Chris Powell: Bringing The Fun Back To Fitness
How Many Calories Will You Burn Doing Chores This Weekend?
Want a Celeb Body? Try These A-List Star Workouts
Posted on Feb 14th 2011 2:00PM by That's Fit Editors
Getty Images
The latest get-in-shape trends work for these celebs. Can they cure your gym boredom?
SoulCycle
Who does it: Brooke Shields, Kelly Ripa
Spinning can burn upwards of 650 calories an hour and carve toned thighs. Now stars are going for the upper-body burn, too. At SoulCycle Studio's "Bands" class in New York City, spinners pull on resistance bands hanging from the ceiling while they pedal.
To do it at home: Cap off your cycling class or bike ride with push-ups and triceps dips.
TRX Suspension Trainer
Who does it: Audrina Patridge, Cameron Diaz
Diaz's fitness guru, Teddy Bass, and other celeb trainers have been hyping the TRX training system, which uses nylon straps to hold at least one part of your body off the floor. (Picture push-ups with your feet suspended 12 inches off the ground.) The technique is effective because it forces your abs to work harder. Patridge gets the same effect by sitting on a ball while lifting weights: The core muscles fire up to stabilize the body.
To do it at home: Follow Patridge's lead: Do moves like push-ups with feet propped on a stability ball, or even a stool or chair.
Hula-Hooping
Who does it: Marisa Tomei, Beyoncé, even Michelle Obama!
This isn't your average playground routine: Classes at Hoopnotica use a weighted hoop to get a full-body workout that burns up to 600 calories an hour.
To do it at home: You can buy a sports Hula-Hoop on Amazon for $15, then go for it for at least 20 minutes.
Aerobox and Aerojump
Who does it: Eva Mendes
Celebs are flocking to the ring at Aerospace High Performance Center in New York City, where boxing champ Michael Olajide Jr. mixes shadowboxing, strength training and jumping rope. Each hour-long workout can burn 1,000 calories.
To do it at home: Jump rope between your strength-training moves. Ten minutes of fast skipping burns 128 calories. Wow!
Pilates Plus
Who does it: Ali Larter, Hayden Panettiere
In abs-obsessed Hollywood, celebrities are filling these classes, where core-targeting Pilates moves are taken to a new level by adding light weights. The result? Lean muscles and a bikini-ready middle.
To do it at home: Just do any Pilates DVD with three-pound weights in your hands.
Physique 57
Who does it: Kim Raver, Emmy Rossum
You could call it ballet boot camp. These 57-minute workouts mix squats and leg lifts with cardio and Pilates-inspired moves.
To do it at home: Add this move to your routine. Stand with feet wider than hips, toes turned out, knees over toes, hands on hips. Lower butt down to knee level, hold and do 60 tiny pulses up and down.
Old-School Workouts
Lest you think running and plain-old weight lifting are declasse, no worries. Even trendy Hollywood loves the basics.
Yoga
Who does it: Madonna, Gisele Bündchen, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow
If you have doubts about what yoga can do for your legs, arms and belly, see Bündchen's postbaby body. (We understand if you finish this article in downward dog.)
To do it at home: Check out the thousands of (free) classes on YouTube. We love Sadie Nardini's and Mandy Ingber's.
Strength Training
Who does it: Ciara, Kim Kardashian
When it comes to dumbbells, forget light and pink. "Ciara can load up the squat bar with more weight than half the guys you'd normally see in the gym," said celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson. Weights won't make you bulk up; you'll get smaller, since muscle is more compact than fat.
To do it at home: Get a full plan on the Glamour website. Remember that for strength-training moves, you should pick weights heavy enough that you can barely finish the last of 10 reps.
Running
Who does it: Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba, Anna Faris, Renée Zellweger
Alternate periods of moderate jogging and all-out sprinting to burn more fat than you would at a steady pace.
To do it at home: Step outside. Run. Or see Glamour's interval plan.
These Celebs Don't Work Out? No Fair!
Maybe it's because they're young and genetically blessed, but Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart say they don't hit the gym at all, ever, period. We still love you, girls.
