Cardio isn’t for everyone (especially in this weather!), but the great thing about it is that there’s an option for every age, taste and ability. One person who works out a lot but doesn’t necessarily always enjoy it is the actress Jessica Biel.
Ben Bruno is a personal trainer who has worked with the star for over a decade. You may remember him as the man who designed the workout that helped build those back muscles in The Better Sister on Amazon Prime last year. He shared a post on Instagram with the star, detailing the short but effective cardio workout he programs when Jessica is “busy juggling work life and mum life”.
The dumbbell workout includes four exercises done without putting the weights down. “Those four moves cover the whole body and also jack your heart rate up for some cardio,” he explains. He adds that it’s a “great option for when you’re short on time and/or energy”.
Much like a walking workout, this 25-minute session elevates the heart rate, helping to improve cardiovascular fitness and heart health over time, and strengthens the muscles, joints, ligaments, and bones in both the upper and lower body. For reducing osteoporosis risk and staying mobile throughout life, this is essential.
The workout
1. Alternate arm overhead dumbbell press
An overhead press will always work the deltoid muscles in your shoulders, as well as your triceps and trapezius muscles (traps). It's an essential in Jessica Biel's workout routine.
Here's how to do it:
- Stand straight with your arms bent and the dumbbells at shoulder height.
- Lift both dumbbells above your head with arms straight.
- Bring a dumbbell down to your shoulder and press it back up, alternating each arm.
- Repeat 10 times.
You will need...
Ben says Jessica starts with 10lb (4.5kg) dumbbells for the first two sets, and then moves up to 15lb (6.8kg) for the third set and 20lb (9kg) if she’s doing a fourth. If you don't already have a set of dumbbells, picking up an adjustable set is the most space and cost-effective way to switch resistance during your workout.
2. Reverse lunge
This exercise is one of the best glute, hamstring, and quadriceps exercises. While it's working the lower body mainly, though, you need to keep your upper body and core engaged at the same time.
Here's how to do it:
- Stand straight with the dumbbells at chest height, palms facing you.
- Step back on one leg and do a deep lunge, keeping the weights where they are.
- Bring the leg back to meet the other, and step back on the opposite side.
- Alternate 10 times.
3. Double arm row
Much like squats and presses, rows are what's known as a compound exercise, meaning they recruit multiple muscles simultaneously. In this case, it's the back muscles, biceps, core, and hamstrings.
Here's how to do it:
- With one leg behind you, hinge from the hips and have your arms straight beneath you.
- With a flat back, bring both weights up to hip height and then back down again.
- Repeat five times with one leg behind and then swap legs and do five more.
4. Single leg deadlift
A single leg deadlift takes some concentration, but is really good for balance and strength. It targets your hamstrings, core and glutes, as well as your arms and shoulders.
Here's how to do it:
- Start with your legs hip-width apart and the weights by your sides.
- Shift your weight to one leg while hingeing from the hips and keeping the other leg straight out behind you.
- With a flat back, lower your arms until you feel a good hamstring stretch, aiming for the weights at shin level.
- Repeat five times on each side.
How often does Jessica do this workout?
Ben explains that the pair do a weights workout one to three times a week, and then Jessica will do some Pilates and cardio too.
Generally, the NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every week, which this type of workout would feed into. Do it five times a week along with some other exercise (e.g. a Pilates workout at home), and you've hit your quota.
