Jennifer Lopez's Intense Workout Shows How She Strengthens Her Arms, Butt, & Abs at 54
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It’s no secret that Jennifer Lopez prioritizes her fitness, and her iconic abs show just how effective her routine is. Every once in a while, the actress shares a glimpse into how she’s able to maintain her strength, and we’re always impressed at how accessible (yet super challenging) the moves are — think bicep curls, chest exercises with cables, and intense crunch variations. Of course, Lopez also has the advantage of having trainers, a home gym, and probably a personal chef or two (perks of being rich and famous), but still — these are effective exercises any of us can do when we hit the gym. So when Lopez posted a new snippet of a workout on Instagram over the weekend, we were quick to take notes on the star’s newest moves.
Lopez starts out with a quick warm-up, using arm swings to loosen up her upper body before lengthening out with a low lunge and twist. This move is also sometimes called “The World’s Greatest Stretch,” a title we think is deserved in this case. This stretch loosens up your legs and groin, chest, and arms all at once — a true full-body move! — and can be done in static holds or dynamically, by alternating between sides.
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Then, Lopez jumps into her strength workout. The routine includes lateral raises that target the shoulders, squats with overhead reaches for lower-body, upper-body hybrid move, and triceps extensions to target the backs of her arms, as well as dumbbell lunges to target the thighs and butt.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a J. Lo workout if it didn’t include some abs. For this part, the star ditched the dumbbells and included one of her favorite moves (which she’s demoed before on Instagram): a reverse crunch. Forget your normal, knees-bent, hands behind the head, wrenching-your-neck crunches; with reverse crunches, you start with your legs straight up in the air. Next, you pulse your hips up off the ground to lift your feet towards the ceiling, then lower your legs almost to the ground, bend them in towards your chest, and lift them back up to start all over again. It’s seriously challenging and seriously effective, so we can see why it’s one of Lopez’s go-to’s.
We also love that Lopez is rocking the weights throughout her workout, because strength training is ultra-important for women as we age. According to the National Institute on Aging, strength training is important for maintaining muscle mass and bone density as our bodies age, and a study found strength raining lowers your risk of premature aging, heart disease, and cancer. It’s also great for your metabolism and your mental health.
It’s no wonder Lopez continues to prioritize strength-training workouts, and we love that in this video, she’s getting a sweat on in the sunshine too. “Daily dose of wellness,” she captioned the reel, which is set to Lopez’s recent single, “Can’t Get Enough,” and features the star wearing a cute workout set from sportswear company AiM’N. If Lopez is inspiring to kickstart your own wellness journey, these exercises are a good place to start — just remember to start with lighter weights (or just your bodyweight) before you crank things up to J. Lo level!
No dumbbells? Try this all-bodyweight workout that requires zero equipment:
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