Booty Barre™ Basics

Hi, I'm Tracey Mallett, and I'm here with Booty Barre Basics. And I've got four amazing teachers with me today, so I'm super excited. We have Christy of course, we have Emily over here who's also a Booty Barre instructor, woohoo. We have Michelle here, who's also a Booty Barre instructor. And then we have Mandy over here who's also a Booty Barre instructor, so these are professionals today.

Now (laughs) not Christy, but she kinda. We are gonna do a basic program today, because I think it's really important to get back to basics. Because you know with Pilates in general, just doing a basic Pilates exercise routine is not easy, it means you've gotta dig deeper into the work. So today I'm gonna teach you how to get a little bit deeper using the chair, really working your core stability and also shoulder stability. So you guys ready to kick some booty?

All righty. Okay, we're gonna walk through the feet. We're gonna walk through the feet, there you go. So you're really trying to work through those metatarsals. Let's pick up the tempo, we're gonna pick it up.

There you go. This warm-up is just to get the blood going around to all those working muscles. Gotta warm up, and then the next section is all gonna be on the barre today. So you're gonna really be feeling a lot of booty, legs, and abdominals, isn't that good? Woohoo! Four more.

Four three two and one. We're gonna reach all the way up to the sky, and open, now open your feet, we're gonna open from the glutes, okay? So hands on hips, plié down. Plié, lift. Now we're gonna be talking a lot about class today, about where we should be feeling it.

You wanna think of pulling those sit bones together and you're pulling the pelvic floor up. So you're not in a tilt, you're in a neutral position but you're really drawing those sit bones together, so you're lengthening through those legs. You're gonna be working a lot from Pilates V position or first position in ballet. Okay, so really feel that, it'll work really more into the hamstrings and less through the quads. Now pulse for three, you take it three, two one lengthen.

Three, now think of this rhythm, you're gonna be using this rhythm through the whole of the class today. Good. Just give me a few more, guys. Three two, squeeze those sit bones together, you're gonna really work those hammies. (laughs) Relax, and it's all about having fun.

Give me one more, and then we're gonna rise and lower through the beat, you ready? Rise and lower, so you lift. Down. Once again, our balance challenge exercise gonna really work through the core. Four more, four three two now one more, now hold that balance and hold.

Reach the hands up. Hold here for balance, four three two and one, lengthen, bring the legs together, roll down. Take the right leg behind, and we're gonna hold that stretch right here so you get that hip flexor stretch. Now a little bounce, bounce into a teeny tiny bounce. Gotta stretch those legs out, 'cause we're gonna be working a lot of those hamstrings, a lot of quads, a lot of glutes.

Four more, four three two, now lengthen, bring your hips up high, make sure your hips are square. Hold it there, four three two, now bend the front leg and then lift all the way into that crescent pose, hold it there. Four three two, and one, reaching forward. Now come to plank position, draw in those abdominals, hold it there, you're working against gravity, hold the core in, hold. Four, three, two and take the opposite leg forward.

Really bounce it out, little teeny tiny bounces feel the hip flexor, the psoas stretching out. Four three two, now from here send your hips up to the sky, make sure your hips are square, feel the stretch in the hamstrings. Gonna hang down there for a little bit. Four three two and one. Come back into plank position, hold it there, now pike.

Exhale up, two three flex the feet and take it down. Two three and hold, and again pull the belly in. It's all from the core, flex the feet. Focus on your abdominals pulling you up into that pike position. Flex the feet, down, two.

Just give me a couple more guys, you're doing beautifully. Lift. Flex, dorsiflexion, and down, two. Give me one more, last time pull up four three, flex a bit and hang it out here for four, three two and one. Walk your feet to your hands.

Slowly roll all the way up. Okay you guys, we're gonna grab the chair. Now we're gonna start with our feet turned out, remember pull the sit bones together, hand on the hip. Now we'll rise up on the toes, so we rise up. Bend.

Lower the heels. And extend, let's do one more slowly. Rise. Bend, slow and controlled. Lower the heels, let's pick up the tempo, okay guys.

