There are all kinds of weights and machines you can use to help you build strength. But sometimes, working out with just your bodyweight is all you need to boost muscle.
Barre—a type of exercise inspired by dance and ballet—can be very effective at helping you get stronger and it often doesn’t require any equipment.
Try doing this abs routine from certified personal trainer and barre instructor Mikala Czubak, better known online as fitbymik. It will challenge your mid-body core muscles without any weights.
How to do Mikala Czubak's barre workout for abs
You don't need much to do this routine, just a yoga mat. Take a look at our tried-and-tested guide to the best yoga mats if you need a new one.
The entire workout only takes 10 minutes and Czubak takes you through each exercise with demonstrations and instructions.
There are also modifications for each exercise, which you can opt for if you find a particular move too challenging.
Modifying exercises is always a good idea, whatever level you’re at. It will not only help you prevent injury if you’re new to a move, but it could help you execute it more effectively if you’re still developing the necessary strength for it.
The benefits of barre workouts
Barre is a fusion of moves inspired by ballet, Pilates and yoga. Like Pilates, Barre incorporates small, controlled movements that lengthen and tone the muscles, while also helping you work on coordination and balance.
This particular routine features a high rep count—so you have to do the moves many times—and pulsing, which forces you to focus on and repeat the hardest part of the exercise. Working your muscles in ways they’re not used to like this can build strength, as it provides them with a new challenge that they need to adapt to.
The low-impact nature of barre also makes it suitable for people who can't do high impact exercise like running or HIIT, but still want to get their heart rate up.
In Czubak's routine, she targets some smaller muscles that we may not engage in other workouts. For example, there are moves that will strengthen the hip flexors and obliques, not just the abdominal muscles (which you might know as the 'six-pack muscles').
If you do Czubak's workout regularly, see if you can work up to the harder version of the exercises over time. This will help you to strengthen and stabilize your core muscles without spending hours at the gym.
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