Abs like Lady Gaga. Arms like Katy Perry. Amanda Seyfried’s butt. We all want to look like the celebrities, but most of us don’t have access to the trainers or the time. Let’s face it, it mainly comes down to not having the money that stars have for fitness.
In a recent online article for That’s Fit, trainer to the stars Harley Pasternak shared some of the secrets. The author of “5-Factor Fitness: The Diet and Fitness Secret of Hollywood’s A-List,” Pasternak is known for training some of the best-known bodies in the biz, like Miley Cyrus, Halle Berry, and Jessica Simpson. His premise of “less is more” definitely has merit.
In the That’s Fit interview, Pasternak shared four of his top moves to help women have shapelier bodies. Add a rotation of these core exercises into your weekly routine, even in the privacy of your own home, and enjoy looking like a celebrity!
- Skater Lunge – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the dumbbells at your sides. Inhale as you take a large step backward, making sure to keep good posture. As your back right knee nears the ground, exhale as you drive back with the muscles of your back leg to the starting position. Alternate legs. Start with 10 reps.
- Dumbbell Dead Lift – Place your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your knees. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, placed between the front and side of each thigh. With your head up and shoulders back, slide your hips backward as you inhale. Keeping your weight on your heel and an arch in your lower back, allow the dumbbells to slide down your thighs. When you can no longer push your hips backward, exhale and begin to slide your hips forward, returning your dumbbells to the starting position. Start with 10 reps of a moderately heavy weight.
- Overhead Tricep Extension – Lie flat on the bench with your feet up on the bench, tucked next to your butt. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other. Inhale as you bend at the elbows and bring the dumbbells simultaneously down past your ears and toward your shoulders, then exhale as you return the dumbbells back to the starting position. Try to avoid movement of your arms except for the repetition.
- Seated Trunk Twist – Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Lean back slightly with your upper body and keep your head and hips still. Reach across your body with your right hand and turn your chest toward the left wall, then return to center. Reach with your left hand and turn your chest toward the right wall. Both rotations equals one rep. Aim for 50. For a challenge, lift your feet off the floor and try to hold the rest of your body still as you rotate. You can also add a 10 pound weight ball for even more resistance.