The Quick—but Powerful—Full-Body Workout Scarlett Johansson Swears By

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

It's not easy being an Avenger. Or a Black Widow. Or a mom to a 3-year-old daughter, for that matter. Needless to say, Scarlett Johansson didn't become the highest-grossing film actress of all time by wasting minutes in the day—so according to Don Saladino, her go-to trainer, the superstar's workouts need to be short. And they better work. (Hey, it helps keep you motivated if you're constantly playing badass heroes in Lycra suits.)

"She just gets in and gets the work done," says the fitness guru (as well as owner of Drive 495 and Drive 443 gyms in New York City and ambassador for Garden of Life Sport), who also counts Blake Lively and Ryan Gosling as his clients.

"This is a workout I use with some of my clients when they don't have a ton of time, but it still gets them strong and lean and burns a lot of calories."

"Scarlett's a mom, and I think coming in and working [busy mothers] so hard every day is not responsible," Saladino says.  "I owe a lot of success to paying attention to what she needs on that given day. It's not about going in there and taking a HIIT-training mentality all of the time."

What's important to remember, he notes, is that sweating doesn't always dictate how effective an exercise is—Saladino sees clients succeed when they're focusing on how they feel and on the proper alignment of each move, instead of just going for intensity every time.

So, how does he make that happen? "This is a workout I use with some of my clients when they don't have a ton of time, but it still gets them strong and lean and burns a lot of calories, all in under 30 minutes," he says.

Keep reading for the 6-move circuit that Johansson's trainer swears by for a speedy (but serious) sweat sesh.

Scarlett Johansson's go-to quickie workout

"Depending on how much time you have, I'd run three to five rounds with no rest," says Saladino of the routine. "You'll get that done in very little time," he promises.

1. Split squats. Do a squat in a staggered stance with or without medium-heavy dumbbells. (10 reps each leg)

2. Push-ups. If you can't do the full-body variety, you can do them on an incline off of a bench. (10 reps)

3. Standing alternating dumbbell rows. With legs shoulder-width apart and slightly bent knees, hold heavy weights with your palms facing inwards. Lean forward at the waist with your back straight and alternate bringing each arm up to shoulder height, keeping elbows close to your body. (10 reps each arm)

4. Supported side plank. This is a side plank with your bottom leg bent at a 90-degree angle on the floor for support, while your top leg is straight and raised as high as you can hold it. (30- to 60-second hold on each side)

5. Romanian deadlift. Holding a 20-45 pound barbell with both palms facing inward, stand with your feet slightly less than hip-width apart. Keep your back straight as you look forward and bend down, lowering the weight to at least below your knees. Once you're as low as you can go, drive your hips forward to stand back straight. (10 reps)

6. Reverse crunches. In the regular crunch position, keep your feet on the floor and knees together with your hands clasped behind your head. With your lower back on the floor, pull your abs in as you lift your feet and pull them in toward your belly button, while keeping your knees together at a 90-degree angle. (10 reps)

For more celeb workout inspo, check out Karlie Kloss' exercise routine, straight from her trainer and Dakota Johnson's go-to 30-minute butt-sculpting workout.

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