Not all of us have the guts to get naked on camera, but we should all feel confident in our own bodies. That was Dakota Johnson’s goal in preparing for her role in Fifty Shades Darker. She wasn’t going for the six-pack ab look, but rather, a firm booty, tight abs, and toned arms and legs. Celebrity trainer, Ramona Braganza, helped Johnson achieve that with Pilates- and Barre-influenced exercises in preparation for her role as Anastasia Steele. With all those steamy sex scenes, Johnson made sure to work out at least four days a week. Tighten, tone, and lengthen your body with these combinations of moves Braganza gave Johnson.
1. Plie Jumps in First- Small jumps with your heels together and toes apart. Keep your arms stretched out to the sides and slightly rounded. Point your toes and straighten the legs when you’re in the air. Plie Jumps in Second- Same as jumps in first, except you begin and end in a wide squat position with your legs turned out. Do for 2 min each set. You can split the sets up in between other exercises.
2. Fire Hydrant to Side Kicks- Braganza recommends using 1-2 pound ankle weights for these if you have them. Get down on all fours with your knees below your hips and hands below your shoulders. Keep your core tight as you lift one knee up to the side and extend the leg out in parallel without dropping the hip. Donkey Kicks– Stay on all fours but lower your forearms to the ground so that your elbows are now directly below your shoulders. Lift one knee up behind you and kick the leg straight up without collapsing in your upper body. Do 4 sets of 8 reps on each leg.
3. Small Arm Circles with Weights in Lunge Position- Make sure your front knee doesn’t pass your front toes. Your back knee will be hovering just a few inches above the ground. Hold onto light weights or weighted balls and extend the arms out to your sides. Do 10 small circles in both directions.
4. Tricep Push-Back on One Leg– Take your weights or weighted balls in each hand. Stand on one leg as you lean your body forward and extend the other leg straight behind you. Balance here as you pull your elbows into your sides and straighten the arms back for the tricep push-back. Hinge at the elbow to bring the hands forward again and repeat. Do 10 reps per leg.
5. V-sit, Roll-and-Extend-Sit in a V position balancing on your tailbone. If you have tight hips, you may soften the knees. Reach the arms forward to either side of your legs. Using your abs, reach the arms above your head and lower the legs down. Use your core strength to roll onto your stomach. Engage your entire backside to lift the upper torso and legs off the ground. Lower back down and roll back to the front. Use your abs to lift the upper body and legs back up into your V sit again. Do 5 per side.
Whether you’re baring all on the big screen or in the privacy of your own bedroom, this workout is sure to get you feeling confident in your birthday suit!
Also by Crystal: Cinch Your Waist With Kendall Jenner’s 7 Go-To Ab Workouts (Video)
Burn Fat And Sculpt Your Butt & Legs With This 5-Minute Plyometric Workout (Video)
Related: How Getting Naked Changed My Body Image for the Better
Get more like this—Subscribe to our daily inspirational newsletter for exclusive content!
__
Video: Crystal Chin
