From HIIT workouts to reformer Pilates and boxing, the Don’t Start Now singer’s fitness routine is all about balance. A personal trainer explains why her approach works — and how you can steal it yourself.
Dua Lipa has been serving plenty of holiday envy lately, sharing sun-soaked snaps from her Italian honeymoon with new husband Callum Turner. But while fans have been swooning over the idyllic scenery and chic holiday wardrobe, many have been wondering how the singer maintains her famously toned physique.
The Levitating singer has never been one to promote extreme fitness trends or marathon gym sessions. Instead, her workout routine combines a balanced mix of exercises that target strength, endurance, mobility and recovery.
We asked a personal trainer to explain exactly why Dua Lipa’s workout routine works so well, plus whether her daily core workout can really help you build stronger abs
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What is Dua Lipa’s workout routine?
Rather than sticking to one style of exercise, Dua mixes cardio, strength, mobility and recovery.
According to Lannay Dale-Tooze, personal trainer at Gymshark, that’s exactly what makes her routine so effective.
“Pairing HIIT workouts with reformer Pilates and yoga is a great way to create a balanced hybrid training routine that targets all of your muscle groups, strengthens your heart, reduces your risk of injury and enhances your overall performance.”
Instead of constantly pushing your body through high-intensity sessions, varying your training allows different muscles to recover while continuing to build strength, endurance and mobility.
Dua Lipa’s 15-minute HIIT workouts
One thing that surprises many people is that Dua’s workouts don’t have to be long.
“If you’re limited on time, 15 minutes is perfect for fitting a quick workout into a busy schedule,” says Lannay. “A 15-minute HIIT session elevates your heart rate and enables you to continue burning calories throughout the day, even after you’ve stopped moving.”
For home workouts, she recommends bodyweight exercises including:
- Burpees
- Mountain climbers
- High knees
- Jumping jacks
If you’re training at the gym, interval sprints are another efficient option. After a two-minute warm-up, complete seven rounds of 30-second sprints with 30 seconds of recovery before finishing with a one-minute cool-down.
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Why Dua Lipa does reformer Pilates
Pilates has become one of the biggest fitness trends of the past few years, and it’s easy to see why it’s a staple in Dua’s routine.
“Reformer Pilates is a low-impact workout that’s easy on your joints and can help build your core strength, improve mobility, increase muscular endurance, correct imbalances and improve posture,” explains Lannay. “It can also help reduce your risk of injury if you enjoy lifting weights or doing higher-impact exercise.”
If you don’t have access to a reformer machine, exercises such as glute bridges, side planks and Pilates roll-ups offer similar core-strengthening benefits.
Boxing keeps her strong
Alongside Pilates, Dua regularly incorporates boxing into her training.
“Boxing is a full-body exercise that improves your coordination, endurance and cardiovascular fitness, while also toning your back, legs and arms,” says Lannay. “It strengthens your heart, improves hand-eye coordination and can also be a great stress reliever.”
Unlike many traditional cardio workouts, boxing develops both muscular strength and fitness simultaneously.
Read more: 5 best women’s boxing clubs and classes in London
Spin classes build endurance
Spin is another low-impact workout in Dua’s fitness routine. “It puts minimal stress on your ankle and knee joints while improving your cardiovascular health and lung capacity,” says Lannay.
She also points out that classes can make consistency easier. “Reformer Pilates and spin classes are great social workouts to do with friends, which can help you remain motivated.”
Yoga helps her recover
While many people focus only on intense workouts, recovery is another important part of Dua’s routine.
“Yoga can be the perfect way to finish your week,” says Lannay. “It speeds up recovery, improves sleep and overall wellbeing while helping reduce stress.”
She adds that poses including downward dog and cobra are particularly effective for improving posture, back strength and spinal mobility.
Dua Lipa’s core workout
For anyone searching for Dua Lipa’s core workout, her approach is refreshingly straightforward.
The singer has previously said she regularly includes:
- Different variations of crunches
- Leg raises
- Planks
“The best ab exercises train your core through different movement patterns, angles and tempos,” says Lannay. “Different crunch variations and leg raises engage both your obliques and deep core muscles, helping build balanced strength.”
Even though Dua has admitted planks are her least favourite exercise, they’re one of the most effective. “Planks target your obliques, glutes and shoulders while improving posture and overall core strength.”
If leg raises aggravate your lower back, she recommends swapping them for bird dogs, which strengthen the core while placing less stress on the spine.
Read more: How to build your core strength — without planks or crunches
Can Dua Lipa’s ab workout help you get defined abs?
The short answer is yes — but not on its own.
“You won’t get defined abs overnight,” says Lannay. “It takes consistency, patience and time. The amount of time it takes varies depending on your body fat percentage and where you’re starting from.”
She recommends completing three core exercises for 10 to 15 repetitions across three rounds, two to three times per week.
“Remember to take rest days, too, as your muscles need time to grow and repair.”
The secret to staying motivated
Dua has previously revealed that one of the biggest reasons she sticks to her workouts is exercising with friends, whether that’s over video call or in person.
According to Lannay, it’s a strategy backed by science. “Working out with your friends or partner is a great way to stay motivated and build consistency.”
She explains that training with others makes exercise more enjoyable while also increasing accountability. “Research suggests that exercising with others can make a workout feel easier because social connection reduces our perception of effort.”
“It’s one of the reasons running clubs, Pilates classes and other group workouts have become so popular — they provide community, accountability and motivation to keep showing up.”
Feature image: Alamy
