An epic home workout for your inner ballerina — wellineux

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Movement (/articles/?category=Movement)

An epic home workout for your inner ballerina (/articles/blog/movement/3ballet-postures) Wellineux (/articles/?author=5770c68299a7b12f54109e66) · June 30, 2016 (/articles/blog/movement/3-ballet-postures)

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Sometimes it can just feel impossible to get to get that workout done. Whether it's a late night at work, interstate travel, kid duties, or even a niggling injury that has been getting in the way (we've had a few of those this end), it can make getting sweaty challenging. But that does't mean your fitness goals need to fall away. You can still achieve an affective workout while at home or on the road.

This week we ventured into the stunning studio of Xtend Barre (https://www.xtendbarre.com/)in Bayside, Melbourne for the first time. Road testing new (and for the most part exciting) methods of exercise has been the result of those pesky niggling injuries we mentioned above. If we're looking at it in a 'glass half full' kind o' light, this process of being forced outside of your usual workout routine by body aches and pains has actually been really fun.

The barre method seemingly popped up overnight and has literally taken over in our neck of the woods. However it was actually inspired by ballet dancer Lotte Berk back in the 1940's. Lotte injured her back, and so carefully transformed her ballet routine into one that would support her rehabilitation. Since then, this same routine has become infused with a hybrid of ballet, yoga and pilates, and has majorly hit the mainstream.

The best part? You don't need to be able to touch your toes to get involved. The other best part? It's really freaking hard!

In the same way that your friend who loves to sweat and throw weights around in the gym has resisted your invitations to yoga because they feel it's 'not a proper workout' only to get their behind absolutely walloped by the yogi in charge, the barre workout is a serious step towards sculpting your body. Designed specifically to strengthen and tone your entire body by using a combination of isometric exercise and stretches, it's the kind of workout that makes you instantly feel more toned (and instantly aware of screaming muscles you never knew you had).

Xtende Barre 1200x800 2

That said, we've had our game faces on at work this week, we've flown to Sydney, and are hosting another wellness workshop this weekend, and so we've been unable to head back to the studio. With the long ballerina legs of the super hot Xtend Barre instructor in mind, we engaged Cat Woods of Core Integrity (http://catcore.blogspot.com.au/), to provide us with her three favourite ballet sculpt moves that you can complete at home.

Challenging and most importantly effective, these three moves are effective in developing body awareness, good core strength, muscular endurance, timing and postural alignment.

Cat tells us that these moves are the most likely to be 'cheated' in her class. So no belly flopping during the diamond push up! No dropping the hips while doing the bridge! Rather than cheat, you could try to make the moves smaller, or reduce the number of reps. Focus on perfect form if you are aiming for results.

The Diamond Push Up. Works: Triceps, shoulders, chest Here's how: 1. From a kneeling position, make a triangle shape between your index fingers and thumbs.

Place your hands, in this position, below the chest in a push up position. Engage the core muscles as you would in a plank hold.

2. Try to maintain your head, neck and spine in alignment rather than dropping your head or straining your chin forward. Lower your chest towards your hands without letting the back arch and the belly slap the mat. This is belly flopping – don’t!

3. Press hard into the palm of the hands as you raise back to your starting position, fully extending the arms. Repeat. As many as you can.

The Bridge with Heel Carve Works: Hamstrings, glutes Here's how: 1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Ensure your feet are hip distance apart. Extend your arms, palms down by your sides.

2. Tighten and engage your glutes then lift your hips up, feeling your abdominals also bracing gently to stabilise and support your spine.

3. Keeping your hips lifted, extend your left heel along the mat as far as you can, then

imagine carving the floor open with your heel as you drag it back. The foot is flexed to really target the hamstrings. Repeat with the right leg.

4. Repeat until you need to rest, then gently roll down from the top of the spine until you’re back at the starting position.

