Shakira and J Lo stole the show with their halftime performance at the 2020 Super Bowl, and among the things we were so impressed by (The dancing! J Lo’s daughter! J Lo flipping around on a freaking pole!) were Shakira’s incredible abs. Before Shakira’s 2018 World Tour, her trainer Anna Kaiser told POPSUGAR that the Colombian singer’s ripped physique comes from a combination of dancing, interval workouts, plenty of cardio, and of course, some key abs and core moves. (Anna told Shape that her healthy diet is essential, too.) Shakira and Anna have only shared snippets of what the star’s workouts looked like while building up to the Super Bowl, and from what we’ve seen, they’re serious business. And clearly, the hard work paid off!
Ahead, check out some of the core moves Shakira relied on to get those Super Bowl abs, plus more that can help you carve a strong core. And since Shakira was just one half of the badass female pair that put on the halftime show, make sure to check out these J Lo-inspired arms, back, and ab exercises too.
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Side Bend With Dumbbells
Shakira did this classic weighted oblique move while her kids pegged her with exercise balls, which means the rest of us have no excuses either.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding five- to 10-pound dumbbells at your sides.
- Bend sideways to the right, squeezing your waist on the right side. Keep your neck as neutral as possible, looking forward not down.
- Pull the left ribs down to return to standing upright. This focuses the work on the left obliques.
- This completes one rep. Make sure to do equal reps on each side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett
Body Saw
This ab move is extremely challenging, so it’s no wonder Anna incorporated a variation of it into her arm and core workout.
- Start face down on the floor, resting on your forearms and knees.
- Push off the floor, raising up off your knees onto your toes and resting mainly on your elbows.
- Contract your abdominals to keep yourself up and prevent your booty from sticking up.
- Keep your back flat – don’t let it droop or you’ll be defeating the purpose. Picture your body as a long straight board, or plank.
- With a flat back, use your elbows to pull your body forward, then come back to your starting position. Be sure to keep your neck and spine in a neutral position. This completes one rep.
POPSUGAR Photography / Maria del Rio
High Plank
Anna did a variation of the classic high plank in an Instagram dumbbell strengthening circuit.
- Start resting on all fours.
- With your palms flat, raise up off your knees onto your toes. Keep your hands directly below your shoulders.
- Contract your abs to keep yourself up and prevent your bottom from sticking up. Remember to keep your belly button pulled in.
- With your head and spine in line, keep your back flat – don’t let it curve. Picture your body as a long, straight board.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman
Side Plank
Side planks challenge your obliques enough as is, but if you want an extra challenge, drop down to one knee and crunch it up to tap your top leg, as Anna demos in this Super Bowl circuit.
- Balance on your right hand and the outside edge of your right foot, with your body in one straight line. To modify, stagger your feet and bring your top leg forward.
- Hold strong for 60 seconds.
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Squat
Your glutes are a key part of your core, and Shakira strengthened hers with classic squats in one of her Super Bowl prep workouts.
- Stand with your head facing forward and your chest held up and out.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Extend your hands straight out in front of you to help keep your balance. You can also bend the elbows or clasp the fingers.
- Sit back and down like you’re sitting into an imaginary chair. Keep your head facing forward as your upper body bends forward a bit. Rather than allowing your back to round, let your lower back arch slightly as you descend.
- Lower down so your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible, with your knees over your ankles. Press your weight back into your heels.
- Keep your body tight, and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position.
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Bicycle Crunches
Anna demoed a version of this exercise using a ball to support the lower back, but you can do this effective, simplified version with just your mat!
- Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground (pull your abs down to also target your deep abs). Interlace your fingers, and put your hands behind your head.
- Bring your knees in toward your chest, and lift your shoulder blades off the ground.
- Straighten your right leg out to about a 45-degree angle to the ground while turning your upper body to the left, bringing your right elbow toward the left knee. Make sure your rib cage is moving and not just your elbows.
- Now switch sides and do the same motion on the other side to complete one rep (and to create the pedaling motion). Do this exercise with slow and controlled motion.
- This completes one rep.
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Lying Overhead Reach
This compound move challenges your shoulders and core, so it’s no wonder it was one of Anna and Shakira’s go-to’s.
- Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles, using your low abs to press your lower back into the mat. Raise your arms toward the ceiling, keeping the elbow joint slightly bent.
- Reach your arms overhead, bringing the dumbbells to tap the dumbbells on the floor above your head. Do not let your back arch away from the floor as your lower the weights.
- Raise your arms back to the starting position to complete one rep.
