Bari Studio

Just as MICRO was created for the loonies who yearn for more toning after MACRO’s 30 minutes of muscle sculpting ends, and REEL was created for those who think 30 minutes of cardio is for Bari amateurs, BariFOCUS classes were created for the super-loonies (and I’ll own up to being one of them) who still clamor for more cardio and toning even after our full-length classes are over.

Just like the class, this digest will be short and sweet — or quick and dirty, if you prefer.

Though pint-sized, these 30-minute classes deserve just as much recognition as the big boys. FOCUS classes feature one singled-out Bari element. We offer toning-based FOCUS classes that target the butt, arms or abs and cardio-centric FOCUS classes that, ahem, focus on sensory cardio or BOUNCE.

What to expect? In our toning-based FOCUS classes, expect to dig deep into the muscle groups we tap into during MICROs. The beauty of dedicating 30 muscle-quivering minutes to one muscle group is that we can exhaust every muscle - from every angle. (Okay, so we always do this. But 30.minutes.on.one.body.part. Come on.)

Think about the fatigue your muscles feel after each section in MICRO. Now take that, and multiply it by three. Yep. We know. If you enjoy laughing, I’m not sure I can recommend these classes in good faith. On more than one occasion, post BariFOCUS, my abs have literally been too sore to laugh. (Sad for the spirit; less so for your budding six pack.)

And the cardio-based FOCUS classes have that same wham bam thank you ma’am effect. Again, you have 30 minutes to make it count. And, damn it, you will make it count. You’ll spend those 30 sweaty minutes going full force with sensory or trampoline cardio, and you’ll leave on top of the world (and in a puddle of your own sweat). I personally love a sensory cardio FOCUS class tacked onto a MICRO when I have extra time, or on its own when I’m too busy for a full hour of Bari sweat.

This is just one itsy-bitsy little half hour that you’ll feel so good about. Just show up, give it your all for 30 measly minutes, and you’re done. Killer abs? Amazing butt? Stellar heart health? Check, check and check. You will have to work hard for every single minute, but like every other Bari class, FOCUS doesn’t take itself too seriously, so don’t let the intensity intimidate you. At the end of the day, we’re working out, and we’re going to have fun doing it.

Next week, Tribers, I won’t be here to review a class for you. This week is it. (That was dramatic. But it’s back to school time! Sad face.) But I’m hoping that I can leave my Class Digest legacy in your hands. Everyone has such a different Bari experience, and we’d love to hear about what Bari feels like for you — be it your favorite class, the inner dialogue that went down during your BariONE or what you think about the class you love to hate (hi, MICRO).

If you’re up for some friendly sharing, we’ve prepared some questions to guide your response. Email info@thebaristudio.com if you’re interested in writing your very own Class Digest about a Bari class of your choice.

Until then… stay sweaty, Tribe!

New to our Class Digest series? Read Clare’s inspiration behind the series. And if you missed our previous Class Digests, catch up on her breakdowns of BariMACRO, BariMICRO, BariBOUNCE, BariHYBRID and BariREEL.

Swing. Turn. Swirl. Twirl. Sway. Roll. Rock. Reel. Reel! Our team loved it the moment they heard it. REEL (and all its perfect synonyms) just describes this class so well. When you finish, you’ll find yourself giddily reeling from all the cardio you’ll have done in this 55-minute cardio-packed class.

BariREEL is a mashup of the major cardio elements featured in our other classes, sensory cardio and trampoline cardio. If these terms seem unfamiliar to you, it’s likely that you’ve just stumbled upon this series. In which case, I’m stopping you here and sending you back to GO: read about BariMACRO and BariBOUNCE to get the scoop on these primary Bari elements.

Or perhaps you think you’re a MACRO and BOUNCE hot shot (okay, you probably are!). But, Triber, I need to tell you that — no matter your MACRO and/or BOUNCE brilliance — REEL is a whole different ball game. This class is all cardio. And you need to enter it with a totally different mentality. With REEL, you’re in it for the long haul. At the end of the floor cardio half, you don’t get to stop/throw your hands up/thank baby Jesus for the next thirty minutes of toning. Nope. You get to roll out that trampoline and keep going.

