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In our Trainer Talk sub-series, Muscle of the Moment, we 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.

This week, we’re talking inner thighs. They can be worked in a million different ways, but one of our favorite methods of torture is the playground ball. Since talk is cheap, let’s show you two ways we love to scorch the inner thighs and sculpt those slender legs with the playground ball. (Warning: Performing these exercises may result in the desire to hang out in a sumo squat for an unusually long time after.)

Let’s begin with this basic (but still difficult!) inner thigh ball move:

• Begin in starting position — Lie on your side with either your elbow stacked under your shoulder or your head lying on your arm (whichever feels best for your neck). The legs are long (ankles in line with your hips), and the ball is between your inner thighs.
• Squeeze the ball by pulsing the inner thighs together. Seriously, squeeze the ball! Try to pop it. Do this at full capacity and you’ll feel how much the inner thighs should be working.
• That’s one rep. Repeat 64 times.

What’s working? 
This exercise, though simple, targets the part of the inner thigh known as your adductor muscles. These are the muscles you engage in order to bring your legs together or to cross them. There are seven muscles total that work to create this action, but the most important ones to know are the adductor brevis, magus and longus (a short, a big and a long muscle that are prime movers for adducting the leg.)

Ready to graduate to the next level? Try this advanced ball exercise for your inner thighs:

• Starting position is the same as the Basic Exercise.
• Use your inner thigh and lower abs to lift the bottom leg off the mat. Squeeze the ball, and pulse the top leg down to the bottom one while keeping the bottom leg off the mat. Try to stabilize your hips, and don’t drop your bottom leg!
• That’s one rep. Harder than it looks, right? Repeat 32 times. Other side!

What’s working? 
All of the same muscles as before, but the bottom leg is working harder to stay in place against the pressure of the ball and your top working leg. Your lower abs are holding tight so your hips aren’t swaying. You’ll feel the muscles get tired more quickly in this exercise.

Why work the inner thighs at all? Besides it being a part of achieving your #bariBODY, many people’s outer hips and thighs (abductors) are stronger than their inner thighs. Strengthening the inner leg makes your lower body more balanced and aligned. That means healthier joints that support your body!

As always, you’re welcome!

In this episode of Bari TV, find out what makes Chef Dave Shamoon - the mastermind behind our BariPOPS - Bariddicted.

Let’s talk about pasta salad.

You know, the ubiquitous cream-and-carb-laden mixing bowl that shows up at every barbeque, potluck and office party.

For me, pasta salad is the worst kind of culinary offender. Not because it’s fattening and carb-heavy. No, those are nutritional woes. Pasta salad disappoints the food lover in me because it is reliably underwhelming. Not horrible, but not delicious. Rather, it often falls into that gray area of “I can’t tell if this is bad enough to put down, or decent enough to keep eating.” That gray area that beckons you to that alluring mixing bowl each time you see it — just to see if, maybe, this time it’ll be an upgraded version of its former mediocrity.

It won’t. But that doesn’t mean we can’t fix that.

Our pasta salad features whole wheat orzo, a vegetable:pasta ratio that favors vegetables and a lemon tahini dressing in lieu of the traditional mayonnaise. Our produce spotlight falls on New Jersey tomatoes, which you’ve likely seen dominating your local farmer’s market for the past week or so. And for good reason. At their seasonal peak (now!), tomatoes are super sweet. And, if you’re greedy like us, you can roast them in olive oil and a touch of maple syrup to make them even sweeter.

We know ovens in July are no fun, but we promise oven-roasted, caramelized tomatoes are totally worth it.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 lb. fresh cherry tomatoes
• 2 large zucchinis, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 lb. whole wheat orzo
• 1 cup oil-cured black olives

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 lemons
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ¼ cup hummus
• 2 tbsp. warm water
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• ½ tsp. cayenne (optional)
• Parmesan and sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350. Add tomatoes (cut side up), zucchinis and onion to a rimmed baking tray. Combine olive oil and maple syrup. Drizzle over vegetables and coat well. Roast for 30-40 minutes, until tomatoes begin to caramelize around the edges.
• While vegetables are roasting, boil orzo according to package directions. Once cooked and drained, set aside and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil (to prevent sticking).
• When vegetables are roasted, add tomatoes, zucchini, onions and olives to orzo. Mix.
• Whisk all dressing ingredients together until well combined. Add to pasta salad, making sure to coat evenly.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and parmesan, if you’d like.

From The Daily:

“Fitness expert Brice Hall of Bari Studio in New York City has trained Hollywood stars, supermodels and professional athletes. Now he’s joining forces with The Daily to help whip you into shape. Follow along with today’s video for simple moves to tone your legs.”

From The Daily:

“Fitness expert Brice Hall of Bari Studio in New York City has trained Hollywood stars, supermodels and professional athletes. Now he’s joining forces with The Daily to help whip you into shape. Follow along with today’s video for simple moves to tone your legs.”

We’ll admit, sipping on a Pina Colada is the perfect poolside refreshment. That being said, the average Pina Colada has around 400 calories and the sugar content is a huge bloat inducer. Gross! If you’re looking for a few fun drinks to sip on during these hot summer days, look no further. Here are 5 delicious (and healthy!) summer cocktails that are under 100 calories! Your stomach will thank us.

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