5-Minute Lower Body Ballet Workout

Today we are going to challenge ourselves with our inner Baryshnikov.

We're going to perform three exercises for the lower body that are simple to do and one minute each. We're going to start here. We're going to bring our arms in front of us.

Create a nice circle. You're going to drive forward with your left leg and point the toe. You see I'm bending at the right knee. Going to travel to the side and then behind you. And when you travel up, zip it up. And you're going back to center. Let's do that on the right side. Forward, side, back, and lift.

One more, forward, side, back, and lift. Now we're going to extend that left leg to your left side. We're going to bend at the knee. Bring it in and out.

Again, one more, in and out. Excellent. Let's switch now to the right leg. In and out. Did you see that?

You don't even have to start out there if you don't want to. Now the last technique is just a leg lift.

We're going to point the toe. Remember that you want to maintain your head over your heart. You're going to lift your left leg. Nice.

Let's alternate. And again, one more. Excellent. Are you ready? We're going to do this 30 seconds on each side

starting with your left side. Forward, side, back, and zip. Again, forward, side, back, and lift. Forward, side, back, and lift. Again, forward, side, back, and lift.

Beautiful. Forward, side, back, and lift. Forward, side, back, and lift. Again, forward, side, back, and lift. Forward, side, back, and lift. Two more, two. Get ready to switch. Last one. Four, and three, and two and one. Beautiful.

Now we're going to switch to the other side. Are you ready, ladies? And right leads, forward, side, and back. Beautiful.

That's forward, side, back, and lift. Remember, you can make this exercise big, small, medium. Let me give you one example right here. Forward, side, back, and lift. Forward, side, back, and lift.

All right, you have four more, ladies. Four, nice, three, two more, two, and last one. This is it. Nice.

Let's check in again. Remember, make your circle. Helps you balance. We're going to take your left leg. Point it to the side. You're going to bend in. And this is it. One, nice. And if you really want to make this big, you can. Nice.

You can even add your upper body. Look at this. One, two, so you're actually activating the muscles of your core. You're working the hip flexors. You're working your back. This is actually a great all body workout. Nice, again, four, three, nice, two, and one. Excellent.

Now we're going to switch to the other side, ladies. When you're ready, this is it. And point or keep it here, it's up to you. Nice, to the side. So you have all this room right here. See that? You can go in from here or in from here.

Nice, again, give me 10 more of these. Nice.

Eight, how many more? Seven. All right. That's nice. Nice, four, three, nice, two, and one. Excellent. Nice.

Now we're going to move on to the last technique. These are leg lifts. Point your toe. And remember, your head should always be over your heart. You know that already. Your A-B-S over your A-S-S. You're the boss. The leg come to you.

OK, so let's start, ladies, with your left leg. Up, nice. Up, I'm giving you that side view, so that you can see every time I lift my leg I'm contracting. That's why ballerinas and martial artists have the best bodies. I'm not kidding. Nice, and lift. Nice. And lift. Nice.

And two more. And last one. Let's switch to the other side. You ready? And nice. Do you see that? Does that help you? Does that inspire you to do this at least three times a week? It inspires me.

But it's only five minutes. So if you don't have time in your day, guess what? You still can do this. We're doing it.

Nice. Beautiful, again, nice, give me four more. Four, and three, two more, two, last one. Let's inhale. And exhale.

Let's make that circle. Nice. Open, bring the elbows behind you. All the way up and down to your heart.

Oh, I hope you feel leaner and stronger because I do. Thank you.