Resista-Barre is a collection of cardio and toning segments created by Linda Wooldridge. All of the segments can be done together for a 95 minute total body workout or you can pick and choose from the chapter menu or do one of the 4 premixes. Every segment on this DVD uses either a resistance loop (firewalker) or a pilates band (dyna band). You also need a chair for one segment and fitness mat for two of the segments and the stretch.
The first time I did this workout I chose the “Full Workout” premix and did the 95 minute total body workout. It was tough! Tougher than I expected. Even the warm up was burning my arms and shoulders out! The first time through this workout was a learning experience. First, if you have Cathe‘s brand of firewalker loops, they work best (they always do–for everything). I have a lot of resistance loops–several that give more resistance than my heaviest Cathe loop, but the beauty of the Cathe loops is their width. They rarely roll and curl and if you are using a band with heavy resistance and it starts rolling/curling–it hurts. Also, Cathe’s bands are not just wider, but the loop is larger, giving you more range of motion. So, tho in several of the loop segments I started with a different, heavier band, every time I paused it and went back to my Cathe bands. The other part of the learning experience was, for the Glutes section, I need to use a medium strength band. I kept my heavy Cathe band on throughout but it was so tough I felt like I was barely moving it at all. Which definitely worked the muscle group because it was excruciatingly painful, but I would like to be able to move my legs more when I return to that segment.
Tho this was an excellent total body workout using just resistance bands, I probably won’t use it that way again. Most mornings I don’t have 95 minutes to devote to a workout and, tho very effective, I didn’t like the ab section. It was very hard and it hurt. When you do the entire workout, it is the very last segment you do and your legs (including your hip flexors) are already destroyed–so doing a lot of core exercises that use your legs and hip flexors for almost every single move sucked big time. Also, tho the upper body work was effective (and very painful), it isn’t the way I prefer to work my upper body. So in the future I will probably exclusively use the Lower Body + Cardio premix. It’s 61 minutes which is the perfect length for my morning workout and works your lower body very well.
Warm up is 6 minutes long. You use the pilates band for the warm up.
Upper Body is 21 minutes. You use the pilates band for every exercise.
- Wrap band around back, ends crossed in front of you w/ an end in each hand and arms out to side; row arms back squeezing shoulder blades together; changes to bending elbows and pulsing elbows back; changes to holding arms to side w/ elbows bent and extend and bend elbows to sides of body
- Uncross bands but keep behind back and do chest presses; changes to small criss crosses in front of body w/ straight arms; changes to overhead presses; changes to bending elbows and pushing elbows out to sides so arms are straight; changes to holding arms straight out to side and doing small circles; changes to circling straight arms in front of you (small circles)
- Overhead lat pull downs (one end of band in each hand and pull arms from overhead to side); changes to doing a low pull in front of body alternated w/ an overhead lat pull down; changes to same move but twisting to side when doing the overhead lat pull (and not pulling down, just pulling out)
- Stand on band and do bicep curls; changes to keeping elbows close to sides w/ elbows bent and open arms out to side (like a fly w/ elbows press into sides); combine the first two moves–bicep curl alternated with fly; changes to wide bicep curls
- Still standing on band, hinge at waist and lift straight arms behind you and pulse up to ceiling; changes to full tricep kickbacks
- Bent over rows still standing on band
Cardio Legs is 11 minutes. You use the resistance loop around your ankles for every exercise
- Loop around ankles, punch across body while punching across body; changes to row arm while lifting legs out to side; combine these two moves doing 2 of each
- Squat w/ side leg raises while circle arms overhead (shallow squat); stay on one side doing same move and going lower into squat; return to side to side squat w/ side leg raise (same arms)
- Step forward and back; changes to looping leg forward and back (legs wide), tapping toe to floor; changes to chasses side to side; repeat first part on other leg
- Alternating V steps; add 2 squat walks to side between V steps
- Heel digs forward; changes to side leg lifts while pulling elbows back; changes to raising legs behind you w/ tricep kickbacks; repeat all of them–4 reps of each
- Tap side to side w/ shoulder rolls; changes to side lunges side to side while reaching toward feet
Barre Legs is 23 minutes. The workout uses the resistance loop around ankles and a chair.
- Lift and lower one leg behind you; start leaning forward torso as you continue to lift leg; combine/alternate the two moves; changes to pulsing leg behind you; repeat on other leg
- Walking squats–two to each side; changes to lunging side to side; changes to side lunge then raise other leg to side; changes to just raising leg to side; repeat everything but this time do the leg lifts with other leg
- Attitude raises (leg is behind you, knee bent, hip turned to side); move loop to bottom of foot, knee still bent and push leg straight back; changes to curling foot up and down; changes to curling leg up and down then pushing it behind you; repeat everything on other leg
- Plie squats; changes to walking 2 steps forward and 2 steps back while in plie squat; changes to plie squat the sweep and raise one left across in front of other leg; repeat sweeps on other leg; changes to bringing one left in front of you and pulse up; repeat on other leg
Glutes is 15 minutes. This workout uses the resistance loop and a fitness mat.
- Lay on stomach, resistance loop around ankles and legs open so there is tension on loop–raise and lower legs; changes to raising legs then opening legs wider and lowering legs; changes to just raising and lowering one leg; changes to keeping leg raises and pushing leg out to side; changes to raising leg then pushing out to side, bringing leg back in then lowering; move loop to bottom of foot, bend knee and push foot up to ceiling; repeat all one leg moves on other leg
- Still on stomach, loop back around both ankles, bend both knees so toes are aimed at ceiling–raise thighs, open and close legs then lower thighs
- Lie on side, band still around ankles, legs are straight in front of you so body is in L shape–raise top leg and pulse it; changes to sweeping straight leg forward and back; bend legs at knees and place toes together, lifting feet but keeping bottom knee on ground–open and close knees; repeat exercises on other leg
Abs is 11 minutes. This workout uses the pilates band. You begin sitting on the mat.
- Loop band around feet, holding an end in each hand and C curve back, lifting feet off floor and keeping elbow at sides; in this position, push feet in and out, lowering torso when pushing feet out; changes to keeping legs straight and raising legs then lowering the to floor; combine the two moves, alternating them; bend knees again, legs still raise off floor, and tap both heels to one side of mat then tap both heels to other side of mat, rotating slightly thought the waist; changes to pushing legs in and out except this time at an angle
- Place band over shins and lay back on elbows, knees bent and raised off floor, holding ends of band–in this position, lower legs tapping toes to floor and raising legs back to start; changes to rotating hips to side and tapping feet down–alternate sides
- Sit up and wrap band around back with the ends bunch up in each hand, C curve spine, knees bent and feet on floor–in this position, cross punch fists/bands in front of you; hold arms straight out in front of you, lower torso then sit up and twist to side–alternate sides
- Still in C sit, fold band in half holding an end in each hand and twist side to side
Stretch is 6 minutes long. You use the pilates band for the stretch.
PREMIXES:
Full Workout: (warm up, cardio legs, barre legs, upper body, glutes, abs, stretch–in that order) 95 minutes
Upper Body Only (warm up, upper body, abs, stretch): 44 minutes
Lower Body Only (warm up, barre legs, glutes, stretch): 50 minutes
Upper + Cardio (warm up, cardio legs, upper body, abs, stretch): 55 minutes
Lower + Cardio (warm up, cardio legs, barre legs, glutes, stretch): 61 minutes
