You hear your trainers say it all the time in class: “Why did you decide to show up today?” It’s meant to be motivational, to make you feel inspired by yourself, to keep you in it when you’d rather quit. When you know your why, you don’t focus on the pain or the fatigue. Your focus shifts to how badass it is that you show up to change your body and choose a happy life. And those tiny shifts in perspective during your class bleed into major shifts in your entire life.

For whatever reason, sometimes understanding our why doesn’t come so easily. Maybe you haven’t tried it before or you think you don’t care that much or you’re running through the motions on autopilot. My guess is that no matter what you assume your why is, if you haven’t checked in recently, you don’t actually know. Our bodies and our lives change daily, so we have to stay on top of our internal barometer. Checking in with our why keeps us focused and makes sure we’re headed toward the right goals.

So check in with yourself. Here’s your step-by-step process to find your why and make every single workout better:

• find a quiet space + five minutes: You don’t need lots of space or time. Lock yourself in the bathroom, close your door at work, take the stairs up to the office instead of the elevator, or do this during the cooldown of your classes this week. All you need to do is find a few minutes and some quiet.

• take three deep breaths: Slow down your mind by calming down your breath. Breathe in deeply through the nose and out the mouth. Make your exhale audible as you empty your lungs of every last drop of air.

• envision yourself after class: During the cool down, what are the thoughts that are running through your head when you’re really present? Not your checklist, your happy thoughts. It could be that you surprised yourself, you’re proud of yourself, you’re energized. You could feel calmer, more patient or uplifted. Notice the thoughts that make you feel the best.

• ask yourself why: Why do those thoughts make you feel so good? What are other times those feelings appear in your life? What are they linked to? Why are those thoughts and feelings important to you? How do they improve your life? How do they make you feel about yourself?

• label it + use it: When you’ve answered those questions, you’ve found your why. Distill it down to one word: peace. Or one reason: I’m a better partner. Make it simple and easy to remember when life gets in the way. Then when you come back to class, pull it out as your secret weapon. Second side of your scorpion series: Use your why. Getting to class first thing in the morning: Use your why. Holding your plank four counts longer: Use your why.

Knowing your why is a powerful tool to use in and out of class. It’s what will keep you motivated when you need it the most and train your brain to habitualize the positive, not the negative. Check in with yourself at least once a month and see where you are. Chances are knowing your why will get you further than you could have ever imagined.

photo credit: George Evan Photography

NERD ALERT: There’s a lot of information in the post, but reading it could transform every single class. For more practice with these somewhat complex concepts, book a 30 or 60-minute privé with your favorite smartypants trainer.

“Engage your abs.” If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of this elusive workout catchphrase and wondered “how the hell do I do that?,” today’s fitness hack is for you. Engaging your core is ingrained in fitness dialogue because it’s a core concept (pun intended). But what does it entail? Is it a sucking in motion? Is your stomach pushing out? Is it holding your breath and hoping for the best? And by the way, why are we trying to use our core anyway?

the why

To understand the why, let’s begin with the concept of irradiation.

Russian Special Forces trainer Pavel Tsatsouline explains it this way: Lightly squeeze your fist and you feel your forearm tense up a little bit. Now, squeeze your fist a little bit tighter, and you’ll feel your bicep engage. Then, white-knuckle squeeze your fist, and you’ll feel your shoulder muscles ignite. What he suggests, and what you feel when you try it, is that when you engage your hand muscles, the more tightly you grip, the more that tension will radiate into your other muscle groups. And when your neighboring muscle groups contract, your action has more force and power behind it.

the how

With the understanding of that concept, let’s look at how to engage your core. First, scoop your belly button up and in toward your spine. Now, maintaining that scooped feeling, tense your abs like someone is about to punch you in the stomach. When you also plug your shoulder blades down your back, you should feel powerful and stable in your mid-section. From that engaged place, the concept of irradiation now makes every other movement more powerful.

Here are some bari-centric examples of engaging your core that will dramatically enhance your workout:

• sensory cardio: Using the concept of tightening your abs during dance cardio will engage your entire body. With this control, you land more softly on the floor and avoid unnecessary joint pain, and at the same time, you travel further and jump higher (a.k.a, love up on that red zone).
• weighted arms: Engaging your core allows your arms to travel further away from your body with more force, making every rep more demanding (read = sweatier and hella effective).
• leg lifts: Your abs are the center of your body’s global stabilization system. Meaning, your core muscles connect to the other muscles in your legs, butt, arms and back. So engaging your core during leg lifts helps you find your balance while working the smaller muscles in your thighs and butt. Double whammy.
• trampoline cardio: Feeling the tension in your abs while bouncing is imperative to getting the most out of your sweat sesh. Not only does it protect your back when you’re in the hinged athletic ready position, but it allows you to move with more agility, push into the trampoline harder, and tone your legs faster. It’s the biggest leap you can make in upping your bounce skills and leaning out your legs.
• supine abs: When you’re laying on your back in a good ole’ crunch, it’s easy to let go of your abs on the way back down to the mat. Keeping your core engaged means keeping the upper back and low abs involved, which takes pressure off your low back and hip flexors. Plus you get the added benefit of a slightly higher heart rate and better calorie burn.

