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25-Minute Prenatal Barre Workout (No Equipment)

Get the boutique prenatal barre workout class experience at home with this guided full body barre workout! No barre experience or fancy equipment necessary – this workout will use just your bodyweight to build muscle, strengthen your core and pelvic floor, and safely get your heart rate up during pregnancy!



 

Barre is one of the best workouts for pregnant women. It’s naturally low impact, includes tons of non-traditional (and pregnancy-safe!) core engagement, and is a true “embrace the shake” kind of muscle challenge – no equipment needed.

Today’s workout brings the boutique barre studio experience to the comfort of your own home. This workout is made entirely of pregnancy safe exercises, with options to modify the intensity of the workout to fit your needs.

Bonus: the small, targeted movements found in barre workouts are great for building pelvic floor and deep core strength as well as strengthening the stabilizing muscles around our joints.

That also makes this a great beginner workout, or postnatal workout for new mamas too.

prenatal barre second position

Prenatal Barre Workouts FAQs

Is Barre A Good Prenatal Workout?

YES. Prenatal barre workouts are some of the most popular pregnancy workouts for a reason. They’re gentle on the joints, build strength and endurance, and can reduce common pregnancy aches and pains.

How Can I Modify My Barre Practice During Pregnancy?

The main modifications needed for pregnancy during a standard barre class are for abdominal exercises. You want to avoid any move that causes coning or doming of the core, as well as deep twisting. Adding an incline to any planks/push ups or dropping to your knees is a great way to reduce core pressure during pregnancy. Bird Dog is a good alternative for most traditional core exercises.

How Do I Modify Balance Work During Pregnancy?

You may need more balance support as your center of gravity shifts with a growing bump. Grab on to a stable surface, like a chair or counter, for additional assistance.

pregnant woman performing a standing side leg lift as part of pregnancy barre workout

25-Minute Prenatal Barre Class

Stay strong throughout pregnancy with this safe and effective, 25-Minute Prenatal Barre Class!

This full body workout is made up of my favorite upper body, lower body, low impact cardio, and core exercises – all pregnancy safe, and no equipment needed!

Add this barre workout routine to your pregnancy exercise program 1-2 times a week to maintain endurance through the first trimester, second trimester and third trimester.

Workout Equipment:

No equipment, just your bodyweight.

You could add a set of light weights (3-5 lbs) for an extra challenge. Option to add a chair/countertop for extra balance support.

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pregnant woman performing glute stamps

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Full Body Pregnancy Barre Workout on YouTubeled by certified personal trainer and prenatal fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren. 

We’ll flow from one move to the next in a natural sequence.

Workout Outline

1.  Quadruped Mat Series
2. Chair Pose Series
3. Second Position Series
4. Mat Core and Glutes Series

pregnant woman performing a first position arm lift

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Pregnancy Barre Workout

4 Prenatal Barre Exercises

Curtsy Leg Lifts

Targets: Gluteus maximus (the largest glute muscles), gluteus medius (side butt muscles or outer glute muscles), obliques and core.

pregnant woman performing Curtsy Leg Lifts in quadruped position on mat.

How To Do Curtsy Leg Lifts

  1. Start in a table top position on all fours, torso parallel to the mat. Come down to your forearms: shoulders stacked over elbows and knees under hips.
  2. Extend your right leg straight behind you, keeping your left knee on the mat. Tap the toe of the extended right leg behind the kneeling left leg (knee of extended right leg to ankle of kneeling left leg), to mimic a curtsy lunge.
  3. With the right foot pointed, keep the right leg straight as you lift it up toward the ceiling at a 45-degree angle to the right side of the body.
  4. Keep hips parallel to the floor (try not to move the hips when doing the exercise) and upper body stable, while squeezing the right glute.

Second Position to First Position Squats

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, outer glutes, inner thighs, calves, and core.

pregnant woman performing first position and second position squats as part of prenatal barre workout

How To Do Second Position to First Position Squats

  1. Step wide, feet outside hips, toes pointing out at 45 degrees. Imagine your back is pressed against a wall. Slide your back down the wall, lowering into a wide “squat” position. This is second position.
  2. Pull your thighs together as you step your right foot in to meet your left, standing tall as your heels come together. This is first position.
  3. Step out wide with your right foot, returning to second position.
  4. Then, pull your let foot in to meet your right foot, standing tall as you find first position again.

Chair Pose Bicep Curls

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, biceps and shoulders.

Traditional chair pose calls for standing with your feet together, big toes touching. This modified version accommodates for a growing baby bump by placing the feet hip-width apart.

pregnant woman performing chair pose bicep curls as part of prenatal barre workout

How To Do Chair Pose Bicep Curls

  1. Find a modified chair pose by placing your feet under or just outside of your hips. Make fists with your hands and hold them at your sides
  2. Sit your hips back, lowering into a squat. As your hips lower, curl your fists up towards shoulder height. Focus on squeezing the muscle in the front of your arm.
  3. Then, press through your heels to stand tall, uncurling your arms and returning them to your sides.

Standing Side Leg Lift

Targets: Gluteus maximus (the largest glute muscles), gluteus medius (side butt muscles or outer glute muscles), obliques and core.

pregnant woman performing side leg lifts from a standing position as part of prenatal leg workout.

How To Do A Standing Side Leg Lift

  1. Start standing, feet hip-distance apart. Shift your weight into your right foot, slightly bending your right knee.
  2. Brace your core, then squeeze your outer glute to lift your left leg out towards the left. Left toes are pointed. Range of motion is less important than core stability and muscle engagement.
  3. Then with control, lower back down, tapping your left toes on the mat.

Pin This Workout: 25-Minute Prenatal Barre Workout

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