1.1 Barre Belle Teacher Training

Barre Belle: 31 Day Challenge & Teacher Training
Josie McKenlay
CONTENTS
Barre Class
Barre & Benefits
Health Considerations & Precautions
Equipment & Arrangement
Music
How to use the course
Teacher Training
Prerequisites
Music
Warm Up
Class Planning
Class Organisation
Class Content
Exercises & Variations
Transitions
Prenatal Stretches
Short Stretches
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CPD Accredited Barre Belle Challenge & Teacher Training © Josie McKenlay
BARRE BELLE
31 Day Barre Challenge
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BARRE & BENEFITS
Barre classes are extremely effective and very popular. Most Barre classes follow a similar
format, breaking down the workouts into 4 sections
• upper body
• thighs
• glutes
• abdominals
so that each part of the body can be worked to exhaustion, hence the intensity and great results,
but there are variations from teacher to teacher. We use a lot of isometric exercises, although not
entirely. Good to do 3 or 4 times a week, but so effective you shouldn’t do them more often.
Remember to always try to balance your fitness regimen to include all the components of fitness.
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Benefits
1. The isometric contractions that make up the bulk of a barre class occur when the muscle
tenses without changing length and the angle at the joint remains more or less constant,
so holding or using tiny movements. Isometric exercise is a great way to maintain
muscle strength as you will be working in a very challenging range. You’ll hear me say
up an inch, down an inch or just a couple of centimetres. My movements are bigger than
they should be so you can easily see what I’m doing but keep yours to a couple of
cms/1”.
2. You’ll target multiple muscle groups at once. It's a highly efficient workout since you're
doing two to four movements—holding, pulsing, stretching, for example—at a time in
each move. Working all these areas at once also helps raise the heart rate.
3. Shaking is a sign of muscle fatigue—your muscles are telling you they are feeling it. If
you are doing it correctly with great technique, this is a good thing. You may need to
take a brief rest if you start to shake but try to embrace it! It happens mostly in the thigh
sets.
4. The smaller movements in a barre class can bring a new level of awareness to the body
that you don’t get in regular strength workouts. All the quick changes and variations lead
to improved brain function.
5. Possible weight loss, but always try to focus on strong, fit and healthy rather than skinny.
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HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
& PRECAUTIONS
The great news is that Barre is safe for everyone of general good health, even if you aren’t very
fit. If you start to struggle, you can always switch to lighter weights or put them down and you
can take breaks and continue once you’ve recovered enough. You’ll get plenty of practice
anyway during the training sessions before you attempt the full class. If you have any medical
issues or take regular medication, you need to check with your doctor first before taking this
course.
Prenatal
Barre is a great choice because you can do most of the exercises right up to the birth of your
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baby. DON’T suddenly start Barre if you are already pregnant as it is very intense. If you have
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had any problem pregnancies in the past, I would not recommend this programme. NB: this is
not a prenatal exercise course.
Prenatal Guidelines
• No shaking of the hips! Tucking is fine, but shaking side to side is not.
• It’s not safe to be in a supine position for any length of time after the first trimester. I
would advise that you avoid neutral/flatback abdominal exercises and stick with the
roundback and plank option. Lay on your side for Savasana and do the prenatal
variations for the final stretches.
• No prone positions after the first trimester. Exercises for the pelvic floor in “all-fours”
position or “superman/bird dog”: all fours, hold neutral and raise opposite arm/leg.
• Avoid deep stretching and twisting.
• It may become uncomfortable to be up on your toes so lower or keep feet flat as
necessary.
• Now is not the time to be pushing yourself to your limits. You should be looking to
take care of yours and your baby’s health, prepare for the birth and aid recovery. If you
feel dizzy, faint or unwell at any time, discontinue and always stay hydrated.
Please refer to the stretches later in this manual (P.47)
Postnatal Guidelines
• All ok AFTER you have received the all clear at your postnatal check and any diastasis
recti/C-Section scar issues have healed: take advice if in doubt.
• Prior to your check, you may attempt any of the thigh and standing glute exercises,
together with the upper body exercises in the standing position. Keep weights light. See
my Postnatal Pilates course to help heal the abdominal area from the inside out.
• AVOID all plank style exercises and all roundback abdominal exercises until you have
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been released by your doctor. Any separation of the rectus abdominis must have healed.
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My post natal Pilates course will help you recover and gives you abdominal exercises
suitable for the first 6 to 12 weeks. The abdominal exercises in this course are too intense
for the postnatal period. No sit-ups, crunches or abdominal exercises in a flexed position
should be attempted.
Back Pain
• Herniated discs/sciatica: avoid roundback abdominal exercises until healed. Substitute

with modified flatback/neutral abdominal exercises, eg, no straight legs (bend knees).
• Don’t exercise if you are actually in pain and taking medication.
• Check with your doctor whether there are any positions that will make the problem
worse.
Keeping Knees Safe

The great thing about Barre workouts is that they are very effective at delivering quick results
and getting that "burn" in those hard to reach areas of the hips and thighs. The problem for the
knees is that we are up on the toes for quite some time - a lot of weight on top of a very small
area. Hence the regular changes of position which not only offers variety, but also safety.
In ballet, this is not the case. Dancers are up on their toes for short periods of time. Isometric
exercises really work deeply at the most challenging phase of the movement - very effective, but
this offers no respite. Dancers also have extremely mobile hips which makes turnout less of a
problem for the knees.
Recommendations for Safe Practice:

