The bar method exercise: Discover the Original Barre Workout
Discover the Original Barre Workout
Not just any barre class. A better barre class.
Everyone who walks through the doors at The Bar Method is different. Some like the escape. Others like the burn. But one thing is always the same – the endless pursuit of a stronger body and healthier sense of self. Experience full-body workouts with the best in the barre business.
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Testimonials
I’m amazed how quickly my body has already become more toned and flexible; I feel so healthy.
– Beth, Carmel Mountain
I love that instructors take the time to get to know you by name and go out of their way to give you corrections so you can get the most out of every exercise.
I always feel like they are cheering me on to push past my own personal limits.– Kelly, Chicago Loop
When I am in class it is ‘me time’ and I am focused on strength, flexibility, form, and hone in my inner competitiveness. I push myself and when I see and feel results I feel fantastic, accomplished and strong.
– Kiera, Ridgewood
I trust Bar to keep me fit and looking sexy so that no matter what activity I am doing, I am up for it! I can hop on a bike, climb rocks, surf the ocean because I am Bar fit!
– Pauline, Newport Beach
I love that after over a year, and more than 100 classes, I still feel challenged and learn something new every class!
– Emily, St. Augustine
The camaraderie with women from all levels is very encouraging and keeps me coming back!
– Regina, Salt Lake City
As a physical therapist, I am pleased about how the Bar Method instructors pay such close attention to the body mechanics used in class and how educated they are about the musculature used for each exercise.
– Tracy, Highland Park
From the first day I walked in all the staff members were extremely friendly and welcoming. They even learned my name right away. I like that the teachers challenge me and correct me on my form so that I am doing it correctly and not hurting myself.
– Crystal, Tampa
I have become the best possible version of myself because of this workout! #Toned #Elongated #Energized #Positive #Strong #Flexible #Powerful #Happy
– Emily, Brooklyn
I always feel like they are cheering me on to push past my own personal limits.
Powerful
A different kind of burn.
No other barre practice gives you the results we do. That’s because our movements are different, our instructors are different – our entire method is different.
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What is a Barre Workout?
Redefining strength since 2001
For two decades, The Bar Method has been building stronger bodies with challenging barre workouts that infuse power into every movement. Each exercise is meticulously designed to transform your body through high-repetition, low-impact resistance training. With elements of Pilates, yoga and other strength training workouts fused into a ballet-inspired barre workout, you will experience unthinkable flexibility, total-body definition, and metabolism-boosting endurance that lasts long after class.
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Barre classes that are designed and proven to kick your ass and tone it, too.
This is not just another barre workout—we barre differently and that’s a good thing. The interval format of each class is designed to elevate your heart rate while building cardiovascular and muscle endurance. While each barre class is unique, you can always count on a personal training experience within a high-energy group fitness environment. Your body, your barre workout. No two classes are alike at The Bar Method, and it’s in that unpredictable variety where transformation happens. Class formats vary in duration, design and experience so be sure to check out your studio’s class offerings.
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Barre exercises that work as hard as you do.
At The Bar Method, we work smarter and harder. Every barre exercise applies a scientific approach to maximize muscle burn and minimize joint impact. The movements will keep you “working in the muscle,” using minimal range of motion that relies on control rather than momentum.
We don’t do easy at The Bar Method, and just when you think you can’t possibly go an inch lower, you get to stretch and lengthen the muscles just worked—this is the same technique used by dancers to elongate their legs.
Results that feel as good as they look.
The benefits of a barre workout are inevitable, but the benefits of a Bar Method workout are endless. In fact, it’s not uncommon for Bar Method students to see remarkable results within just a few weeks of consistently taking classes. Everyone will notice the physical results, but it’s the magnetic energy that will keep you coming back.
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A bolder way to barre.
From the exercises to the choreography, everything has been created with YOUR body in mind. Unlike other barre workouts, our barre instructors undergo rigorous training that includes comprehensive teaching on human anatomy and adjustments. Every exercise is scrutinized by physical therapists who ensure that every movement manifests the exactness of a ballet class and the power of a total-body workout.
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Plank: 11 exercises, how to do it right, video
Together with the trainer, we analyze the most effective types of planks that can be practiced at home.
- Benefits of bar
- How to make a bar
- 11 exercises: technique, video
- Expert commentary
The material was commented by Dzhambulat Datiev, the elite coach of the group programs World Class “City of Capitals”
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Benefits of the plank
The plank not only works your abs, it also works your legs, arms, shoulders and core.
