How Hollywood's biggest stars stay fit

They're just like you and I

Think it’s all personal trainers, private gyms and Erewhon smoothies keeping the A-List in shape? Plot twist: when it comes to keeping fit, they’re just like us. Here, four celeb workouts that mere mortals can master.

Ever wondered how some of the world's hottest pop stars (Taylor Swift, Harry Styles et al) prepare for massive global tours? Or how Hollywood’s top actors, including Daniel Craig, Paul Mescal and Jennifer Aniston, get in shape for a role?

From Pilates and circuit training to running and weights, you might be surprised to discover that when it comes to keeping fit, the rich and famous opt for some extremely accessible ways to break a sweat. So, all in the name of optimising your workout, we breakdown how A-list celebs stay in peak condition and ask personal trainer Luke Hines to weigh in on why they’re also great fitness options for us, too. 

PILATES 

FAMOUS FANS:

She may be one of the most bankable names in Hollywood, but homegrown star Margot Robbie likes to keep her workouts simple. Her modality of choice? Lengthening and strengthening with reformer Pilates. 

“If I’m making a conscious effort to exercise, I work with a Pilates trainer on a reformer machine and that suits me and my body best,” the star of Barbie told The Telegraph. 

British boybander turned Grammy Award-winning solo artist, Harry Styles, also swears by the method. The pop icon frequents Exhale Pilates in London, where his trainer Gary Noble takes him through his paces with one-on-one sessions. Noble told Elite Daily the musician likes to focus on “his core, keeping his spine strong and healthy, posture on point, and anything to release tight hamstrings and tense muscles throughout the body.”

LUKE HINES SAYS:

“There’s a reason Margot and Harry love Pilates – it’s the whole package. If you’re looking for a fun way to boost your health, Pilates ticks every box. Think of it as a full-body workout that whispers sweet nothings to your muscles while strengthening your core, improving flexibility and enhancing posture. Plus, it’s like a spa day for your mind, helping you to feel calmer and stronger with every class.” 

She may be one of the most bankable names in Hollywood, but homegrown star Margot Robbie likes to keep her workouts simple. Image: Getty

RUNNING

FAMOUS FANS:

When it comes to megastars, no-one brings the on-stage stamina quite like global phenomenon, Taylor Swift. Currently on the final leg of her record-breaking Eras tour, the pop icon knew she’d need to be at peak fitness to perform the 3.5 hour-long extravaganza, night after night. Swift revealed to Time Magazine she began training six months out by running on the treadmill daily while singing the set list out loud: “Fast for fast songs and a jog or fast walk for slow songs.”

Elsewhere, it’s been a while since fans have seen Rihanna on tour, but should the “Umbrella” singer decide to hit the road again, she’ll be ready. “My exercise schedule varies depending on whether I’m filming or touring,” she told Women’s Health. “But I like to work out a minimum of three times a week, wherever I am in the world and whatever I’m doing. I’ll run five kilometres and tag a strength session on to the end.”

LUKE HINES SAYS:

“These two pop power women are heading right to where the results are for so many facets of health. Physically, running strengthens your cardiovascular system, tones muscles and helps maintain a healthy weight. Mentally, it dials down stress and anxiety by releasing endorphins, boosting mood and mental clarity. Whether you’re an A-list celeb, a beginner or someone seeking enhanced mental wellness, lacing up your runners on a regular basis is one of the best ways to transform both mind and body.”

Currently on the final leg of her record-breaking Eras tour, the pop icon knew she’d need to be at peak fitness to perform the 3.5 hour-long extravaganza, night after night. Image: Getty

WEIGHTS

FAMOUS FANS:

You’ve seen plenty of pap shots of him running around London in short shorts, but to prepare for his role in Gladiator II, Paul Mescal upped his weights game. The Irish actor told Vanity Fair, “I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage… I think also, sometimes, one could, in striving for that perfect look, end up looking more like an underwear model than a warrior.” To achieve a ‘Roman Empire’ physique, the actor engaged trainer Tim Blakeley of the Media Physiques company, who set the internet into a frenzy when he posted a video of the shirtless actor performing an intense dumbbell workout. 

Mescal’s All of Us Strangers co-star, Andrew Scott, has also been banking plenty of hours on the gym floor. The fellow Irish actor hit up trainer James Cohen to improve his fitness for the film he starred in alongside Mescal, then took it up a notch to get “ripped for Ripley”, as Cohen coined their weights sessions. The trainer recently posted gym pics with the star on Instagram and shared Scott’s workout mantra: “Our bodies and health are the biggest assets we have, so to my mind it’s the best investment you can make.” 

LUKE HINES SAYS:

“Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott know where it’s at, and it also happens to be my favourite form of exercise. Weight lifting is proven to be a game-changer for your health. Building lean muscle mass through strength training boosts metabolism, helping you burn more calories even when the body is at rest. It’s an effective fitness routine for both men and women, promoting overall strength and endurance.”

You’ve seen plenty of pap shots of him running around London in short shorts, but to prepare for his role in Gladiator II, Paul Mescal upped his weights game. Image: Getty

CIRCUIT TRAINING

FAMOUS FANS:

Daniel Craig has played James Bond in five films across almost 15 years, so it’s no wonder he’s got his routine down to a fine art. The actor recently revealed he exercises five times a week. “The workouts only last 45 minutes, but we don’t stop. Circuits, lifting, working weights and lots of pull-ups… I told my personal trainer, Simon Waterson, ‘I’ve got to look like I could kill someone when I take my shirt off,’” Craig shared with GQ. 

America’s sweetheart Jennifer Aniston is also a big fan of circuit training. The mega-fit actor loves yoga, elliptical training and boxing, however she told Vogue that her favourite way to train is weighted circuits where she “throws heavy boulders around, pushes medicine balls and wiggles that big rope thing. And then I do 45 minutes of intervals on my elliptical. I raise the incline, run for two minutes, walk for one, run for two… and do it for 20 minutes straight until I’m just drenched.” While Aniston might not have the technical language down, her physique proves that she certainly has fitness form.

LUKE HINES SAYS:

“Circuit training is like an exercise buffet – you get a little of everything. It’s an epic way to hit all your muscle groups in one go, making it perfect for fitness enthusiasts, beginners and athletes alike. You’ll sweat like a marathon runner, lift like a bodybuilder and maybe even find yourself doing burpees (maybe). Plus, it’s so varied you’ll never get bored.”

America’s sweetheart Jennifer Aniston is also a big fan of circuit training. Image: Getty

CELEB FULL-THROTTLE WORKOUTS 

Sometimes the A-list have to go next-level when training for a particular project. Here are some of the most impressive approaches that have gotten social media buzzing

SAMURAI TRAINING: Henry Golding

When preparing for Snake Eyes, the actor went method and spent two months training with Japanese action choreographer, film director and samurai master, Kenji Tanigaki. 

BARBIE BOOTCAMP: Ryan Gosling

The Gos is always in fine form, but to become Ken he went to ‘Barbie Bootcamp’ which included two hours of dance training and Ken-approved activities: ping-pong and basketball. 

AERIAL ACROBATICS: P!nk

Anyone who’s seen her on tour knows P!nk doesn’t just dance, she flies across the stadium. To prepare, the singer does intensive aerial acrobatics training with aerialist Dreya Weber. 

Originally published as How Hollywood's biggest stars stay fit