Adele's Trainer Shares the 7-Minute Workout He Starts Every Client On
, but what about her hilarious candor and sense of humor? Take, for example, her honest attitude [...]
If there's one thing everyone can agree on, it's Adele. Sure, she's uber talented (and has armfuls of Grammys to prove it), but what about her hilarious candor and sense of humor?
Take, for example, her honest attitude toward motherhood or her totally relatable feelings about hitting the gym.
Hitting the gym takes some serious motivation, so maybe that's why she brought celebrity trainer Pete Geracimo on her world tour last year.
Geracimo has made quite a name for himself, training A-listers like Adele, Kim Cattrall, David Hasselhoff and Pippa Middleton; but no matter who he's training, he makes sure to start off every client with a specific workout.
The said workout, which he calls Seven Minutes in Heaven, is made up of seven plank variations and is designed to strengthen the core.
"I love planks, and plank work," Geracimo says. "Because if you have any kind of back problems, doing crunches is not going to help."
Check out the seven-minute workout below.
Minute 1: Classic plank hold
Step 1: Start by lying on your stomach with palms on the floor next to your shoulders, feet and legs together with toes down on the floor.
Step 2: Lift your body up until your arms are fully extended and hands are below shoulders. Weight should be balanced evenly between hands and toes, keeping your body in a diagonal line from head to feet. Engage core and do not let hips sag or butt rise above torso level.
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Minutes 2 and 3: Side planks
Step 1: Lie on your left side with your right leg stacked on top of your left leg. Prop your upper body up on your left arm, keeping your hand directly below your shoulder. Keep your core tight and contracted.
Step 2: Lift your hips up until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.
Step 3: That's one set. Complete one set on your left side for 30 seconds.Turn around so that you're lying on your right side and repeat for 30 seconds.
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Minute 4: Forearm plank
Step 1: Lie face down on floor resting on your forearms. Push up off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows. Keep your back flat, contracting your abdominal muscles while you hold your body in a straight line from head to heels. Don't let your butt sag or stick up in the air.
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Minute 5: Table plank (or glute bridge)
Step 1: Lie on your back on an exercise mat or the floor in a bent-knee position with your feet flat on the floor. Place your feet hip-width apart with the toes facing away from you. Gently contract your abdominal muscles to flatten your low back into the floor. Attempt to maintain this gentle muscle contraction throughout the exercise.
Step 2: Exhale. Keep the abdominals engaged and lift your hips up off the floor. Press your heels into the floor for added stability. Avoid pushing your hips too high, which can cause hyperextension (arching) in your low back. Keeping your abdominals strong helps to prevent excessive arching in the low back.
Step 3: Slowly lift your hips up off the floor and squeeze your glutes. Your body should make a straight line from your knees to your shoulders! Hold, return to the starting position and repeat.
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Minute 6: Dish plank (or boat pose)
Step 1: Have a seat on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lean your upper body back to about a 45-degree angle. Keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.
Step 2: Pick your feet up off the floor and try to extend your legs so they are straight. Extend the arms so your hands graze the sides of your knees. Hold this pose.
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Minute 7: Superman
Step 1: Start by lying face down and extending your arms out in front of you.
Step 2: Press your shoulder blades together and lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor.
Step 3: Hold position for 60 seconds, keeping your head up and your arms extended out in front of you.
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