Yahoo Lifestyle 
Try this high-intensity Barre workout from Britany Williams' brand new Sweat program
This 15-minute Lower Body Workout is inspired by Sweat trainer Britany Williams’ brand new High intensity Barre program - one of four new programs recently launched on Kayla Itsines' popular fitness app.
And if you didn't think Barre was really HIIT enough for you - this free sample workout might just prove that wrong!
"Traditionally barre requires light weights (1-2 kg) and the range of motion that the body moves through within a particular exercise is relatively small and often, muscle groups are isolated so that you’re working one muscle group at the time," Britany tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
"To increase intensity in my new barre program, I’ve adjusted exercises to allow for heavier weights (4-6 kg to start for example), included more compound movements (multi-joint movements that require multiple muscle groups) and layer in exercises that require a bigger range of motion or that are explosive (plyometrics).
"All of these changes increase the heart rate and the exertion rate, which helps tap more into increased conditioning and strength training benefits than you may expect from a traditional barre class."
Try it for yourself now
There are five exercises in this circuit and you perform each exercise for 30 seconds, taking a short 30 second rest at the end of each lap so that you can lower your heart and then push yourself again during the circuit.
Each exercise targets the muscles in your legs while challenging them in a different way each time. This workout can help to improve the strength and stamina of your glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductors and calves.
15-Minute Lower Body Barre Workout
Warm Up
Britany recommends taking a few minutes to warm-up prior to working out. 3-5 minutes of cardio, such as jogging in place or skipping, will help increase your heart rate and help warm up your muscles for your session.
Step Out Squats - 30 seconds
Step 1: Start standing with your feet hip width apart. Inhale, then as you exhale, step one foot out wider than hip distance as you squat down, shifting your hips backward and keeping the chest lifted.
Step 2: Return to standing with the feet close together then repeat on the other side
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Squat Jumps - 30 seconds
Step 1: Start standing with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart with the feet facing forward or slightly turned out.
Step 2: Lower down into a squat, shifting your hips back and keeping the chest lifted. Drive upward into jump, straightening the legs as you lift of the ground.
Step 3:Land softly back in the squat position. Repeat continuously.
Squat to Lunge - 30 seconds
Step 1: Start standing with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart with the feet facing forward or slightly turned out. Lower down into a squat, shifting your hips back and keeping the chest lifted.
Step 2: Without straightening your left leg, step your right leg behind you into a lunge. Stay on the ball of the right foot and keep both knees bent. Then, without standing, return back to the squat.
Step 3: Repeat the combination of movements without ever coming completely to standing. Stay slightly hinged through the upper body throughout the movement but ensure your chest faces forward and not down towards the ground.
Lunge to Arabesque - 30 seconds (15 seconds per side)
Step 1: Start standing with your feet hip width apart. Step one foot directly behind you, coming to the ball of the foot and bending both knees so that you’re in a lunge position.
Step 2: Slightly bend the back knee down towards then shift your weight into the front foot as you lift the back foot off the ground and completely straighten the back leg.
Step 3: Return the back foot back down to the ground into the lunge position before repeating. Goal is to keep the hips parallel and to stay balanced in the stationary leg throughout the movement.
Split Jumps - 30 seconds
Step 1: Start standing with your feet hip width apart. Step one foot directly behind you, coming to the ball of the foot and bending both knees so that you’re in a lunge position.
Step 2: Lower into a lunge position then drive upwards so that you jump up, switching your leg position as you jump.
Step 3: Land back in a lunge position with the front leg now in the back and vice versa. Make sure to land softly.
Cool Down
Britany recommends completing a cool down session after your workout. 3-5 minutes of walking will help to slowly lower your heart rate to normal levels and help your body to cool down after a workout. You might also like to complete some static stretching as part of your cool down, where you hold a single position for twenty seconds or longer.
If you found this Barre workout more challenging than you thought it would be, Britany says you are not alone.
"I’ve yet to meet someone not surprised at how challenging Barre really is," Britany tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
"Traditional barre movements recruit a lot of the secondary muscle groups throughout the body that people may not be used to focusing on. This paired with the smaller range of motion can create an unexpected burn!"
Britany also recently took part in Yahoo Lifestyle's exclusive winter workout challenge with Sweat. If you missed her awesome Barre arms and abs workout you can catch up here:
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