So you go up. Bend. Lower. Controlled. Core is engaged.

That's it. So you're just gently resting your hand on the barre. Upper body is completely relaxed. All the work is coming from your core for balance. Beautiful.

Nice. Up. Down. Down. And again.

Lift. Bend. Beautiful, give me one more, then we're gonna reverse it. Reverse it, plié first. Plié, lift.

We call this rolling through the feet because essentially you're really working those metatarsals, you're really working through the feet. Plus, you're pulling the sit bones together. And you're gonna feel the booty working, and that's what it's all about girls. Bikini time. Yeah baby, come on, and down.

Down, lift, up, down. Down, lift, down, and again give me one more. Now hold it here, now bring the heels together. Now imagine you're squeezing those heels together. Lift up.

Arm relaxed, ready to go into our plié section. Four, three, two, and take it down. And up. Now can you see my heels are not moving. The heels are staying completely still, you're pressing the heels together, pulling the sit bones together, and you're gonna create more resistance.

That pelvic floor is pulling up. You feel the abs working now? Beautiful, and just limit your range of motion if it gets too challenging, okay guys? But you guys are pros, but you out there, just limit your range of motion. Now we're gonna to a little pulse for three.

You take it three, two, one. Squeeze the heels. See, even going back to basics, those legs are gonna shake. 'Cause now you really get into the deep core of where the exercise is coming from. You're not flinging your body around, just with control, that's what it's all about, control.

Start relying on the chair, right. Three, two, one. Lift up. Three, two, one, this time hold. Now find your diamond position, hold that diamond position.

Now tilt. Slow. And back. Now focus on that pelvic tilt, smooth out those abs. Pull the transverse in, navel to the spine.

And exhale, let's hear ourself breathe, breathe and back. Breathe, squeeze that tushy, squeeze. Tilt, neutral. Tilt, neutral, see my legs are shaking, see? (laughs) Now pick the tempo up, ready?

Tempo, tempo. Keep that diamond as still as you can, so that diamond's not moving around. There's my diamond. Oh yeah I could see some shaking going on (laughs). Four more, four, three, two, and one, let's squeeze and lengthen, nice.

Lower down, open to second position. Ready, we're gonna repeat. Lift up, so you go lift. Bend, lower up. Lift, bend, so now the hard part about this is keep those heels high as you bend the knees.

Think of those beautiful shoes, those stiletto high heels. Lift, down. Good, and try not to arch the back, or hyperextend through the ribcage, draw it down. Lift. And your focus once again is on your core.

Beautiful. Lift. Let's do one more, then we'll reverse it. Rolling through the feet, ready, roll through the feet. Bend, lift, up, down.

Bend, lift, up, down. Bend, lift, beautiful, nice work guys. Can you give me four more, nearly there. Four, lift, up, down. Three, lift, up, pull down.

There you go, I know it's always hard to wanna do this. Last time. Now let's hold it here, down and up. Down, now if this gets too challenging, you can drop the heels down onto the floor, but we're gonna try it a little bit a challenge, even though this is basic. You can make your choice, to either keep on your toes or put your heels down.

Four more, if you don't try you never get there, so sometimes you have to push a little bit more. Pulse for three, three, two, one. Lengthen. Three, two, give me two more, and then we'll keep going but with the heels on the floor just to give you a little break. I'm being nice today.

Drop the heels down, pulse. Three, two, one, lift. Three. Now plié relevés, you go plié, lift. Plié, lift.

Now when you feel ready, you're gonna add a little snatch, just like a little snatch. Snatch, there you go. It's kind of like a little jump, you're gonna feel those legs work, right? There you go. Down, lift.

(laughs) Four more. Four, in the thighs, three, boom, two, boom, now one more, hold it there, hold, see if you can balance. Four, three, two, one, release. Now, take the hands down, our booty hips. Shake it out.

All right, let's roll all the way up, let's take it to the other side. So our feet are together, rise up and down, so you go up, bend, lower, extend. Up, bend, lower, extend. Up, bend, so you gotta really think of pulling those sit bones together. Really working, so we wanna keep that neutral position as much as you can, even when you're pliéing, we don't wanna be seeing any of this, and we don't wanna be seeing any of this.

