I worked out like Jennifer Aniston for a week, and I think almost anyone could follow her routine

August 2024 ยท 7 minute read
2021-10-23T13:18:00Z

Day one: I started the week with a strength-training routine.

I started the week with a weighted strength-training routine. Fabiana Buontempo

The actress credits her toned physique to a healthy lifestyle filled with whole foods, intermittent fasting, and intense workouts.

Aniston's regimen reportedly consists of cardio, strength training, ab work, boxing, and yoga, and according to her trainer Leyon Azubuike, she sometimes works out super early before a call time. 

I wanted to start this week on a strong note, so I figured I'd wake up early and hit the ground running with an intense strength workout.

After drinking some iced coffee to wake me up, I put on my lifting gloves, did a few stretches, and got started with a full-body strength-training routine.

To work my upper body, I did three sets of 12 bicep curls, shoulder presses, tricep kickbacks, and rows with my 15-pound dumbbells.

From there, I worked my lower body by doing 12 squats, curtsy lunges, deadlifts, and static lunges on each leg with my 20-pound dumbbells.

I wanted to end the workout after my last lunge, but for a true full-body routine, I had to work my abs. I didn't want to do anything too strenuous, so I opted for a one-minute plank.

I was sweaty and out of breath after finishing.

Day two: I was hoping a yoga routine would stretch my sore muscles.

The second day consisted of yoga and cardio. Fabiana Buontempo

Since my muscles were sore from yesterday's workout, I figured yoga was exactly what I needed.

According to InStyle, Aniston's typical yoga workout starts off with 20 to 30 minutes of spinning.

Once her heart rate is up, she and her yoga instructor, Mandy Ingber, do a 40- to 45-minute flow, cycling between sun salutations, warrior II, triangle, and other standing poses.

I don't have an exercise bike, so I started with 30 minutes on my elliptical to get my heart rate up.

From there, I rolled out my mat and looked up a yoga routine on YouTube that included the same moves Aniston does.

By the end I was sweaty, but my sore muscles felt so much better. 

Day three: My abs were on fire after following Aniston's routine.

My abs burned doing Jennifer Aniston's routine. Fabiana Buontempo

Ab routines aren't my strong suit, so I was eager to get today's workout over with.

I made sure to stretch and warm up my body before jumping into today's ab sequence. I even did a little bit of jump roping because Aniston is reportedly a fan.

After getting my blood flowing, I jumped into the actress' core routine.

"We do a lot of things that stretch the core, so we'll do things where she's hanging on a pull-up bar, then she pulls her knees up and brings them back down. We'll use a sit-up to shock the body occasionally, but it's not a major part of our core regimen," Azubuike told Women's Health in 2020. 

I don't have a pull-up bar, so instead, I sat on my bench and did 60 seconds of in and outs to recreate that same move. From there, I did 60 seconds of sit-ups before going into her plank sequence.

Aniston's trainer reportedly has her do a standard plank, a side plank, and a plank with shoulder taps. I did that sequence for 60 seconds.

I completed two more rounds, and my entire core was on fire.

Day four: Aniston's interval-cardio routine left me panting.

I tried to do the full 45-minute elliptical routine. Fabiana Buontempo

I woke up later than my alarm this morning because my body wanted to sleep and my core was sore.

I didn't feel like working out, so I decided to take a rest from weights today and used it as an opportunity to do cardio

The actress uses the elliptical, and luckily, I own one, so I was able to follow the exact 45-minute routine she told Vogue in 2017.

"I do 45 mins of intervals on my elliptical. I raise the incline, run for two mins, walk for one, run for two ... and I do it for 20 minutes straight until I'm just drenched," she said.

The longest I go on the elliptical is 20 or 25 minutes total, so double that time sounded brutal.

I tried my best to keep up with the same intervals Aniston does, but I had to slow down and take a breather multiple times. At the end of it, I was just as drenched as Aniston described. 

Day five: I underestimated just how tough using resistance bands can be.

Jennifer Aniston's trainer favors using bands for full-body workouts. Fabiana Buontempo

I was feeling good today and eager to jump into an intense routine. Azubuike has said he has Aniston work with resistance bands, so I decided to do a full-body routine using just bands.

I did a quick stretch on my mat before taking my light band to work my upper body. I began with banded rows, bicep curls, and tricep kickbacks. I did three rounds of 45 seconds of reps for each move.

From there, I took a heavier resistance band to do squats, lateral walks, and glute kickbacks for another three rounds of 45 seconds each.

To work my abs a bit, I wrapped a light band around my feet and did bicycle crunches for 30 seconds, and then I moved the band around my ankles to do 45 seconds of leg lifts. 

I knew I'd definitely be sore tomorrow, but I was proud of myself for barely taking any breaks during today's routine. 

Day six: I let out some steam by following a boxing routine.

I've boxed during several of my celebrity-workout challenges. Fabiana Buontempo for Insider

Like many other celebs, Aniston has said she's a big fan of boxing.

I also love boxing, so I was excited to sign up for a virtual class with Rumble. The class consisted of 10 rounds of boxing and strength-training moves.

Although I was sweaty and out of breath after 45 minutes, I also felt really strong and empowered.

Day seven: A fast-paced yoga routine was exactly what my sore muscles needed.

I followed a YouTube video for the yoga flow. Fabiana Buontempo

Since Aniston barely takes any rest days, I figured I'd use another yoga routine as an active-recovery day since my upper body was sore from yesterday's boxing.

I found a fast-paced yoga workout on YouTube that got my heart rate up and helped stretch my muscles.

By the end of the 30 minutes, I broke a sweat and felt like a new person. 

I felt stronger and more confident after this week, and I think Aniston's routine is pretty doable for the average person.

The ab routine was one of the toughest parts of the week. Fabiana Buontempo

I really enjoyed following Aniston's workout regimen. I especially loved the variety because it kept things interesting and challenging.

Although I'm familiar with strength training and cardio, I don't often use resistance bands, so that definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone a little.

Aniston's workouts can definitely be done by the average person, with modifications if need be. They can even be ramped up if an avid gym-goer wants something more intense.

I was sore throughout most of the week, but I felt accomplished and strong at the end of each workout. I definitely have a newfound respect for Aniston and all the hard work she puts in at the gym.

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