Working Out On the Move: 4 flyphysique (barre) exercises you can do anywhere
- By Dr. Jenni Bruning Brown
- July 15, 2017
Are you obsessed with your barre class? Do you crave that sweet muscle ache from a fierce set of pulse and hold reps? Try working out on the move!
If you can’t make it to one of our daily barre classes or are planning an extended vacation away, you don’t need to miss your pump and pulsing fix. You might be in the groove, now that you’re taking consistent classes and finally making it through a full seat set. Or you just know that barre routine makes you feel so great.
Whether you’re headed out for a quick trip on the coast or a long vacay, here’s just what you’ll need to take Fly’s barre classes on the road. Dr. Jenni Bruning Brown has put together a few of her favorite exercises from class to help you do a workout sans barre. Check your form with the steps below for your best workout while avoiding injury. You’ll be ready to come back strong as ever!
- Elbow Plank
The plank is one of the best exercises for your core, back and shoulders. It’s also one of the simplest foundational moves you can do, and you can do it in anywhere, as long as you have a flat or comfortable surface. Modify your plank by positioning your body to face downhill on a slant for an added challenge. To do a proper plank:
- Position yourself on your forearms and stabilize your body with your palms and the balls of your feet on the ground
- Legs are straight, glutes are engaged & inner thighs are pulling in
- Ankles are pulling together and abs are drawing upward, hips aligned with shoulders. Make sure to breathe.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Push-ups
Push-ups strengthen and tone your entire body. They work your core muscles, deltoids, biceps, triceps, pecs (chest), shoulders and back. They also require some cardiovascular involvement and will increase blood flow and heart rate. If you do them for a minute, they can be one of the most effective full-body exercises you can do. Start with the goal of 20 pushups in a minute and increase over time.
- Position your hands on the ground directly under your shoulders and get on your knees. Start on your balls of your feet for as long as you can, then drop to your knees when you absolutely have to.
- Bend elbows down and back towards your sides while feeling your shoulder blades pulling back and apart. Elbows should be at a right angle when you lower your body.
- Engage your abdominals/core.
- Try to do 20 (or as many as you can complete in 1 minute).
- Wide V squats
A wide V position is one of our favorites in our flyphysique classes in both our thigh and seat series. With this move, you strengthen and tone your quads, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius. Here’s how to get into a wide V and feel the burn:
- Step your legs into a wide stance with your hips and feet turned out and your toes pointed outward. Align your hips with your knees and position your shins straight up and down at a right angle. Do not allow knees to go in front of toes.
- Bend your knees so that they follow the same direction of your feet and ensure that your whole foot is grounded on the floor. Engage your seat muscles while tucking your hips slightly under.
- Keep tailbone low and spine long and straight.
- Move 1 inch up and down and repeat for 1 minute
- Lunges
A lunge is great for building balance and strength. Because you can add more range of movement the lower you go on a lunge, you can engage more core muscles and build stability in upper and lower body as well.
- Stand with one leg in front and position your front knee directly above the ankle. Your hips should be aligned and your back straight up and down
- Lift your back heel off the ground and place your hands on the hips. Drop your back knee down to the ground and bring it straight back up.
- Ensure that you are not moving forward and back, but straight down and up.
- Engage your seat and tuck your hips slightly under. Keep tailbone low and spine long and straight.
- Repeat 10 times then switch sides.