• ALWAYS firmly engage the core and be mindful of posture. This is why knowledge of
Pilates is so useful;
• Check that your knees are tracking your toes. Generally the cue would be to keep knees
behind toes, impossible when you are up on the toes;
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• Bring the body weight slightly forward/back. This is where body awareness comes in.
You’re working on your own, probably without a mirror, so you need to “feel” your way
into the correct position;
• Check the size of the ball, play around with the position. A larger, firmer ball may suit
your knees better;
• Don't have too big a turnout (even if you can!). In curtsy, rather than placing one foot
directly behind the other, have them hip width apart and split;
• Bring the heels down as soon as you feel any pressure. This will also reduce the range of
motion (ROM), but that could be a good control in that you may be bending too much for
your knees or your level of fitness;
• Increase range of motion – not deeper, but, for example, fully straighten your legs in low
V. Obviously not possible with the ball, but you won’t be able to go so deep, so the ball
isn’t necessary;
• Don't do the advanced 1 leg versions if you are struggling;
• Ensure you are stretching sufficiently at the end of each workout. You have the longer
stretch at the end of each full workout, so ensure you are doing this. Also, you have a
PDF of suggested stretches to use at the end of each section during the training phase, but
you may benefit from pausing the long workout videos at the end of each section
(particularly the thigh section) and doing a couple of short stretches before continuing.
• Vary your workouts: although this is a 31 Day Challenge, this time frame may not be
suitable for you at your fitness level or for your knees: everyone is different. This may be
a 2 or 3 month challenge with lots of stretching and other activities (or rest) between.
• So listen to your body and let it guide you. Discomfort is a sign that you need to modify.
General Precautions
• Warm up and stretch. Learn the warm up and do this before each section during the
training period – just a couple of minutes is fine – and stretch immediately after. I’ve
suggested suitable stretches to be performed after each section. The warm up keeps it
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safe and the stretch creates length through the muscles. For the full workouts, I’ve put a
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longer stretch at the end of class, but you can pause and do your short stretches after each
section if you prefer. Many methods always do this and it does give a moment of relief.
It’s essential that you practice the full stretch video after every full workout
• Good posture and alignment cannot be stressed enough in order to stay safe. A
knowledge of Pilates will help you enormously.
• People are prone to holding their breath during long isometric contractions. This can
cause blood pressure to rise and then fall quickly, leading to dizziness, light-headedness
or “seeing stars.” Breathe continuously.
• People can develop or exacerbate lower-back and joint pain if proper alignment is not
maintained. Avoid excessive external rotation in exercises using turn out of the feet and
come down off your toes when it feels uncomfortable. Control the movements. If your
abdominals are weak, please bend your knees for the neutral position abdominals
exercises.
• Use the ball between the thighs if you pronate, have knee or lower back problems.
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EQUIPMENT &
ARRANGEMENT
The good news is you don’t need a ballet barre. On the assumption that most people taking this
course won’t have one at home and even teachers will only have access to one in a dance studio,
the classes have been created with this in mind. There are very few exercises which really
require a fixed barre. These are all you need:-
• A mat. A yoga mat is ideal with perhaps a towel for extra padding for your knees
• Weights. As a guide, I use 1kg for light and 2kgs for heavy. I might go heavier if I am
attending rather than teaching. You could always start with water bottles and fill one set
with sand and keep one with water. Invest in weights once you have developed a bit of
upper body strength.
• A 9” fitness ball. In the Challenge I’m using a kid’s ball I picked up for a £1 last summer
and does the job. In the teacher training I’m using a fitness ball.
• A chair for support unless a Barre is available. Occasionally, more than one, but I’ll flag
this up at the beginning of the workout videos in question.
• Optional: grippy socks. They are useful if you struggle with cramp in your feet and can
make some transitions easier.
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MUSIC
One of the reasons Barre workouts are so effective is because of the relentless pace! The tempo
is very important. These workouts are set at about 130bpm, and I’ve used a metronome to
ensure the constant speed. I haven’t used music because
1. You may not like my taste in music and these workouts will always be available to you.
2. There are very strict licencing laws regarding the use of music and the cost for a
commercial project such as this one is prohibitive – for anything decent anyway.
I will include information of suggested playlists in the appendices and you can also check out my
playlists on Spotify – username: josiemckenlay.
You can, of course, create your own playlists by downloading a BPM detector app and choosing
your favourite songs at 130bpm. You won’t be perfectly synced with the video, but not far off
and it makes the workouts more fun! If you google “music at 130bpm” you will get plenty of
suggestions, but any up-tempo that motivates you is ideal!
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HOW TO USE THE COURSE
Each workout is divided up into the four sections: upper body, thighs, glutes and abdominals.
Each section is accompanied by a brief training video to help you with correct technique. Rotate
each section and stick with the sections until you feel ready to attempt the full workout. Those
of you who are fit and familiar with Barre workouts will be ready for the full workout far sooner
than those of you who aren’t particularly fit and haven’t tried Barre before. Work at your own
pace.
Example, assuming you start on a Monday:
Workout 1
Mon Watch the training video for Upper Body, then do the Upper Body workout
Tues Repeat as above for the Thigh section
Wed Rest if your thighs are sore
Thurs Watch the training video then do the Glute workout
Fri Repeat as above for the Abs section
Sun Attempt the entire Workout 1
Follow this format for the other three workouts. If you want to work harder, do the Upper
Body/Thigh sections together, then the Glute/Ab sections together. If you want to take more
time and repeat each section more than once, then go ahead. Ensure you are working hard on
your posture and technique.
This training phase could take a month if you follow the example above but could take half that
time if you are fit and familiar with Barre. You may want to take much longer though to really
build up the strength before you tackle the challenge:-
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31 Day Challenge
Workout 1 on Day 1, Workout 2 on Day 3, Workout 3 on Day 5, Workout 4 on Day 7.
On Day 9 start all over again and continue to rotate the workouts every other day for the 31 days
by which point you will have completed them 4 times each. Do the final stretch on alternate/rest
days as well as after each workout. You will really notice a difference in how your body looks
and feels!
FINAL NOTES
There are certain limitations when working with video, the most obvious being that you need to
see the screen at all times. So that we don’t have our backs to each other, I have used an extra
support prop a couple of times which wouldn’t be necessary in a “live” class. I will flag this up
at the start of the workouts in question, together with best placement for you props to avoid
pausing the workout.
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BARRE BELLE
Teacher Training
Some of you will be taking this course just for the challenge, but
may have been inspired and want to teach. Some of you will be
here because you want to teach barre style classes. It’s a great
addition to your timetable and can be taught as pure Barre or
taken in parts to create fusion classes. It works very well with
Pilates, for example.
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PREREQUISITES
If you want to teach, you must have a good knowledge of anatomy & physiology, together with
correct posture and alignment. It’s essential. Barre, just like the early days of aerobics, is often
taught by ex-dancers who are masters of posture. If you haven’t got a dance background, then
Pilates is the next best thing and if you haven’t already got a teaching qualification then my
Pilates Teacher Training course is a good start.
Musicality is also essential: you need to be able to hear the beat of the music and have a good
sense of rhythm. Barre is set to music so that you maintain a constant pace – this is what makes
these workouts so challenging and effective. Something changes every 8 to 16 beats so you need
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to be able to hear that change and cue accordingly.

