The Lotte Berk Method
License Program
About the Lotte Berk Method
Overview
The Lotte Berk Method originated over thirty years ago and has recently enjoyed a rebirth in general popularity. As more and more exercise practitioners plateau out with yoga and Pilates, Lotte Berk Method is the logical next progression and adds that unique, rapid, body-shaping component.
For the past 30 years there have been many improvements such as incorporating modern exercise and sports science with muscular development. Today the end product is truly unique and has assisted women and men of all ages to transform their bodies and maintain optimal health and fitness.
History of the Lotte Berk Method
The Lotte Berk exercise method was originally developed by the once famous European dancer, Lotte Berk, in the late 1940s. Lotte had been a dancer with several ballet and modern dance companies in Europe including the Ballet Rambert.
Because she was Jewish, she had to flee Nazi Germany in 1938 and settled in London. After suffering a severe spinal injury in a car accident, she developed her own method of exercise to escape her wheelchair and totally rehabilitate herself. Her aims were to regain strength and suppleness, particularly in the pelvic area, the abdominals and the lower back, and to tone and shape her entire musculature which had weakened substantially during her months without movement.
She drew heavily from her formal dance training and from an area orthopedic consultant to form the rudiments of a new exercise method for rehabilitation.
After making a full recovery, Lotte started teaching her exercise method to others. The remarkable results her students achieved led her to open her legendary studio on Manchester Street in London. An interesting byproduct of her exercise method was the beautiful bodies it gave its practitioners in addition to being rehabilitative.
In 1969, an American by the name of Lydia Bach started taking classes by Lotte and was completely taken in by the unique results this method yielded and studied under Lotte for a year. In 1970, Ms. Bach bought the world-wide rights to Lotte Berk's name and technique and opened the first Lotte Berk Method studio New York City in 1971. She kept the proven core exercises and incorporated her own blend of dance and yoga to create an all round fitness program that will yield muscular strength, beautiful sculpted bodies, flexibility and caloric burn, all in one session.
The New York studio was a huge, word-of-mouth success due to Lydia's innovative techniques which inspires people to work hard, transforming their bodies rapidly. Lydia used her energy, love of movement, and her growing knowledge of sports science to make her classes challenging, yet safe. She incorporated her love of sensual movement to the method, especially the Latin dance of South America and belly dance of Egypt.
With the success of the Manhattan studio, Lydia then opened a second studio in the Hamptons out on Long Island where the rich and famous play. The popularity of her studio in Bridgehampton literally built up the population of that village as women incorporated the exercise method into their weekly lives.
Consistent with its origins, Lydia also work with top sports medicine practitioners in New York to maximize safety and minimize injury. In fact, it is still a rehabilitative procedure. Today, many professional athletes use the Lotte Berk Method to recover from injuries sustained in their sport.
Lydia believes it helps the enjoyment of "working out tough" if there is some playfulness, some fun in class, and great rhythms that just want to make you move from hip-hop to Latin beats. In addition, it's all packed in an intense 55 minute class where busy people can get in, get in shape, and get on with their day. "We want to not only give them their money's worth", says Lydia, "but their time's worth as well".
Go To recent FitCommerce feature story "Lotte Berk Method, Rediscovered".
Opened up to Licensing
Because there was a public clamor for the Lotte Berk Method to be more readily available worldwide, Lydia decided to open it up to licensing in 2004. Now your studio can benefit from the popularity of this truly unique and effective group exercise method.
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