At Studio SWEAT onDemand, we sure do love ourselves some Barre. In fact, we love it so much that we can’t stop talking about it. We’ve written article after article singing its praises, burned our booties in class after class, and basically shouted from the rooftops how much we adore this utterly effective workout methodology. And guess what? We’re not even close to done.

So allow us the opportunity to double down on everything we love about this très magnifique workout style, while giving you all the reasons it works so well, along with some useful at-home Barre exercises to get you as into it as we are. Let’s dance, shall we? 

First Off, What Is Barre?

Barre was born out of necessity, when a modern ballet dancer named Lotte Berk suffered a back injury and was looking for low-impact exercises that she could do without causing herself more pain. It then evolved into an all-around workout that blended cardio, strength training, flexibility, and core conditioning. Using nothing more than a simple Barre…umm, bar, trainees achieved some serious benefits, without those pesky drawbacks that come with higher-impact methodologies. 

The Benefits of Barre

There are so many benefits of Barre workouts, it’s pretty tough to list them all, but we’re gonna try…

Stress Reduction: By boosting those endorphins, Barre has been shown to lower stress levels, while improving your focus and the mind-body connection. 

Strength Gains: As a form of resistance training, Barre helps increase lean muscle mass and overall strength. 

Low-Impact Training: For those of us with injuries in our joints and bones, Barre is a stellar exercise regimen for those that can’t handle the harder stuff. 

No Equipment Needed: Despite the name, Barre doesn’t actually require any equipment in order to complete a class – you can use a chair or the wall for balance assistance. 

Better Posture: It’s been found that having good posture can be instrumental to avoiding dangerous lower-back injuries, and Barre is one of the best ways to straighten yourself out. 

Increased Range of Motion: Because of the stretching nature of a Barre workout, you can look forward to better flexibility in many other areas of the body as well. 

At-Home Barre Exercises

As purveyors of the ultimate collection of virtual fitness classes, we know a thing or two (or a thousand) about at-home Barre exercises. So we’ve lined up a few of our favorites, to wet your whistle before you commit to it full time. Oh, and you will commit to it, we guarantee it! 

Barre Exercise #1: Deep Ballet Squats

This first Barre exercise is performed just like a regular squat, but your knees are facing outward, almost perpendicular to the direction you’re facing. Sink down as low as you can while remaining comfortable, stay at the bottom of the movement for a few seconds, then come up slowly. Put your hands out at your sides for balance, and try three rounds of ten. 

Barre Exercise #2: Knee Lifts

This next one is simple enough — or so it may seem. It’s actually a quite difficult exercise that seriously stretches and works your hamstrings. Holding yourself up with your bar (or chair, or table corner), lift one knee up to your midsection, whilst slowly pressing down into the other leg (your bottom leg should be slightly bent). Switch legs and repeat 10-15 times on each side.

Barre Exercise #3: Glute Press

Now for the ever-present Glute Press. This near-perfect at-home Barre exercise will have you burning it up all over your lower half. You can perform this movement with a small medicine ball for extra resistance, but you don’t need to. Leaning on your elbows on any raised surface, lift one leg behind you with your knee bent, making sure the bottom of your foot is facing the ceiling. Try three sets of ten reps on each side.

Barre Exercise #4: The Plié

Probably the most important, and most well known, Barre exercise is the Plié. And though it might seem like you’re just showing off how graceful and swan-like you can be, it’s actually one of the simplest yet most effective exercises to boost quad, hamstring, glute, and calf strength! Keeping your heels together and your feet apart, bend your knees slowly, making sure to keep your upper body straight. Lift yourself up, and you’re back to the starting position. We suggest starting with three sets of 12. 

Barre Exercise #5: The Arabesque

As exotic sounding as it is effective, the Arabesque exercise is a wonderful way to tone your booty and strengthen your hams and quads, too. Starting with your hands holding a table or Barre for balance, lift one leg behind you at a slight angle. Bring that rear leg up as much as you can without straining, lower it about a foot, and then bring it up again. Switch sides and try to get three sets of ten on both sides. 

Try our favorite at-home Barre exercises as soon as you can – we promise we’ll make you a Barre believer! And when you’re ready for more, check out our full library of virtual Barre workouts featuring some of the most inspiring, passionate, and world-class trainers you’ll ever meet. We’ve even got a portable Barre that’s exclusively discounted for our members. What’s that you say? You wanna become a member?? Well check out our 7-Day Free Trial to experience quite possibly the best online fitness platform around, Barre-none!