October 24, 2024, 12:34 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar made a name for herself in the 90s as a vampire slayer in the horror series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Exercise was a particularly important part of her daily routine during filming – and the 47-year-old has maintained this habit to this day. FITBOOK fitness editor Janine Riedle gives an insight into the actress’s workout routine.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is a prominent figure in the horror movie genre: she rose to fame with the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and secured roles in films such as Cruel Intentions and Scooby-Doo. However, the demands of filming required the American actress to maintain a certain level of fitness, which is why she consistently kept up with her training. Even today, training remains a core component of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s daily routine. On social media, she shares the exercises she enjoys including in her workouts.
Overview
“Training has become my personality”
The actress posted a video of herself training on Instagram. It is notable that she emphasizes unilateral weight training in her regimen. “I realize that training has become my personality … But while I was always good at cardio and pilates, I tended to avoid weightlifting,” she admits. However, she has since embraced weightlifting and found the right exercises to suit her.
One-arm rowing in a lunge
Sarah Michelle Gellar incorporates a certain type of rowing into her training: the one-arm lunge pull-up. She uses a free rowing machine or cable tower for this. She first positions herself in front of it in a lunge, with her left leg in front. She then lowers her upper body by bending her knees. At the lowest point, she grips the machine handle with her right hand; her arm is outstretched.
As she exhales, she pulls her right arm close to the side of her body until her elbow is at the back of her waist. As she inhales, she moves her arm back to the starting position. After several repetitions, she performs the exercise with her left arm, with her right leg in a lunge in front.
Bulgarian split squats with rotation and weight
For this exercise, the actress uses an elevation in the form of a squat stand. However, the exercise can also be performed using a weight bench or a jump box. The actress also uses a weight plate, which she holds at around chest height. One step away from the squat stand, she places the top of her left foot on it.
She then bends her right knee and lowers her body towards the floor. At the same time, she turns her upper body to the right side. After each repetition, she performs the exercise on the other side.
One-legged squats
Sarah Michelle Gellar also slightly modifies the squats in her training by performing this exercise on one side. To do this, she uses additional weight in the form of a dumbbell, which she initially holds in her right hand with her arm outstretched. She stands upright with it and then stretches her left leg slightly upwards to the side so that it is in the air and all of her weight is on her right leg.
As she exhales, she performs the classic squat movement on her right leg: She bends her knee, pushes her hip back, and lowers her upper body down. After all repetitions, she performs the exercise on her left leg.
Lunges with arm raises
For the lunges with arm raises, the American actress uses two dumbbells, holding one in each hand at her sides with her arms fully extended. She stands upright with them about shoulder-width apart.
As she exhales, she takes a lunge backward with her right leg and lowers her body by bending her knees. At the same time, she moves her outstretched arms forward and upwards until the dumbbells are above her head. She then returns to the starting position. She then takes a lunge backward with her left leg and brings her arms up again.
Planks with a medicine ball
Sarah adds intensity to the classic plank exercise by incorporating a medicine ball. Instead of resting her forearms on the floor, she rests them on the medicine ball and keeps the rest of her body tensed and in line. Her feet are close together. The actress holds this position for a few seconds.
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Cardio and pilates are also part of Gellar’s training plan
Although strength training is a key element of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s fitness regimen, it’s not the sole focus: she is a fan of cardio and pilates workouts. On her social media account, she occasionally shows how she works out on a treadmill, for example, or how she strengthens herself with Reformer Pilates. But regardless of whether it’s cardio or strength training, the actress simply attaches great importance to exercise in general, as she made clear in an interview with Shape: “When I work out for an hour, I can leave everything else behind and just focus on the movement and making sure it’s right,” says the 47-year-old.