On one hand, this is the most simple, exhilarating and cleansing workout: all you have to do is keep moving! On the other, it’s the most demanding and exhausting workout; all you have to do is keep moving! You have no option but to bring it (and Triber, we know you can, so we expect Queen Bey-status brilliance).

Some people LOVE cardio. To them, cardio is play. I’m endlessly fascinated by the idea that for some (very fit) people, moving their bodies around quickly, in cool ways and in different directions just feels good and is fun. For them, the physical activity is a really awesome bodily experience.

Surprise! This is not me. I can make my iQniter heart rate monitor go into the warm colors just by jumping up and down for 30 seconds. I’m the one wheezing and feigning “oh, I was supposed to move my arms along with that?” This summer, I’ve started to chip away at my terrible fitness, holding these mystical, cardio-loving creatures as my golden ideal. If you’re a part of this breed of cardio fiend, you’re already convinced. You’ve already signed up for REEL in advance for the next ten weeks. This is your moment. You go, Glen Coco.

If you’re the more, uh, sedentary type, you might be saying “OK Clare, real talk: what’s all this cardio hype really about?” If you don’t usually gravitate towards cardio, there’s still so much to love about REEL (so much!). There’s the whole health spiel, which I’ll mostly save for now, because you know it already. If you need a quick refresher: cardio = good heart health.

“But even so,” some of you may protest. “Cardio just turns me off. I can’t help it.” It’s okay. I used to think so, too. Some repetitive, unstimulating cardio workouts couldn’t even tempt me if I knew Ryan Gosling would be running alongside me. But REEL is a whole different story. This cardio shouldn’t even go by the same name. I can’t promise you Ryan Gosling, but I can promise that you’ll find spurts of excitement in the wonderfully curated, highly-varied sequences. And as you come back more and more, these spurts will become more frequent and less spread out. And then, suddenly, you will become an awesome cardio-annihilating machine. Cool, right?

To quell any worries about making it through the first time, let me share one major hint. There are two key moments during which just a little extra effort will make the entire class significantly easier to nail.

The first is the song before the last song of floor cardio. The last song is easy. And by easy, I mean it’s still damn hard… but also the most exciting thing ever. For one, you’re almost done. And if you’re like me, you have an automatic crazy-person response to “LET’S-GO-GO-GO-GIVE-ME-ALL-YOU’VE-GOT!” where you get really over-the-top stoked to do literally anything at high-speed. The second to last floor cardio song gets no such hurrah. The second to last song is the where I have fully realized, wow, I. Am. Really. Freaking. Tired. I realized that if I allow the trainer to pump me up, I feel so much happier-even proud-about the first half of the class and consequently, about the whole thing. Also, I don’t flip out entirely during the following song and completely sap my energy reserve.

The second key moment is the first song of the trampoline cardio. If you can get pumped for this song, you’ll so easily set an amazing tone for the tramp series. You focus your energy here, and then you’ll ride that wave all the way through to the end. This seems like a given, but many times I have not taken my own advice and ended up riding a whole different wave. Just this little attitude shift can make all the difference.

Armed with these two moments to where you’re going to intentionally shine, I know you’ll just love REEL, dear first-time Triber. You’ll float on through and fall in love with this breathtaking (in both senses of the word) workout.

Join me next week (my very last week!) for the last Class Digest. Sob. I’m not even going to tell you what I’m writing about, just to make it that much more exciting.

Until then, stay sweaty, Tribers!

New to our Class Digest series? Read Clare’s inspiration behind the series. And if you missed our previous Class Digests, catch up on her breakdowns of BariMACRO, BariMICRO, BariBOUNCE and BariHYBRID.

Flashback to day one of my summer internship at Bari.

“Take a HYBRID!” Sara, Bari’s director, suggested.

“A what?” I had no idea what was happening. Did Bari have a logo-laden hybrid car that I was supposed to drive around the city? I mentally flipped out, my intern world crumbled down around me and I regretted jumping the gun to tell all my friends that I had the coolest summer job.