We want that nice, neutral position. Let's reverse it, roll through the feet. Roll, through, the feet, beautiful. So that chair really is just there for support and guidance. But all the work is really coming from you and your core.

So don't rely on the chair, the chair is just there for fun and for security. But eventually as you get stronger, you'll need the chair less, and less, and less, and less. Beautiful, guys. Down. Lift.

Up. Down, down. Lift, now hold it up there, now bring the heels together. Ready for single pliés, go. Down, squeeze, down, now think of squeezing those heels together.

I'm squeezing them tight, and I'm pulling my tushy, sit bones pulled together. Try not to hyperextend through the upper body. Wrap around, beautiful Mandy. Good. Now we're gonna go for a pulse to three.

Guys, take it, three, two, one, lengthen, now keep the heels still. So those heels do not move, can you see how she's keeping those heels still as she lengthens, just like you would on a reformer. You never move those heels, right? Just exactly the same. Last time.

Now hold it here, go back into diamond position, pelvic tilts. Tilt, and back. So you're really squeezing the tushy but all the work is coming from your abdominals. Your abs are causing your pelvis to go into a tilt, so you're getting ab work right now. All right, let's pick it up, let's go, shake it out.

Woo! Pick it up, uh huh. Uh huh, pick it up, there you go. You can go a bit crazy if you want, but we won't do that today. (laughs) You've got, boom. Boom, nice, but keep that diamond still. Can you give me four more, guys?

Feel that burn. Four, three, two, and one, now lengthen, finish it off. Lower the heels, open your legs, and we're gonna repeat to the other side. Ready, so we rise up onto our tiptoes first. Four, three, two, one, lift.

Down. Heels, extend. Lift. Down. So beautiful work for the calves, you're really working deep into those calf work.

And up. Lift, bend, down, and back. Lift, down, there you go watch that ribcage. Lift, down, back, nice work ladies. And, lift.

Down, back, good. Lift, down, now we're gonna reverse it. So you reverse. Lift, up, and down, good job. Now watch the booty as you bend your knees.

Keep lifting up, feel that pelvic floor pull up as you bend your knees. Can you give me a couple more? You're doing awesome, guys. Last time. Now ready, down and up.

So you take it down, keep your heels off the floor there you go. You're leading the class, Mandy. (laughs) Mandy's the leader today, there you go. Down, and up. Down, and up.

Now we pulse for three, pulse it. Three, two, one. Lift. Three, two, one, keep those heels as high as you can Mandy, there you go. Awesome, that little bit more makes a big difference.

Three, two, one, lift it up. Doing okay there, Christy? Last time, three, two, one, now drop the heels down, you're gonna drop the heels down, you remember? So you're down, lift up. Down, snatch up.

Down, snatch up. Down, snatch up. Down, snatch up. Down, snatch up, you've got it. Down.

So the heel kind of replaces the toe. Lift, you've gotta really squeeze those legs. Good. Four more, put both hands on your hips. Three.

Now we're gonna go a little bit faster if you can. Ready, pick it up, go. Ten. Nine, woo! Eight. Ha! Good.

Kind of like little horsey, right? (laughs) Four. Three. Two. And one.

Okay, shake that booty. Beautiful. Turn around to face me. Now we're gonna go into some grand battements just to really flow those legs, get some flexibility. Hand out.

Four, three, two, one. Swish. Pull back. Swish. So now we're working our grand battement from ballet, we're swishing that leg to get some flexibility going and get the lactic acid going out of those muscles that we've just been working really hard on.

Beautiful. Taking two to the side on diagonal. Swish. And go as far as you can, you don't have to do too high or too low. Keep that beautiful form, it's diagonally to the side.

Can you give me four more? Watch that arm, you're reaching out. Your arm belongs to your body still. Let's take it behind, extend. So as you go back, your body counterbalances forward.

You're brushing the floor like a paintbrush. Use the floor for resistance. Good. Give me four more. Four.

