Barlates: Dynamic Flow/Active

Wow–another excellent and intense workout from Linda Wooldridge. This one is part of her Dynamic Flow series. The title of this one is Active and I imagine that is because of the cardio factor. I was working very hard. Keep in mind, other than walking, I haven’t been working out for several weeks (until this past week) so I found this workout challenging but doable. I was sweating a lot. At the end, Linda commented that she, too, was sweating profusely, so it wasn’t just me! This workout is made up of flowing range of motion and bodyweight/barre strength moves. This is a low impact workout with a little bit of hopping in the beginning but nothing plyometric or high impact. You need a chair for this workout and she also recommends for one move (#5 below) you have something else–yoga blocks perhaps–if you do not want to place your hands on the floor. For that move I use a square step at 10 inches.

My lower body was worked nicely in this workout. All of Linda’s new “flow” workouts are reminiscent of one my all time favorite Barlates workouts–Stretch Sculpt Lower. I have been wanting her to do more of those types of workouts for a long time and she has definitely delivered with all of these new workouts. Although this and all of the Dynamic Flow workouts are free on YouTube, you can also purchase the Dynamic Flow Series DVD which contains 4 workouts or purchase it via download from Linda’s website. And finally, you can buy it as part of a collection called Fusion Flow, which contains 3 DVDs/12 workouts (Dynamic Flow, Fusion Flow and Energy Flow)–which is what I did.

Dynamic Flow: Active is 28 minutes; 1 minute intro; 45 second warm up and 3 minute stretch. Equipment: chair and yoga blocks or a step @ 8 or 10 inches. Linda says that if you want to intensify the workout, you can use light handweights.

1. Stand beside chair and hold onto chair back, circle leg to the front, side and back (crescent legs)
2. Wide plie squats; changes to wide plie pulse squats while pushing arms out straight to sides; pivot to the side so you are in a lunge and do pulsing stationary lunges while alternating pressing arms in front of you; return to pulsing plie squats; pivot to other side and do pulsing stationary lunges; continue alternating these moves, doing 4 reps of each; changes to 2 reps of each; changes to singles
3. “Prance” in place (low hop, foot to foot); changes to double hops to each foot (“ponys”); continue the pony but while hinging forward at waist and pressing arms back behind you; alternate between upright and hinged forward ponys
4. Heel digs to front; changes to tapping toes in front of you; add tapping toe to front, to side and back behind you (star taps)
5. Curtsy lunge touching one hand to floor, stand bringing back leg forward and kicking it high in front of you then placing foot on floor in front of you, lowering hands to floor and kicking back leg up behind you (this is where I used my square step @ 10 inches); add second leg raise while keeping hands on floor
6. Alternating straight side leg lifts; after every 3 side leg lift, add a reverse lunge, touching one hand to floor in front of you as you lunge
7. Curtsy lunge touching one hand to floor in front of you then bring back leg forward, place one hand on chair seat and raise back leg straight out to side while hinging torso toward chair and raising arm overhead
8. Curtsy lunge touching one hand to floor in front of you then bring back leg forward and do a front kick using chair for balance
9. Combine #7 & 8, alternating the two exercises
10. Repeat 7-9 on other side of body
11. Stand beside chair w/ one hand on chair back, raise outside knee to the front then raise same knee out to side of body, alternate between front and side knee raises
12. Alternating crescent knees

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