The morning after a Bari class, it’s common to wake up and feel muscles you didn’t even know you had. (We’re sorry, but you’re welcome.) Feeling the burn during class lets us know that we’re working hard. (The sweat - or are they tears? - dripping down our faces are a trusty sign, too.) But feeling the burn after class tips us off as to what muscles we’ve really put to work during our 60 minutes of blissful torture.

In this Trainer Talk sub-series, Muscle of the Moment, we’ll feature some of your favorite (okay, maybe they’re just our favorite) Bari exercises and give you the inside scoop on which muscles these moves sculpt.

Let’s talk Scorpion Series. As you’re surely aware, Bari’s signature Scorpion Series targets the butt. There are three muscles that make up the derriere : gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus and gluteus medius. We’re proponents of going after all three!

Try this basic Scorpion move.

  1. Begin in starting position — on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips; abs are in and neck is long.
  2. Extend your right leg out behind you. Keeping the form of your upper body and core, lift your leg parallel to the floor.
  3. Lower your leg back down so the toe taps the ground. That’s one rep. Repeat 32 times.
  4. Now, onto the other side!

What’s working? This exercise primarily targets the gluteus maximus, or the biggest butt muscle. Since this is the largest muscle of your backside, toning it gives you that lifted tush you’ve always dreamed of.

Ready to graduate to the next level? Try this advanced Scorpion move.

  1. Begin in starting position — on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips; abs are in and neck is long.
  2. Bring your right knee up towards your right shoulder, and extend your leg out to the side.
  3. Bend your knee, keeping it high, and extend your leg diagonally behind you, in line with your left shoulder. That’s one rep. Repeat 32 times.
  4. Time for the other side!

What’s working? While you’re still definitely working the gluteus maximus, the smaller butt muscles are the stars of this exercise. The gluteus medius and minimus help you extend your leg out to the side and the gluteus maximus works to keep your leg lifted as you cross it behind you. When you extend your leg to the side, your oblique get a little torched, too.

As is almost always the case during Scorpion Series, you’re not just working your glutes in these two exercises. (Do you really think we’d have you working only one muscle at a time?) Since you’re supporting yourself on your hands and one knee, your chest and shoulders are working to keep your upper body supported, your abs are engaging to keep your posture straight, and the supporting side of your butt is working to keep you stable. (Once more, we’re sorry, but you’re welcome!)

Have a request for our next Muscle of the Moment? Shoot us an email to press@thebaristudio.com or leave us a comment below!