Barre Workouts
Strengthen, sculpt and tone with this barre-inspired ankle weight workout! This fusion-style workout combines the muscle-building benefits of high-rep strength training with the mobility and core strengthening benefits of barre. Option to perform with just your bodyweight, or add ankle weights for an extra challenge.
Strengthen and sculpt with this guided barre and ankle weights workout.
Barre classes typically involve a series of controlled movements that focus on strengthening the core muscles, improving posture, improving joint stability and increasing flexibility.
Using ankle weights creates extra resistance during each exercise to build strength and definition in the upper body, lower body and core.
Ankle weights are particularly well-suited for barre workouts, which typically include high repetitions of exercises such as leg lifts, lunges and leg curls.
30-Minute Barre Ankle Weight Workout
The best barre-inspired ankle weight exercises to build strength in the entire body and improve mobility.
Modifications are provided throughout this workout, making it accessible for both beginners and more advanced fitness enthusiasts.
The strength and mobility exercises in this full body workout provide an excellent way to increase core strength and control while working other muscle groups, such as the legs, back and arms.
Add full body workouts like this one to yourhome training program1-2 times a week to build muscle mass and increase endurance.
Workout Equipment:
Optional ankle weights. Otherwise you can perform this workout with just your bodyweight.
Workout Instructions:
Follow along with the Barre Ankle Weight Workout At Home on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer, Lindsey Bomgren.
Your Workout Looks Like This:
- Full Body Barre Ankle Weight Workout
- Flowing from mat to standing and back to the mat for an effective, full body ankle weight workout.
Workout Outline
Mat Sequence
- Down Dog Series
- Push Up Series
- Arabesque Flow
- Hamstring Curl Heel Stamps
- Planks and Triceps
Standing Sequence
- Power Lunge Series
- Side Leg Lifts
- Knee Tucks and Crunches
- Chair Squats
- Plié Series
Mat/Core Sequence
- Plié Heel Taps
- Boat Pose Series
- 90-Degree Heel Taps
- Leg Lowers
5 Best Ankle Weight Exercises
Single Leg Glute Bridge and Leg Lift
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips and pelvic floor muscles.
Unilateral (or single-sided) exercises also increase core engagement.
How To Do Single Leg Glute Bridges and Leg Lifts
- Start lying on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Keeping your left foot planted on the mat, extend the right foot straight overhead (ankle stacked over knee).
- Press through your heels to lift your hips off the mat, squeezing your glutes as you lift. Think about keeping your core engaged and knees in line with your hips.
- Hold this bridge position as you slowly lower your right heel towards the floor, keeping your right leg straight through the entire range of motion.
- Inhale to float your right leg back up, returning the leg back to starting position.
Modification: Bend the knee of your moving leg, reducing the range of motion.
Hamstring Curl Heel Stamps
Targets: Gluteus maximus (the largest of your three glutes muscles) hamstrings, core and shoulder muscles.
How To Do Hamstring Curl Heel Stamps
- Start in a table top position, quadruped on all fours, shoulders stacked over wrists and hips stacked over knees. Option to drop to your forearms for more stability.
- Lift your right leg, straightening it to extend your toes away from your body.
- Squeeze through the back of your leg to curl your right heel towards your body, right knee bending to 90 degrees. Right foot is flat, foot flexed and sole of your foot up towards the ceiling.
- With the right foot flexed, slightly lift the heel of your right leg up towards the ceiling, performing a “heel stamp”.
- With control, slowly lower your right knee down an inch.
- Then, straighten through your knee as you kick your right toes out, extending your toes away from the body and returning to starting position.
3-Point Push Up
Targets: Chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, glutes, hamstrings and abdominal muscles.
How To Do A 3-Point Push Up
- Begin in a kneeling push-up position, both knees on the ground and hands stacked under shoulders, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Then, keep your left knee on the ground as you lift your right leg, extending it backwards. Keep your right leg straight and point your toes to engage your glutes. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your right toes.
- Bend your elbows and slowly lower your chest towards the ground, elbows falling back towards your hips. Engage your core to protect your lower back.
- Then, press evenly through your fingers to push back up, straightening your elbows and returning to starting position.
Reverse Lunge, Front Kick and Cross-Body Punch
Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders, back, abs and core.
The balance challenge created throughout this movement targets the core and many small, stabilizing muscles throughout your body.
How To Do Reverse Lunges and Cross-Body Punches
- Start standing, feet hip-width apart and stacked under shoulders.
- Step back with your left foot, both knees bent at a 90-degree angle to form a reverse lunge. Your front thigh should be parallel to the ground. As you step back, punch your left arm across your body, performing a cross-body punch with your left fist.
- Then, press through your front right heel to stand tall, kicking your back left leg forward in front of your body as you stand. Left arm returns to your side.
- As you kick, punch your opposite arm (your right arm) across your body, performing a cross-body punch with your right fist.
- Then, step your left foot back into a reverse lunge, returning to starting position.
Modification: Reduce range of motion, tapping your moving leg back rather than performing a full reverse lunge.
Standing Side Leg Raise
Targets: Gluteus maximus (the largest glute muscles), gluteus medius (side butt muscles or outer glute muscles), inner thighs, outer thighs, obliques and core.
How To Do Standing Side Leg Raises
- Start standing, feet hip-distance apart. Shift your weight into your right foot, slightly bending your right knee.
- Brace your core, then squeeze your outer glute to lift your left leg out towards the left. Left toes are pointed. Range of motion is less important than core stability and muscle engagement.
- Then with control, lower back down, tapping your left toes on the mat to return to starting position.
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Ankle Weight Workout FAQs
Adding ankle weights to your workout routine creates additional resistance during each exercise. This increased resistance helps to strengthen and tone your leg muscles, arm muscles and core. Ankle weights can also be beneficial for improving balance and stability and increasing cardiovascular endurance.
Yes! Ankle weights are one way to build muscle through progressive overload. If you typically perform bodyweight exercises, incorporating ankle weights is a great way to increase the resistance and intensity of the exercise, leading to increased muscle definition. Ankle weights are particularly good for strengthening muscles in the lower body (calves, quads, hamstrings, and glutes).
I recommend choosing ankle weights that weigh between 1 to 5 lbs. Traditionally inbarre workouts, exercises are performed with light weights (or just your body weight) in high repetitions. Choose an ankle weight that will challenge you, but allow you to complete high reps with proper form.
Pin this: 5 Ankle Weight Exercises (30-Minute Ankle Weights Workout)
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