One of the biggest concerns of brides is looking great for their wedding day. Thankfully, there are plenty of fun ways to get in a work out. One of our favorites is barre. It’s unlike any other kind of exercise you’ve done and it’s in a group. We sat down with the lovely ladies at Studio Barre Newport and got their tips for making the most of your pre-wedding workouts.

Focus on SMALL, isometric movements and contracting each specific muscle group to do the work instead of using a big range of motion. It can really help to close your eyes and listen to the words of the instructor instead of looking around the room at other tuckers’ form. The movements are just THAT small and hardly visible!

Set small realistic goals for yourself and then reward yourself when you meet them! For example, if your goal is to get to a class 15 times this month and you meet it, treat yourself to that cute pair of leggings you’ve been eyeing! Of course it’s not always plausible to get to a class or workout every single day, but making your well-being a priority is so important. Schedule time in your day for self-care. Even write it down on your calendar! This can be a great reminder not to let life’s burdens override your ability to feel good. You deserve that! When you start making yourself a priority and setting time aside for your wellness, great things can happen.

Challenge yourself! Make each workout or class a competition with yesterday’s self. Can I do one more push-up today? How far through thighs can I get? Can I get my abs to shake? As soon as you start challenging yourself during each set of exercises you’ll not only get the most out of your class but you will see results faster! And who doesn’t love that?!

We all have those days where we are running around like nuts. Too much to do and not enough time in the day. You don’t have to feel guilty about not having time for your tush tuckin’, but instead alter small things throughout your normal routine to keep that hot bod in shape. Cut the coffee and instead have a decaffeinated tea, and watch what you are eating that day. When running errands, park in a farther away parking spot. And do some house cleaning! Cut and burn the calories some other way if it can’t be at the barre. You could be surprised at the sweat you break by just doing a day of housework (speaking from experience)! Don’t worry, we miss you when we don’t see you at the barre, but we will help you make up for it at the next class!

Try the buddy system and tuck with a friend! Having a barre bud will help you stay motivated, accountable and consistent. You are less likely to hit the snooze button when you know someone will be saving you a mat and waiting for you at the studio. Bringing a friend or family member to class also ensures some extra support (and laughs) to help you get through a tough class!

On days when you’re not at the studio you can still think about the target areas from class. While driving think about those lower abs tucking! When making dinner do a few leg lifts to target your side seat and bottom booty just to remind your muscles where they are. Also hitting a plank in the morning wakes you up better than coffee, so make it a point on your day off to challenge yourself to do a plank and increase the second incrementally.