Barlates: Cardio Barre Sculpt

Cardio Barre Sculpt is an intense and low impact metabolic workout from Linda Wooldridge and her free YouTube Barlates collection. I really enjoyed this workout. You need a firewalker loop and a light set of hand weights. I used 3 pounds and that was plenty! Amazing how heavy 3 pounds seems after a zillion reps! This workout is made up of compound moves that work the upper and lower body at the same time, and you do every move at various tempos. Every combo ends with a balance version of the exercise. All of these balance versions are easy to modify into non-balance moves–which is what I have to do since I am balance challenged (screws and plates in heels, blah, blah, blah). In the beginning it didn’t seem like it would be that difficult but the intensity really builds. I played my own music because I don’t really care for the music Linda uses in her workouts. It makes the workouts a lot more enjoyable with better music.

This workout is also included on one of Linda’s DVD workout collections (Cardio Sculpt Fusion Series) that has been sitting on my Amazon wishlist for a while, and which I am now going to buy. I’ve done 3 of the 4 workouts on the DVD, trying to make a decision, and this one decided it. I want it!

Cardio Barre Sculpt is 29 minutes long; 40 second intro, no warm up and 1 minute stretch. Equipment: set of light dumbbells (Linda uses 1kg or 2 pounds) and a firewalker loop. I used 3 pound dumbbells. She starts with the loop around her ankles.

1. Squat w/ bicep curl; arms change to fast alternating bicep curls; raise onto your toes and continue to squat but return to slower bicep curls
2. Step side to side w/ bent arm side raises; put all your weight on one leg and tap other leg in and out to side while doing bent arm side raises fast; slow down and lift leg to side; repeat the fast taps and slow raises on other leg
3. Tricep kick backs while tapping feet behind you; changes to pumping the arms fast while tapping on foot back fast; change to standing on one leg and pushing other leg back while doing slower tricep kickbacks again
4. Repeat #3 but have your palms facing behind you and do the one leg moves on other leg
5. Tap heels forward while scoop-pressing arms upward; changes to tapping forward with one leg faster (same arms); changes to standing on one leg and pushing leg in and out–still scooping arms but slower; repeat the fast taps and slow one-leg push outs on other leg
6. Alternating curtsy lunges w/ rear flys;  changes to static curtsy lunges on one side w/ faster rear flys; changes to slower curtsy lunges while raising back leg when you push up (same arms but done slower); repeat both the fast and slow curtsy lunges on other leg
7. Move loop up to thighs, legs together, heels together, toes turned out; in this position do plie squats (keeping heels together) w/chest press arms; changes to fast plie squats while holding DBs together in front of face while opening and closing elbows fast; changes to raising up onto heels and holding static plie squat while pumping arms up and down (arms bent in front of face, pushing DBs toward ceiling)

For more info on Barlates and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.