Test a couple of these in your classes or privates and check your iQniter reports afterward. See if you can use the concept of engaging your core and irradiation to give yourself an (even more) full-body workout.

You’ve taken your #baribody to new heights and done the impossible: transformed your body into the strongest, leanest, healthiest version of you yet. So how do you keep the good times going and stay slim during these upcoming summer months? Don’t you worry, Tribers. This whole #baripeel process has been strategically formulated to make it a no-brainer as you head into the heat. You’ve got the body, now get your brain on board to make this your healthiest summer yet.

Tell yourself a brand new story. The stories our brains tell manifest in our bodies. “I can’t hold that plank” turns into dropping out of the plank. Conversely, when we tell ourselves that we are strong and capable, our bodies find a way to push through. This summer, tell yourself that you are more than ready to make health a priority. Tell yourself that just because #baripeel is over does not mean you’re going to quit. Tell yourself that this whole process has transformed you, and now you’re different than you were before. You can do this. For more on how imperative it is to change the story in your head, check out Harnessing the Power of Self-Identity from Mark’s Daily Apple.

Get a team together. Even though #baripeel was an individual goal challenge, you gave your all to your fitness compatriots. You cheered them on, took those ferocious Bounce classes side by side and dripped sweat drop for drop. This summer, create that same kind of community by gathering a group of like-minded friends and family and committing to a sweatfest every day. Stay connected to your #baribesties on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and share photos of that gorgeous #baribody as much as possible. Just because #baripeel is wrapping up doesn’t mean the fun stops.

Listen to your body. You’ve learned so much through this process. You know when you have more to give, and you also know when you need to get hydrated, rest up or refuel. Make sure that you listen to your body this summer, and listen to what it’s telling you. You’ve made a six-week commitment to understanding your body from the inside out; stay connected to continue making those healthy choices you’ve been making all spring.

Pause to meditate. This is a lifelong practice that will only get better with time. Summer is the perfect opportunity to pick up on the slowing down of your fast-paced-New-York-minute mind. Let your meditation practice and the restfulness of summer keep you grounded in your workouts. The more rest your mind takes, the more energy your body will have to get up for class, kick ass and take names.

Schedule your workouts. Even though summer is supposed to be a time to vacation and get out of town, you know that it’s as busy as ever. Since you’re scheduling everything else this summer - go ahead and schedule your workouts! Commit to a plan that holds you accountable to your workouts as part of your daily routine. Decide that your 55 minutes every day to drop into your body and take responsibility for your thoughts is the best way to make every day a vacation to your happy place.

Create a summer-specific goal. You’ve already got your #baribody, so in addition to maintaining your tone and definition, pick a goal that’s going to get you motivated. Maybe it’s to feel more energized, maybe it’s to prepare for a big hike or road race or adventurous vacation, maybe it’s to take your body to a level you didn’t even think was possible before peel. Whatever it is, define it, measure it and achieve it.

Work with a Bari Coach in between vacations. Want to make sure you’re staying on track even as you’re going off the beaten path? Check in with a Bari Coach in between vacations to make sure you are doing everything you can be to keep your healthy habits in check. If you’re going to be away for longer and want guidance as you traverse the globe, take your Coach along virtually. Set up a full summer program with a Coach so you’re able to stay on track even outside of the studio. Your Coach will email with you every week, strategize a fitness plan for wherever you’ll be and make sure your #baribody comes back from vacation stronger than ever.

Eat clean. Eating clean never felt so good. Take everything you learned during #baripeel with you into your everyday. Make your summer eats as clean as the spring. Keep checking the Bari blog for recipes throughout the summer that will satisfy without causing that slump. Enjoy your food, nourish your body and fuel your workouts. Now you know how, so there’s no holding back.

Be grateful every day. The best way to stay connected to your fitness routine is to remember why you love it. Take a moment every day to write down or acknowledge how you feel when you work out. Your health shouldn’t be a chore, it should be a joy. When you can verbalize why you love coming to work out, how you feel after a great class, the feeling you get by being surrounded by a group of like-minded Tribers, your gratitude leads you to your lifestyle. Nothing will be easier than getting out of bed, throwing on those sneakers and, quite simply, nailing it.