chair Pose

Strength Training

Thigh Burner: Sit in Chair, Minus the Barre

Chair is that move you love to hate in your barre class.

Chair is that move you love to hate in your barre class. It burns, you shake, and it tones your thighs like none other. Since this exercise requires a barre for balance, trying it at home can be just a bit of a challenge. Here's a way you can set it up in house to either prepare you for your first barre class or throw into your schedule between classes.

chair

Start with your back flat against a wall. As you slide your back down, walk your feet out together until your knees hit a 90-degree angle. Make sure your ankles fall directly below your knees and your thighs sit parallel to the floor. Once you're there, press your arms against the wall behind you for support and try to hold the position. One-minute holds are recommended for beginners and two-minute holds for the more advanced. You can repeat this three times with stretching in between.
wall sits

See a more advanced variation of this chair exercise after the break!

Yoga

Strike a Yoga Pose: Fierce

After learning Ashtanga Yoga's Sun Salutation A, it's time to learn the poses in Sun Salutation B.

After learning Ashtanga Yoga's Sun Salutation A, it's time to learn the poses in Sun Salutation B. It begins with a pose called Fierce, which may look easy but is a killer move for your thighs and glutes when done correctly. It also strengthens your core and stretches your calves, so it's an essential move for runners and high-heel wearers alike.

Sanskrit Name: Utkatasana
English Translation: Fierce Pose
Also Called: Chair Pose

  • Stand with your feet together in Mountain Pose. Bend your knees and lower your hips as you raise your arms overhead.
  • Focus on sitting back into your heels to relieve pressure from your knees and to target the thighs and glutes. Tuck your tailbone in and engage your abs, keeping your spine straight. Roll your shoulder blades back and down away from your ears to release any tension in the neck or upper body, and gaze up toward the ceiling.
  • Stay like this for five breaths.