Summer-Ready Body at the Barre

Strengthen and lengthen with Barre Harmony.

Spring naturally re-energizes our desire to move more—and to groove our way to summer-ready body status. Barre conditioning is a highly popular workout because it works! Barre will help you build length and strength as it tightens your abs, and targets butt and thighs with a low-impact—yet intense—burn.

We’ve got you covered with a workout designed by Becca Pace, creator of Daily Burn’s Barre Harmony program that will help you sculpt your summer body. Best of all, no barre is needed! So grab a chair, a set of light dumbbells, a towel and a mat to get started with these eight exercises.

1. Down Dog Knee Drive

How-to: Start on the floor in plank position with your hands under your shoulders, legs extended, maintaining a neutral spine and creating one long line from your head to your heels.

(a) Lift your hips up to the ceiling into Down Dog, creating a V shape.

(b) Lift your left leg up to the ceiling and then draw your knee towards your chest, pointing your toes.

(c) Press your hands into the floor as you round your upper back, pulling your knee up higher and firing up your core.

(d) Extend your left leg back up to the ceiling.

(e) Repeat for 10 reps.

(f) Return to Down Dog and switch sides.

2. Prone Lat Pull

How-to: Start on the floor in prone position with your legs extended.

(a) Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms out in front of you.

(b) Lift your torso and arms off the floor, extending your spine yet keeping the back of your neck long.

(c) Keeping your chest lifted, bend your elbows and pull them down towards your hips.

(d) Press your arms overhead, then lower your torso to the floor.

(e) Repeat for 10 reps

3. Parallel Plié

How-to: Stand behind a chair in a parallel position with a towel rolled up and placed between your legs just above your knees.

(a) Rise up onto the balls of your feet, keeping your heels high.

(b) Squeezing the towel, slowly bend your knees, keeping your back straight and hips over your heels.

(c) Hold for two counts at the bottom of your plié, then press back up to standing.

(d) Repeat for 10 reps.

(e) On the last rep, hold at the bottom and pulse for 10 reps, squeezing the towel between your legs.

4. Back Attitude

How-to: Stand on your left leg holding onto the back of a chair for balance. Bend your right knee and point your toe, resting your right foot lightly against your left leg, at about calf height.

(a) Squeeze your glutes to bring your right knee out to the right side.

(b) Then, with a slight bend in your left knee, bring your right leg up and back behind you. Move your chest forward slightly to take pressure off your back.

(c) Push your baby toe up toward the ceiling and keep your knee open.

(d) Return to your right leg to the starting position and repeat for 10 reps.

(e) On the last rep, pulse at the back attitude position for 10 reps, then switch sides.

5. Wide Plié Jump

How-to: Stand in a wide position with legs externally rotated out from your hips.

(a) With your arms crossed in front of your chest, pulse down in a plié for three counts keeping back straight and knees open.

(b) One the third pulse explode into a jump, reaching arms up and out diagonally.

(c) Land gently with bent knees, and repeat for 10 reps.

(d) On the last rep, hold the deep plié and pulse for 10 reps

6. Rainbow

How-to: Start on all fours, wrists in line with your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Bring your left leg out to the side with your knee straight, so your toes line up with your hips.

(a) Keeping your abs engaged and pelvis in a neutral position, lift your left leg up and over to the right in a rainbow-like movement. Tap your toe outside of your right foot.

(b) Perform the same rainbow up-and-over movement to bring your left leg back to the side starting position.

(c) Repeat for 10 reps, then switch sides.

7. Bridge Abduction

How-to: Lie on your back, feet planted on the floor with your heels close enough to your butt that you can touch them.

(a) Squeeze your glutes and drive your pelvis up towards the ceiling.

(b) Keep your weight in the heel of your left foot, press your shoulder blades into the floor, and straighten and lift your right leg up toward the ceiling.

(c) Then keep your knee straight as you lower it back toward the ground, hovering it just off the floor.

(d) Next, open your right leg out to the side on a 45-degree angle.

(e) Bring your right leg back out in front of you, knee straight.

(f) Continue lifting, lowering and extending your right leg to the side for 10 reps, then switch sides.

8. Rotation Leg Extension

How-to: Start seated with your feet flat on the floor, spine long and arms open to the side.

(a) Contract your abs and roll back into a C curve, tucking your tailbone under and hollowing out your belly.

(b) Bring your palms together and rotate to the right and at the same time, extend your left leg.

(c) Open your arms out, place your foot down and return to your seated position.

(d) Continue alternating for 10 reps. On the last rep, hold C curve and pulse for 10 reps.

(e) Switch sides.

Want more? Meet us at the barre! Sign up now to be one of the first to try Daily Burn Barre Harmony, and don’t miss this special offer to train with Daily Burn.

Photo credit: Ryan Kelly for Daily Burn