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MUSIC
We discussed this earlier in general terms, but there are other considerations if you are going to
teach.
1. Tempo is very important: too slow and the class will lack energy; too fast and technique
will suffer. A good guide is between 125bpm and 130bpm: slower for beginners, faster
for advanced; somewhere in between for open level classes. The songs don’t have to all
be exactly the same tempo: whereas there is a noticeable difference between 125bpm and
130bpm, the change from 125bpm to 127bpm is negligible; similarly, 126bpm to
128bpm, etc. So it’s ok to have slightly different tempos within a playlist.
2. Take care with licensing laws. In the UK, you will need to look into getting yourself a
PPL license and the venue may need a license too. I suspect there are laws in most
countries and heavy fines if you don’t comply. If you work in a studio or gym, they may
already have licenses in place. You can also buy workout music which is already
licensed. Google will help you out with this. The great thing about this is you don’t have
to think about the tricky laws, it’s mixed so no breaks and it saves time: putting your own
playlist together every week can be very time consuming. Yes, you can choose music
YOU love, but you have to check bpm for each song and lots will be the wrong speed.
3. Style: I know instructors who have stuck with one genre that they love and they have
built up a following of clients who also love that particular style. It’s risky: It can really
put people off: some clients just won’t appreciate Hip Hop all the way through a class.
However, you may be teaching a 50+ class where music from the ’70s could go down a
storm.
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WARM UPS
As you noticed, I used more or less the same warm up for each workout. The workouts are so
varied with the different exercises and variations in each section, keeping the warm up and
cooldown the same isn’t a problem and there is something comforting about at least having
something familiar and simple to start and end a class for you and the clients. The warm up I
used is very effective, using major muscle groups to get the heart pumping early and unlike the
exercises, the movements are big, aiding mobility and flexibility. 2 or 3 minutes is enough
because the movements in the exercises are so small and controlled, but there a few things you
need to consider:-
1. You wouldn’t go straight into challenging exercises such as Push ups or shoulder press
with heavy weights, for example. Start with light weights, arms low or low plank,
perhaps running the knees, lifting the hips up and down 1” and “sliding”
forwards/backwards as in the Pilates Leg Pull Down.
2. Feel free to have a particular warm up for each level – beginner/advanced – and get
creative. You may want more of a lateral sequence, finishing in a wide squat tap if you
want to start in a plie position with light weights, especially if you are combining thighs
and upper body in a short express style class.
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CLASS PLANNING
A Barre class can quickly deteriorate into a mess if you haven’t planned your class and organised
the props and clients in such a way that the space is safe and the sequence flows. Things to
consider:-
• ALWAYS have a plan for your class and know which props you will using and where.
Make sure that the ball comes with the client onto the floor for the abs section. It’s so
disjointed to have the sequence flow nicely to the floor only to find that the ball is still on
the barre or chair. Or you move from lunge to plie ready to combine upper body light
weights with a thigh set only to find that the weights are on the wrong side of the mat and
out of reach.
• A plan allows you to give a road map to your clients. This is a very intense style of
workout and 30 seconds into Thigh Dancing, the clients are going to already be feeling it.
Letting them know they only have another 30 seconds can enable them to finish the
exercise. If they think there may be another minute, they are more likely to give up and
rest. It allows them to pace themselves, but also push a bit harder. The changes are
quick, too, so you need to know what’s coming so that you can effectively cue them in.
• Transitions need to be smooth. Mine were clumsy for a long time! Some exercises go
better together and transition more easily (see Appendices and videos) so stick with these
and decide how you will transition: pulses, a hold, etc.
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CLASS ORGANISATION
Goes hand in hand with planning really, but Barre comes with far more challenges than any other
class I’ve ever taught and it’s actually easier without a Barre! So ….. if there’s no barre, arrange
the room in a grid, everyone facing the same way at all times and space for you to move around
the room and demonstrate, as well as space for a chair support, mat, etc, between clients.
Now picture this: studio, mirrors and barre along the front of the room. If this is the only barre,
the class isn’t going to make much money, so there will also be a barre along at least one side
wall. The studio in which I first taught barre also had a barre along the back wall. Some have a
barre along the middle of the room which is much easier than having one along the back wall.
No matter how many barres are in the room, when you cue them to “face the barre”, they will
have their backs to you, except possibly with the freestanding barre. If you have a barre along
the front and back, not only will they all have their backs to you for some of the exercises, but
when cue them “turn left, profile, right hand on the barre” the 2 sides of the room will be facing
in opposite directions. For the standing exercises, most people won’t be able to see you most of
the time. Cueing and teaching skills become even more important in barre classes, together with
planning.
You also need to consider which way you want everyone facing for the warm up. Remember
that their mats will be up against the wall/mirror/barre. For me, it’s easier to have everyone
facing the centre or the end of the room that isn’t being used (if there is one) and this is where
you will be, leading the class. Don’t worry about smoothly running the warm up into the first
section unless it’s an advanced class and everyone knows the warm up as well as the basic
