4 Bar Method Exercises to Prepare you for Black Friday

It is the most wonderful time of the year. There is a glistening 15 foot tree at every shopping center, the candles of the menorah light up the room, and our little ones have sent their wish list up to the North Pole. While we know the beauty of this season doesn’t come from the gifts we buy, we know our Bar Method babes will be spending some time shopping for their loved ones. If you’re one of the brave souls who plans on hunting for the best deals on Black Friday, this blog is for you! Keep reading for our list of Bar Method exercises that will give you the strength to become first in line for that 72” TV.

Second Position

If you’re going to make it to the front of the lines this Black Friday, it’s going to require a little pep in your step, and second position is the perfect exercise to get your legs stronger for all of the speed walking (or running) ahead. It doesn’t take long to feel the burn in second position, so you know this exercise is effective in strengthening your legs. To set up for second position, hold onto a sturdy support, step your feet out wide about 2 feet or more apart, and turn your feet out. Grip your glutes and bend your knees so they follow in the same line as your feet. Keep your shoulders over your hips and start to bend your knees down an inch and up. Perform this movement for about one minute. When you want to give up, just picture the face your daughter is going to make when she gets her doll house for Hanukkah, and persevere through!

Plank

If you’re shopping on Black Friday, we can promise you one thing…long lines. Avoid back pain from standing in long lines by strengthening your core in plank. Plank is a full-body exercise designed to flatten your abs, and work your entire core. To set up for plank, come down to the floor and place your forearms on the floor with your palms facing each other. Open your feet to hip-width apart and lift your hips to the height of your ribs. To ensure your form is correct, pull in your abdominals and pull your shoulders down. Not only will plank help strengthen your core for those long lines, but improve your posture as well!

Lat Pulls

Have you ever opened a door and it is 10 times heavier than you expected? Lat pulls will help you gain the strength to open any of these deceiving doors on Black Friday! If you don’t have weights at home, canned pumpkin makes the perfect holiday substitute! To begin lat pulls, start with your arms at your sides and your weights in your hands. Bend both elbows to 90 degrees with your palms facing towards each other. Rotate your lower arms outwards as much as you can so that they are pointing right and left, with your weights in line with your elbows. Draw your arms behind your waist and feel your postural muscles engage. Press your elbows in towards each other an inch, and out an inch. Perform this movement for about 1 minute, and you will feel stronger after just one set!

Bicep Curls

Save yourself that extra trip back to your car to drop off bags and power through by strengthening your arms and biceps!  One of our favorite exercises to tone your biceps are bicep curls. To set up for bicep curls, straighten your arms, turn your palms forward and upward, and draw your hands about a foot forward of your thighs. Bend your arms so that your weights (or cans of pumpkin) are one inch lower than your elbows. Bend your elbows to lift your weights one inch up toward elbow height and back down. After performing this exercise for one minute, you will be ready to hold not only 2, but 8 lululemon bags.

So shopaholics, are you ready to take on the biggest shopping day of the year? You are only one set of second position, plank, lat pulls, and bicep curls away from conquering this Black Friday! Good luck out there!