“The joke was, ‘I’m about to be naked for six months,’” says Gunnar Peterson, the Beverly Hills fitness guru who, together with New York–based trainer Kacy Duke, helped get Dakota Johnson in shape ahead of the filming of Fifty Shades Darker. In order for Johnson to look and feel her best while nude, Peterson and Duke devised a regimen of combination moves that target what Peterson calls the “Triple A” (abs, arms, and ass). To do so, they favored exercises—such as a squat with a twisting press—that hit all three planes of motion: sagittal, frontal, and transverse. “For what Dakota is doing in the movie—the way her body moves—she needs to be capable of all that,” Peterson says.
Duke, meanwhile, focused on fluid, elongating exercises, such as the “Goddess,” a knee lift into a back lunge lifted into an arabesque, which required both control and grace—two qualities Duke considers crucial for feeling sexy. The moves not only sculpted Johnson’s body, but also instilled in her a sense of confidence: post-workout, “Dakota would always say, ‘I’m walking like a cat,’” Duke recalls.
While filming in Vancouver and Seattle away from Peterson and Duke, Johnson mixed yoga classes with a 45-minute personalized routine from Duke. Key were light 3-to-5-pound hand weights; a 4-pound medicine ball, which she used for side lunges; and a chair to hold onto. Here, Duke breaks down the moves—just in time for Valentine’s Day.
THE PUSH-UP TRI-FECTOREquipment:
Two small towels or a pair of gliders Muscles Targeted: Abs, arms, chest, back and legs, plus the heart with its cardiovascular kick! Reps: Three sets
Starting in plank position, hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart, place a towel or glider under each foot.
Start with one push-up. If you’re unable to do a full push-up, remain in plank position.
Transition into basic pull-ins, bringing your knees toward your shoulders, then straight back three times in a smooth movement. Complete three mountain-climbers.
Go directly into three pull-ins with open/close legs at the end.
Rest for 30 to 60 seconds.
Repeat 2 more times.
WARRIOR 1Equipment needed:
A chair; a weighted bar for balance Muscles worked: Every muscle fiber in your hips, thighs, and buttocks Reps: Three sets of 8 to 12 reps on each leg
Stand in the power position, feet slightly apart.
Place your left hand on your hip. Hold onto a chair or body bar for support.
Lift your right leg so it’s bent at a 90° angle and your knees are even with your hip.
Swing your right leg back into a deep lunge position so that it’s bent as close to 90° as possible, with the ball of the foot on the ground (heel lifted). Your left leg should form a 90° angle, with your knee directly over your ankle.
Return to the starting position but don’t pause. Immediately flow into the next rep in a fluid motion. Complete a full set (8 to 12 reps) without pausing, and then switch sides
NEW YORK BOOTY LIFT TRI-FECTOREquipment needed :
Weights in each hand Muscles worked: Butt, thighs, and arms Reps: Three sets of 8 to 12 reps on each leg
Start in a lunge position with a weight in each hand making sure your front knee is directly in line with your heel. Lunge up and down as you do a bicep curl with each movement for a count of 8 or 12.
Hold the last rep in the lunge position.
Straighten the back leg, lifting the heel off the floor and staying on the ball of the foot.
Moving the upper torso only, rock forward and back 8 to 12 times, making sure to keep your back and arms straight without rounding shoulders.
Hold the last rep; slowly pull your elbows behind you, and without moving your legs or upper body, do 8 to12 triceps kick-backs. Switch legs and complete full circuit before resting.