Sara quickly recognized my confused-intern look and reminded me that HYBRID was one of Bari’s class offerings. Fantasy intern world reverted back to its normal state with chirping birds, butterflies and ripped, shirtless dudes mid-scorpion series. Phew.

Since then, BariHYBRID and I have gotten to know each other a little better. I’m not sure whether HYBRID is afraid of commitment, suffering from multiple personality disorder or just a classic overachiever. But — whatever the diagnosis — I love the result: an all-star, comprehensive smorgasbord of Bari delights. This mixed-modality class is a combination of the three major elements of Bari’s method; it incorporates sensory cardio sequences, high-adrenaline trampoline cardio and a toning and strengthening series.

The class is 55 minutes long, and with more material to cover than in other Bari classes, you move more quickly (and, if your game is on point, more vigorously!) through each section. There’s still enough time to break down and build up floor and dance sequences, but not a second is wasted along the way. The call to actions — you know, those high points in class when it’s time throw everything you learned together and #NAILIT — are just that much more intense and rewarding.

For anyone with exercise ADD, taking this class for the first time will be like finally kissing the right (albeit sweaty) frog. As the poster child of this (cough) completely valid medical condition, allow me to vouch for this: I literally was weirded out by my mid-class mental dialogue (or lack thereof) during my first HYBRID. Compared to my typically rampant mental babble, I felt peacefully and harmoniously overstimulated. I wasn’t drifting off to wonder about 100 other things. Everything was simplified. Because I so badly wanted to master the combinations, and we only had a few shots to get it right, I was able to focus all of my energy on the challenge. There wasn’t any room left for whining and boredom.

And even if you’re not into Bari for those intense spurts of ‘let’s gooooooo!’ the momentum ensures that the class will never spend more than 15 minutes doing any one thing. This swift flow is what sets this class apart from the others. First-time Tribers, don’t let this intimidate you; the pace allows HYBRID to be the perfect sampler course. You get the chance to come face to face with all three main elements of Bari’s method in a regular-length class. It’s like having your Bari Overnight Oats and eating them, too.

On the more technical front, here’s what to expect. First, you’ll see the very same athletic floor cardio you’ll find in MACRO. You’ll learn and perform the innovative sequences that are constructed by linking together traditional athletic cardio moves in a dynamic way. Then you’ll move up to the trampoline for the same sequences featured in BOUNCE. Like MACRO, the class will close with an ‘I didn’t know that muscle existed’ toning and strengthening portion, drawn from MICRO. By the time HYBRID wraps up, you’ll have worked every type of muscle in the body. And you’ll be drenched.

We didn’t reinvent the wheel to create HYBRID. It was kind of the opposite. We took everything we loved about all of our classes and just melded them into one. In general, we think hybrid anythings are awesome. Just Google “liger” or “pixie bob.” And it, if we’re going to drop the c-bomb… cronuts. See what we mean? Kick. Ass.

Now, I’m not explicity saying that HYBRID’s the best Bari class… but it’s a close race. Very close. Almost as close as I was to touching the floor during stretches today. (Which was SUPER close, guys. Seriously. Like I almost did it.) But anyways, HYBRID rocks. I mean, that’s all you really need to know, right?

Next time, I’ll describe and review REEL, Bari’s other combo class.

Until then. Stay sweaty, Tribers

Boing, boiiing, boiiiiiiiing… BOING BOING BOING!

Nope, this is not the sound of your kid’s cartoons. Dear, sweaty, Triber, this is the sound of the trampoline, reclaimed from suburban cul-de-sacs and restored to its fateful glory as the star of BariBOUNCE. (Aside from you, obviously.)

BariBOUNCE came to fruition as our founder solved for x in an equation that looked something like:

(buckets of sweat)(low-impact cardio)(high-calorie burn)=x

In brainstorming ways to get the heart rate up while minimizing impact on the joints, the trampoline stood out as our x-factor. A trampoline-based workout, one that could produce MACRO-like quantities of sweat (plus some!), could serve as a supplement to or substitute for the higher-impact floor cardio featured in MACRO. And so, drum roll pleaseandthankyou, BariBOUNCE was born. Being the hopeless adrenaline and sweat junkies we are, we immediately fell in love with this high-energy cardio workout, and it quickly became a core pillar of the Bari method.

