Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Hard

Here’s an advanced barre workout for you to challenge yourself with. This advanced barre workout uses the basic ballet positions to work the muscles in your legs, ankles, feet, and core, as well as test and develop your balance.

Advanced Barre Workout:

Grand plié from all positions:

Stand away from the barre, as this exercise tests your balance and works your core muscles in staying upright. Starting in first position, slowly bend you knees and raise your heels as you descend into a deep plié. Keep on sinking lower until your thighs touch your calves, then reverse the plié and raise yourself back up to a standing first position.Do three sets of ten grand plies for first, second, and fifth position (pictured).

Sauté from all positions:

Sauté means “to hop”, which is the basic action of this exercise. Begin by standing in first position with a small weight in each hand, arms held up at shoulder-height. Bend your knees into a plié, then spring upwards as high as you can in a completely straight line, pointing your toes in the air, and then landing on the balls of your feet, trying to keep all weight off of your heels. Do two sets of twenty hops in first position, second, and fifth position.

Second position plié with arm circles: Stand in second position (feet wide apart) and hold a small weight in each hand. Bend your knees and sink into a second position plié, in which your knees are directly above your feet (a 90 degree angle), and your thighs are parallel with the ground. Hold this plié position while you raise the weights in your hands so that your arms are shoulder-height, and move your arms in quick, tight, controlled circles. Do 30 clockwise & 30 counterclockwise circles before straightening your knees. Do two sets of arm circles.

New to barre? Read a quick introduction to barre workouts here, and brush up on proper barre technique.