If you’re someone who lifts weights regularly, you might assume that working out with 1lb or 2lb weights would be too easy. But a workout known as barre will prove you wrong.
Barre is a mix of ballet, Pilates and yoga, and one of its unique features is how it targets the small, stabilising muscles, and it’s ability to develop your muscular endurance, strength, stability and balance.
“I love barre arms because they’re sneakily challenging,” says instructor Tara Riley, explaining that barre uses light weights to challenge endurance.
“If you look at ballet dancers, their arms are always so beautifully placed, and they effortlessly hold them up,” Riley says, “but if you’ve ever actually held your arms out to the sides for longer than a couple of minutes—it’s tough.”
Below, she’s shared a barre arms workout that will challenge you even if you only have access to 1lb or 2lb weights. In fact, Riley advises against going any heavier.
“You’re going to start to lose your form if you lift too heavy,” Riley says. “I’d rather you tire the muscle and work the endurance of the muscle.”
“There are so many exercises we can do with heavy weights—these are not those exercises,” she adds.
Tara Riley’s barre arm workout
1. Rotating arm press
Reps: 8 each side
- Stand holding dumbbells, with your feet wider than hip-width apart, with your toes pointing outwards.
- With your upper arms touching your torso, bend your elbows to 90°, lifting the dumbbells in front of you.
- Keeping your upper arms connected to your torso, externally rotate your shoulders to move your forearms out to the sides with your palms facing up.
- Bend your knees to lower into second position plié, keeping your torso upright—this is your starting position.
- Extend one arm out to the side and rotate through the shoulder, so that your palm faces behind you.
- Reverse the movement back to the starting position.
- Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.
Try an extra challenge:
- Move both arms at once and extend your knees to rise.
2. Row to triceps kickback
Reps: 16
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart,holding dumbbells with your palms facing.
- Bend your elbows to lift your forearms so they point forward—this is your starting position.
- Pull your elbows slightly behind your torso, then extend your elbow to point your forearms behind you.
- Reverse the movements back to the starting position.
Try an extra challenge:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and push your hips back and bend your knees to squat down, so your hips are at knee height.
- From this position, complete the row and triceps kickback exercise, then stand up to complete one rep.
3. Ab curl with chest opener
Reps: 16
- Sit upright on a mat holding dumbbells, with a Pilates ball behind your glutes, your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Bend your elbows to 90°, lift your forearms to vertical and bring your arms together.
- Lean back onto the ball and open your arms out to the sides, so they're in a cactus shape.
- Bring your arms back in front of your face and raise your torso back to the starting position.
Try an extra challenge:
- Lean back and hold this position.
- Open your arms out to the sides and pulse your arms an inch up, and then an inch down, 16 times.
4. First position lateral raise
- Stand with your heels together and your feet turned outwards (this is first position), holding dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing forward and a slight bend in your elbows.
- Raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height, keeping a slight bend at your elbows.
- Lower with control.
Try an extra challenge:
- Lift your heels as you raise your arms, then lower your heels in sync with your arms.
- Lift your heels off the floor and hold this position. Raise your arms and pulse them up an inch and down an inch 16 times.