BOUNCE features controlled, energy-charged movements downward. So if you come to class expecting the lazy-day, high-drifting upward bounces of your childhood, you’re in for a sore surprise (literally). When your instructor tells you to bounce or ground down, the intention is for your upper body to remain stable (“Pull your belly button to your spine!” will become too familiar a phrase) while your lower body moves quickly and dynamically against the resistance of the trampoline. Hint: this seemingly leg-centric movement is actually powered by your core. So when you’re told to contract your abs, just trust me and do it.

The goal here is to use the resistance of the trampoline to your advantage, working against it for the most demanding cardio and strengthening workout. As you decrease the air-time between bounces, you maximize the challenge. This gets really exhausting really quickly, but the rush that accompanies each jump never, ever gets old. The neighborhood kids may have actually been onto something.

Just like with MACRO, don’t expect BOUNCE to be all up-down-up-down-up-down. At even its most fundamental level, you can dissect this class into combinations and sequences.

This mostly-cardio class is broken up by a few songs dedicated to toning and strengthening. The trampoline is often used for balance while you do planks, squats or lunges. Trainers use all the same props in BOUNCE as the other classes (you didn’t really think you could escape Skimmers that easily, did you?). And if your trainer is really crazy (and they all are, lucky you!), she may even call on you to use three-pound weights or the resistance bands while you bounce.

This all just means that the moment of “ah, I get it!” is all the more sweet (and sweaty) in a BOUNCE class because when you get it, you get it. The trampoline is a beast that can be tamed, and when you figure out how to own that torture device, BOUNCE becomes your sweat-soaked playground.

BOUNCE veterans will know this “a ha” moment well: The skies open above you and light shines from the heavens as you find yourself in harmony with the trampoline. It gives exactly when it’s supposed to, and is perfectly taut right at the moment when you want to explode up. When your bounce is perfectly coordinated — on time, in rhythm and on beat — you swing fluidly from movement to movement, and you may just feel a full-toothed smile sneak out as you complete each perfect sequence. No, really. This happened to me this morning, and I got sweat in my mouth. So… yeah.

So that’s what it feels like to get it, but what about your very first time? My first BOUNCE class was nothing like I expected, but I instantly found myself at home on the trampoline. Though I spend little time outside of Bari hanging out on a trampoline, many of the movements are actually familiar. I found the movements which emphasized lateral hip and leg movements with a stable, centralized core amazingly similar to skiing. Just minus the killer frostbite. And the whole torn ACLs thing. (But also minus the hot chocolate… hint, hint Bari Food Society.) So even if you’ve never tried BOUNCE before (and even if you’ve never skied), you’ll quickly realize that you’re more prepared than you thought.

Still, BOUNCE hails from a whole different workout universe than anything else I’ve tried. Namely, it doesn’t leave me crippled by an all-consuming desire to get the heck out from the moment I start. (Um, hi there, treadmill. I’m definitely not talking about you). I relish the moments when I’m totally on point and in the groove, and I love learning the steps that work up to the longer sequences and building the muscle memory to internalize the movements. Then it’s time to play.

My favorite moment of class is the last song, which is usually a final spurt of cardio following a quick toning portion. At this point, I’ve got some sequences fresh in my brain, have taken a moment to cheat on all the toning in order to regain my breath and am ready to throw down like only Channing Tatum in Step Up can truly do (don’t lie, you’re not too cool that you don’t know exactly what I’m talking about). The last-chance, this-is-it mentality is infectious and no matter how many sprints are thrown at me (do not take this as incentive, trainers), I am beyond stoked about them. I liken the feeling to a bottle of Red Radical; once all the best parts of me are shaken awake and all stirred up, I am so ready to go.

Then, I leave class with a literal bounce in my step (think sea legs, but awesome) and a desire to turn right back around into the studio for round 2. Even on a Monday morning. After I have already dragged myself out of bed early. Either I’ve finally lost it, or BOUNCE is a serious miracle-worker (I’m that girl who schedules all her college classes to start after noon). I’m not sure. Both are equally possible, but I’m kinda leaning towards the latter.

