Get a body like Blake Lively's: Star's personal trainer Bobby Strom tells you how
By Deborah ArthursLast updated at 6:06 PM on 28th October 2011
But, having been blessed with a naturally stunning figure, up until recently Blake Lively, 25, had never watched her diet and rarely hit the gym.
But as she set to work shooting physically demanding scenes as fighter pilot Carol Ferris in the superhero film Green Lantern, Blake tells Health & Fitness magazine that she discovered her fitness levels needed to be at their peak.
Blessed with a naturally stunning figure, Blake had never needed to watch her diet or pursue an exercise regime in the past - but her new film role demanded a new level of physical fitness
Today, the benefits of Blake’s new nutrition and fitness regime can be seen in her healthy, athletic looking shape. In fact, as per Strom’s own fitness philosophy, Blake says that now, six months on from the premiere of the film, it’s now part of her everyday life.
‘My philosophy is that exercise and proper nutrition are a lifestyle and not a movie role or a training period,' he reveals in this month's Health & Fitness magazine.
Strom is a firm believer that exercise and good nutrition should never finish.
Blake Lively had to get in shape for her stunts on Green Lantern, where she plays a fighter pilot alongside co-star Ryan Reynolds
The willowy blonde already had a beautiful figure but, for Blake, training was more about improving her strength, core and aesthetics.
Blake had to perform some of her own stunts on the film, so turned to Strom to help her achieve strength and flexibility.
'She knew if she trained with me she could master these stunts amazingly,’ he says.
And with Strom as her taskmaster, Blake says she's being tested more than ever.
‘I’m working out harder than before,’ says Blake. ‘With all those stunts, it makes sense to be well-prepared.’
Strom trained Blake for 60 to 90 minutes four times a week, depending on how her shoots were going.
‘Ryan and Blake normally both had day shoots but because Blake started shooting her scenes later in the day, I’d train Ryan at 5.30am and then Blake around 9am. Sometimes there were night shoots, so it was quite tiring,’ he explains.
On top of that, Blake had a lot of massages to help her get through. ‘It really helped her back,’ says Strom, ‘while helping to break up all the tight muscle tissue so she could relax and get stronger.’
FAST RESULTS
Strom was of course overjoyed when Blake’s team quickly lavished him with compliments on his clients’ shape, which he says, was achieved in record time.
‘Although I didn’t notice too much of a change at first, her team did! Just three weeks after we’d started training together she’d gone off to do a photo shoot and her hairdresser came back later and told me that she looked different.
Then Blake herself said she felt stronger and looked different, which was an amazing feat after such a short space of time.
‘After three weeks, I got results, I had abs,’ says Blake. ‘Definitely worth it!’
‘Blake’s shoulders, arms and back looked amazing,’ Strom says, ‘and with all my training and her hard work, she became much more toned and athletic-looking rather than looking like a thin model.’
THE WORKOUT SECRETS
So exactly how did Strom whip Blake into tip-top shape?
‘We started with functional training,’ says Strom. ‘Because of the way you’ve been conditioned to use your body in life, your dominant body side means you have weakened, underdeveloped areas, which prevents you from making muscle and strength gains.
This training targets weak areas and activates other muscles to adapt and grow. It also helps stability and core strength too,’ says Strom.
The trainer also did unilateral training with Blake. For example, while standing on your right leg (soft knee), lift your opposite foot in front of you, then lateral lift a 5lb dumbbell with your left arm.
Do this for 20 reps and switch sides. ‘Using opposite sides of the body destabilises it,’ he says, ‘so you have to use new muscles to stabilise.’ This exercise improves balance and co-ordination while building up muscle but not bulk.
For more exercises, follow Bobby on Twitter @bobbystrom.
LOSING BODY FAT
Strom set to work reducing Blake’s body fat by three or four per cent. ‘What you want is low body fat to get more lean muscle,’ he says.
‘To achieve this, we’d start off with a warm-up, such as a light jog, to get the blood flowing before moving onto circuits, which meant she was continuously burning fat.
We did around 10 different moves three or four times, repeating the same exercises but never in the same order.’
Blake’s assistant and Strom would shop at Wholefoods and work together on Blake’s diet. Blake bought a juicer and blended beetroot, carrots, kale and celery for an energy boost.
‘She also ate health foods such as tabbouleh salads and quinoa dishes but stayed clear of cream sauces and ate loads of vegetables.
It was great to see someone who hadn’t trained and eaten like this really appreciate what I’d taught her. She was very appreciative and looks awesome!’
STROM'S DIET TIPS
- Eat lean proteins in the form of egg whites, fish and turkey breast.
- Don’t forget healthy fats too, such as extra virgin olive oil, almonds and avocado
- Choose low-GI carbs such as quinoa.
- Reduce salt, sugar and high-GI carbs including white flour, pasta and white bread.
- Drink lots of water throughout the day.
- Eat regular, smaller meals.
- Allow yourself a weekly treat in the form of cheese or chocolate, but make sure you don’t overindulge.
