Ballet Body is a barre workout that uses light hand weights to increase intensity. You get some light cardio and some light toning but nothing terribly intense. I liked this workout but I didn’t love it. I was hoping for something more intense than this workout. It is a high rep workout so heavy dumbbells aren’t the answer. It is low impact–so no jumping. I did enjoy this workout and it would work very well for a day when you want to get in an effective workout but nothing too challenging or intense. There was one move I really liked a lot–#8 below. Using only 5 pound dumbbells I felt it.
Ballet Body is 28:30 minutes long; 2:30 minute warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: light dumbbells (Jessica is using 3 pound dumbbells, I used both 3 and 5 pound dumbbells).
- Wide plie pulses, bringing both hands/DBs beside one knee and open and close top arm (raising DB overhead); bring hands/DBs to waist and push DBs forward and back; repeat opening and closing arm/DB on other arm; repeat bringing hands to waist and pushing DBs forward and back
- Side to side step raising one arm in front of you and the other to the side (alternate which is forward and which is side w/ each step); add balance knee raise w/ each step
- Hinge forward, all your weight on one leg w/ the other leg extended behind you, toe on floor and pulse straight arms up behind you; add raising and lowering back leg
- Stand w/ feet in something like 3rd (ballet) position and slide front toe out and in, touching heel to back toe while also doing bicep curls
- Repeat 2-4 on other side of body
- Legs in wide plie, hinge forward while doing a rear fly; stand up straight and raise up onto toes and do chest fly arms; wide plie squats while doing overhead tricep extensions; changes to pulsing plie squats w/ pulsing overhead tricep extension; repeat #6
- Stand w/ all your weight on one leg and raise and lower other straight leg out to side of body; raise DBs and hold overhead while continuing the side leg left; hold leg up and pulse
- Pulse in curtsy lunge w/ torso hinged forward, raise arms in front of you in a V then out to side (rear fly) then straight behind you (triceps) while continuing to pulse in curtsy lunge
- Repeat #7 & 8
- Step forward and back and when you step forward, lift back leg straight up behind you (glute raise); add raising arms to side with each leg lift; remain stationary and raise and lower back leg while holding arms/ DBs out to side
- Feet in 3rd position, pulse straight arms behind you; add bending front knee and bringing toe up to stationary knee; hold leg up, toe to knee (balance move) while continuing to pulse arms behind you
- Repeat #10 & 11 on other leg
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