The Lying Leg Lift Works: Quadriceps, Abdominals Here's how: 1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip distance apart. Extend your arms, palms down, by your side.

2. Extend your left leg to straight, flexing the foot as hard as you can. This is to engage the VMO (vastus medialis oblique) muscle – the quadricep muscle responsible for stabilising your kneecap. Turn the leg out to the side so that you have a slight external rotation.

3. Make sure you are engaging the abdominals to avoid your back arching as you raise and lower the leg. You should feel this right through the front and sides of the tummy!

4. Maintaining your foot in flexion and leg perfectly straight, raise the leg straight up – hold for a second – then lower your leg until it hovers just over the mat. Do this 10 – 20 times.

5. Repeat this on the right side.

GIVE AWAY! Today we have 2 x one month unlimited Xtend Barre passes to give to two of you, valid at a Melbourne studio of your choice. To win this prize, we just want to hear from you in the comments. What is the ONE thing that always stands between you and your workout? (This could be eye opening in terms of overcoming it moving forward!) Winners chosen COB Thursday 24 March 2016.

Xtende 1200x800 Tagged: balerina (/articles/?tag=balerina), barre body (/articles/?tag=barre+body), fitness (/articles/?tag=fitness), home workout (/articles/?tag=home+workout), melbourne (/articles/?tag=melbourne), pilates (/articles/?tag=pilates), yoga (/articles/?tag=yoga)

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Tilly

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PO ST CO MME NT…

10 months ago

The biggest burden that stops me from working out is definitely selfconsciousness.Growing up I was always a very slender & tall, and I was considered the "lank" by pretty much everyone at school & this made me upset & extremely self conscious of the way I moved my body. From then on I quit all sports including aerobics & dance as I felt like an idiot for being so damn lanky. Since those days, I have continued to run as part of my workouts but I have still never gained enough confidence to do group classes that involve moving your body such as Pilates, zumbo, body pump or barre. But I feel as though it is about time I overcome this silly fear & I believe receiving an unlimited pass to try barre would 100% be the perfect motivation & reason to overcome my fear & just yolo it. I know I need to be strong & brave and 2016 is the year to do this!! Woohoo

Sarah

10 months ago

Congratulations Tilly! If you could get in touch with me at sarahj@wellineux.com I'll organise your prize! Here's to overcoming some fears :) Speak soon.

Rickii Jshi

10 months ago

My biggest challenge is a changing work schedule. Inconsistency in work schedule ends up translating into inconsistency in working out.But then again our actions reveal our priorities and anything we truly value and want to accomplish in a day can be done :) So I'm focused and ready to get back on track! 1 month free would be a perfect start, especially since my bday is coming up :) Yayyy!! Just writing this got me all pumped up to work out hehe...Thanks for the giveaway and this cool way to win - was great reflecting on it :) FingersCrossed! Wish me luck ;) :P

Sarah

10 months ago

Well done Rickii! And happy birthday! The gift of health if coming your way this year it seems! Shoot me an email: sarahj@wellineux.com and we will organise your prize.

Speak soon :)

ZhanĂŠ Orr-O'farrell

10 months ago

My biggest barrier when fitting in a workout comes down to one word - guilt.I begin to think about all of the 'more productive' things I could be doing instead and begin to feel guilty for putting that time aside for me and my fitness. Considering also that many people around me don't value fitness and exercise as highly as I do I then also feel guilty for dedicating time to what they consider 'unimportant', as well as prioritising myself before completing tasks for these people. So in the end, it's guilt for not working, not cleaning, not looking after others and then when I don't fit it in, guilt for not being dedicated enough.

kittybaroque

10 months ago

Feeling overly conscious about my age when in fitness studio's I create a barrier before I even start.

Amy

10 months ago

Not having enough time to workout - biggest excuse! I always try to wake up 1 hour earlier to workout in the morning, to get it over and done with and set up for a good day, or try to squeeze in walks or incidental exercise throughout the day. :)

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