Fitness

15-Minute Barre Workout You Can Do At Home

By Jessica Starks

February 21, 2017

Barre workouts are a great way for people from all walks of life to sculpt and tone their bodies with minimal equipment.

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This quick-and-easy barre workout will have you feeling like a ballerina!

Leg Lifts

Leg lifts are an excellent way to dip your toe into the water of barre leg workouts. They are simple, do not require any equipment (unless you want to use weights, of course), and really work your bottom half, while offering some work for your core as well. For people who do not usually do a lot of lower-body workouts or are trying to get back into the swing of things after an injury, this barre workout for legs should be just the thing to get you going until you are ready to take on more challenging exercises.

  1. Stand up straight, feet together, facing the barre.
  2. In one motion, lift your right leg up as if you are about to take a step and lower your left arm. Then repeat using the opposite arm and leg, as if you are marching in place. When both sides are completed, that is one rep.
  3. Repeat this 10 to 15 times.

Butt And Thigh Lift With Fold Overs

This next barre workout for legs is called the fold-over. The fold-over is a tad bit more challenging than the leg lifts because of the balancing factor, but it super effective for the upper thighs. In addition to the upper thighs, this barre workout also helps the lower back and lifts the rear. Nonetheless, there is a proper form to this, so make sure you’ve go it down pat.

  1. Grab a chair and stand behind it at arm’s length. Your feet should be hip-width apart.
  2. With knees bent, slowly hinge your torso forward until your body is parallel with the ground. Hold on to the back of the chair for support, and slightly bend your elbows.
  3. Raise one leg up as high as you comfortably can without going above your hip. After you have lifted your leg up, lower it back down, stopping just above the floor. Repeat by lifting your leg again.
  4. Do about 60 of these lifts, switch sides, and repeat.

Side Leg Raises

Another great barre leg workout for you to do is the side leg raise. Side leg raises do work on a group of muscles in the body called the abductor muscle group. This muscle group are vital for properly functioning in everyday life, as well as participating in sports and various other activities. Note that side leg raises and leg lifts can be the same thing, depending on your position and goal. The difference between the leg lifts above and these side leg raises are that the leg lifts are performed standing up and this barre leg workout requires you to lie down on your side. You can also add weights or a resistance band to help add intensity to this workout.

  1. Still holding on to the chair stand behind it at bent arm’s length. Take one leg and bend it upward at the knee.
  2. Lift the bended leg outward and then extend your leg straight out. Revert back to original position by bending your leg back in, and lowering it back down.
  3. Repeat for about 15 reps on one side and repeat using the opposite side.

Lungeovers

  1. Stand facing the bar with your back leg forward in a lunge position, keeping the weight in the heel of your front foot.
  2. Hinging forward at the waist, point your back toe and lift it up off the ground.
  3. Keeping the fire in the glutes, pulse the pointed toe up and down slightly. Repeat for 20 small pulses for each leg.
  4. In a sort of sweeping or cupping motion, swing the arm and leg backwards, then forward. Repeat for about 15 reps and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

Lying Leg Raises

Last on our low-impact barre workout for legs list are lying leg raises. This last exercise has you lying back down on the floor, but it really works on your core. Your thighs, hips, and core are all being worked on with this barre exercise. Feel like a ballerina yet?

  1. Lie down on your back, with both legs raised towards the ceiling.
  2. Lower your legs down slowly and in a controlled manner, keep your right leg straight but bend your left leg in towards your stomach. Raise your legs back up towards the ceiling.
  3. Repeat for 10-20 reps each.

Not all workouts are created equal, so if one of these barre leg workouts are too difficult for you, do not be afraid to switch up and try something else. All of these workouts are meant to be low-impact, but if you want added intensity go ahead and add weights or even more complex moves to the mix. Most importantly, have fun with it.