Founded by Elizabeth Halfpapp and her husband, both former managers of the Lotte Berk Studios in NY, Exhale's Core Fusion class was amongst the first to spread Lotte Berk love.  The sequence of Lotte Berk exercises are followed closely and it is company owned.

Exhale's exercise classes have evolved a bit to include, Cardio Fusion, Sport, and Yoga based programs.  Cardio Fusion was quickly successful and I enjoyed it.  If you are not a fan of mountain climbers, beware.  This move is used throughout the class to raise the heart rate.  

Pros:  You will know what you are getting with Exhale classes as they tend to keep the routines very similar.  The manager of group classes in Santa Monica, Laura Weissman, is absolutely amazing.  She is an instructor’s instructor.  Elizabeth Halfpapp has devoted many years to the method and it shows.  I've taken classes with Elizabeth as well and found her charming.

The studio has an intimate feeling to it which makes working out in a big city like Los Angeles a little sweeter.  It is housed in the Fairmont Mirimar hotel located on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica which makes you feel like you are on a 5 star vacation.  

Cons:  Workouts can vary in intensity depending on the instructor more than at The Bar Method. The studio in Santa Monica, though located in an ideal setting, is not well ventilated and gets hot quickly.  I'm a big fan of fans and fresh air and not a fan of Hot Yoga, so for me, this can be a negative.  This class also will opt to take thigh work from knees to heels at times.  Be careful!  I do not do as it strains my knees. I like stretches held a bit longer as well, though stretches tend to be cut short in most bar classes when they become cardio driven as the goal is to keep the heart rate up.  

DVDs:  For me, I find the videos to be a bit easier than others but I still like them quite a bit.  Each segment starts with a warm-up. This is great for people who are limited in time and are doing one segment only but can be annoying when you want to flow from one workout to another.  For beginners or anyone who is new to this technique, you may find the tempo just right.

Personal Opinion:  I enjoy doing the Cardio Fusion dvd as it has a lot of low impact moves and keeps your heart rate up.  When I feel they are going too slow, I do another exercise of my choice from the encyclopedia in my head.  The ab section is a killer.  I recommend support behind your lower back if your abdominals are weak or you have back sensitivity.  You can try a firm pillow or even a thick folded towel and see if this helps.