Want that long, lean toned look that you may or may not day dream about coming into summer (hellllllo bikinis) well doing these Barre Attack moves every day will help you get there. Founded Renee Scott, a former professional ballerina for the Hamburg Ballet who also trained under the direct descendant of Joseph Pilates as a Pilates instructor combines the best of both worlds for a deceptively tough workout!

While we all can’t attend classes these are some moves you can do at home. So, roll out your mat. Get in your fave #fitspo gear and get to it.

1. Brazilian twists

Start in a plank position on your hands and toes. Keeping a steady plank and a lengthened torso, bring one knee to the opposite elbow chest without rounding the lower back. Hold for one breath and return to plank repeat alternating legs. You should feel this through the upper body and abs.

20 rep

2. Second Position Plies

Standing tall, have your legs out wide, just outside hip-width apart and externally rotated from the hip, turned out 45 degrees. Make sure your back is upright with shoulders over the hips.

Bend the knees and allow the knees to draw outwards over the toes as you draw the crutch line down level with the knees then return to start position. Feel like you’re sliding up and down an imaginary wall, so the upper body doesn’t pitch forward at an angle. Inhale on the way down into the plie and exhale on the way back up. You’ll feel this through the thighs, your bottom cheeks and a gentle drawing in of the lower pelvic floor.

20 Reps

3. Frog Pulses

Stay in a second position but lean the upper body forward and bend the knees. Reach the finger tips out so you’re touching the floor but keeping the eyeline forward.

Bend the knees and lean the upper body forward and touch the floor with the finger tips, come up half way to upright by stretching the legs slightly then bend the knees and return to tapping the floor with the hands.

You should feel your inner thighs and glutes kick in fast. If you only feel it through your lower back, you need to bend the knees more and not round through the lower or upper back. Your back should be long and pitching forward at 45 degrees – it’s the legs bending that creates the movement.

10-15 Reps

4. Side Planks

Lie on your side with your elbow bent under the shoulder and legs stacked on top of each other.

Press the hips up to the ceiling creating a long diagonal line between the top of the head and the feet. Try and think of lifting the ribcage and hips up, while keeping the hips and shoulders over each other. You’ll feel this through the shoulders, back as well as the obliques on the underside of the body. Try pulling your abs upwards like you would do in a traditional plank to maintain good form and alignment.

If you’re feeling up to it, pull yourself up from the floor with your hand and extend the resting hand to the ceiling.

5 reps to each side

5. Lunge with rotations

Stand in a split-legged lunge position, one foot forward one foot back, both in line with the hips and knees bent. Most of the weight is in the front foot, so you can keep the weight forward with back heel lifted. Arms are outstretched just below shoulder height.

Bend your knees, so you are lunging down to the ground with the front knee bent at 90 degrees and back leg bent at 90 degrees, knee almost going to touch the floor. Keeping the legs stable, rotate the upper body so it’s twisting across the front leg. Return upper body to center and stretch the legs to return to an upright position. You’ll feel this through the legs and waist – if you’re feeling it through the knees, stop and check your alignment and range of motion through the legs before continuing.

 

Banner image credit

BEC & BRIDGE 2017