Three. Two. And one, now hold it here, just plié. Now moving on, we're gonna do a transference of weight, you plié to the side in second position, then transfer the body. Ready?

Four. Three. Two, let's go, you take it down, transfer. Down, so what's happening is you're transferring your body and then going to your supporting leg. Now add leg lift, lift.

Lift, there you go. Now hold it up, pulse for three. Three, two, one. Plié down. Three, so it's all in control, keep your hips facing me.

Put it a little bit more diagonally forward, there you go. So you're not rotating the hips. Back. Three, two, one. Three, two, give me four more.

Three, two, one. Last. Actually, you've got two more. Woo! Last time. Beautiful, let's take it up and over into a port de bras, stretch.

Lift it up and over to the other side, wrap around. And then come back to center, turn it around to the other side. Ready, grand battement, arms out to second position. Four, three, two, one. Lift, back.

Lift, now really swish that leg so you're using resistance of the floor. And take deep breaths. It looks easier than what it is, right Mandy? She's sweating. Four more, four.

Good job. Three. Reach that beautiful arm out, scapula pulled down. To the side, to the side. Side.

Good. So you really think of working the upper body, pulling the scapula down, your arm belongs to the rest of your body. Draw the ribcage down. Swish that leg, good job guys. Swish.

Let's take it behind the body, take it behind. Behind. Good. Behind. There you go.

Beautiful legs. Good job, take it behind and back. Behind. Give me four more. Four.

Three. You ready to go straight into that transference of weight to the side, let's go. Transfer, lift. Dip, transfer. So your weight goes to the center mid.

Now add the leg lift, lift. Down. Lift. Down. Lift.

Down. Lift. Hold it here, hold it, pulse it. Three, two, one, down. Three, two, one, down.

Three, two, one, down. Beautiful. Keep it going, give me four more guys. So transfer that weight, pull the scapula down. No hiking the shoulders.

Nice work, guys. Lift. Two, three, give me one more. Three, two, one, beautiful. Let's do a big port de bras towards the barre.

Take it over to the other side. And then slowly turn around to face the barre. Take your right leg behind, we're gonna go into an arabesque and you lift, lift, lift, lift. Now it's important you try and keep your hips as square to the barre as you can. But there's a slight open pelvis.

Now, she's pulling the scapula down. Now we're gonna go into attitude, so bend the leg, now attitude. Now it's important that the leg, your foot is just below the knee. But she's still got her hips facing forward to the slight open pelvis. Drawing from the glute medius.

Ready, and again, arabesque. Out, out, she's dipping up through the core. Emily over here's pressing down on that barre so the lats are engaged. The abs are pulled in. Ready, gonna go back to attitude, let's go.

For four, four, three, two, arabesque. Four, three, double, double, doubles, take it two, two, two, two, two of each. Singles for eight. Eight, lengthen, seven, lengthen, six, lengthen, five, lengthen, four, lengthen, three, lengthen, two, lengthen, one, hold it here. Yup, ready for the other side.

Hands forward. Scapula pulled down. Lengthen, and lift. Lift. So your hips are externally rotated from the hips.

Beautiful, now attitude. Attitude, lift. Remember your foot is just a little bit lower than the knee. Back to arabesque, lengthen. Pull the shoulder blades down.

Nice work, guys, lengthen. Ready, attitude, and lift. Ready for twos of each, guys? (laughs) Ready, let's go, two of each. Two.

Attitude. Give me some attitude guys. Singles, and eight, lift, seven, lift, six, lift, five, lift, four, lift, three, lift, two, lift, one. We're gonna turn around and we're gonna go diagonally down, we're gonna walk ourselves out into plank position. Holding here, now push against the floor.

Pull those abs in, try not to sink between the shoulder blades, think strong, and you will be strong. Ready, single knees right and left. Right, and back. Left, and back. So you're reaching out through the crown of the head.

Beautiful. Boom. And back. In, exhale. Nice form, ladies.

