GET TO THE CORE OF A STRONG, TONED BODY

Get to the core of a strong, toned body Barre Attack is the number one Australian barre workout, created by me. Also known as the “sweaty barre workout”, it combines standing Pilates, ballet-based moves and fitness to create a low impact, high intensity full bodied workout. Using a ballet barre By RENEE SCOTT Want to sculpt and align your body? Work your core with Pilates Mat and Barre Attack - an ideal combination of standing stability, body weight resistance training and flowing, core-strengthening exercises. Pilates Mat, created by Joseph Pilates in New York in the late 1920s, uses just your own body weight and a sequence of flowing exercises on a mat, with control, precision, alignment, concentration and the connection of your "powerhouse", which we now often refer to as our core. This series of exercises done on a regular basis will help tone, lengthen and align the body. helping with posture, injury prevention and mental and physical wellbeing. or a chair, your own body weight and small equipment, it’s a flowing, fun combination of endurance and strength-based exercises, while aligning and A 5-EXERCISE PILATES AND BARRE engaging the core. ATTACK WORKOUT ANYONE CAN DO: LOW IMPACT, ENDURANCE-BASED The bonus of Pilates and Barre is that anybody can do EXERCISES TO SUIT ALL AGES AND it. They're appropriate for all ages and fitness levels; low impact, and endurance-based exercises that you FITNESS LEVELS THAT YOU CAN can take at your own pace. Before you know it, you TAKE AT YOUR OWN PACE – AT will have a bounce in your step, you will stand taller, YOUR PLACE! hold great posture, feel great and everybody will

start to notice the positive changes! WHAT IS YOUR CORE?

The key core muscle groups are around the trunk of the body. Think of a cylinder around your torso the main supporting muscles such as:

The pelvic floor, at the base of the pelvis Transverse abdominus, wrapping around the centre of the body like a wide belt Internal and external obliques, extending diagonally from ribs to pelvis Rectus abdominus, known well as the six pack The mulitifidus and erector spinae, along the spine from the base of the pelvis to the head

They work together to help our balance, posture, sports or daily activities. If you complete regular core-based activities with correct alignment you will feel more energised, lighter and more "in tune" with your body.

Here is a fun, five-move workout to help you stand taller and feel stronger. It engages the key muscle groups to support and activate your core, benefit your posture and overall wellbeing.

You can do this workout just about anywhere. Do these moves as a circuit – approximately 10-20 reps in rounds of 3-4 for a full body workout. The only equipment you might need is a Thera band (available at outlets like sports stores, some department stores or chemists) or a Barre Attack elastic, available online: 1. Second Position Plie with Waiter Arms Start: Legs out wide and turned out, elbows in next to the body with palms up towards the ceiling holding onto resistance band. the side, keep the knees following the toes and the elbows pinned in next to the waist. Feel the chest opening and the upper back engaging as you work the rotator cuff, the inner thighs, quads and pelvic floor in the plie.

2. Golf Swing Rotation

Start: Hook a resistance band under one foot. Loop up the band in your hands. Staying in a second position pitch the upper body forward to 45 degrees, keeping a long spine.

Move: Holding the elastic with both hands, rotate the upper body away from the where the elastic is under the foot. Keeping the lower half of the body stable, try and reach to the floor like you are swinging a golf club and putting a ball along the floor.

Move: Bend the knees and open the forearms to Reps: 15-20 3. One-Armed Tricep Extension

Start: Keeping your second position, grab the elastic in one hand only, (opposite arm from the foot where the elastic is attached).

Move: Staying pitched forward with your upper body, draw the elbow out to the side and up towards the ceiling, then extend the arm out and return it back to release the resistance.

4. Planks With Elastic

Start: Come down onto the hands and knees holding the elastic, one side in each hand. Align the elastic so it is just below the shoulder blades and there is some resistance. Stretch the legs out and come up into a plank position.

Move: Hold the plank, feeling a slight lift up into the resistance of the elastic. Activate your internal corset by imagining you are tightening a belt around your waist and keep breathing naturally.

5. Supermans

Start: Hop down into a four-point kneeling position with elastics in hands and over one foot.

Move: Keeping both hands on the floor to start. Lengthen and lift the back leg to hip height, engaging the abs and glutes. Try to repeat 10 times, breathing throughout. If you can, combine the movement with a lift of the front arm as you lift the back leg. Too much? Just do the legs only. You will feel the glutes, hamstrings and core engage as you move through this exercise. Reps:5-10

Reps: 10 each side

Renee is giving away 5 x 2-week passes to train with her face to face at her Balance Moves studio in Sydney’s Bondi Beach or live via Zoom, streamed from Balance Moves onto any device. To be eligible, please comment on Balance Moves' Facebook and/or Instagram pages as to why it would benefit you: www.facebook.com/BalanceMoves/ www.instagran.com/balancemoves/?hl=en

For only $29 per week you can stream unlimited classes via Zoom from Balance Moves.

There are up to three classes per day to choose from, seven days a week:

www.balancemoves.com.au

CLICK HERE

Renee Scott is the owner and director of Balance Moves and the creator of Barre Attack Teacher training and method. Renee danced with the Hamburg Ballet, holds a diploma in dance, is Pilates certified under Romana Pilates, BASI, Pilates ITC and Balanced Body. She regularly enjoys running teacher training courses, workshops and presenting at conferences in Barre Attack and Pilates. If she is not working you will find her with her husband, Tim, and playing with her two children in Bondi Beach.