I’ll see you soon, Tribers, either in class or next time when we tackle the mysterious jack-of-all-trades, Hybrid.

Until then, stay sweaty.

New to our Class Digest series? Read Clare’s inspiration behind the series. And if you missed our previous Class Digests, catch up on her breakdowns of BariMACRO and BariMICRO. Ready to BOUNCE at home? We’re die-hard fans of our beloved (yes, really) Jumpsport trampolines, which you can buy on BariMARKET.

And on the second day, our founder created BariMICRO. Now Bari’s signature sculpting class, MICRO is for us nut jobs who are left wanting more after MACRO’s strengthening portion is over. You won’t be winded after this class. Sweaty? Sure. Tired? Absolutely, positively. Sore the next day? HECK yes.

But MICRO isn’t a cardio class. Its purpose is not to make you slide across the floor in your own sweat (okay, we’ve done that once or twice during a super sweaty scorpion series). Its purpose is to tire the living youknowwhat out of your muscles. Its purpose is to tone every inch of your body. I mean this literally - ev-er-y inch. You’re getting all you bargained for and more, soldier. Chin up, and let’s get to work sculpting your top abs, side abs, bottom abs, inner abs and butt abs. I’m kidding. There’s no such thing as butt abs, but you do have a MILLION* secret little different ab muscles up in there, and somehow your MICRO trainer will find a way to pinpoint, work and exhaust all of them.

*This may not be accurate.

And the torture (stop complaining, it doesn’t count as torture if it’s self-inflicted and making you look like a goddess) doesn’t stop with your abs. Bari trainers design these exercises to tap every dormant muscle on the shoulder and shout, “HELLO?! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IN HERE ALL THESE YEARS?” Unless the excuse is a Game of Thrones marathon, we can’t justify such extended inactivity. And since there’s about zero chance your hamstrings have been watching Game of Thrones, they have no reason not to get to work.

So, what exactly happens in a BariMICRO class? Your trainer will lead the class through a strategic series of exercises; each group of exercises will work a different part of the body. Trainers employ different training apparatus to tone, sculpt and strengthen. Even if you’re not familiar with our method at Bari, if you’ve been reading our blog, you’ve certainly heard us reference our beloved (interpret that with sarcasm or without) skimmers, ceiling bands and weights. But let’s break down what these tools are, and how Bari trainers use them.

Literally designed to make me cry, Skimmers are thin foam pads that, when placed under the balls of your feet, allow you to slide your sneakers across the floor. These bad boys allow for movement that destabilizes the body in order to stress and condition the core. They take any average Joe of a plank, push up or squat and ramp up the intensity, demanding the core to remain still. Which translates into abs, abs and MORE ABS.

Bari trainers use 2, 3, 5 and 8 pound weights in fluid, dynamic motions. You’ll see bicep and tricep curls as well as many more innovative moves. Trainers use these lighter weights because many of the movements require unstable extensions of the forearms; Alexandra, Bari’s founder, discovered that this is the best type of movement for carving the many long, beautiful muscles of the arms. So, if MICRO is your first class, my one word of advice is don’t try to be a badass and start with the 5 pounders.

My absolute favorite part of MICRO is the band work. Used for upward and angled resistance, the ceiling of each Bari studio is outfitted with sets of two different strengths of bands for different types of exercise. Trainers use the weaker bands as a stabling mechanism for balancing series that work the lower legs; the tighter bands supplement the weights portion, positioning each student far away from the base of the band to increase the tension in resistance arm work.

You can see that there are many pieces to the BariMICRO puzzle. We’re not talking about vanilla toning here. You’ll never see a hundred chest presses or tricep curls in a class. While you are dedicating your whole hour at Bari to toning and strengthening your body, you won’t get bored (and if you do, you’re cheating). Even though the exercises are familiar enough for you to observe your progress from class to class, “bland” is filed under “words that don’t exist in our vocabulary” right next to “impossible.”

