It has been a very long time since I have done a Barlates workout. However, I had not forgotten how even Linda’s easier “recovery” level workouts are not easy. 55 Min Total Body Yoga Stretch Workout is part of Linda‘s 14 day Holiday Fit Challenge, so all around the edges of the screen you get holiday decorations. The music however is just basic recovery level workout music–no holiday themes. I do not know anything about her 14 Day Challenge. I was only interested in this workout. It is an excellent mobility and dynamic flexibility workout. I think Linda managed to stretch/work/mobilize everything in the body and sometimes it was very uncomfortable. Sometimes even somewhat strenuous. I was perspiring during the first half of the workout. And though it does get a bit easier/more feel good near the end of the workout, it is never completely feel good until maybe the last few minutes. She continues to throw in uncomfortable stretches/mobilizations. But as I said, she works your entire body very nicely. It made me miss some of her other workouts I loved so much (her Feel Good Series, and all of her Flow series and her Warm & Stretch Series) that are perfect for recovery days. I think I will return to some of them soon.
55 Min Total Body Yoga Stretch Workout is 55:30 minutes; 1:20 minute intro. Equipment: a dynaband (long flat resistance band), a stability ball and a fitness mat. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down the workout time. Linda has tied a small loop in one end of the band for her foot.
- Hold one end of the band in each hand, raise arms overhead and do a sort of large figure 8 flowing movement overhead while also shifting side to side
- Continue the large flowing figure 8 movement but hinge forward at the waist and keep legs relatively straight
- Still holding one end of band in each hand, stand with legs wide and arms reached over head, do stationary alternating side lunges while also doing side bends, reaching arms/band toward the side you are lunging
- Same starting position as #3 but rotate torso in a circle, dropping down into forward fold, raising to the side and lowering back into forward fold at the other side
- Wide leg forward fold, reaching arms between legs behind you
- Still holding one end of the band in each hand, reach arms overhead then lower band behind head, bending elbows, reach arms overhead again and do a side bend to each side
- Repeat #5 & 6
- Wide leg forward fold to one side, reaching hands/band to floor in front of one foot
- Stand reaching arms/band overhead and lean to the side on an angle behind you
- Repeat #8 & 9 on other side
- Side bends side to side rag-doll fashion
- Still holding one end of band in each hand, start with band in front of thighs, reach arms overhead then lower them behind you, rotating wrists so you can lower band down to hamstrings then reverse the motion, returning band back to the front of your thighs
- Still holding one end of band in each hand, raise arms in front of you and swing arms/band side to side, shifting body to the side as you swing; as you swing arms to one side lift opposite leg
- Still holding one end of band in each hand, stand with legs wide, lower into side lunge while chopping arms/band down and up to the side, as you raise out of side lunge, swing arms in the opposite direction
- Still holding one end of band in each hand, legs still wide, straight leg forward fold, place one hand on floor in front of opposite foot and raising other arm/band to ceiling (other hand is anchoring band to the floor); raise and lower arm several times while maintaining the forward fold
- Legs still wide, hinge forward with hands on floor and do a stationary side lunge side to side
- Repeat #14 & 15 on other side of body
- Repeat #16 but this time raise foot to ceiling so heel is on mat (cossack lunge); lower deeper into lunge and hold a little longer
- Sit on bottom w/ one leg extended straight to side, other knee is bent with heel pulled in close to body, wrap same side arm around bent leg and behind back, wrap other arm around back and interlace fingers (if able–she gives options if you are not able)
- Same starting position as #19 but raise bottom off mat, raise onto toe (of bent leg) then lower heel to ground; pull in and bend straight leg so you are in a sort of uneven squat, keeping most of your weight in the leg that is bent the most, raise hips into forward fold with torso angled over the leg with all the weight on it then lower back into uneven squat
- Repeat #19 & 20 on other side of body
- Wide plie squat with hands on thighs, lean one shoulder down towards opposite knee while pushing against thigh, alternate sides
- Start in wide plie squat, straighten one leg, leaning into bent leg while also pushing hand against thigh to deepen stretch; repeat on other side
- Deep yogi squat, heels on floor, arms against inner thighs pressing legs open wider
- Bring feet together, lower into deep squat with knees open wide, raised onto toes with heels together; lower one knee to floor, pushing arm against the inner thigh of knee that is still raised (heel is still raised); repeat on other leg
- One knee is on ground w/ glutes resting on heel, other knee is bent with foot flat on floor with heel close to body and torso leaning forward on leg (this stretches Achilles); bring foot out a bit further from body, with heel pressed into ground, wrap both hands around top of foot and pull it up, keeping heel on floor and leaning chest forward into thigh; release foot and place it back onto floor, raise heel off floor and lean chest into thigh so your weight is pressing into your toes then lower heel, continue raising and lowering heel
