I hear it in the gym all the time: “I want Ryan Reynolds abs”, “Why can’t my butt be like J Lo’s?” or “I want to have toned arms like Madonna” or *insert celebrity body part X here* (funnily enough, I’ve never heard anyone request to have Rosie O’Donnell’s belly, but still). Most goals focus on weight loss or fat loss. In a desperate attempt to look like their favorite celeb’s body, they’ll do some research (ie spend two minutes online) to try and find the secret workout routine the celeb used to achieve that body. Fortunately, celebrity workout programs can always be found in the latest magazines, isn’t that interesting? After purchasing their guaranteed results plan, they set out in earnest to try to transform their bodies. And they fail. Why? Because they bought an illusion. Here’s why celebrity workout routines should be avoided:

First, the workout routines found in magazines are often not the actual routines that celebrities used to do their translation. This is because if the same concepts were repeated in magazines (namely, that it takes hard work and discipline) to achieve a good physique, most people would be put off. Isn’t it much better to hear that it was five minutes of “toning and shaping” rather than “running and sweating” that produced results?

Second, if it’s an actual routine that celebrities use, then it’s not a complete representation of what they do. A good trainer’s job is to include in a program both what will make the client see results and what the client wants to do. I will give you an example. If a client wants to lose weight, he must burn excess calories to help stimulate fat loss. So we will focus on minimizing rest, maximizing the total volume of work, etc. But on top of that a client may complain “I want toned arms, can’t we work on them directly?” And that’s when I’ll add some preacher curls or tricep pulldowns on top of everything we’ve accomplished before.

This does two things: it increases customers’ confidence in the effectiveness of the program and therefore their compliance with it. Second, it allows the workouts to become more fun and interesting for the client, making them much more likely to stick with them.

The third important point is the principle of specificity. Workouts, by nature, are supposed to be customized to your body. If you’re doing a routine that’s been designed for someone else, it’s the equivalent of going to a clothing store and trying on a random item of clothing, is it likely to fit you? There are so many external factors that need to be considered when designing an effective program, including: exercise experience, strength imbalances/structural anatomy, kinesthetic awareness (how well you can use your own body), body type, genetics, personality and a multitude of others. Doing what Madonna does will not produce Madonna’s body, inductive logic doesn’t work! Monkey see does not mean monkey do! In other words, don’t follow a cookie cutter routine if you don’t want cookie cutter results!

Finally, when it comes to celebrities, they have access to all sorts of tools that the average person doesn’t have. From the top nutritionists, chefs, supplements, recovery methods, entourage of trainers, and perhaps other “performance enhancers,” a celebrity has one big advantage over the average person. It’s the same as comparing the training of a professional athlete to the average person; Has no sense

In summary, although it may seem attractive to follow the latest celebrity fashion; whose. Most likely it won’t work and will only lead to frustration. Clarify your goals, find out what works for you, what’s custom for you, and if you’re not sure how to see results, find a qualified professional (in the form of personal training or another structured program).