Rihanna's Trainer Reveals the Fitness Secrets Behind Her Insanely Toned Bod
Rihanna's personal trainer Dede Lagree reveals the secrets behind the singer's toned body in an exclusive interview with LIVESTRONG.COM.
If there's one person who knows how to get a tight and toned body while maintaining a busy schedule and worldwide superstardom, it's Rihanna. The 30-year-old singer has been working on strengthening her physique while gearing up for New York Fashion Week, where she'll be presenting her lingerie line, Savage x Fenty.
LIVESTRONG.COM caught up with the star's trainer and owner of Los Angeles-based studio Lagree Fitness, Dede Lagree, who revealed all the secrets behind Rihanna's rigorous high-intensity, low-impact workout on the Supraformer — a digitally controlled, resistance-based exercise machine that uses a system of springs and pulleys to achieve cut abs and a toned booty. Yes, please!
All About the Supraformer
With such a packed schedule and little spare time, celebrities like Rihanna, Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian all swear by the 25-minute Lagree Method, which utilizes its patent-pending Supra machine, currently available in Lagree's Los Angeles studio. But just what is it?
"The Supra is the first fitness machine in the world to do both incline and tilt. So the fact that you're balancing on this resistance-based platform, fighting against the system of springs and pulleys — and your own body weight — and responsible for moving the carriage that inclines up to two feet in the air, you're basically training for space camp," Lagree says. And while it may look a intimidating at first, Lagree claims users are hooked after just one session!
The machine, which slightly resembles a Pilates reformer, has the ability to tilt 12 degrees left and right, making a workout that much more effective. "While you're doing Lagree versions of planks, squats and crunches, you're fighting gravity and utilizing all 600 muscles at once to maintain balance and fight resistance," Rihanna's trainer explains. "It's quick, your mind is constantly engaged at all times and your full-body workout is complete. The Supra brings technology into the workout, so you're not necessarily working out harder or longer, but smarter." Talk about a challenge!
Rihanna’s Personal Fitness Journey
Now that we know what the Supra is, what brought Rihanna to the Lagree Method in the first place? Her trainer explains. "Rihanna first came to me at the end of 2017," Lagree says. "She had been constantly traveling and looking to get back in shape and on a more regular workout schedule. She has a great figure naturally, but just wanted to work on tightening up and sculpting, specifically her core, arms and inner and outer thighs."
As Rihanna is a performer, it's vital for the star to be in tip-top shape to get through hours of choreography and singing, so Lagree made sure to focus on building endurance during her workouts. "Because the workout session is only 25 minutes, it's intended for constant movement, little to no pauses in between exercises or while transitioning to different positions and parts of the platform, so the Supra was a great trainer to simulate and prepare her for an upcoming performance," she says.
"The first time Rihanna came in she said she was immediately obsessed with the workout and it was one of the hardest things she's ever done." To give you an idea of the benefits of the Supra, Lagree says that users can burn more that 400 calories in just one session — both efficient and effective.
The Rihanna Workout
So what does Rihanna's exact 25-minute session on the Supra look like? "I always like to start sessions by focusing on the legs because you'll burn more fat throughout your workout and the rest of your day," Lagree says of her time with the singer.
"The nice thing about the Supra is whatever muscle group you're working, you're also targeting your core. So while I like to train muscles in pairs — all legs first — your abs and obliques are also getting some good work in as a byproduct of the exercises, and usually your arms and back as well because it's all about balance and resistance. I like to then move to upper body and back and end with core-strengthening exercises."
One of the star's favorite moves on the Supra is a French twist, a movement that works all the muscles of the trunk, arms and shoulder. "This movement is particularly effective to work the abs and obliques and give you a well-defined and toned midsection," Lagree says. Also on the list? Donkey kicks! "This move targets your triceps, hamstrings, glutes, abs and shoulders all in one." Rihanna can also be found doing the "bear," a move that focuses on the arms, lats and abs; "skating," which focuses on the outer and inner thighs; and a "plank to pike," which targets the core, lower abs and obliques.
So why should you learn more about the Barbados native's workout of choice? For some serious fitness inspo, of course!
"Rihanna lives a crazy lifestyle that most of us couldn't keep up with," Lagree revealed of her famous client. "Between traveling, touring, recording, designing, business meetings and constantly reinventing herself with new branding deals, once she's on the Supra, all of that goes away and she's fully dedicated and concentrated on the task at hand.
"She's diligent, a hard worker and knows what she wants. And when she wants it, she goes after it — and nothing can get in her way."
Talk about motivation!