Barre Exercises To Try At Home That Will Tone Your Body Like A Ballet Dancer's

Barre has been taking the fitness world by storm for a while.

The ballet-inspired, full body workout consists of isometric strength training, which involves holding your body still while you contract a specific set of muscles. It's great for muscular endurance and stamina.

The exercise is also popular with Victoria's Secret Angels and, what's more, you don't have to move about much (sounds great, huh?).

Here, Barre Code's master trainer Kiersten Bond shows you how to do some very simple Barre moves at home.

Exercise one

Grab a chair for support. Bring your heels together, toes apart, come up onto your tip toes and then bend your knees and sink down.

Pulse up and down - the higher your heels are the more you'll feel it burn.

Exercise two

Spread your legs more than shoulder width apart, turn your toes outwards and bend your knees so you're almost squatting. Pull your tail bone down so your core stays tight.

Then pull down an inch and then up half an inch - and repeat.

For a challenge, come up onto your tip toes while you're doing this.

Exercise three

Get down onto your hands and knees - hands should be underneath your shoulders and knees underneath your hip. Don't dip your back down, keep your core tight.

Shift your weight to your left knee and lift your right knee up behind you. Then slowly pulse your leg up and down.

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Fitness and Health Myths You Need to Stop Believing

"I have to spend at least one hour in the gym to see results."(01 of05)

Holland feels that this is one of the most misunderstood aspects of exercise. “This myth actually plays into the No. 1 reason people cite for not exercising, namely lack of time,” he said. “There is now significant research indicating that smaller bouts of exercise done throughout the day can yield big results.” He also explained that even breaking 30 minutes of activity into three separate 10-minute sessions throughout the day can produce the same effect. “Even one- to two-minute, short bursts of exercise have significant value over time,” he added. Photo Credit: ShutterstockClick Here to See More Fitness and Health Myths You Need to Stop Believing

"I’m exercising, so I can eat whatever I want."(02 of05)

“Research has shown that combining healthy eating and diet is the ‘secret’ to losing weight and keeping it off long term,” Holland said. “Burning a few hundred calories through exercise and reducing caloric intake by a few hundred each day will lead to one to two pounds of weight lost per week—a realistic and sustainable goal.”Photo Credit: Shutterstock

"If I eat organic or gluten-free, I’ll lose weight."(03 of05)

“Many food companies have made making healthy food choices increasingly difficult over the past few decades with increasingly bold, and often confusing, marketing tactics,” Holland explained. “Just because a product is advertised as healthy does not necessarily mean it is.” He suggests that you always read labels carefully and choose foods that have the least number of ingredients. Also, aim to buy products made with ingredients that you recognize. “Look for total calories, and try to choose foods that are the least processed and in their most natural state,” he said.Photo Credit: ShutterstockClick Here to See More Fitness and Health Myths You Need to Stop Believing

"I can get great abs with lots of crunches."(04 of05)

Holland debunks this myth in plain and simple terms: “You cannot ‘spot-reduce’ and ‘tell’ your body where to get rid of fat stores by doing exercises that target that region.” He explained that yes, crunches will help to strengthen your abdominal muscles, but ab exercises alone will not result in belly fat reduction. “In order to flatten your stomach, you need to decrease your overall body fat percentage along with the fat layer,” Holland said. “This comes from a combination of healthy eating and doing regular cardiovascular exercise.”Photo Credit: Shutterstock

"Exercise is more important than diet."(05 of05)

When it comes to achieving true health and fitness success, Holland stressed the importance of incorporating both exercise and diet into your daily routine. One isn’t necessarily more important than the other. It’s important to create a balance that includes both. “Trying to achieve weight loss through either diet or exercise alone is extremely difficult, and it’s also one of the main barriers to achieving your health and fitness goals,” Holland said.Click Here to See Fitness and Health Myths You Need to Stop BelievingPhoto Credit: Shutterstock

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