Image Source: Getty / John Parra [1]
Shakira has some serious fitness goals right now — and she's working seriously hard to reach them! POPSUGAR just spoke with her personal trainer, Anna Kaiser [2], who shared the exact program she's had the gorgeous singer and mom of two (who's also nominated for a Grammy and IHeartRadio award this year) doing to prep for her upcoming international tour.
"Currently I am getting her prepped to go on a world tour [3]," Kaiser said, "which means we are working on increasing her endurance and stamina because she's going to be on stage for two hours at a time, singing and dancing [4]!"
Getting ready for tour! Trying to get in shape. Preparándome para la gira de #ElDoradoWorldTour! Shak [5]
Her Workouts Mirror Her Shows
Kaiser created a program that mirrors the HIIT style of Shakira's actual performances. If you think about it, when she's on stage, she's seriously working out! And it's a marathon. "The majority of the time, she's performing in an interval-style format," Kaiser said. "She's going for five minutes and then resting, 10 minutes and then resting, then a costume change . . . on and off for hours at a time."
"I want her workouts to complement that," she said. "We are — just like my classes at my studio [7] — working in an interval-style format. Alternating between different types of workouts, different lengths of intervals, and different lengths of time overall."
She's Doing Toning Dance Workouts
Ever the dancer, her workouts incorporate rhythmic dancing too, but not aerobic style. These routines are intended to help her become stronger and improve her stamina and energy. "We'll do my Happy Hour workout [8]," Kaiser said, "alternating between cardio and strength intervals. For the cardio portion, we're dancing — we're keeping it nice and low impact. Nothing too high impact, so she can really use her muscles when she's dancing and tone at the same time."
Crunch time! Shak @theannakaiser @aktinmotion [9]
And Challenging Treadmill Routines
On some days, they switch things up with a treadmill session — but it's not the kind of workout you're thinking about. "We're alternating on days with my AK Tread workout — it's my interval workout on a treadmill," Kaiser said. "When she's been up until 4 in the morning recording or rehearsing, this is a great way to get going."
Here's how it works: "You're alternating between strength and cardio intervals, but you're doing it to music, and you're working on all planes of motion — you're shuffling sideways, you're skipping, you're leaping, you're running backwards for the cardio portion. Then you stop and do the strength portion, but it's all done on the treadmill!" Sounds insane . . . and pretty fun! Kaiser shared that she has three of the workouts she does with Shakira on her app [11], so you can work out just like Shakira does.
Consistency Is Key
When Kaiser is with Shakira, they work together for "stints of two to three weeks at a time" and "bump it up a bit," intensifying the workouts while they have time together in person. That means one to two days a week, Shakira is exercising one to two hours a day ("Sometimes we break it up into two sessions; 45 minutes each or an hour each"), and then the other five to six days, an hour to 90 minutes each day.
"The main thing we're focusing on is consistency," Kaiser said. "As long as she continues with that [program] four to five days a week [while I'm gone] for maintenance, she's good." Kaiser noted that they check in over Skype to keep Shakira on track. That's dedication.
@theannakaiser @aktinmotion getting me ready for tour! #ElDoradoWorldTour Shak [12]