Lia Bartha (liabartha.com), the Oahu-born founder behind B the Method, has gained a cult following for her low-impact, Pilates-like workout method. Models, influencers and in-the-know New Yorkers have long flocked to her Manhattan classes (and Hawai‘i residents quickly sell out her pop-up classes when she’s home on the island), but now her method is available to all via her new online app. Aimed at unifying the mind and body with thoughtful and purposeful exercises using only a small stability ball, her routine is simple enough to do at home, which is exactly what propelled her to bona fide influencer status during the pandemic. Here, we caught up with the charming fitness guru.
You grew up on Oahu. How does the island lifestyle influence your lifestyle now, and B the Method?
I danced my entire life and also spent so much time swimming at the beach, so you will see and hear me reference both throughout every session. I am constantly cueing the action of moving through space as if you are moving in a body of water. The water becomes the resistance rather than using added weights. I envision myself in the ocean, and I hope others can feel that also.
What is it about your method that you think speaks to people during the pandemic?
I have noticed that people are taking more time to care and listen to themselves and their bodies. My method has the physical release of feeling strong in your body with the mental release of breath work and meditation at the same time. I hope that people see that low-impact, slower movements are hugely impactful and transformative in the present and the future.
What are your favorite ways of staying fit in Hawai‘i?
I grew up in Kailua, so I have been walking the beach my entire life. It is peaceful, beautiful and it gives me a moment to spend time with my family.
Photography by: Lia Bartha and Jason MacDonald
