As graceful as it looks, you don’t need to be a prima ballerina to achieve a successful barre workout. In fact, you don’t even need to step foot inside a studio—or use a barre for that matter. You can reap the benefits of this ballet-inspired workout with minimal equipment in the comfort of your own home!
Barre workouts use isometric exercises in small increments and high reps to help improve posture, sculpt long and lean muscles, increase flexibility and burn fat. Here’s what you’ll need:
Equipment
- Sturdy chair to use as a prop to balance while holding still in order to contract the muscle you’re working
- Light hand weights or filled water bottles if you’re first starting out
Remember, posture is key. Lengthen your torso, chin up, shoulders down and sit heavy in the tail bone while holding the back of a chair. This will help keep your core engaged throughout the workout. Ready to get started? Follow these at-home barre moves and you’ll feel tight and toned in no time!
After each exercise, rest for 10-15 seconds before starting the next one. After the final exercise, take a break and repeat circuit up to three times.
1. Power leg
- Face the chair with feet hip-width apart, lift heels up, bend knees and hold.
- Press evenly through all 10 toes, keep knees in line with the middle of the toes, hips level and square, and core engaged.
- Lengthen tall through your spine and relax shoulders down the back.
- Bend knees until you find a challenging position. Lift one inch, then lower.
- Complete 20 reps.
2. Grand plié side crunch
- Stand to the left of chair with feet wider than your hips, knees and toes turned out about 45 degrees, holding the back of the chair with your right hand.
- Lower into a deep plié; legs bend, knees over ankles, left arm reaches overhead.
- Lean torso slightly in toward chair.
- Extend legs and shift weight to right foot. Bend left arm, lift left knee and lightly tap elbow to left thigh for 20 reps.
- Step back into plié position and repeat on the other side.
3. Arabesque leg lift
- Face chair and fold forearms on back of chair.
- Walk yourself back and let your head rest on your arms.
- Step heels together and toes slightly apart.
- Extend right leg out and forward at hip height, knee is straight, toes pointed, hip open slightly toward the ceiling.
- Softly bend your supporting leg, abs in, and scoop hips into a tuck.
- Pulse little lifts with your leg and tighten the outer glute.
- Complete 20 reps on each side.
4. Tops of thighs
- Start out kneeling, thighs fist distance apart.
- Shoulders stack over hips, arms stretch out in front, abs pulled in.
- Lift glutes to hover your heels and shift hips to the left and to the right then back to starting position.
- Repeat 20 times.
5. Base of seat
- Come to all fours. Hands are slightly wider than shoulders.
- Abs pulled in and hips tucked under.
- Knee bent and toes pointed, slowly press leg up 20 times
- Lower leg, then lift for a speed round, pulsing 20 more times.
- Repeat with the other leg.
6. Triceps lifts
- Grab a light set of dumbbells and stand tall in first position.
- Arms raise overhead, bend elbows to the sides, and lower the weights slightly behind your head.
- Engage core and press up onto the balls of your feet. Arm extends overhead slightly in front of the body, palms facing forward.
- Lower heels and return to starting position.
- Complete 20 reps.
7. Teasers
- Lie flat on your back with arms extended overhead, legs tightly together and toes pointed.
- Roll up upper body for a count of four, then lower down for a count of four.
- Repeat three times.
- Next, roll up for a count of four, hold at the top, extend arms forward, legs straight or bent in a table top position. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Complete 20 reps.