As much as we love pulsing it out at our neighborhood barre boutique, sometimes poor weather conditions, a sick family member or accidentally hitting the snooze button one too many times prevents us from joining our favorite in-studio class. Fortunately, many barre studios now offer a variety of streaming online classes that enable you to barre anytime and anywhere. And, with very little equipment, you can get in a quality workout right from the comforts of home, the balcony of your resort suite while on vacation (as did this barre enthusiast while overlooking Haystack Rock on the Oregon coast) or from the confines of your hotel room when traveling for business.
With barre’s versatility and portable props, many of which can be found right in your kitchen or suitcase, an internet connection and a bit of empty space and ingenuity, you can effortlessly plié and relevé your way to a studio-quality sweat session. And, don’t worry — you don’t need to own the traditional gear found at your local studio in order to raise the barre. The following bare essentials work just as well as the more expensive equipment:
Space
It doesn’t take a lot of space to do an at-home barre workout. As long as you have enough room to roll out a yoga mat (or one of the yoga mat alternatives found below) and the ability to fully extend your arms and legs, you will be able to execute all of those feel-good barre movements and positions. Barre workouts can be done on carpeted or non-carpeted floors; just be sure that you’re wearing grippy socks if you’re practicing on a slippery surface.
Barre
It’s not necessary to have a mounted or free-standing barre in order to properly perform your leg series or fold over. A sturdy piece of furniture like the back of a couch, chair or bar stool can serve as a sound substitute for a ballet barre. Countertops, windowsills or high top tables will also provide enough stability for that lower body burn.
Light Hand Weights
If you don’t have access to light hand weights (anywhere from one- to five-pounds), check your pantry for a pair of reusable water bottles, wine bottles or soup cans. Alternatively, books, a stack of cutlery tied with a rubber band and resistance bands with handles can be used in place of small dumbbells.
Resistance Loops
Resistance loops are portable and easy-to-store, but if you don’t have any lying around, you can use a pair of leggings tied with a knot, a sports bra, a bathrobe tie or pantyhose. As long as the item can be securely fashioned into a circle and provides you with some resistance, it will up the burn factor.
Sliders
Although they are lightweight and travel well, not many people own a pair of sliders. However, the ab-burning benefits of these deceptively effective little discs can be easily achieved with paper towels, dish towels, socks, furniture gliders or plastic covers from large containers or canisters.
Yoga Ball
Yoga balls are often used in barre classes to target the lower body and core. But, they are not easily transportable. Instead of trying to wedge a 9-inch ball into your suitcase, a small pillow or rolled up bath towel can be used in its place once you get to your final destination. At home, a child’s playground ball is also a fitting fallback.
Yoga Mat
In the absence of a yoga mat, you can use a towel (the thicker, the better), woven blankets, a comforter or even a bath mat. A carpet – be it wall-to-wall or a throw rug – will also work. Whatever you decide to use, be sure that it will provide adequate cushioning for your joints and won’t slip out from beneath you, which could potentially lead to an injury.
Whether time, travel or any other unexpected circumstance presents you with the unique opportunity to barre from wherever life may take you (inside or outside of your home), a thorough and energizing workout is just a quick household scavenger hunt, or shopping spree at the local pharmacy, away. And as this barre fanatic can confirm, you really can barre strong from your oceanside hotel room with just two 16-ounce water bottles, a sparkly pink playground ball and a woven straw beach mat.
See you at the barre (or barstool)!
About the Author
Jennifer is a barre instructor, personal trainer, clinical aromatherapist and author who discovered barre — her soul-mate workout — while training for the 2016 Boston Marathon. As a long-time runner, former bodybuilder and melanoma skin cancer survivor, Jennifer’s recent battle with autoimmune disease has changed her fitness focus to one that incorporates more mindful, purposeful and low-impact movements.
A former communication professor and mother of two daughters, Jennifer is excited to share her thoughts and experiences on ways to create and maintain a strong connection between the mind and body through barre.
