Barlates: Energy Flow/Band

Energy Flow: Band is another workout in Linda Wooldridge‘s Energy Flow Series. I love, love, love all of these flowing workouts! I pretty much love everything Linda creates, but these flowing metabolic fusion workouts are my absolute favorites. This one, as the title suggests, uses the band. I felt like the focus was primarily on the lower body, but thanks to the band, my shoulders were burning, too. #16 below was reminiscent of Mark Lauren’s Mobility RX workouts. In this workout, like in all of her flow series workouts, you get some cardio, body weight strength and dynamic flexibility. This workout was fun, it work me well and I feel good afterwards. Since it was only 39 minutes, I finished it off with her Warm & Stretch: Standing and got an excellent 64 minute workout that left me feeling good but well worked afterward.

This and all of the Energy Flow workouts are free on YouTube. You can also purchase the Energy 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. Best investment ever.

Energy Flow: Band is 39 minutes; 1 minute intro and 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: chair and a pilates band. Linda has tied a small loop a the end of the band for her foot to fit in. I actually used two bands. One that I had tied the loop in and another for the work done without your foot in the band.

1. Hold one end of band in each hand with about a foot of band between your hands, your legs are a little wider than hip width apart, tap toes (shallow squat tap) and swing band/arm over head side-to-side; add rotating torso to side as you lift band to side
2. Still holding band the same way but with about 2 feet of band between hands, legs wide, alternate lifting legs out to sides while pulling band out to sides of body each time you lift leg
3. Hold band the same as #1 and stand with feet about hip width apart, do a figure 8 with band while doing shallow squats, lifting heels at top of squat
4. Holding band the same as #1, legs are wide, do stationary side lunges, hinging torso forward and swing arms/band side to side, rotating torso to side as you lunge (like a chop); continue chopping/lunging to one side; still in stationary side lunge, lunging to one side, place one hand on floor, raise other arm to ceiling and pulse in and out of lunge (remaining on one side) while pulling top arm/band to ceiling
5. Hold band the same as #1 and stand with legs a bit wider than hip width, hinge forward at the hips and swing arms/band side to side, rotating torso as you swing to each side (pendulum motion)
6. Put the loop you tied in the band around one foot and hold the other end of the band in same side hand, legs are close together, squat and when you stand, lift up onto toe and kick leg with band on foot out in front of you while pushing arm holding band back behind you (she starts using the chair for balance)
7. You do the opposite of #6 (you are also using the chair for balance)–squat and when you stand, come up on toe (or hop), while lifting leg with band on foot behind you and punching arm holding the band out in front of you
8. Band is still around foot and you are holding other end of band in same side hand, other hand is holding chair back for balance, lift knee of foot with band on it in front of you, open leg out to side of body then kick leg out behind you
9. Repeat 6-8 on other side of body
10. Band is still around foot and you are holding other end of band in same side hand, other hand is holding chair back for balance, point leg/toe with band on it out in front of you, hinging forward and pushing hips out behind you, pull up on band while lifting straight leg in front of you while also straightening torso; moved changes–you still lift leg straight in front of you, but at top of lift, keeping leg straight, rotate it out to side of body and behind you (a straight leg hip rotation)
11. Band is still around foot and you are holding other end of band in same side hand, other hand is holding chair back for balance, lift straight leg out to side while pushing arm/band overhead and when you lower leg and pull arm down, bring elbow into hip
12. Band is still around foot and you are holding other end of band in same side hand, other hand is holding chair back for balance, bring leg/foot with band on it behind you into curtsy lunge position, except both legs are straight, swing straight leg around from behind you to in front of you (pulling leg higher with hand holding band) and then rotating straight leg back behind you back to start position
13. Band is still around foot and you are holding other end of band in same side hand, other hand is holding chair back for balance, you are also still in the curtsy lunge position from #12–do stationary curtsy lunges with single arm hammer curls (bending back knee now)
14. Repeat #10-13 on other side of body
15. Hold band the same as #1 and stand with legs a bit wider than hip width an toes turned out, squat, bringing band down in front of you and pulling it open then straighten, raising up on toes and raising band overhead while also pulling band out; widen feet and hinge forward at waist, lowering arms/band to floor, pulling band out, and when you straighten, you bring band to chest level and pull it open (do not raise on toes anymore); combine these move variations–hinge forward and pull band, straighten and pull band then raise up on toes, raising band overhead and pull band
16. Sit on floor/mat with legs in Z or pretzel position (one bent in front of you and one bent behind you), you are holding one end of the band in each hand with about 2 feet of band between hands, start with band on floor in front of bent front leg, arc arms/band overhead as torso rotates 180 degrees to other side and both knees raise and rotate so you are now in the Z/pretzel position but facing the opposite direction (hands/band are on floor in front of the (new) front leg) (you are trying to keep your legs at 90 degree angles each time you shift)
17. Still on floor in Z/pretzel position, still holding the band in same position as #16, bring band to the floor in front of front bent leg while raising back bent leg, lift torso (lowering back leg) while raising arms/band overhead and tapping back hand to back ankle; keep band/hands on floor in front of front bent leg and pulse back bent leg up; changes to holding back leg up and pressing foot back behind you (she stops and wraps loop around foot and anchor the other end of the band on the floor in front of front leg then continues the motion with the added resistance)
18. Sit cross leg and hold one end of the band in each hand with about one foot of band between hands, raise band/arms overhead and do side bends, alternate sides; changes to rotating arms/band from side, front, side and back

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