- Repeat #26 on other leg
- Sit on mat with legs open wide, hold one end of the band in each hand again, hinge forward into wide leg seated forward fold reaching arms to floor between legs, sit upright again reaching arms/band overhead; continue the same motion but angle torso/arms so you are hinging forward over one leg
- Same starting position as #28, extend arms/band overhead and lean side to side reaching arm/band toward floor; this changes to a large figure 8 motion
- Same starting position as #28, place one hand to floor beside foot (same side hand as foot) anchoring the band to floor, extend other arm overhead and behind you, opening the chest then lower arm to floor between legs
- Same starting position as #28, extend arms wide overhead then pull them down behind you towards the floor and raise it back overhead
- Repeat #30 on other side of body
- Return to #31 position, pulling band behind you to about neck level, lean side to side, reaching same side hand to floor when leaning; changes to drawing a circle with arms and torso keeping arms open wide and straight, hinging forward and reaching arms/band in front of you then leaning to the side then arching back as you reach arms behind you then lean to other side
- (set band aside) Sit with legs open as wide as possible, legs straight, place hands on floor between legs and pull yourself forward, continue shifting forward and back; lean forward placing forearms on mat, feet are flexed, reaching feet behind you
- Get into wide leg kneeling pose with knees bent and feet behind you, hinge torso forward (frog pose); keep one leg in frog position and straighten other leg out behind you, torso and forearms on floor; push torso up cobra style
- Pigeon pose stretch
- Cobra pose stretch
- Still laying on stomach, bend one leg and loop band around foot, pulling band over shoulder and lifting knee/thigh to stretch quadriceps; pull the band up overhead, pulling leg up higher
- Band is still looped around foot, roll onto side still pulling leg behind you while pushing hip forward and pulling heel into glute
- Band is still looped around foot, lay on back with leg extended to ceiling and straight, pull straight leg down toward you, other leg is extended straight on floor; pull leg across body; open leg out straight to side, as low to mat as possible
- Still laying on back, cross legs with thighs together, hands on tops of feet pulling feet down toward floor
- Lying supine spinal twist w/ one leg twisted over body to opposite side w/ knee bent
- Lay on mat with legs open (recovery from the stretching)
- Repeat #42 on other side of body
- Repeat #21 with other leg on top
- Repeat #40 on other leg
- Repeat #39 on other leg
- Repeat #38 on other leg
- Child’s posed
- Thread the needle variation with shoulders kept in line with hips (only arm/shoulder reaches underneath you, body doesn’t twist)
- Legs are still in double kneeling child’s pose style, extend one arm out to side and lower shoulder to mat lifting other shoulder upward
- Repeat #50 & 51 on other arm
- Child’s pose variation w/ arms reaching to one side
- (get stability ball) Child’s pose with hands on ball
- Sit up, hands still on ball, and round back
- With one palm on ball, roll to opposite side, lowering torso child’s pose style
- In kneeling lunge, hinge forward with forearms resting on ball stretching hip flexors; straighten forward leg and hinge forward over it, stretching hamstring and calf
- Repeat #56 & 57, flowing back and forth between the two moves
- Return to deep kneeling lunge, place forearm on floor beside front leg, extend other arm out to side with palm on ball, rotating shoulder down towards floor
- Repeat #57-59 on other side of body
- Butterfly pose, raising and lowering (fluttering) knees
- Lay on stomach on ball letting arms, legs, arms and head limp; walk arms forward and fold them, placing forehead on hands, legs are straight with toes on floor, slowly rock hips side to side
- Sit cross-leg, holding the ball between both hands reach ball overhead and do alternating side bends; reach ball overhead and behind you, arching spine; place ball on floor in front of you, hands on ball and round spine; roll ball to one side stretching one arm; roll the ball behind you keeping opposite arm on top of the ball and twisting spine
- (set ball aside) Still sitting on mat, wrap band around the ball of one foot, extend one leg straight, flex and point toe
- Kneel on both knees, raise one knee off floor with top of foot/toes still on mat, pull knee up higher to stretch toes
- Repeat #64 & 65 on other leg
- Get on hands and knees, rotate hands on mat so fingers are pointed toward body, lean back to stretch arms; place backs of hands on mat with fingers still pointing toward body; make fists and press and roll them on the mat so that backs of hands are on mat then wrists are on mat
- Sit cross-leg and do neck/head mobility stretches
- Shoulder rolls
- Sit with legs together and knees bent, feet on mat, cross arms in front of you with hands gripping opposite thigh, lean back and round spine
- Sit cross-leg and do spinal twists
For more info on Barlates and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.
