These hips never lie.
Shakira’s abs — and hips — are iconic. It’s no secret that the Colombian pop star is a phenomenal performer and belly dancer, and it definitely shows in her ripped core. Off-stage, Shakira stays in shape with her longtime friend and personal trainer Anna Kaiser, who just dropped the singer’s favorite core sculpting routine you can do at home. If you want to take your own burn up a notch, here’s how to do Shakira’s ab workout in just six challenging moves.
Shakira likes to keep her physical activity dynamic and fun, whether she’s skateboarding, dancing, or focusing on a single muscle group in the gym. She also loves to follow Kaiser’s popular dance interval workouts, which fans can try online, after a sweat session of strength training. Back in 2020 when she was prepping for her 2020 Super Bowl performance with Jennifer Lopez, Kaiser told Vogue that Shakira’s fitness routine varied around an hour of body weight strength training, High Intensity Interval Training circuits, and some swimming for cardio.
It turns out that toning her abs is Shakira’s favorite workout, though. In a January 2023 interview with Shape and an Instagram video shared with her followers, Kaiser revealed that the “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” singer swears by a six-move ab workout that’s revenge body goals. While it’s quick, this surprisingly tough routine is designed to work every muscle in your core. Music, unsurprisingly, is a huge part of Shakira’s fitness as well, and Kaiser always comes with fun beats to keep the singer on her toes. So, queue up a playlist with “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka,” roll out your mat, and get ready to find bliss in the burn with Shakira’s full ab routine.
In a stable standing position with your feet hip-width apart, hold small weights in each hand at your side. Then, lower the right weight down past your knee while lifting the left weight up to toward the side of your rib cage. Make sure to hinge on the right obliques as you slowly lower and lift for 20 reps, then repeat on the other side.
Stay in the previous standing position, but this time, hold the two weights together above your head. In one movement, lift your right knee up to your chest as you pull your arms down in a twist. Exhale as the weights meet your knee, then slowly return your foot back down and extend your arms overhead. Repeat the move for one minute and then switch to the left side.
This exercise is like a side plank and a crunch in one. Start on your right hip, with your right elbow propping you up and legs extended on the mat. Cinch your obliques as you bring your legs up with your knees bent to meet the right elbow. Do this 15 times at a slow pace then repeat on the left side. You can kick it up a notch by holding a pilates ball between your knees as you pull toward your chest.
For this move, Shakira rests a pilates ball behind her back to challenge her core, but you can lean back halfway at a 45 degree angle instead, or lay flat in a regular crunch position.
With your feet firmly on the ground, knees bent, and hands resting behind your head, lift your chest toward the knees with your core. On the way up, rotate your torso and extend the right arm across the body, tapping behind your knees. Repeat this for one minute and four reps, and then work the left side.
Another crunch variation Shakira does is an outer twist. At the top of the crunch, rotate the right arm to your side and tap behind the mat. After one minute and another four reps, repeat on the left side.
Shakira ups the burn with this move by holding the end of a towel in each hand above her head. Start seated on the mat, with legs extended, knees bent, and heels firm to the floor. Lean back as far as possible, holding arms out in front of you, then lift your arms, bringing the towel above your head in a curved, “C” motion. On the way down, rest the towel back in line with your shoulders. Slowly draw this curve 15 times for a deep burn in your core.
For this elevated crunch, Shakira rests a pilates ball on her shoulder blades, but you can take a flat crunch position too. Lying down with your hands supporting the back of the head, extend your legs in a V-shape with a slight outward turn at your toes. Taking three beats to exhale, lift your chest upward at three points of the crunch motion, pausing as you lift higher. Lower back down to the mat as you inhale and repeat the move for 15 reps.
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