These exercises are considered the basis of many workouts and really help to improve coordination and the condition of the muscular corset. To achieve complex results, it makes sense to combine and alternate types of loads. One minute of a static plank on the elbows burns 1-5 calories. Various complications increase the number of calories burned up to 10–25 per minute. At the same time, the bar will perfectly fit into training of any intensity, and each athlete will find an exercise option for himself, taking into account goals and contraindications.
Planks work the buttocks, rectus, oblique and transverse abdominal muscles, psoas and deltoid muscles, biceps and triceps. In addition, the bar improves posture and strengthens the muscles around the joints of the bones and along the spine. It will help improve the condition of muscle tissue, reducing the load on the musculoskeletal system.
In 2020, former United States Marine Corpsman George Hood, 62, set a new plank world record for 8 hours 15 minutes and 15 seconds.
How to do the plank correctly
Before you complicate your workout and try different types of planks, you need to work out the technique: build up the correct position of the body in a classic exercise with elbows or straight arms.
- Lie on your stomach on the floor and lift your torso up, resting on your elbows and toes, with your palms parallel to your shoulders.
- Your body should form one straight line from the top of your head to your heels.
- Lower and contract the shoulder blades, tighten the abdomen, squeeze the hips and buttocks; elbows are under the shoulders.
- A round back should be avoided and a natural curve should be sought.
© Unsplash
1. Forearm Lateral Plank
One of the most popular plank variations for engaging the lateral muscles of the body. Lie on your side and straighten your legs. Raise your body and hold on to your left elbow and forearm, tensing your abs and buttocks.
Raise your hips so that your body forms one straight line. Keep your body weight on your arm and the outside of your left foot. Fix the position and stay in it for as long as you can. Over time, the intervals will increase. Don’t forget to repeat on the other side.
“One leg can be moved forward to increase the area of support and reduce the load on the knee joint,” explains coach Dzhambulat Datiev.
Bent Arm Side Plank
2. Knee Side Plank
Simplified version of the previous exercise. Ideal if you are a beginner and still having difficulty keeping your lower body in a side plank with straight legs (or medical advice). Bend your lower leg at the knee, placing your weight on your thigh. Remember to keep the body position as a straight line.
Knee and Elbow Plank
3. Side Plank with Pelvic Raise
Excellent exercise for working the lateral muscles and shaping the waist. Side bar from the elbow, the body is one straight line, resting on the arm and the lateral surface of the feet.
Slowly lower your pelvis down without touching the mat, and then lift it as high as possible. Anchor points should not move, arms and legs should be static. Do 10-15 times on one side and repeat on the other.
Low back crunch plank
4. Plank with body twist
Stand in a plank with your elbows bent, fixing the correct body position. Reliance on arms and legs does not change; slowly twist to one side, lowering your pelvis to the right and raising your left hand up, return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. In this exercise, the press and lateral abdominal muscles work well, while the power load on the arms remains.
Effective abdominal exercises: description, video, tips
Elbow Plank Twist
5. Arm Raise Plank
Can’t decide between a straight or bent plank? Practice both in one exercise. Start in the most comfortable plank position for you. If your elbows are bent, straighten them one by one, standing in a bar with outstretched arms.
From this position, return to the starting position by bending your arms. Start with the one that was straightened first so that the load is distributed evenly. In each plank, you can linger for a few seconds or do the workout quickly, gradually increasing the pace.
Plank Raises
6. One Arm Plank
Exercise variant for experienced athletes. If you are bored with the usual straight bars, and do not want to add dynamics, try increasing the tension at the anchor points. From the classic plank position on straight arms, take your left hand up to the body, transferring the weight to the right. To reduce the load on the wrist, place your feet wider. Hold them in this position, return to the starting position and also spend a few seconds in it. Then repeat on the other hand. It is important that there are no problems with the wrists, as here they are subjected to increased stress.
Plank with one arm
7. Low plank with arms extended
A variation of the previous exercise, but with the elbows.
The hand should be taken not to the body, but forward. This helps stretch the back muscles. Leave your head in its original position – look at the floor, do not lift it up with your hand, creating unnecessary tension in the neck. Lock in the stretch for a few seconds, return the arm, bending it at the elbow under the shoulder, and repeat on the other side.
Elbow Plank
8. Mountain Climber
This exercise can be included in a block of high-intensity training. From a plank position on straight arms, pull your right knee to the center of your abdomen and return your leg to the starting point. Repeat on the left side. The body, arms and supporting leg remain motionless. Start by slowing down your technique and gradually build up speed to make the workout harder.
Mountain Climber
9. Hip Raise Dynamic Plank
This exercise is good to end your workout because it contains stretching elements. When lifting the pelvis up from the plank position, the back muscles stretch, which did a great job in static strength exercises.
