5 Barre Exercises to Embody Self Trust - Root Chakra
The root chakra is all about foundational concepts, safety and security. It resides at the base of the spine and is the first of the seven chakras in the primary series. It represents our roots and our connection to the earth. The root chakra looks like grounding practices, earthing practices, and a strong connection to your physical presence. This chakra represents our basic human needs, our beginning.
The Seven Chakras are mostly recognized in the practice of yoga or yogic philosophy. As a barre instructor and a pretty developed yoga instructor I started to get curious about the results of integrating the seven chakras into more than just my yoga practice and my yogic way of life. I wanted to explore their connection and benefits across multiple disciplines of movement. This meant learning how to move in a way that restored alignment in each energy center and created a space for me to commit to a practice and finally begin to trust myself to show up again.
Here’s 5 Barre Moves You Can Use to Embody Self Trust (again) Through Barre and The Root Chakra:
1) First Position Releve - Start with feet in first position (heels together, toes turned out to make the shape of a V). You can keep one hand on the barre (a wall or a chair) for balance and lift up onto your toes. Squeeze your inner thighs together as you imagine zipping up from your heels to your belly button. Gently draw the top of your hips (pelvis) into a line with your low rib. Lower back down.
2) Seated Wide Legged Single Leg Stretch - Sit down in a straddle position. Imagine someone is pulling your shirt forward as you role your pelvis forward and sit up on the bottom of your hip bones. If you have a pilates ball. or any ball really, place it behind your left leg and set your left wrist on top. As you breathe in reach your right arm up and overhead towards your left toes. As you fold roll your left arm out towards your left foot as the ball supports the ease of movement allowing your left arm to glide back and forth. I love to do this in counts of four. For example, as you do the movement, I invite you to say and count, down 4, 3, 2, 1, up 4, 3, 2, 1, and repeat. As always, switch and do the other side.
3) Seated Wide Legged Forward Fold - Sit down in a straddle position. Imagine someone is pulling your shirt forward as you role your pelvis forward and sit up on the bottom of your hip bones. Reach the crown of your head towards the ceiling, take a breath, draw your low belly in on the exhale. Begin to hinge forward. If things feel way too tight, bend your knees, and flex your feet (toes to the sky). Start again. Know and honor your limits while deepening your practice. Without pushing, allow the body to ease into and out of this barre stretch.
4) Pilates Table Top Legs - This pose will have you end on your back with your hips and knees both at 90 degrees. Think table top pose, upside down. Start lying on your back. Breathe deep into your upper back and ribs while drawing your fingertips down toward the bottom of your mat. Keep your shoulder blades engaged and exhale. Another deep breath into your ribs and exhale pull your belly into your spine without moving your hips. Turn off your glutes. Draw one leg in without moving your torso. Restart the breath - inhale into your ribs and upper back, exhale, pull your belly into spine, keep the torso isolated draw the other leg in. Repeat the breath - float one leg up. (90 degrees at hips and knees!) Repeat the breath - float the opposite leg up. Make sure to turn off your glutes!
5) Bicycle Ab Work - This one is done lying on your back with the traditional movement of a bicycle crunch. We explained your pilates breath in the last exercise and we will use that same breath pattern here. You have an option depending on how your neck and upper back feel to keep your torso flat on the floor with a strong engagement in the belly and no strain on your neck. Or you can lift the head, neck, and chest off the floor and hold steady as you complete the bicycle movement with your legs. To start lye down on your back. Bring your knees into your chest. Grab onto one knee with both hands and send the other leg to the bottom of your mat and pause hovering off of your mat about 6-12 inches. Take a deep breath into your ribs and upper back, reach your hands down toward the bottom of your mat keeping your shoulders actively pulling away from your ears. Decide to stay here or curl your chin up as you reach your hands further down. If your head is off the ground, hold here. Everyone begin to move through a set of 12 - 30 bicycle rotations with your legs. Lower everything down and rest.
All of these movements invite a connection of your physical body to the earth. When you do these movements you allow the earth to be supportive and nourishing. You allow yourself to be held and strong in your foundational work, inner and outer. The intentional repetition of these movements over time will help you unblock your root chakra and become more aligned as you begin to trust yourself to show up and truly embody the life of someone who trusts themselves wholeheartedly. Remember, you can still fire up your core, work your hip flexibility, and find long feel good stretches while attending to a very important energy center in the body. The base of our existence, the root chakra.
If you’re looking for a way to start working with your root chakra without so much movement, learn to orient in your present environment. Consciously take inventory of the room you’re in, the way you feel, etc. Create an experience of a very here and now moment. Reconnecting to your physical space and orienting yourself in the space around you through your senses (touch, sight, smell, taste, sound) is always a beautiful way to root down into the present and feel more safe and secure. This practice brings a sense of calm and a reassuring feeling that ultimately feeds your sense of security, unblocking your root chakra, and initiating the healing process.
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