Barlates: Metabolic Training/Cardio Sculpt

/Metabolic Training: Cardio Sculpt is cardio + strength lower body focused workout from Linda @ Barlates. You do get some upper body conditioning but it is using very light weights and combined with the low impact cardio. This workout really burned my hamstrings and glutes out. Linda starts with a long low impact cardio warm up using the light dumbbells. Then you move into more upper body conditioning still using the light dumbbells. Next is lower body work that, like I said, really fried my hamstrings and glutes. The workout ends with core work using the chair. Your stretch at the end also uses the chair.

This was a great little workout. Tho everything is primarily low impact, Linda does do some hopping but she always gives low impact modifications. Her cat, Minnie, was there for the entire work and she was very active and curious. This was a fun and effective workout. Even though I got a great burn in my lower body and abs none of the exercises were difficult to do–simple but effective moves. Even though there is some upper body conditioning, I would not use this as an upper body workout. Your chest and back are not worked at all.

11/19/19 Update: My glutes are so sore today!!!!

This workout is available for free on YouTube but I purchased the DVD which contains 3 other workouts in her Metabolic Training Series. You can also purchase the download from Linda via her website. The other 3 workouts in the series are: Functional, Circuit and Box Sculpt.

Metabolic Training: Cardio Sculpt is 57:30 minutes; 1:20 minute intro, 10:30 minute warm up and 3 minute stretch. Equipment: light dumbbells for the cardio portion (Linda is using .5kg which is 1 pound), a medium set of dumbbells (Linda is using 3.5kg which is 8 pounds), one heavier dumbbell (Linda is using 5kg, which is 10 pounds) and a chair or step bench (Linda is using a chair). You will need something solid behind your chair to hold it in place during some of the exercises (a wall works, Linda uses her couch). I used the same weights as Linda, except I used 2 pound dumbbells rather than 1 pounders.

The workout starts with cardio using the light DBs–that is the 10:30 minute warm up. Then you will move into the conditioning moves while still holding the light DBs. What follows are the conditioning moves; I did not break down the warm up.

1. Wide pulsing plié squats; add opening and closing your arms/DBs, extending them straight out to the sides of your body when opening them; changes to raising arms overhead and moving hands/forearms as if conducting music; changes to pulling elbows into waist then pushing arms/DBs out to sides of body, rotating wrist so palm of palm faces the ceiling when arms are extended
2. Stand in split stance, raised on toe of back leg, one arm extended overhead and the other arm extended to the side, do stationary lunges while bending and straightening arms
3. Stand with heels together and toes turned out, do narrow plié squat pulses with arms extended out to sides, bend and straighten arms while rotating the hands/DBs/forearms so palms face the ceiling then the ground
4. With feet in same starting position as #3, holding both DBs together in one hand and keeping the elbow of that arm close to your waist, step out into a wider plié squat while also rotating hand holding DBs out to side, bring feet back together, rotating hand back in front of you (elbow stays close to waist the entire time)
5. Keeping legs stationary, bend torso slightly to side and do swan arms (DBs are separated again, one in each hand); changes to torso leaning slightly forward; changes to torso leaning slightly to other side
6. Chasse side to side while raising arms out to side then bringing them to cross in front of body; add a step out and back in to each chasse; the additional step changes to cross step in back then a cross step in front then in back again (you are still chasseing); add a straight leg front kick after second back cross step
7. Step side to side while swinging arms/DBs in opposition; changes to 4 side to side steps + 4 pony hops

Get your chair and your medium DBs.

1. Stationary lunges (8 DBs)
2. Place back leg on chair behind you and hold the heavy DB in both hands in front of you, continue to do lunges in this position (one 10# DB)
3. (set DB aside) Return to split stance on floor with torso hinged forward, lunge and tap fingertips to floor then come up, raising front leg and clapping hands under front thigh; still in split stance, straighten torso and raise both arms overhead, do little lunge hops in this position
4. Repeat #1-3 on other side of body
5. Lay torso on chair seat with hands and knees on ground (on all 4s with belly resting on chair seat), push one leg out straight behind you then bend knee bringing it back to start; rotate leg so knee is turned out, raise leg behind you then kick leg out to side of body; keep bent leg raised behind you (knee still turned out to side of body) and pulse leg
6. Lay on your back on the floor and place your feet on the chair seat, raise and lower hips in bridge; place one medium DB on hips, raise your hips but only lower hips halfway; DB still on hips, raise hips halfway and hold at this height, tilt/tip pelvis/hips up and down (Linda removes her DB during this) (one 10# DB)
7. Bring feet out to edge of chair seat and press knees together, raise hips high and lower and raise hips, never lowering them all the way to the ground; raise hips halfway and hold at this height, tilt/tip pelvis/hips up and down; raise hips, open knees, close knees, lower hips
8. Sit on edge of chair, lean torso back, hands on seat of chair behind you, bicycle legs in this position; cross ankle over other knee, raise and lower both legs; torso still in same position, place toes on ground (knees bent), and raise and lower legs bringing knees into chest

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