Barrecore bootcamp, week four: dance yourself lean

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd
22 October 2018

This is a glutes workout inspired by balletic moves. Your glutes are some of the most important — and hardest to activate — muscles in the body.

You’ll need an exercise ball and a collapsible bar, though if you don’t have the latter, you can use a chair.

1. Back dancing with ball behind knee — in parallel, foot flexed

Lay on your back, feet flat on the floor with a ball behind one knee. Lift the leg to table top, and pushing down in to the supporting foot, peel your pelvis 1-2 inches from the floor. Lift the pelvis a further inch and hold for four counts, repeat eight times before speeding up for another eight. Repeat for up to two minutes on each side, remembering to squeeze the glutes the whole time.

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

2. Low arabesque, in external rotation, square hips, pointed foot with cushion under support foot

Stand with heels together, toes two inches apart and extend one leg long behind you. Tip the pelvis underneath you to engage the glutes and abdominals. Tap the floor and lift the leg 10 times followed by 10 tiny pulses up. Flex the foot and perform 10 small bend presses and another 10 pulses up. Repeat four times on each side, focusing more on extension than on the height of the leg.

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

3. Standing split, open hips, pointed foot

Fold yourself in half, lifting one leg as high and as long as you can. Let the hips open to get as much height as possible. Take the opposite hand to your surface if you need extra support. Tap the toes to the floor, lift back up and pulse the leg four times. Repeat this movement 10 times. Squeeze the

glutes as hard as you can and finish with a 20- second hold. Release the hands for a balance challenge as well.

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

4. Standing pretzel with ball behind knee

Place one forearm on your surface, turn your toes to face the fingers and walk your feet back underneath your hips. Lift the outside leg up, knee in line with your hip and a ball behind the knee. Squeeze the ball 20 times and then, holding the squeeze, lift the leg another 20 times. Make

20 small circles in one direction, then 20 in the other. Repeat the whole set four times on each leg. Focus on maintaining extension at your hip to keep the glutes firing.

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

Ross is a trainer at Barrecore, barrecore.co.uk. Follow him on Instagram: @jrossbremner

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