3 Barre Moves You Can Do at Home to Lift + Sculpt Your Seat —bonus, you don’t even need a barre!
Think that perky, lifted seat you see on fitness models is unattainable without doing hundreds of squats? Think again. Barre workouts strengthen + shape each group of muscles by working them in every direction. Compound movements like squats are great to build the glutes—but let’s face it, not everyone wants (or likes) to do squats. Enter the tiny, isometric contractions of barre where we hold the working muscle in a static contraction and then add in an ever so small pulsing movement to challenge the working muscle even more. Follow these 3 moves, and your seat will be sitting up high in no time—they don’t call it a “barre shelf” for nothing.
Training tips:
*Be sure to hold the working muscle in a contracted position for the duration of each exercise.
*Perform each movement for 30-40 repetitions. Burning + shaking of the muscle is totally normal (and actually welcomed)—that’s where the change is happening in the muscle!
1. Wide Second Position
Target area: side of glutes
Set-up: turn your toes out 2-3 inches and step your legs out into a wide ‘V’ position
Sink down through your hips, bringing hips in line with the knees
Knees should be directly over the ankles and tracking over the middle toes
Once you’ve found your lowest point:
- Pulse up + down 1 inch
- Press your knees back + forward 1 inch
- Tuck your hips forward/neutral
2. Table Seat Press
Target area: center of glutes + hamstrings
Set-up: start on hands + kneeds in a table position
Slide your right leg straight back with the foot flexed
Lift the right leg in line with the hip, but keep the hips square to the floor
Bend the right leg at the knee so the sole of the foot faces the ceiling
Once you’ve found your working point:
- Lift the right leg up + down 1 inch
- Point the toe, and extend the leg long and then re-bend
- Extend the leg with the toe pointed and lift the leg up + down an inch
3. Pretzel
Target area: side and center of seat + waist
Set-up: sit down on the mat with your right leg bent at a 90 degree angle in front of you and your left leg bent at a 90 degree angle behind you
Press the left knee about 1 inch behind the left hip and roll the hip forward so hips are square and the foot lifts off the floor
Hands (both or just the right hand) can come to the floor for balance
Once you’ve found your working point:
- squeeze the heel 1 inch in towards the seat
- Lift the leg up + down 1 inch
- Combine both movements—squeeze the heel towards the seat and then lift the leg up + down 1 inch
*TIP—the working leg may not lift off the floor, that’s ok. It’s still working as long as you’re engaging the muscle and using it to pull the leg in the direction.
The glutes and thighs are the largest, most calorie-hungry muscles in the body. They’re built to work hard—perform these moves 4-5 days per week and you’ll see a huge change in the shape and position of your seat muscles.