Celebrity Body Secret: Muscle Confusion

There’s a reason we’re all so curious about hot new Hollywood workout trends: Whatever it is celebs are doing to get slim and fit, it sure seems to work! The latest star slim-down craze: Muscle confusion, which sounds wacky, but it’s actually a good thing. The technique involves switching up workouts so muscles don’t know what’s coming next. “Surprise and variety force your body to perform at its peak, blasting megacalories and combating the things that stand in the way of change, like boredom and injury,” explains Tony Horton, the author of Bring It! and creator of P90X ($140; BeachBody.com), a 12-disc system has followers doing plyometrics, yoga, karate and more six days per week to confuse their muscles. (Sheryl Crow, Jennie Garth and Pink are all fans of P90X.) Want to try before you buy? Try these five moves from the sampler Horton created exclusively for SELF. 

You’ll need: A chair and these P90X moves—that’s it. Repeat the circuit twice, three times a week on alternate days. On other days, take some new fitness classes to mix it up even more.Your red-carpet body awaits!

WACKY JACKS
Works: shoulders, abs, obliques, butt, thighs

Stand with your feet hip-width apart; raise your arms to your sides, elbows bent, palms facing forward. Hop onto your right foot as you swing left leg out to the side as high as you can, bending your torso to the left (as shown). As your left leg swings back to the floor, hop onto your left foot, bending your torso to the right. Continue, alternating sides, for 1 minute. Horton’s hint: The sillier you look, the better!

SWING KICK
Works: abs, butt, thighs, hamstrings

Stand with your feet hip-width apart facing a chair back with your elbows bent, hands in loose fists. With your right knee soft, swing your right leg up and over the chair (as shown), tap the floor, then swing your leg back to start. Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep. Continue, quickly alternating legs, for 1 minute.

DIVE-BOMBER
Works: shoulders, arms, back, abs

Start in an inverted V, hands and feet flat, butt raised toward the ceiling (Downward Dog). Bend your elbows and scoop forward until you’re hovering above the floor with your back arched, arms straight, chin lifted, on your toes (Upward Dog; as shown). Return to Downward Dog for 1 rep. Do 10 reps.

SUPERMAN BANANA
Works: lower back, abs

Lie faceup, arms overhead on floor. Raise all of your limbs and head off floor (as shown) to start. Hold the position for 3 counts. Roll onto your stomach, your hands, feet and head still aloft; hold for 3 counts. Roll back to start for 1 rep. Do 20 reps.

SNEAKY LUNGE
Works: shoulders, abs, butt, thighs, hamstrings, calves

Stand on the balls of your feet with your legs together. Stay on your tiptoes as you lunge forward with your left leg, reaching your arms up until your body forms a straight line (as shown). Step back to start. Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep. Do 20 reps.

For more of Horton’s muscle-confusing moves, click on SELF.com.

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