variations of the exercises. Think how important it is to ensure that nobody will trip over the
weights, but also that they are positioned well for the upper body work.
Your verbal teaching skills and very quick cues for positioning are absolutely vital for a smooth
barre class. You won’t have much opportunity to demonstrate where everyone will be able to
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see you. You can always get in amongst a line and the example will filter along. You can also
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put experienced clients in amongst the others.
So given that barre has so many teaching challenges, here are a few things to think about to help
towards a smooth class:-
• Offer technique classes for newbies. Beginner classes don’t tend to be popular: people
don’t like to think of themselves as beginners, especially if they are fit. You want them
to at least know the names, a few tricky variations/transitions and good postural habits
before they jump right in. I would suggest a short course of 4 x 1 hour classes, perhaps
30 minutes workshop style followed by 30 minutes in the form of a class they would
encounter.
• If you have enough demand, also offer open and advanced classes to keep the levels
more separate.
• Have a plan, know where the props should be for each exercise, which way you want
your clients to be facing and be on top of your cueing which needs to be very fast.
Within seconds, you want everyone knowing which direction they should be facing, the
exercise and the movement. For example: “Hi Heel, facing the bar, down 2, up 2” or
“Low V, profile, right hand on barre, pulses” or “Glutes, all 4s, facing centre, straight left
leg, single lifts”. You can refine once they are all in place and moving.
• Until you’ve had plenty of practice – and your clients, too - keep it simple. If you try to
use props with every exercise and throw in all the variations at once, it just becomes too
confusing. You still have to teach as well as cue and if clients are fumbling around,
baffled and confused, they won’t get a good workout, which is why they are there.
• Practice, practice, practice. I’d never been to a barre class when I did my training and
this made teaching it very challenging as I barely knew the exercises myself. Knowing
exercises well enough to teach a class takes way more time than knowing them well
enough to do a good job when attending a class. Because of my 30 years teaching
experience and my knowledge of Pilates, I managed, but it was a very difficult first few
months.
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CLASS CONTENT
I’ve given you enough ideas for exercises and variations for you to produce fresh and varied
classes for a year or more. So how do you put together a barre style class?
SECTIONS
What makes barre classes so effective is the intensity, so strictly speaking, you should more or
less follow the 4 section breakdown: upper body, thighs, glutes, abs. This way you can work
each group to exhaustion. There is a cross over for some sections though. Planks are an obvious
example as they work the abs/obliques, but are also upper body strength exercises. You could
use weights for the upper body section and use planks in your abs section sometimes. Throwing
in a set of push ups between obliques over the ball after a hard set of abs exercises or on the way
back up for glutes on the other leg following a glute floor exercise can take some of the intensity
out of a challenging class. Think active recovery. Adding back extension exercises in a floor
upper body set or between side bends/twisters in the ab section is a good way of including some
work for the back and again, include some active recovery. However, you may want to take
some elements of barre and get creative. I’ve been to some classes where there were no clearly
defined sections. Yes, the intensity wasn’t so strong, but they can flow beautifully and be
challenging in other ways. You can also change the order of the sections, but bear in mind that
you don’t want to constantly be getting up and down from the floor. For example, you could
start with thighs which are almost all performed standing, move on to standing glute, floor glute,
floor upper body, then abs.
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STRETCHING
It’s vital that we stretch the muscles to get the long, lean look and a brief stretch after each
section will do this. I’ve included the necessary stretches for each section for the preparatory
phase, but feel free to use your own. You will soon find out which muscles you’ve been using
and therefore require a stretch. For the challenge and generally, I prefer to do a longer stretch at
the end of class as I like to keep up the heat and momentum, particularly good for the more
advanced classes. Beginners will always appreciate a brief break in the form of a stretch
between sections. It’s essential, though, that at some point in the class you thoroughly stretch
every muscle group you have worked. The problem with leaving it until the end is that people
STILL don’t understand the necessity of stretching and often find an excuse to leave class early.
If you’ve been stretching along the way, then at least they’ve had something.
BALANCE OF MUSCLE GROUPS
Ensure that you choose exercises for each section that create a balanced workout for the muscle
groups, hence the necessity of a sound knowledge of A&P. How many exercises you include
depends on the length of class which we will look at next, but there are some rules you should try
to follow.
• Thighs: balance parallel with turn out to work all four of the quadriceps muscles. Try to
get some adductor work in too by squeezing the ball or you could add some inner thigh
floor work to the glute or ab section.
• Glutes: you need to be working gluteus maximum and medius, favouring maximus if
necessary, so if you are using 3 glute exercises, one will be medius, the other two will be
maximus. Minimus will get worked along the way anyway. Try to have standing and
floor work.
• Back: include some extension work somewhere in class. Some of the weights exercises
also work into the back, eg, rowing, scarecrow, flyes.
• Abdominals: balance the roundback, neutral and oblique work. The obliques may be
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worked in the upper body section using side plank exercises.