MICRO requires a totally different type of effort than MACRO. In a MICRO class, you don’t learn moves and put together a sequence. Leave your jumping jacks and your fist-pumps at the door (so everyone in the lobby can have some fun). You’ll need serious determination to finish your reps, absolute resolution to keep going no matter what and willpower to keep away the rationalizations and mental bargaining that if you stop mid-set, you promise to just eat one less cookie tonight (this is one of my favorites).

But, don’t take this the wrong way. Even though you won’t be doing floor cardio, the method at Bari always provides you with creative ways to keep your heart rate up (seriously, this is one of the main topics of trainer lame hot gossip). So don’t expect to be able to slack off or skip your post-class shower. Like, ever.

At the end of class, there’ll be as much sweat on your forehead from resolve as there will be on the rest of your body from physical effort. Just like MACRO, you’ll leave the classroom feeling on top of the world. You may just spend your subway ride home casually flexing whenever possible to show off your kick-ass muscles to businessmen and small children alike (yes, I am guilty of this one).

But be warned: Inflated feelings of invincibility are an almost inevitable by-product of MICRO. You might think that you could take the group of construction workers cat-calling you in a fistfight, hail a cab by catching it with your bare hands, crush coal into diamonds, or carry home five full bags of groceries from Whole Foods by yourself. None of these are good ideas (even if double-bagged). But we hope you have the sense to keep it modest in front of all the non-Triber weaklings.

On a closing note, the summer is more than halfway over (cue my crazed panic for going back to school), and I feel like a Triber more than ever. Even though I still never know where the trash can is in Tribeca (next to the water, Clare, next to the damn water). My latest progress? I have proudly transitioned from 2 pound all the way up to 3 pound weights (it’s the little things, amiright?).

I’ll see you next time when we’ll jump into BariBOUNCE.

Stay sweaty, Tribers.

First there was BariMACRO. This half-cardio, half-toning maverick was born with the inception of Bari, and it was the launching pad for the many exciting turns our method has since taken. It was the best of times; it was the Bari-est of times.

MACRO was my first ever Bari experience, and I was immediately hooked — kind of like the head-over-heels girl on a first date in a bad rom-com. Also like this girl, I was super awkward (I may or may not have dropped my 2 lb. weights due to excess sweat) and had no idea what I was doing. Still, I left feeling excited for our future together (yep, that would be me & BariMACRO). But I’m not talking babies and white picket fences; I’m talking ABS (!).

Like all Bari classes, the trainer begins MACRO with a dynamic warm-up, which involves a flowing sequence of stretches (nothing static here; we’re getting ready to work). The warm-up transitions right into the sensory cardio portion of class.

You might ask, what does Bari’s sensory cardio look like? Should I be prepared to channel my inner diva with booty shakes and fast, fancy footwork? Should I be prepared to do a billion jumping jacks? Never fear, Triber. That’s not what you’re in for. Last time we checked, this is not military training, and there’s no way we could ever compete with last weekend’s dance floor brilliance, so we won’t even try. Bari’s sensory cardio is both high spirited and tough as nails, but it’s also creative, highly varied and athletic.

Tried-and-true old-school moves like jumping jacks, squats, lunges and high kicks flirt with dance-based movements as they are linked together into coordinated cardio sequences. Don’t let the dance element deter you; Bari calls heavily on plyometrics and bodyweight exercises in its mission to move your tired feet to every corner of the room.

I’ve self-diagnosed myself as a victim of selective (cardio) ADD because I usually can’t stay engaged long enough for the workout to have an impact. For me, cardio has always been like driving — miserable, because I have to pay enough attention so I don’t crash into the person (or mailbox) next to me, but not engaging enough to keep me fully entertained (I don’t have all seven Harry Potters on tape just because I’m a nerd).

This is to say that I completely expected to find that cardio at Bari “wasn’t for me” (code that my mom taught me to describe things I hate). But my first MACRO class — after which I found myself coping with alien feelings of simultaneous satisfaction and exhaustion — proved me wrong.

Sensory cardio is Triber-lingo for cardio that you can’t check out of. This means that the trainer won’t baby you through moves. At Bari, you’ve got to pay attention and stay engaged; this workout is for your grey matter, too. And this ‘sensory’ element delivers on its promise. This was the first workout ever to challenge and stimulate me like this. Ultimately, this heightened level of investment forced me to stay present and engaged in my workout.

