Jennifer Aniston's Favorite Workout Is Low-Impact and Boasts Major Benefits

Close Up of Jennifer Aniston
Close Up of Jennifer Aniston
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Jennifer Aniston is nothing if not consistent. (See: The A-lister's legacy of eating the same salad every day for years — albeit not the one that was trending on TikTok). That's why it's not terribly surprising to hear that when it comes to wellness practices, Aniston is loyal to a workout she has raved about in the past. Because hey, if it works, it works.

Aniston spoke up about her love for Pilates, the low-impact yet seriously beneficial practice, during a recent interview with Bustle. When asked about her current favorite workout, Aniston revealed the answer is Pilates, adding that she recently heard the workout is "having a moment" right now, although it's far from new.

Pilates was created by Joseph Hubertus Pilates in the 1920s and was previously referred to as "Corrective Exercise" and later "Contrology," according to the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA). The original intention behind the exercise method was "to learn how to control the body efficiently, connecting the mind to the body," Sonja Herbert, a classically trained Pilates instructor and the founder of Black Girl Pilates, previously told Shape. This control comes from exercises meant to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body that are done with focused breaths, notes the PMA. Pilates classes may involve work done on a mat or on a Reformer, a piece of equipment with springs, straps, and a sliding carriage. (Related: The Best Pilates Reformers for At-Home Workouts)

This isn't the first time Aniston has voiced her love of Pilates. The Friends alum relied on the workout after suffering an injury, she told InStyle in 2021. That same year, she called out the workout for keeping her strong (as in, hold-a-10-minute-plank strong), in an interview with Well+Good.

But it wasn't love at first plank for Aniston. "I tried to do Pilates 20 years ago, and I just couldn't get into it," she recently told Bustle. "For me, it's all about the teacher — you have to have a really good teacher, because it can be kind of boring," she explained. "If you have an excellent teacher and you understand the beauty of it, it's like a moving meditation." (See: The Best Meditation Apps for Beginners)

It's no secret Aniston is a wellness enthusiast, so if the star is giving Pilates her stamp of approval (time and time again), it's for good reason. Of course, Aniston isn't the only Pilates devotee out there, and the workout boasts so many benefits. Pilates can help people build strength, flexibility, and mental awareness. Studies even show it improves cardiorespiratory fitness (aka how well the body processes oxygen). And because there's such a focus on small movements, Pilates helps protect the body and decreases risk of injury, Shape previously reported. This explains why Aniston may have turned to Pilates when dealing with an injury in the past.

Intrigued to see if Pilates is worth the hype? If you're looking to try Aniston's go-to workout, here's a 15-minute routine that's perfect for Pilates newbies.