It can be performed both from straight arms, going into the “downward-facing dog”, and from the elbows, rising into the “dolphin” position. The exercise is performed slowly, with fixation at the top point.
Hip Raise Dynamic Plank
10. Knee Side Plank
Starting position – bar from the elbow, the body is straight, the neck is a continuation of the spine. Bend the knee of the lower supporting leg and bring it forward parallel to the floor. Hold this position, then return the leg back. Do 10-15 repetitions on one side and repeat the same on the other.
Forward Knee Plank
11. Star Side Plank
An advanced side plank for those who don’t have enough weight. Take a starting position with straight arms and legs. Raise your free arm and leg up to the ceiling, keeping the anchor points unchanged. Hold this position and return to the starting position. You can repeat several times on one side or change the supporting arm and leg, turning the body and returning it back – make a “star” alternately on both sides.
Healthy back: 12 simple home exercises
Plank “Star”
Expert comment
Dzhambulat Datiev, elite coach of group programs World Class Capital City 9000 3
Plank contraindications – diseases of the musculoskeletal system . Because even the classic plank heavily loads all parts of the body: shoulder, hip, knee joint, spine. If you decide to include the bar in the training process, it is better to start gradually: stand for 10 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, repeat 6-8 times. And increase the load from week to week, and not from workout to workout.
Plank does not help normalize weight, because weight loss is a global process associated with training, nutrition and body recovery. If you perform one exercise, even in different variations, this is a drop in the ocean. But it will perfectly complement the main training.
As far as shoes are concerned, any static exercise can be done barefoot as long as you do it in a non-plyometric mode (jumping, fast moving, explosive power).
Sports shoes are needed primarily for running, weightlifting, jumping and fitness – to reduce the impact force on the foot. In static exercises, it is even useful to practice without shoes: this way you will better understand how the foot works.
Before starting strength training, a general warm-up is needed: warming up the main segments of the body – cervical, shoulder, chest, back, knees, ankle joint. This is done so that before doing the exercises the body is ready for work: preparing the muscles, raising the pulse, accelerating blood flow, turning on the brain to work. You can immediately start the bar only if you are a high-level athlete and have been doing fitness for a long time. To perform exercises without warming up requires a high level of mental concentration and technical training. In addition, by warming up, a person allows the body to increase the range of motion: the muscles become more elastic, and the joints become mobile.
It is better to start training under the guidance of a trainer, do not spare money and time, take several classes.
A professional will help you build up the technique, understand the nuances and pitfalls of certain exercises. For example, if you are overweight and want to do a plank, the trainer will say that the exercise is not recommended because there is a very strong load on the spine. It is necessary to choose an individual complex, taking into account nutrition, training and recovery, which will gradually lead to a result when the bar is available.
12 simple and effective exercises for good posture
Proper plank exercise
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- #Press releases
In the world of fitness and sports, the plank is extremely popular. Every day, thousands of people, having learned about this amazing exercise, begin their journey to health and beauty, taking a stand on their elbows. An excellent exercise is the plank exercise, but without proper technique, health can be endangered.
The most popular type is the classic plank. With obvious simplicity, beginners make mistakes and quickly lose motivation due to muscle pain or lack of visible results.
Correct technique
The exercise begins in the prone position. The legs should be tightly compressed, and the feet should be on the toes. Hands are placed on the elbows, which should be at right angles to the shoulder joints. Further, the buttocks rise to a flat plane from the shoulders to the heels. Actually, this is the plank position. A sign of the correct execution of the stance is the even distribution of body weight between the elbows and feet.
Helpful tips:
1. Do not compress the shoulder blades. This leads to overstrain of the back and the appearance of pain after the exercise.
2. Do not look around. Look only at the floor, between the fists. This will lead to the correct position of the head and neck.
3. Elbow joint should be flexed to 90 degrees. Incorrect positioning of the elbow joint can lead to injury.
4. Muscle tension should be felt throughout the body. If there is no tension in the back or hips, then this indicates that the bar is not performed correctly.
5. Muscle trembling is not due to an error. Often this is simply the unpreparedness of the body for such loads. Over time, the trembling will only be at the end of the exercise, on the last approaches.
6. Natural deflections in the cervical and lumbar regions must be present. No need to try to align the body to the ideal plane, this is a mistake.
7. Pain in the lumbar region indicates weak muscles in this area. It is worth trying simplified versions of the plank – with the emphasis on the legs in the knee area.
The lightness of the bar is very deceptive. This is a complex method of strengthening almost all muscle groups. Therefore, without first contacting a doctor, an unprepared person cannot start the exercise.
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