Barlates: Bodyweight Basics Lower

I thought, by the title (Bodyweight Basics Lower), this might be more my speed. I don’t have a problem with Linda‘s Beginner Interval workouts right now, but her Endurance 90 Lower killed me. I thought–maybe this will be easier than Endurance 90 Lower. And it probably is easier. But chemo is really tearing me down and I struggled through this workout, too. But it was an excellent workout. I liked it a lot. I do question the title tho. Yes, these are all bodyweight exercises but are they basic? Not really. Maybe basic for a Barlates workout, but definitely not basic lower body exercises. She does take basic lower body exercises then adds her own Barlates flair to them. And does them at a brisk pace so that your heart rate really gets elevated (or at least mine did)–70 seconds of work with only a 10 second break between exercises. That is what got me. I had chemo a few days ago and I was feeling pretty decent this morning so I decided to give this one a try. Not a good idea for me to attempt anything cardiovascularly challenging in the days after chemo–but from the title I wasn’t expecting to get so winded. It wasn’t just me. Linda was out of breath, too, by the end of this workout. I am pretty sure that pre-chemo this would have challenged me but not wiped me out like it did today–but I was wasted by the end of this workout. Still an excellent workout and one I will return to when my treatment is over.

***8/07/19 Update: I finally returned to this workout. It’s been more than a year since I completed chemo and about 9 months since I completed radiation, so I am in much better shape! This workout did not kill me like it did last year. I got a good workout and it even gave me some good cardio but I was able to complete the entire workout without any issues. I still think it is an excellent lower body workout. I finished it off with Booty Burn: Cardio Sculpt which was much more intense. That workout did give me lots of burn out! All of the hinging forward in this workout did start to make my back ache a bit, but not terrible. However, the back pain got worse in Booty Burn: Cardio Sculpt because you are hinged forward even more. Except for the back issue, this workout + Booty Burn: Cardio Sculpt work well together to give you an hour long lower body bodyweight workout.***

Bodyweight Basics Lower is 31 minutes long; 1 minute intro, no warm up and 3 minute stretch. No equipment is needed but a chair is useful for balance and if you have back problems when you bend over for long periods of time (while also working your legs) then you may need the chair seat or yoga blocks to relieve the pressure on your back. Each exercise is done for 70 seconds and you get a 10 second break.

1. Squat and kick leg diagonally behind you, alternate legs (tap elbows to knees when you squat)
2. Repeat #1 on one leg only
3. Repeat #1 on other leg only
4. Alternating rear lunges
5. Rear lunges on one leg
6. Rear lunges on other leg
7. Curtsy lunge (tapping floor when lunging) then raise knee across body when standing
8. Repeat #7 on other leg
9. Curtsy lunge then kick diagonally out to side in front of you, curtsy lunge and kick diagonally across body in front of you (touch floor when lunging, legs straight when kicking)
10. Repeat #9 on other leg
11. Squat, raise knee across body, curtsy lunge then kick straight leg in a diagonal (touch floor when lunging, knees to elbows when squatting)
12. Repeat #11 on other leg
13. Hinge forward, legs together, step one leg back then tap same leg forward while tapping hand to ground (stepping forward and back w/ one foot while remaining hinged)
14. Legs still together, still remaining hinged forward, squat and kick one leg back
15. Repeat #13 & 14 on other leg
16. Plie squat (feet together, one in front of the other), bring hands to ground and kick one leg back, when you stand, raise arms overhead
17. Repeat #16 on other leg
18. Wide squat, raise one knee out to side, wide squat, curtsy lunge (touch elbows to knees when squatting, fingers to ground when lunging, elbow to knee when raising it to side)
19. Repeat #18 on other side of body

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