For those who have not yet ventured into the world of BariMACRO (what are you waiting for?), let me break it down for you. Like a PB&Nutella (because let’s be honest, once you discover that pairing, you never go back to PB&J), MACRO is the natural, beautiful melding of two perfect halves: cardio and strengthening. After working hard to raise the heart rate in floor cardio, the body is loose and primed to strengthen. As the initial exhilaration from the high-energy, fist-pumping (literally) cardio starts to wear off, I am always ready to buckle right down into Bari’s notorious muscle-sculpting series.

While you’ll become familiar with the sequences featured in the sensory cardio portion of class, you’ll notice a lot of variation in the toning portion from class to class. From skimmers, to scorpion series, to bandwork — your Bari smorgasbord of muscle torture will never fail to surprise you. And no matter the approach or mixture of devices, your trainer will use those 30 minutes to methodically exhaust all the muscles in your body with repetitive, targeted movements. All the strengthening exercises focus on using the smaller muscles to move the bigger muscles so you tone, rather than bulk. You can expect to feel the burn in your arms, abs, butt, quads, hamstrings, and also some surprise muscles that you never knew existed.

Moral of the story: MACRO is the most refreshing part of your day, gets easier as you work at it and makes you feel like a champ when you’re done. Kind of like a keg stand (you former fratstar, you). Stay engaged and you’ll replace that beer belly for a sexy Bari belly. Deal? Deal. You’ll leave the studio feeling elated, empowered and ready to kick some ass, whether on the beer pong table or elsewhere.

Tune in next time for the low down (see what I did there? Low Down?) on MICRO.

Stay sweaty, Tribers.

A week before my internship began at Bari, I dug a little deeper into the classes that I’d be immersed in this summer. (I realize I’m here to work — not to work out — but a summer of Bari classes was one of the selling points of this amazing internship. Second only to wearing gym clothes to work.) I poked around the schedule on Mindbody and stumbled upon a whole lot of MACRO, MICRO, BOUNCE, HYBRID and REEL. I knew I wasn’t yet fluent in Bari-ese, but… huh?

Watching this ‘What is Bari?’ video helped a lot, but the smorgasbord of class offerings left me anxiously (albeit eagerly) anticipating my first Bari experience.

When I showed up to my first class, I wasn’t sure what I was walking into. All I knew about MACRO was that it’s also an economist’s term that, I never, ever want to encounter. But for some reason, and I can’t tell you why, I found myself a little bit (okay, very) cocky. Jumping jacks? Sure. Grapevine? No big deal. I nailed every move for about five minutes — which I later learned was the warm up — but then Sophie pulled out the tricky stuff. (Black Diamond? Hopscotch!? Sorry, Bari gods, I was kidding when I scoffed at the preliminary jumping jacks and grapevines.) And soon the fatigue set in. Followed by the “wait a second, where does that foot go?” Which was interjected by the stopping mid-sequence to fix my hair because I could not possibly be expected to continue on with this outrageous fly-away.

It was mid-plank that I had the revelation that I was no longer amid the simple days of mindless, endless laps around the lacrosse field. This was nothing like the made-up gym regimen I followed for three days before abandoning it. The Bari workout requires serious concentration, endurance and diligence, along with some coordination and muscle memory. None of which I brought to the table that day. (See above: pre-class cockiness.)

So, when the cardio portion of my first workout ended, I rejoiced… but a little too quickly. I gritted my teeth as we began the skimmers series, which I am still very sure was created to be my own personal hell (this claim being supported by the fire in my thighs). Halfway through half-assing some particularly agonizing plank variation, almost ready to shamelessly flop straight onto my belly, I had (another) revelation. Suddenly, the grueling workout stopped seeming so grueling when I realized how cool and calculated it was.