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CLASS LENGTH
This very much depends on personal preference and time of day. 30 minutes to an hour is the
usual length. Because barre is so effective, you can get a really great workout in 30 minutes so
they are ideal for lunchtime classes or paired with a 30 minutes deep stretch or ball/foam rolling
myofascial tissue release class (see bonus lecture). An hour class makes a very intense advanced
workout, but is also good for beginners as you have time for a longer warm up/cooldown and
stretching after each section. A 45 minute class can be a good prenatal option given that some
exercises aren’t suitable.
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CLASS BREAKDOWN
So you know that you need to include a warm up, 4 sections for the full body workout and a
cooldown, possibly with stretches along the way, but how many exercises does this add up to?
Here is a rough guide, but with practice, you will find your way:-
• 60 minutes: 2 to 5 minutes warm up, 10 minutes savasana and stretching (during/end).

You are left with 9 or 10 minutes for each section. The upper body section depends on
whether you are doing just weights, just floor or a mix of both as well as how heavy the
weights are. You will have time for 4 or 5 thigh exercises, 2 or 3 glute exercises and 3
abdominal exercises. As you practice, you will come to learn which exercises are more
intense than others, taking a shorter time to fatigue the muscles and balance them up.
You also have some exercises like lunges that require both legs to be worked separately
so will take longer. On the other hand, you can work glutes on both sides together with
shoulder bridge, so less time involved.
• 30 minutes: 2 minute warm up and 1 minute savasana and about 4 minutes stretch at the
end. The most effective use of time with a short class is to double up on sections. Upper
body using weights works very well with some of the thigh exercises, for example,
lunges/biceps, hinged lunges/triceps, row, scarecrow, plie/light weight lateral raises, chest
and shoulder press, thigh dancing/heavy weights as fatigue sets in quickly! We’ve
already discussed the crossover of upper body and abs, so side bends/planks with a
roundback and neutral set works well. Heavy weights with shoulder bridge combines a
glute and upper body exercise. We touched on intensity above, so you can choose the
more intense exercises for a shorter class and also use props: a resistance band around the
thighs turns Oyster into a killer exercise! You will probably get 3 or 4 thigh, 2 glute and
2 or 3 ab exercises depending on combinations, intensity and use of props.
• 45 minutes: a combination of the above.
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VARIATIONS
As I say, you have enough ideas to get plenty of variation into your classes with just what you’ve
learned here. Variation refers to 3 main areas: variation of class content, variation of exercises
within a class and variation within an exercise.
Class content
I remember a teacher who had a very popular step class after work on a Friday afternoon. Every
week, her class was packed and yet she didn’t change her routine or music for weeks at a time.
On the other hand, I’ve known studio managers who expect you to change your routine and
music every class AND remember everyone’s names, despite operating a class pass system! I
think somewhere in the middle is the best approach. Yes, clients want a challenge rather than
going onto automatic pilot and going through the motions, but it’s good to have something
familiar each time, too. There are lots of ways of doing this. You could change the sequence
and music completely every time, but I would recommend that you sit down one day (holidays?)
and create 8 or 9 playlists and sequences all in one go and rotate them every other month. Write
them down so that you don’t repeat your favourite exercises and so that you get that unique feel
each class! Nobody is likely to remember what they did last month, let alone 2 months ago.
You could change the order of the songs and sections or exercises in the sections. You could just
change a couple of songs and an exercise from each section each class. This way, you give them
something familiar, but something new to think about. It’s a personal choice and what works
best for you.
Exercise choice
We’ve discussed this to some degree above. There are rules you need to follow to ensure a full
body workout and avoid creating muscle imbalances. Another point to consider is balancing
standing and floor exercises. Try to get a combination of both for the glute section. Sometimes
it makes better sense to do both sides standing then get down on the floor as one of the
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challenges demonstrates. If you are going to fatigue one side, then find a smooth way of getting
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back up from the floor. Choosing which exercises go well together is vital to enable smooth
transitions, so another point to consider. For example:-
• Thigh dancing follows push up or planks to make the transition from upper body to
thighs
• Lunges can make a more gradual transition from floor upper body/thighs/floor upper
body/ thighs
• Thigh dancing to yoga chair; lunges to yoga chair; lunges to plie; hi heel to curtsy; hi heel
to low V; low V to plie; curtsy to plie to curtsy on the other side
• Transition form thighs to glutes from low V to Pretzel; hinged lunge to full/forearm
foldover; low V profile to side foldover
• Foldover to side foldover; Full foldover to kneeling glutes; Side leg series to Bridge; All
4’s to Oyster;
• Transition to Abdominals from All 4’s to planks; Oyster to side bends; Obliques over ball
to any of the Roundbacks; Bridge to Neutral
• Transitions for abdominals are more obvious: just let it flow.
• Try it out and get creative. You can make up your own names, too. Mine are a mish
mash of my training and what I’ve picked up along the way. Make them your own. If
you are Pilates trained, use more Pilates exercises; if you are dance trained, adapt some of
your favourite exercises.
Exercise variation
Firstly, don’t throw everything at them all at once! Simply varying the tempo with a point or a
flex of the foot can be enough – for you too. You do want to change something every 8 to 16
counts and I’d go with 16 until you are experienced and probably change on 8 counts for simple
variations or advanced clients. You can also layer changes: lets us Hi Heel as an example. One
week you can do 2 counts up, 2 down, singles, pulse, hold and squeeze the ball – about 1 minutes
long; then start again with 2 counts up, 2 down, singles, pulse, hold and tuck. In the following
class you can start with 2 counts up, 2 down, singles, keep the singles and squeeze the ball and
then add a tuck as well, so you have down, squeeze, tuck, up, squeeze, tuck. Again, get creative.
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Try out your ideas to see if they work: does it feel comfortable, safe and effective. For example,
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you wouldn’t tuck in any Chair position and shaking the hips will feel awkward and difficult in
some exercises. Some ideas:-
• Tempo changes: down 2, up 2; singles; pulses; down 1, up 3; down 3, up 1; singles for 8,

