ICYMI, Kate Hudson recently posted a photo on Instagram that can pretty much be described as the physical embodiment of thousands of fire emojis. The minute you come upon the pic, you’ll stop scrolling — and start shopping for a copycat purple dress. But this “legs for days” pic also likely has you wondering just what she’s up to in her home gym to build such strong stems. And good news: Brian Nguyen, Hudson’s trainer and strength coach, has got you covered.
A longtime devotee of Pilates, pole work, yoga, and dance, Hudson is seemingly a jack of all exercise trades — but she’s also all about going back to the basics, says Ngyuen. In fact, the pair’s been relying on, in Ngyuen’s words, “technical, strong movements” to keep Hudson in tip-top shape whether she’s shooting a movie or running around after her 3-year-old daughter. (And during the summer, the duo focused on fixing Hudson’s push-up form.)
“We live and die by the basics,” he says. “We do squats, lunges, deadlifts, single-leg balance work, sprints, sledge pushes/pulls — we are doing the strength work that athletes do.”
To share a bit of that star power, Ngyuen shared the simple, six-exercise routine he says tasks Hudson with about three times a week. The best part is you can do the entire workout using just your body weight, but if you have access to some weights — a set of dumbbells or a kettlebell, for example, you can level up any of these exercises with added load, barbells, or kettlebells Nguyen says he likes to mix up the equipment he uses to train the actress and praises Hudson’s fierce form during every single exercise — even when she’s deadlifting 100 pounds of weight for a full minute or doing reverse lunges with 30-pound weights in each hand.
And even though she’s mastered the basics and has moved on to what Nguyen calls “load and explode” moves (eg a round of heavy squats, into jump squats, then sprinting, you get the drift), she’s truly learned to harness her strength and mental fortitude. “She used to think she couldn’t do it, but now that we’re implementing heavier loads, we’re having fun pushing past the edge of chaos,” he says. “Kate’s not afraid of heavy weights — the weight needs to be heavy enough where her integrity does fall and she has to regain that control. I don’t think we do anything so special, but mastering the basics allows her to play with speed, a heavier load, and instability.”
The take-home message here: Basic doesn’t mean easy, and it certainly doesn’t mean boring. Hudson’s lower-body workout from Ngyuen is proof. Take a rule of their playbook, and follow this leg workout that has Hudson sizzling on social and sweating like a boss in the gym.
Kate Hudson’s Lower-Body Strength Training Workout
How it works: You’ll choose your six exercises, doing each AMRAP-style (that’s as many reps as possible) for 30 seconds, taking 15-second transitions. Complete 4-6 rounds, with 1 minute of rest in between each round.
What you’ll need: Nothing if you’re doing this bodyweight style. If or when you want to add resistance, grab a set of medium-to-heavy dumbbells or a kettlebell.
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
A. Stand with feet hips-width apart. Shift weight to balance on the left leg and make a strong fist with your right hand. The right arm should be stretched long in front of the right leg.
B. Actively press left leg into the ground and hinge forward with control at the hips, bringing the right leg back while lowering torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Keep hips square and avoid arching your low back.
C. Maintaining a flat back, press through the standing heel and return right foot back to meet left to return to starting position, squeezing the standing leg’s glute at the top.
Do as many reps as possible on one leg for 30 seconds before switching.
Toe Touch
A. Stand on left leg with left knee slightly bent and right leg extended low behind hip.
B. Extend left arm straight overhead with palm facing forward. Slightly extend spine and lift chest, raising the right leg as high as possible while reaching the left arm up.
C. Scoop abs into the spine and sweep right leg forward, reaching left hand to toes. Return to start.
Do as many reps as possible on one side for 30 seconds before switching.
Bodyweight Squat
A. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, keeping toes turned slightly outward. Brace abdominal muscles to engage the core.
B. Inhale and hinge at hips, bending knees while lowering with control into a squat position.
C. Exhale and engage core and glute muscles to come to standing, making sure hips and torso rise at the same time.
Do as many reps as possible for 30 seconds.
Plank Variations
A. Start in high plank position with palms on the ground directly beneath shoulders, legs stretched long on balls of your feet. Glutes should be engaged and pelvis tucked.
B. Bring right hand off the ground to tap left shoulder. Return. Bring left hand to tap right shoulder. Return.
C. Bring right knee into chest and toward left shoulder. Return. Bring left knee into chest and toward right shoulder. Return. Repeat this plank variation pattern.
Do as many reps as possible for 30 seconds.
Glute Bridge
A. Lie face-up on a mat with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hands at sides.
B. Brace core and tuck hips. Engage glutes and press through feet to lift hips into a bridge position. Hips should be in a straight line with knees and torso.
C. Lower hips with control down to the mat to return to start.
Do as many reps as possible for 30 seconds.
Classic Lunge
A. Start by keeping upper body lifted, shoulders back and relaxed, chin up, and core engaged.
B. Step forward with one leg, lowering hips until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles.
C. Keep front knee directly above the ankle and weight in front heel as you push back up to the starting position.
D. Continue with the classic lunge or try variations such as walking lunges, lateral lunges, or curtesy lunges, where you’ll bring the back leg directly behind front, bending to 90-degree angles.
Do as many reps as possible for 30 seconds on one side before switching.
Complete the entire lower-body circuit 4-6 times total, resting for 60 seconds between each round.
This story first appeared on www.shape.com
(Main and Feature Image Credit: Getty Images)
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