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It can be tempting to “hit the ground running” and sign up for every new fitness class going in January, but this doesn’t always lead to the best results.
In fact, attempting too much too soon can be seriously demotivating, especially if your muscle soreness gets out of hand, or you sustain a more serious injury.
It’s why we were intrigued to hear about the anti-January 12-week programme launched by fitness studio BLOK, encouraging members to “move less, progress more” and rebuild their fitness slowly in 2022.
Ellya Sam, a trainer from the studio, says a barre workout incorporating elements of ballet, pilates, yoga and strength training is ideal for this.
“It focuses mainly on body weight, sometimes using light weight and resistance bands to increase intensity or to create modifications,” she says.
“All exercises are low impact and high in repetition which can be buildable by progressions, making barre a great workout for you to build up your fitness and develop better core stability and glute strength.”
Looking to create a sustainable exercise routine this year? Sam has provided HuffPost UK with this five-minute barre workout to get you started.
1. Turned out wide knee bends
“Start with your feet just outside shoulder width, then turn your toes out to 10 and 2 o’clock. Bring your palms to touch by your heart and sink your pelvis down to a point you start to feel your quads and inner thighs engage. Ground and press your feet against the floor to stand tall in your start position. Repeat 15 times.”
2. Wide knee bend pulses
“In your wide knee bent position, hands on hips or above head, lift your pelvis no more than an inch up, then drop back down to your start position. Watch that you haven’t inclined your shoulders forward, your back should be upright like you’re standing in front of a wall. Go slow and controlled, and try not to bounce the pulses. Repeat 15 times.”
3. Alternating heel raises
“In your wide knee bend position, hands on hips or above head, raise one heel. Then, alternate rising the other heel without changing the height of your position. Repeat 20 times.”
4. Heel raised pulses
“In your wide knee bent position, raise both heels. Keep heels raised as you lift your pelvis up an inch, then drop an inch. Find balance and core stability here. There is the option to hold a wall or table if you need support for balance. Repeat 15 times. ”
5. Knee wraps
“In your wide knee bent position, have the option to raise both heels or keep them grounded. Wrap your knees back no more than 1 inch, then forward an inch to your start position. Ensure your feet are stable and static. Repeat 15 times.”
Move celebrates exercise in all its forms, with accessible features encouraging you to add movement into your day – because it’s not just good for the body, but the mind, too. We get it: workouts can be a bit of a slog, but there are ways you can move more without dreading it. Whether you love hikes, bike rides, YouTube workouts or hula hoop routines, exercise should be something to enjoy.
