Barre at the Beach: Standing Barre Work
This standing barre work can be done at the beach, in your living room, in a hotel room or just about anywhere. It doesn’t require any equipment and you’ll tone up your legs while getting in some light cardio.
Is it just me or is there something about being at the beach and on the water that just makes you want to work out? I see sun and sand and I think…workout! No? I’m alone in this one? Well my friends, in an ideal world I would love to host a retreat every summer called Barre at the Beach but since that is currently just a figment of my imagination, we’ll have to settle for my suggested beach workout that can be done absolutely anywhere, even by the light of your Christmas tree.
Channel your inner dancer with this workout even if you have never had any dance experience. Ensure your shoulders are down away from your ears, your abs are pulled in and your neck and spine are long throughout!
To warm up, start by lifting your knees up towards your chest, pointing your toes and swinging your arms in opposition. Alternate your knee lifts like you are marching. Perform at least 24 reps.
Plies
Start your workout with second position plies. Stand with feet wide and hands on hips. Lower down so that thighs are parallel to the ground and knees are over ankles. Squeeze seat as you return to standing. Repeat 16x then hold in plie and pulse for 16x.
Plie Releve
Start in the same position as plies, lift heels up from ground balancing on toes and this time plie with heels lifted. Repeat 16x and then hold the plie and pulse for 16.
Plie Releve in First
Bring your feet together so heels are touching and toes are apart. Bend knees into a plie keeping heels on the floor, Lift heels off the floor as you straighten legs to a releve and bring arms up in front of your chest. Lower down to repeat. Repeat 16x then hold the releve and balance for 8 counts.
Second Position Plie with Arm Pull
Return to second position plie starting position and bring arms up overhead with palms facing out. As you lower into a plie, draw elbows down to sides with palms facing in. Return to starting position. Repeat at a fast cadence to increase your heart rate. Repeat 32x.
Plie Reach with Tendu
Start in second position plie with left elbow bent at side, palm facing up. Crunch elbow towards thigh and then reach arm over towards right as you lean to the right, palm facing up to sky. Keep both feet flat. Repeat the elbow to thigh crunch and reach 16x. Then add a tendu on the reach. After the elbow to thigh crunch, reach your hand overhead crunching to the right and straighten legs pointing left toe on the ground. Repeat plie reach with tendu 16x. Then add a battement. After the elbow to thigh crunch, reach your hand overhead crunching right and lift left leg up to hip height in a battement. Repeat 16x. Perform entire sequence on left leg.
Heel Jogs
From second position plie position, bring hands into prayer and peel left heel off the ground then switch and peel right heel off the ground. Continue alternating sides, jogging the heels for 16x. Then add a pulse with the legs. Everytime the heel lifts, pulse down with the thighs. Repeat 16x.
First Position Pulses
Bring feet to first position with heels together and toes apart. Lift heels off the ground rising onto toes. Bring heels together so they are touching. Bend knees into a plie with hands in prayer at heart. Pulse legs for 16x. Then lower 1 more inch and hold for 8 counts.
Grand Plie
From first position pulse, bend knees and lower seat all the way towards heels. Return to first position pulse (note legs will not straighten all the way but remain bent in that shaking zone!). Repeat 16x.
Lunge
Stand with left foot in front and right foot in back about two feet apart. Back heel is lifted off the ground and hands are on hips. Bend knees lowering down to the floor bringing both knees to 90 degree angles and keeping front knee over ankle. Extend back up and repeat 16x. Hold the last lunge and pulse the legs in a small range of motion for 16x. Repeat with the opposite leg in front.
Lunge with Arm Pull
From the lunge position, bring arms overhead and as you lower into the lunge, draw elbows down towards hips. Return to start and repeat at a fast cadence to get heart rate up. Repeat 32x and then switch legs and perform the entire sequence again.
Lunge with Chest Press
From the lunge position, bring arms to a goalpost out to side with elbows bent and at shoulder height. As you lower into the lunge, draw the elbows together in parallel like there are magnets on your elbows. Return to start and repeat at a fast cadence to increase heart rate. Repeat 32x then switch sides.
Repeater Knee
From lunge position, shift weight forward onto front leg and extend back leg pointing the toe. Bring arms overhead. Draw knee in towards chest while drawing elbows in towards ribs. Extend arms and leg long. Repeat 16x then switch sides and repeat.
Repeater Knee Balance
Repeat the repeater knee sequence but this time, instead of tapping toe down on floor, extend it long off the floor using core to maintain balance. Perform 16x reps on each side.
Forward Lunge
Stand on left leg with right toe pointed and arms in front like hugging a beach ball. Lean forward onto right leg bending the knee and extending arms out to side. Push off right leg bringing weight onto left leg and lifting right leg off the floor extend in front to balance. Arms hug a beach ball in front. Shift weight back onto right leg and repeat 8x. On the last rep, hold the right leg lift and pulse 8x. Repeat the entire sequence on the opposite leg.
Heel Lifts
Stand with feet together in parallel, lift heels off the ground and lower the heels back on the ground for 16 reps. Then keep heels lifted and bend knees lowering legs down an inch and then up an inch. Repeat 16x. On the last rep, hold the position low for 8 counts.
And that’s it folks! How are your legs feeling? Let me know if you like the workout!!
Readers, what is your dream fitness retreat? Does the beach make you feel like working out?