16 pulses and reduce; hold – there are so many variations of just this theme
• Point and flex; come up onto the toes of the standing leg
• Squeeze, tuck, shake
• Layer
• Use the arms (or not) and props: ball, band around the thighs, weights
HOW TO FINISH
Savanasana is seriously underestimated and is extremely powerful. It’s a good bridge between
the end of the hard work and the start of the longer stretch, just a couple of minutes at most. It
allows the body and mind to assimilate the changes your hard work has made and releases any
tension. If you have been doing maintenance stretches after each section, you can then finish
with a few developmental long stretches.
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TEACHING POINT
Filming the videos is very different from teaching a class. Quite apart from the fact that my legs
almost burst into flames after several takes – something you won’t have to deal with in class as
you will only demonstrate rather than do – most of the teaching was done in the training videos.
You will notice that I filled in by counting or saying “up, down, up down” or “squeeze, squeeze,
squeeze”. Try to avoid too much of this in class. I didn’t have anyone to teach or correct, but
you will have so much to say and do with a room full of clients. Yes, count down to a transition,
but then remind them of technique (they won’t have done a training video just before) or mention
benefits, muscles they are working, what’s coming up, etc. At first it’s fine as you will be
concentrating on what’s coming next yourself, but with practice you can relax a bit and teach
more. You don’t have a lot of time for too much information, but perhaps think of one benefit
and one muscle mention per section.
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EXERCISE GLOSSARY:
EXERCISES & VARIATIONS
Tempo Variations
Changes in tempo can be applied to almost all the exercises. 2 up, 2 down; 1 up, 3 down; 3 up, 1
down; singles, pulses; hold. Some tempos will work better with some exercises. For example, 2
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up, 2 down can feel slow, but with an exercise such as Flyes with heavy weights, it works really
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well.
Upper Body: Heavy Weights
Clockwise, starting with the main picture: Flyes, Biceps Curls, Hammer Curls, Triceps
Extensions, Scarecrow, Rowing.
Variations
• tempo changes
• light weights with higher repetitions
• Alternate between 2 or more exercises, eg, Row, Scarecrow
• changing the arm position – palms up, facing or down – will help hit all the Triceps
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muscles. Bend, extend; with straight arm, add a small bend and press; little lifts; squeeze
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the numbers together; alternate left, right
Upper Body: Light Weights
Clockwise, starting with the main picture:
Lateral Raises, Front Raises, High Biceps, Shoulder Press, Overhead Triceps, Chest Press
Variations
• tempo changes
• heavy weights with lower repetitions
• alternate between 2 or more exercises, eg, chest press, shoulder press
• changing the arm position for Lateral/Front Raises: palms up, facing or down; twists;
alternate left, right in small or large range depending on the tempo.
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Upper Body: Floor
Push Ups and Triceps Dips
Variations
• tempo changes
• Push Ups: Box position, modified (above), full; alternate between full push up and
forearm plank; one knee/foot on the ground, other extended
• Triceps: knees bent or straight for advanced; lift a foot with bent of straight leg; move
hips from side to side
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Thighs
Left to right, top to bottom: Hinged Thigh Dancing, Hover Thigh Dancing, Plie, Hinged Lunge
Variations
• tempo changes
• add weights or ball for upper body work – good for short classes
• Thigh dancing: tucks centre, right/left, circles
• Plie: lift alternate heels or both for the hold, shake the hips, tucks right/left, circles,
“wrap” the knees back
• Hinged lunge: lift back leg and balance, lift front heel, bend back leg, hold ball in bent
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back leg and squeeze, up on front toe with back leg lifting as you bend front leg.
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Left to right: Curtsy, Low V, High Heel
Variations
• Tempo
• Layer the variations, eg, singles up/down, add squeeze top/bottom, add tucks top/bottom
• Curtsy: tucks, hip shakes, circles, knee wraps; wide curtsy without the ball, like a lunge
• Low V: tucks, hip shakes, circles, knee wraps, alternate with plie
• High Heel: tucks, hip shakes, circles, ball squeeze
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Left to right: Leg Lifts, Yoga Chair, Lunges
Variations
• Tempo
• Leg Lifts: point/flex, neutral or turn out, small bend/press, front or 45 degrees to the side
• Yoga Chair: squeeze the ball, use the arms, lift alternate heels or both for a hold (never
tuck in any chair variation)
• Lunges: tucks, use weights, alternate with hinged lunge, use arms
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Glutes
Left to right, top to bottom: Modified Foldover, Forearm Foldover, Side Foldover, Pretzel
Variations
• Tempo
• Use the ball behind bent lifted leg – squeeze for hamstrings or just hold
• Lift heel of standing leg. Use an arm to raise heart rate
• Point/flex, lifts, circles
• All Foldovers: bent lifted leg, play around with range
• Side Foldover: move leg forward/back, keep in front bend/press, dynamic movements
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• Pretzel: move leg back to the centre, left, right, combination of all
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Top to bottom, left to right: Kneeling Glutes, Shoulder Bridge, All 4’s, Side Leg Series, Oyster
Variations
• Tempo
• Kneeling Glutes: move the leg back to sideways or circles; use weights, bands or ball
• Shoulder Bridge: Pilates variations; squeeze the ball; lift heels/toes; tucks; add weights
for upper body of rest weights on thighs
• All 4’s: large or small movements; straight or bent leg; weight or ball in bent back leg;
rest on forearms or hands; stretch opposite arm forward to test balance; lift supporting
knee a couple of cms off floor
• Side Leg Series: lifts, kicks, circles, bend/press, side leg passe; Oyster: lifts, kicks,
circles, bend/press, knee up/foot down and vice versa, L leg or in line with the body;
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resistance band.
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Roundback Abdominals
Roundback is all about opening up the spine in flexion. Think Pilates Roll Up, Roll Over
Variations
• Any of the Pilates flexion exercises

