8 Barre-Inspired Abs Exercises You Can Do at Home

When you think of barre workouts, you probably picture a ballet barre in a studio with walls covered in mirrors and floors lined with mats. You also probably think of pliéing and pulsing until your quads and butt can't possibly take it any longer—maybe you've noticed your legs trembling with each tiny movement. There's no denying the lower-body burn is real. But what might not be as obvious is that lots of barre exercises are also great for your abs.

Barre workouts in general usually engage your core more than you might realize, Bergen Wheeler, national director of Core Fusion talent development and senior teacher at Exhale Spa, tells SELF. "Barre requires you to keep your core engaged at all times. So that means while you are working your arms, legs, and booty, your abs are working as well," she says. At Exhale, instructors encourage students to "brace" or "pull in" to help them keep the core engaged throughout any type of exercise—sneaky core work at its finest.

But like any great workout, there are usually some moves in barre class that give your abs a little extra attention. We asked Wheeler to explain how to do them, so you can add them onto any other (barre or non-barre) routine. Or, you can just do them when you feel like doing a little extra abs work. "All you need is some room and the motivation to get it done!" Wheeler says.

Wheeler gave us a variety of moves that hit your core from the front, back, and sides."Your core is made of so many muscles. It's important to use them in all the ways you can," Wheeler says. Your body relies on a strong core to keep you stable and balanced, give you proper posture, and overall, help you perform daily activities and other workouts without hurting yourself. Strengthening all of the different muscles in this large muscle group helps them all work together optimally.

There are plenty of benefits to core training besides how your abs look. But if seeing a visible six-pack is one of your goals, FYI, these moves alone aren't going to get you there. Getting six-pack abs involves watching your nutrition and lowering your body fat along with developing the abs muscles, and it's really damn hard for a lot of women to do. Your genetics also play a big role in how and where you store fat, so some women are more likely than others to store fat around the midsection. If you want to see your abs in the mirror, that's a perfectly fine goal, but set realistic expectations and know that it involves much more than doing abs exercises—and for some people, it might not ever be possible. That said, exercises that target your core have a ton of benefits beyond the potential aesthetic impact. So here you go!

Wheeler suggests starting with just 30 seconds of each exercise, and building up to more when you feel comfortable. She recommends doing them three to four times a week, but you can do them more often if you want.