Every little movement Sophie called out was purposeful, deliberately designed and placed in a sequence at a moment strategically chosen to exhaust my muscles in the very way I was feeling it. Even though I continued to struggle throughout the workout, I relaxed into the acknowledgement that none of these (painful!) movements were in vain. No drop of sweat was being wasted. Though many drops there were, I saw each as a mini-victory, and when I almost slipped in the puddle that had collected beside my mat, I was triumphant. Then we went into a plank, and I was back to miming that I was crushing Sophie’s head between the corners of my skimmers.

There is no such thing as a one-day transformation, much less a one-hour transformation. But already, just one week later, I’m (somewhat) sure I no longer look like a total doofus. I’m figuring out what it means to rock a Bari workout and live to tell the tale. I’m learning the difference between Low Down and Tribeca Charge, and have started to know what I’m walking into when I sign up for one class or another.

Because I know I can’t be the only one still figuring out what it means to be a Triber, this summer, I’ll be at the teacher’s pet desk (a.k.a the front of the room), taking A++++ notes so that at the end of the semester, you can all cheat off my test. In this Class Digest series, I’ll break down the differences between each Bari style for you from both an outsider and insider perspective. Through accounts of my own experience as a total newbie just learning the ropes (rather, trampolines) tempered with some technical flair, I want to demystify the Bari physical component. Check back soon for my first official review; I’ll tackle MACRO again, hopefully with some really life-changing insights.

Until next week. Stay sweaty, Tribers.

Hi, Tribe! If we haven’t formally met—this is unlikely, since we’ve informally hijacked the front desk at Tribeca— allow us to introduce ourselves. We’re Clare, Ceci and Stephanie, Bari’s newest die-hards a.k.a the summer interns.

No, we’re not just here to fetch coffee and surf Facebook all day— although there will be coffee, and lots of it. This is not your ordinary internship (where else would your boss offer to measure your body fat on your first day?), and we are no typical interns. Between the three of us, we’ve got a diverse set of real-world skills, insights and passions, all of which have guided us to consider careers involving the fitness and health industries.

Outside the hours spent power napping and cramming in the library, we’ve gravitated towards the most healthful and active of vices. Clare procrastinates in the hot room of the Bikram studio as the president of Penn Yoga. Ceci, a product design maven, is always looking to improve the gadgets and tools we use to ramp up our workouts. And Steph claims to have a “fat hand” (tennis elbows are for babies) from the unbelieveable amount of time she spends on the court as captain of Penn’s tennis team (check out this record!).

This may be a summer of sun, sand and sweat, but it’s also a summer of late nights, early mornings, and hard (but fun) work. We’re here to learn from each other, the superstars that run this company and from all of you, dear Tribers! By summer’s end, we plan to know you well, leave Bari as industry experts and make an impact on the company, brand and method we’ll be living and breathing for these three months. But let’s not take this too quickly. Let’s get to know each other first.

Stephanie Do
Hometown: Dallas, TX (with the real deal Texan vocabulary to prove it, y’all)
Studying: Marketing and Finance at UPenn’s Wharton School of Business
Favorite part of NYC: Whole Foods everywhere!
Loves: (Well-trained) puppies
Fatal flaw: Fast cars; this speedster has three tickets under her belt
Don’t: Ask her to show you her coolest skateboard move. It’s still in the works, but here’s a hint about what we’re expecting to see by the end of the summer. Let’s hold her to it, shall we?

Ceci Michelena
Hometown: Miami, FL
Studying: Industrial and Service Design at Savannah College of Art and Design
Favorite part of NYC: Everything so far!
Loves: European sports cars; her favorite is a Porsche GT2 RS
Fatal flaw: Detail oriented to a fault
Don’t: Steal her food! Ever.

Clare Menzel
Hometown: New Hampshire (when you’re this rural, your hometown is a state)
Studying: Philosophy, concentrating in Indian tradition, at UPenn College of Arts & Sciences
Favorite part of NYC: Like a total tourist, she loves living right next to Times Square
Loves: Gelato
Fatal flaw: Fragile, boasting a history of a broken tibia, fibula, and collarbone, with two ACL tears. (Be gentle with her, Bari!)
Don’t: Give her any meat; she’s all veg.

Now that you know a bit about us, it’s your turn. Comment below to introduce yourself, or we’ll see you in the studio soon!

Much love, The Interns