• Rest on forearms or use the ball between the shoulder blades for support
• If it is the first abdominal exercise, limit range of motion. Perhaps start with tucks or
pump the arms (Pilates 100 arms)
• Tempo
• Upper body: up/down varying range and tempo. Hand behind head if neck needs
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support
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• Legs: feet on floor; lift alternate feet or both for advanced; straight/bent legs
Obliques
The obliques can be worked with Side Bends (later), over the ball, in Neutral of in Roundback
Variations
• Side, ball resting under ribs between waist and armpit. Upper body up/down changing
tempo; add leg lift for more advanced.
• Ankle across knee: elbow towards opposite knee, various tempo, other arm on floor for
support.
• Both feet on the ground, lift and reach past opposite leg or “slice” down and up
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Neutral Abdominals
Pelvis remains neutral and level at all times. If you are not familiar with Pilates, see bonus
lecture.
Variations
• Any of the Pilates core exercises, eg, the Hundred, Leg Circles, sequence of 5 (single,
double, straight leg stretch, criss cross, double leg stretch), Hip Circles, Teaser
• Scissors: eg, leg up/down x 8, 4, 2, alternate; feed ball through legs
• Squeeze ball
• Tempo
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Upper Body/Adbominals & Planks
Use these for upper body or abdominal section or both!
Variations
• Low Plank: Pilates Leg Pull Down; slide forward/back; up an inch, down an inch; hip
dips; run the knees
• Hi Plank: hi to lo planks; lift a leg 8, 4, 2, alternate; knee to elbow/opposite elbow
• Side Planks: full or forearm; tempo and range; Thread the Needle; Pilates Twister
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Back Extension
These exercises work the back lines – everything facing the ceiling – and are excellent for
posture. They can be used at any time so long as it flows, eg,
• Upper Body Section: Push Ups to Back Extension; Side Bend, Back Extension, Side
Bend other Side, Low Plank
• Glute Section: As a transition from the floor back up to standing for the other side
• Abdominal Section: Roundback, Side Plank, Back Extension, Side Plank, Neutral
Variations
Any of the Pilates Extension exercises: Single/Double Leg Kicks could be incorporated into the
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Glute section; Swimming (top picture); Star (bottom picture)

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TRANSITIONS
Some exercises transition well with each other; some feel clumsy. Get creative, but if it feels
forced, it will be difficult of teach and you will lose the flow of the sequence. Here are a few
ideas: some within a section, others transitioning from section to section if you are keeping all
the stretches for the end. More ideas in the videos.
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Thighs
High Heel to Curtsy

right
Curtsy to High Heel
High Heel to curtsy left
Step wide to Plie
Step back in for Low V
Profile: Leg Lifts, right leg up
Hinged lunge right leg back
Lunge
90 degree turn Plie.
If you use slight turn out
for leg lift, you could step
back for wide curtsy, step
forward for V, step other
foot back for wide curtsy

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to balance.
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Abdominals
Obviously the middle two pictures should be performed on the other side too! They are also
interchangeable should you feel it would flow better the other way around.
You could double the length of this section by moving the Roundback (top right) to the end and
putting some Upper Body/Abdominal Push Ups, Planks, etc between the “side” exercises,
together with some Back Extension.
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Full Set
• You could start with some standing weights for the upper body section, then roll down and walk out to
the floor for Star, onto any of the Plank variations.
• Walk up and down from low to high to low to high Planks and move to elbow to knee. On the final
rep, step left foot forward for a Hinged Lunge set.
• Go back for elbow to knee with right leg, stepping it forward on final rep for Hinged Lunge other side.
• Step forward for Yoga Chair then up on toes, heels together for Low V which sets you up for …
• Pretzel, down for Kneeling Glutes. Repeat other leg then onto Side Bend and Abdominals.
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PRENATAL FINAL
STRETCHES
Although this is not a prenatal exercise course, some of you may continue to use the workouts
for months or years as they are very effective. During this time, you may fall pregnant and
modifications will be necessary as detailed in the handbook, together with the final stretch. If
you are a teacher and intend teaching Barre, these are a few ideas for your pregnant clients.
Perform these in order: left to right, top to bottom. Be mindful: there should be no discomfort at
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any time. Sit up on a folded blanket/block for the seated stretches if it’s better for your back and
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use a strap. Be close to a wall for support if required. Follow the instructions below.
INSTRUCTIONS
• Savasana: left side, 2 minutes