Good, breathe. (breathes) Now, if you want we're gonna pick up the pace into a little run. You go trot. Remember, if this is too challenging you can keep at that lower pace. Or, you can even keep on the chair on a diagonal, or against the wall.

There's lots of modifications, meanwhile these guys are dying, and that's what we like to see. Can you give me ten more, guys? Come on Mandy. Ten, thank you, nine, eight, come on, Christy, let's show it, six, five, four, three, two, one. Beautiful.

Roll all the way up, slowly roll all the way up. Hands on hips, walk. It's really important your heart rate is skyrocket now, you've gotta bring it down, don't just stop. Gotta keep moving. Deep breaths.

Four more, then we're gonna get back to the barre. Okay ladies, back to the barre. Now we're gonna place our elbow down on the back. The underneath leg is externally rotated. Place your hand around, and you're gonna feel those obliques working, pull the scapula down.

No working the shoulders. Now we're gonna lift that leg up, so it goes four, three, two, one. Lower down, two, three, only go to where you feel comfortable. And up. And down.

Two, and you're internally rotated with that leg, it's internally rotated. Lift. Down. Two, let's take it up for two, ready? You take it one, two, one, two, you're pressing down so you're not sinking you're out of the barre.

That it, you've gotta use good shoulder stability now. Now pulse it for three, you take it three, two, one, bring it down. Three, this'll give you a start to give you a little strength in the glutes. Ready to do the whole series, which comes a little bit later when you've got some strength in the glutes. Good, press down.

You should be able to feel those lats working and those obliques. Woo, we've got some Spanish music, too. Now one more, and you're gonna hold it up there, for a hold here. Little tiny pulses. Now four, three, two, let's bend the knee, now circle forward.

Circle back. Four, three, two, hold it here, hold it. Beautiful. Take it down and stretch, dramatic stretch. Turn it around to the other side.

Ready, take that elbow down. So you're counterbalancing. Four, three, two and take it four, three, two, one, take it down, two, three, four, take it up, two, three, four, take it down, two, three, keep it internal rotated. Up, she's really working through the hip internal rotation. Down, two, give me one more then we're gonna go up for two okay?

Four, lifting up through that supporting leg. And down, two, two up, ready, so you take it one, lift, down, so you've gotta really work on that supporting leg, you're lifting the quad away from the knee. Lift, and she's working deep into those core muscles. Beautiful. Lift, up, beautiful.

Lift. Now we're gonna pulse for three, so you take it up, you go three, two, one, down, so internally you've been working on this girl. It's better. And back, you take it three, two, one, down. Three, two, one, keep it going and three, two, one, down.

Three, two, one, this time you're gonna hold it up there, hold it up there guys and pulse it, pulse it. Four, three, bend the knees, circle forward. Oh, there you go, now circle it back. Circle. Four, three, two, hold it there, come on hold it.

Four, three, two, one. And down, stretch it out. Nice work, turn around to face the barre now. Arms are straight, up onto your tippy toes. Plié down, you take it down.

Up. Now you're gonna kind of, basically you're gonna cheat a little bit. I want you to keep your arms straight. I don't want you bending the arms, I want you to use the chair so you slide from your fingertips to your heels of your palms. Down, now keep, I want those heels glued together.

Those heels are glued, and you're keeping high on that relevé, down. She's keeping in neutral position with the spine, neutral. Now pulse it for three, ready guys? Three, two, one, lift up. Three, two, nice work, good.

And three, two, one, lift. Three, two, give me two more. Three, two, one, last time. Three, two, one, and lift. Good job, let's pick up our ball.

Repeat exactly what we just did with a ball. This time, you're gonna lift back up onto your tippy toes, come all the way down to midway and hold it there. Now squeeze the ball. Squeeze, release. Squeeze, release.

Keep that neutral position, squeeze that ball. Neutral. Woo, neutral, squeeze that ball. And every time you squeeze the ball you're pulling the pelvic floor up. Beautiful, squeeze a little bit lower if you can.

If not, stay where you feel comfortable. Now we're gonna pick up the pace, ready go. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Pick it up, there you go. If it gets too challenging, bring your heels down to the floor, okay?

Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one, lower your feet down. Nice work guys, let's pick up your ball. We're gonna take your ball, and just take it behind the left foot. The corner, now very simple we're gonna turn the body to face the barre. Now we're gonna bend the knee, you go open, in.

Open, in. Open, in. Open. So you're external, internal. External, internal, boom.

Now pulse for three, you take it three, two, one, down. Three, two, one, down, if it gets too challenging just make it smaller. You can make it little tiny movements. There you go, little movements. There you go.

Can you give me one more, guys? Three, two, one, bring it down, hold it here, hold it here. Now take the leg up and down, so you go up, down, up, down, up. So my hips are facing that direction, but my body, my hands are facing forward, there you go. Now little pulses, pulse, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one.

Feel that in your hamstrings? All in your hamstrings. Okay let's take it to the other side behind the knee. Make sure your foot is parallel to your barre. Hands are forward.

Bend the knee. Ready, external rotation, you take it up, in, up, in, up. That's it, external, internal, external, internal, you're gonna be dramatic, you're gonna look where your leg is going. Here you go. Look, down, scoop out those abs.

Ready for your pulses, guys? Three, two, one, down. Three, two, one, down. Three, two, one, rotate. Three, two, now hold it here, hold it here, lift it out.

And in. Up, and down. Up, now squeeze that ball, come on. Imagine your heel is going right toward your back. You're squeezing it, those hamstrings should be on fire.

Okay, now pulse it, guys go. Pulse. Pulse. Hammies, come on hello hammies. Let's work 'em.

Four, three, two, and one. Nice work guys, let's put our ball down. Let's walk all the way back, and just walk it out. Stretch. Good, keep it going.

For four. Three. Two. And one, slowly roll all the way up. We're gonna walk to the front of your chair.

Sit on your chair. Make sure your feet are slightly bent. Now we're gonna be in a neutral position, ready for some dips. You take it down for three, up for four, you take it three, two, one, lengthen, three, two, one, now keep your shoulders pulled down so away from your ears. Three, two, one, beautiful.

Scapula pulled in and keep that neutral spine so you're not forward. So unless I keep dragging your tab on down. Three, two, one, lift. Three, can you give me eight singles, ready let's go. You take it eight, lift up.

Seven, lift up. Six, lift up. Five, up. Four, lift. Three, lift, give me two more, two.

And one, sit all the way back, nice work. Reach your hands up. And lengthen. Sit up, we're gonna come down onto the floor, we're gonna finish up with some push ups to work the upper body. So roll down, walk out.

Now you can either be in a full push up, or if you wanna take your knees down onto the floor you can also, your choice. Ready? Four, three, two, and take it three, two, one, lengthen. Three, two, so remember out there if you wanna do the modified version, you can be here on your knees. Well these guys are going for gold here.

(laughs) And out. They should be, they're all instructors. And lift. Three, two, can you give me singles for eight, ready guys go. Eight, lift up.

Seven, lift up. Six. Five. Four. Three, give me two more.

Two. And one, come all the way back, child's pose guys. Nice work. Slowly roll all the way up and take your right leg forward into a hip flexor stretch, hold it there. Try and press the pelvis forward to get that nice forward stretch.

From here, hinge back into your hammy just to finish up, you've worked those hamstrings a lot today so you really need to stretch them out. Extend the spine upper body lengthen out, your heart center reaching forward. Okay, let's take that leg back. Let's go with the opposite leg, press the pelvis forward, lift up, pull those abs in as always. All right, push back.

Now if you were doing all those exercises correctly, and you were working through your core, you just had a whole abdominal workout as well as a lower body. So just because you thought today was just lower body, yes, it was but if you were working it truly, it was an actual abdominal workout too. So think about that. And then come back, swing your legs together. Slowly roll all the way up.

Turn to me, let's give you a nice stretch. You're gonna reach your hands over your head interlace the hands, lift up. Come all the way to the right side first. Back to the center. And then up and over to the other side, good job you guys.

You completed Booty Barre Basics. And release. Good job. Woohoo! That was super hard. (laughs)