early morning, mid-afternoon and evening after work. They have a new client special where new clients can sign up for two weeks for $38 (an incredible deal for the curious); sign up here: https://clients.mindbodyonline...

Check out the class schedule.

All photos and reporting done by Carly Baldwin/Patch.