• Hamstring stretch: use a strap so that you don’t have to lean forward (not much space by
the 3rd trimester) and put pressure on your lower back. Bend the knees if necessary. 1
minute
• Gluteus Medius: Take care of your knees. If you are tight into the hips, rather than
leaning forward, take it more over the front thigh and build on that. If you suffer from
sciatica, take advice, but this could be a very useful stretch for you, just try to ease
forward from the hip rather than rounding the back. 1 minute each side
• Cat/Cow: inhale up, exhale as you round out the spine. Go to a point that feels good in
each direction. 5 complete breaths.
• Crescent Moon: be beside a wall and get the side of the body against it for support, as it’s
easy to lose your balance. Stretching the front of thigh and hip as well as the triceps.
Work more on tucking the tailbone rather than moving forward deeply and overarching
your back. 30 seconds each side.
• Butterfly: sit on a block or similar to get your hips higher than your knees. Use a strap to
save your back if you can’t reach your feet without rounding the back – ease forward
from the hip. Mobility for the pelvis and stretch for the adductors. 1 minute
• Spine Twist: no deep twisting or bending during pregnancy, so just a very gentle twist in
line with your knee, if even that. You want to feel tension being released rather than a
deep stretch. Just a couple of breaths each side.
• Side Bend: Again, this is more to lengthen through the ribcage, so more of a lift than a
bend. 2 or 3 breaths each side, supported by your other arm which will take the weight.
• Finish by sitting for a minute or two in Sukhasana/easy cross legged. Take your time
when getting up. Use the wall of chair for support.
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IDEAS FOR SHORT
STRETCHES
I’ve added suitable stretches as a resource with each workout, but if you prefer to learn them
rather than checking the resources for every workout, here are some suggestions. Feel free to use
your own. You do need to do a short stretch after every section except for the full workout
which has a longer stretch following it in video format. PLEASE DO THEM!
Upper Body
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Thighs
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Glutes
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Abdominals
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MUSIC PLAYLISTS
Follow me on Spotify: username – josiemckenlay. My playlists should be available to the
public, but if there is a problem, please let me know. If you prefer to get your music elsewhere
or would like to pick the songs you like and make your own playlists from my suggestions, I am
providing screenshots in this resource.
The playlists for this course (130bpm) are: Barre Belle 1, 2, 3 and 4. I have also included a shot
of another playlist – Fitness 130BPM – which is a selection of continuous music around this
tempo, but not all are 130bpm (Barre Belle 4 uses one that is).
The final screenshot is a site that provides lists of songs around a certain BPM and genre. Just
google songs/genre/bpm and you’ll find plenty of ideas.
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BARRE BELLE 1
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BARRE BELLE 2
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BARRE BELLE 3
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BARRE BELLE 4
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A playlist created by Arlette Baak. You’ll find some great people to follow on Spotify.
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Just google to find what you are looking for. This is a quick way to put together a playlist at the
right BPM. You can spend a day listening to music and most will not be the right tempo. You’ll
get an amazing playlist, but you have to weigh this up with the amount of time it took to create.
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Barre Belle: 31 Day Challenge & Teacher Training

Barre & Benefits

Health Considerations & Precautions

Equipment & Arrangement

How to use the course

Exercises & Variations

Please refer to the stretches later in this manual (P.47)

• Herniated discs/sciatica: avoid roundback abdominal exercises until healed. Substitute

Keeping Knees Safe

Recommendations for Safe Practice:

Example, assuming you start on a Monday:

Tues Repeat as above for the Thigh section

Wed Rest if your thighs are sore

Thurs Watch the training video then do the Glute workout

Fri Repeat as above for the Abs section

Sun Attempt the entire Workout 1

Workout 1 on Day 1, Workout 2 on Day 3, Workout 3 on Day 5, Workout 4 on Day 7.

to be able to hear that change and cue accordingly.

put experienced clients in amongst the others.

BALANCE OF MUSCLE GROUPS

worked in the upper body section using side plank exercises.

• 60 minutes: 2 to 5 minutes warm up, 10 minutes savasana and stretching (during/end).

• Tempo changes: down 2, up 2; singles; pulses; down 1, up 3; down 3, up 1; singles for 8,

the numbers together; alternate left, right

Clockwise, starting with the main picture:

Push Ups and Triceps Dips

• Any of the Pilates flexion exercises

Use these for upper body or abdominal section or both!

Glute section; Swimming (top picture); Star (bottom picture)

High Heel to Curtsy

Curtsy to High Heel

High Heel to curtsy left

Step wide to Plie

Step back in for Low V

Profile: Leg Lifts, right leg up

Hinged lunge right leg back

90 degree turn Plie.

If you use slight turn out

for leg lift, you could step

back for wide curtsy, step

forward for V, step other

foot back for wide curtsy

• Savasana: left side, 2 minutes

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