Try this 15-Minute At-Home Barre Workout!

Ballet-inspired workouts are a great way to develop lean muscle mass while improving your balance, flexibility, and range of motion. While Barre has origins in dance, it does not require the same footwork as an experienced dancer. Each movement however requires a level of mindfulness to stay engaged. Ideal for all fitness levels, Barre is appropriate for individuals who are seeking an intense, but low-impact workout that will offer quick results.

Benefiting both the mind and body, here’s what you need to know about Barre before you get started!

What is Barre?

Barre is a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates. During your workout, you will perform low-impact, high-intensity movements designed to strengthen your body. Barre focuses heavily on balance and engaging the core, incorporating tiny, one-inch increments called isometric movements. In addition to building strength, this full-body workout also develops agility and flexibility.

The muscles in each muscle group are fatigued using small targeted movements, high numbers of repetitions, and light weight or resistance. These higher-rep, low-weight exercises help increase endurance and range of motion and promote better posture. Using isometric movements help strengthen muscles without straining tendons or ligaments, reducing the risk of injury compared to traditional strength training.

Here’s How it Works

Typically, in a Barre class, you will perform a warm-up using several upper-body exercises that include free weights, push-ups, planks and other moves to target the biceps, triceps, chest, and back muscles. Next, you'll use your own body weight for resistance to focus on the lower body such as the thighs, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Lastly, the instructor will have you stretch to increase flexibility and allow your muscles to recover.

When performing each movement, make sure to complete 1 set of the recommended number of reps for each move, moving from one to the next with little rest in between. Repeat the full circuit 1, 2, or 3 times total. When a movement requires a ‘pulsing’ action, the goal here is to focus on contracting the target muscle, which requires keeping your range of motion controlled and precise.

How to do a Plié

One of the most important moves in Barre is the Plié. Your feet, knees, hips, spine, shoulders, and head must all be in proper alignment. To achieve proper alignment, stand tall with your feet together and your toes pointing forward. Rock back on your heels, and then turn your legs out from the hips so that your toes point out to the sides. Distribute your weight evenly between your right and left foot, the front and back of your foot, and the inside and outside of your foot.

To maintain alignment as you bend your knees, keep a long spine to avoid hunching your back or sticking your tailbone out. When coming up from the bottom of the Plié, make sure to engage your core muscles and move slowly and with control. Press through your heels to activate your hamstrings and glutes. Strengthen your inner thighs to keep your knees from tracking over your toes.

To learn more about how to properly perform a Plié squat, watch this video!

15-Minute At-Home Barre Workout

We’ve created an at-home barre workout routine that will help lift, lengthen, and tone your entire body!

What You’ll Need: Most of the movements require only bodyweight. However, you can use light hand weights (2-5 lbs.) or resistance bands to level up your arm and leg exercises. This quick workout is designed to achieve maximum results in a minimum amount of time. You can use a high back chair or countertop for extra support.

Use the images below as references for the five ballet positions.

Ballet Positions

A Close-Up of Ballet Feet Positions

Plié

This movement targets the thighs, ankles, and feet.

1. Stand with your feet in first position (heels together, toes turned out about 45 degrees), legs straight, and hands gently resting on the back of the chair
2. With spine tall and abs engaged, rise up onto the balls of the feet. Plié by bending your knees out over your toes (only lower about half-way down)
3. Straighten your legs (squeezing inner thighs together as you extend), and then lower the heels. Repeat this sequence 20 times total

Plié Squat Pulse (Resistance Band Optional)

This movement targets the glutes, thighs, abs, ankles, and feet.

1. With the loop band flat above your knees, step out into a wide squat with your feet in first position (heels together, toes turned out about 45 degrees)
2. Lower your hips until thighs are parallel to the ground and pulse two times
3. Squeeze the glutes and push into your heels to bring yourself back to standing. Repeat this sequence 20 times total

Plie Squat Pulse to Passe

This movement targets the thighs, hips, abs, calves, and arms.

1. Stand tall in fourth position (from first position take one step forward with left foot, keeping it turned out, and cross it in front of the right) with your right hand resting on the back of the chair and left arm in second position
2. Rise up onto the balls of the feet, and then plié bending both knees out to the sides. Extend right leg straight (keeping the heel lifted), as you lift your left knee out to the side and lightly touch left (pointed) toes just outside right knee. Bring left arm overhead into third position
3. Lower left foot back into fourth position and return arm to second position (heels should remain lifted for the entire set). Repeat this sequence 20 times per side

Hamstring Stretch

This movement targets the hamstrings, hips, abs, calves, and arms.

1. Sitting on the chair with your knees bent, extend the right leg forward and slowly walk the hands down the leg. The chest will move closer to the right knee
2. Return to an upright position and repeat this sequence 20 times per side
3. For a greater challenge, stand in front of the chair and place the right leg on the chair seat. Slowly walk the hands down the leg until they rest on either side of the seat. While in this forward stretch position, bend and straighten the standing leg

Standing Hip Extension (Resistance Band Optional)

This movement targets the thighs, hips, calves, abs, and arms.

1. Stand with your feet comfortably apart. Wrap a loop band around both ankles to add more resistance
2. Hold onto the back of a chair or push your hand against the wall for stability. Push through your right foot to keep it firmly planted on the ground
3. Keep your back straight and pull your left leg behind you, so it lifts off the ground
4. Return your left leg to the start position and repeat this sequence 20 times per side

Triceps Shaver

This movement targets the triceps, calves, abs, and shoulders.

1. Grab a pair of 2-5 lb. dumbbells and stand tall
2. Raise your arms overhead, bending the elbows out to the sides, and lower the weights slightly behind your head. Tighten your abs and press up onto the balls of your feet
3. Extend your arms overhead slightly in front of the body, palms facing forward
4. Lower your heels and bend the elbows at the same time, lowering the weights behind your head. Repeat this sequence 20 times total

Russian Twist (Resistance Band Optional)

This movement targets shoulders, abs, and obliques.

1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended, wrapped the center of the resistance band around the soles of feet. Hold one end of the band in each hand
2. Bend your knees slightly, keeping your heels on the floor, and clasp your hands to bring both ends of the band together
3. With abs engaged and back flat, lean back 45-degrees and extend your arms in front of you at eye level. Keep the resistance band taut
4. Twist to the left, then to the right to complete one rep. Repeat this sequence 20 times total

Don’t forget to stretch after your workout! It helps your muscles recover and improves your flexability. For an extra boost when stretching, use a TheraBand Stretch Strap.

Conclusion

If you’re used to just cardio and no strength training, Barre is a great complementary workout. It uses your own body weight for resistance in small, deliberate movements that focus on specific muscle groups. These muscles are worked to the point of fatigue, and then stretched for relief. In addition to strengthening and toning muscles, Barre can increase cardiovascular endurance and metabolism, which helps to quickly burn calories.

Whether you want to improve your posture, build your core strength, or simply break up your normal gym routine, try using Barre during your next workout!

References

1. Anonymous. (2020). Barre vs. Yoga vs. Pilates: Which is Right for You? Physique 57. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2IS9fCB
2. Anonymous. (2018). How to Do Plié Squats. Get HealthyU. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2TfMJ8s
3. Rostamian, Michelle. (2020). 8 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Start Doing Barre. Byrdie. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3dJQooy

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