What qualifies a workout as a “barre” class?

Well you would think aballetbarre, but one of the ballerina sculpting workouts below dispels that notion.

But that’s where the similarities end.

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Stand a full arm’s length from your bar or piece of furniture.

Then get your feet into position.

Everyone’s turn out is slightly different, so just turn out as far as you could.

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Keep your hips, knees and feet turned out to the same degree.

Maintain the turn-out in both legs and the slight bend in both knees.

Ideally the leg you lifted will come up until it’s almost parallel to the floor.

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Lift your head and upper torso by contracting the muscles just beneath your shoulder blades.

Do not contract your lower back muscles.

Raise your working-side hip about an inch higher than your standing hip and square your shoulders.

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Do 40 one-inch lifts for each leg.

Be sure to keep your gaze forward, not downward.

Your head is the weight you’re using to tone your upper back muscles.

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Description:Physique 57 offers a modern take on Lotte Berk’s training.

The ballet barre is used for the thigh and seat sequencing (muscles will be feeling the burn).

The class works on an overload then stretch/recovery format.

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Lift your seat off the floor and bring one knee towards your chest.

As you bend your arms, straighten the leg.

As you straighten the arms, bend your leg back towards your chest.

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Keep pumping your arms as you bend and kick one leg at a time.

Perform 10-15 kicks each leg.

Stand with your feet wider than your hips, turned out and knees bent.

Lower down and up 20 reps. Move slowly with the goal being not to straighten your legs.

To work more advanced, raise your heels and work up on the balls of your feet.

Hold for 10 seconds and release.

Repeat this set three times.

Begin either by standing or sitting up straight, pulling in through the stomach and opening the chest.

Pull in through the stomach and initiate the chest.

Drop and bend the elbows down, lowering the arms.

Then lift the elbows and raise the arms from the elbow.

Lower again and lift, keeping lifted through your center and open through your chest.

Description:Barre3 is rooted in yoga alignment and philosophy principles.

The technique also draws from Pilates, Lotte Berk, Callanetics, dance and traditional fitness.

While all barre classes emphasize form (form is everything!

), Barre3 stresses alignment and posture.

The exercise is inspired by the bridge pose.

Focus on keeping your shoulder blades wide and rooted on the floor.

Try not to squeeze your seat.

Keep your seat soft and press your feet into the ball.

Just staying here in balance strengthens your core, seat, hamstrings and calves.

Back up until you are hinged forward and in a push up position.

Bend both knees softly.

Keeping left knee bent, raise right leg up behind you.

Bend the leg in half.

Turn the right knee out but keep hips facing forward and keep right knee behind you.

Take right arm up, make a fist and bend the elbow.

Keeping right knee bent, lift right hip up while tapping elbow back to the right glute.

Look back at the right side as you perform this.

Come back to the original position and do again, never dropping the leg.

Repeat for 20 times.

Finish in the open hip bent elbow tapping position and just perform mini taps for 20.

Repeat on other side.

Description:Although Refine Method has a barre, it’s the most anti-barre class of the bunch.

The creator, a former New York City Ballet dancer, has her ballerina clientele doing burpees!

Attach a medium weight resistance band to a sturdy object, such as a door.

Soften your knees, brace your abdominals and tighten your glutes.

Extend your arms straight forward and hold for 10 seconds, resisting the urge to rotate towards the door.

Perform three 10 seconds holds and then switch to the other side.

Don’t live near one of these barres?

Most studios offer DVD versions of their workouts.

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