The at-Home Ab Workout That Jenna Dewan and Jessica Alba Swear By

Photo: Getty Images/ DaniloAndjus
If I could peek inside the fitness routines of any two celebrities, it would be Jenna Dewan and Jessica Alba. Not only are they both #girlcrush-worthy for approximately 3 billion reasons (I mean, have you seen Step Up? Have you used literally any product from The Honest Company?), but they are, simply, strong as hell.

And, as I recently discovered, it's for good reason: Both of these A-list actresses happen to share a trainer. FitOn resident celebrity trainer Jennifer “JJ Dancer” Johnson is the force behind the six-pack abs and killer dance moves of these two powerhouse women (if you have not watched the video of Jenna Dewan performing "Pony," or seen Jessica Alba in my favorite movie of 2003, Honey, please stop what you're doing right now to tune into both), and works with both of them strengthen and tone their screen-ready physiques.

Here, Johnson shares three ab-busting moves that she uses with her star clients, and all you need to recreate them at home is two towels or a set of gliding disks.

Walking planks (4 sets)

What it works: The transverse layer of your abdominal muscles. "This will pull your abs in to give you a ‘snatched’ and tight look versus filling your abs out," says Johnson.

  • Step 1: Start in a high-plank pose, with the sliders under your feet.
  • Step 2: Hold the plank position and walk forward and backward eight times, making sure to stay parallel to the floor with a steady stance and no rocking at the hips.
  • Step 3: Once you reach the eighth extension, stop and do four "Spiderman push-ups" by pressing your arms down and sliding your right knee up to your right elbow and back to its original plank position, then repeat on the left side for one rep. With each down movement, be sure your knee comes up to your shoulder, and when you push back up return it to plank pose.
  • Step 4: After your fourth Spiderman push-up, walk back into plank position eight more times. "As you are walking through your planks, make sure you are traveling and really walk with the intention of moving across the floor," says Johnson.

High V Pike (3 sets of 10)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkAWxgxH0z-/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=dex7fndfqha9

What it works: Your upper abs

  • Step 1: Start in a forearm plank with your feet together, and exhale using your lower abs to shoot your hips and butt into a pike. As you push your hips upward, legs should open to shoulder width apart, and you want to make sure your butt is higher into the air than your legs are apart.
  • Step 2: Slide back down into plank and bring your legs back together.

 

Side Slides (2 sets of 10)

What it works: The center divide of your abs

  • Step 1: With both feet on one slider, start on your back with your hands down and toes pressed against the floor.
  • Step 2: Take a deep breath in, and use your core to push your legs (which should still be together on the slider) out straight to the side. Exhale and bring them back to center.
  •  Step 3: Repeat on the opposite side for one rep.

A note from Johnson: "At first, your legs might go back more than to the side but that’s okay! It just takes some time to get used to the movement. I like to do these on lined floor, using the wood grains or tiles, so that it’s easier to make legs go parallel."

To get the celeb treatment without having to leave your living room, you can download FitOn, which offers on-demand workouts from some JJ Johnson and other A-list trainer. And if you want more ways to get into the world of digital fitness, here are some of our other favorite apps worth checking out. 

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