Barlates: Dynamic Flow/Sculpt

This workout was tougher than I thought it would be! I love the length. At 25 minutes it is perfect to use to finish off workouts that are in the 30-40 minute range. This morning I used it to finish off another one of Linda Wooldridge‘s wonderful fusion workouts: Energy Flow: Sculpt. That one worked me hard, so this one definitely finished me off! I didn’t feel this one had as much of a cardio factor as Energy Flow: Sculpt, but according to my FitBit it worked me just as hard cardiovascularly (though I guess some of it could have been carry over from the workout I just finished–my heart rate was still elevated). I did feel like it worked my muscles hard. Though you need no equipment for this workout, you are getting bodyweight strength work. My legs were burned out by the end of this workout. I did have to use a chair during one part of the workout for balance purposes (the end of #9 below), so if you are also balance challenged, have a chair close by.

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 Flowand Energy Flow)–which is what I did.

Dynamic Flow: Sculpt is 24:30 minutes; 30 second intro, 2:30 minute warm up (#1-3 is the warm up) and 3:30 minute stretch (you hold boat pose at the end of the stretch).

1. Stand with legs about hip width apart, drop torso forward and stand up, raising arms overhead and circling arms behind you, stretching chest
2. Stand with legs wide and alternate reaching arms overhead and to the side while also doing alternating toe taps; arm reaches change to large arm circles to the back while also turning torso to look behind you
3. With legs together and knees bent, round torso forward then arch spine, the entire time doing flowing arm movements (also you are doing a little squat pulse)
4. Legs are wide again, do alternating stationary side lunges, reaching arm toward opposite foot as you lunge
5. Stationary side lunges to one side, touching opposite hand to floor in front foot when lunging and when you stand, swivel your hips to the other side, pushing hip out to front
6. Repeat #4
7. Repeat #5 on other side of body
8. Standing with feet about hip width apart, swivel your hips side to side; raise arms to shoulder level, elbows bent with hands touching in front of chest, shift ribs side to side; changes to a single-single-double pattern while shifting ribs to sides
9. Move in and out of stationary lunge with feet in Warrior 2 position; add leaning torso to side when lunging and also reaching arm overhead/to side and reaching arms out into Warrior 2 position at top of lunge; add pivoting into crescent pose, doing one stationary lunge in crescent, returning to Warrior 2 and do a lunge–alternate these two lunge variations; you will continue this combo but after you do a crescent lunge you do a Warrior 3, lower back to crescent lunge then continue on with the combo; hold warrior 3 pose
10. Alternating crescent knees
11. Stand with feet wider than hip width and toes turned out, hinge forward and place hands on floor near one foot, keeping the leg with hand by foot straight, bend other knee as you shift weight into that hip–shift in and out of this position, keeping hands on floor; widen legs further and hold in inner thigh stretch position (with one knee bent and hip pushed out); you continue to deepen this stretch
12. In wide plie squat, hinge forward with hands on floor in front of you, bend knees and bounce bottom down (pulsing plie squat); hold deep plie squat, pressing arms against knees to stretch deeper

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