6 Barre Workouts That Target Your Seat
6 Barre Moves to Try
Kingswell showed us a few barre moves that help connect you with your
body and breath. The only equipment you need is a chair or a barre like
structure to help support you. (Hint: The Pilates Class offers a free,
seven-day trial and has a range of classes you can try, including barre,
pilates, stretch, and calm classes).
Warm Up
● Stand with your feet parallel and hip distance apart, facing your
chair/barre. Bend your knees slightly.
● Step away from your barre until your arms are straight.
● Slightly bend both knees and let your heart through the center of
your body, allowing you to feel a stretch behind your hamstrings and down
the front line of your body. Keep your back flat.
Pilates Curtsey
● With one hand on your chair/barre, extend the other hand out to
the side and straighten the same leg (furthest away from the barre) out to
the side while pointing your toes. Stand nice and tall.
● Take the extended leg behind you, keep the heel lifted and
bend/plié both legs while taking the arm from the side to above your head,
or in fifth position, keeping your shoulders down and back.
● Extend the working leg back to the side and take the arm with
you.
● Repeat to the other side.
● Tip: Keep both hips facing forward for the entire movement.
Extended Leg Lift
● Face and put both hands on your chair/barre.
● Create a long and flat spine, scoop your belly button back towards
your spine, and extend one leg back while slightly bending the supporting
leg.
● Extend one leg behind you and point through your toes.
● Without arching your back, squeeze your glute and lift the leg up,
then control as you lower down. Make sure you really focus on lengthening
the leg out as long as you can, going for length over height.
● Repeat to the other side.
● Tip: Imagine someone holding onto your ankle pulling your leg to
get longer. Then imagine you have a coffee on your lower back, and as you
start the movement try not to spill the coffee by really engaging the core
keeping your spine flat and long.
Balance Into Leg Extend
● Set Up: Start in your leg extended position with the leg lifted in
the air and apply the Pilates principles, drawing your belly button back
toward your spine.
● Bend the lifted leg in toward your chest and lift your arm above
your head, and then reverse that movement going back into your extended
leg lift position.
● Tip: The crown of your head should move from facing forwards a
wall to then moving towards the ceiling.
Knee Repeaters
● Start in a lunge position, with one leg back and your front leg
bent. Straighten your back leg and hinge forward.
● Place your fingertips lightly onto your barre and be mindful not
to grab too hard.
● Engage the core and bring the back leg in towards the front leg.
Keep your front knee bent the entire time.
● Take the working leg back to your lunge position and repeat the
movement.
● Really lean forward and keep your spine in a diagonal
position.
● Tip: To get your heart rate up, increase the speed of this
movement. You can also lift the working leg off the floor as you bring it
in towards your core.
Side Leg Lift
● Place one hand on your barre, and extend the other hand over your
head as if you are leaning over the barre, but keep your shoulders facing
to the side.
● Extend the leg furthest away from the barre out to the side while
pointing your toes. Slightly bend the supporting leg.
● Internally rotate the working leg to face down towards your
mat.
● Lift the working leg and take your arm to the side; reverse that
movement and control the leg down.
● Tip: Keep the supporting leg bent and don’t worry too much about
height. Go for the length over height.
Cool-Down
It’s so important to finish the workout with a stretch and some breath
work to calm the nervous system and center yourself for the day ahead.
An easy way is to take one of The Pilates Class’ five minute stretch
classes to cool down.
