Lovely chatting as always. I’m off to teach Annie now,” trainer Monique Eastwood tells me as we wrap up our video call.
“Annie” to you and me is global superstar Anne Hathaway. Eastwood also drops “Stan” (Stanley Tucci) and Emily (Emily Blunt) into conversation as if they aren’t Hollywood royalty.
But to her, they aren’t. They were clients initially – Blunt joined her first, 14 years ago, and several household names soon followed. Later, they became friends to the extent that members of this group now go on holiday together.
Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci also represent a significant chunk of The Devil Wears Prada 2’s core cast. And despite 19 years passing since the original was released, all three have retained the svelte physiques associated with the popular film about the fashion industry. If anything, they look fitter and stronger than they did in 2006.
“I think Stan looks hotter now,” Eastwood jokes. “He is much stronger and more in control of his body.”
Hathaway, meanwhile, credits Eastwood’s training with “changing her life”, helping her feel “physically stronger and more flexible”. She even goes so far as to say her “outlook on life has improved” through their work together.
So what is Eastwood doing differently? The former ballerina blends dance, Pilates, yoga, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), resistance training and multidirectional movement into a series of choreography-esque flows.
Clients find this novel approach fun, refreshing and more engaging than a classic cardio workout or trip to the gym. Their lean physiques are a welcome byproduct.
Below, Eastwood explains how she ensured her clients were cover model-ready for The Devil Wears Prada 2, and shares a sample workout that Independent readers can try.
Read more: This is what happened when I took the RAF fitness test
Anne Hathaway’s workouts for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’
While filming a scene from “Prada”, as Eastwood casually calls it, a snapped high heel sent Hathaway tumbling down a set of steps. The incident was caught on camera.
“Did you see her fantastic fall?” Eastwood asks me. A seemingly odd question – no one wishes a bruised bum on a friend. But Eastwood was delighted by how quickly Hathaway bounced back up.
To deliver this resilience, Eastwood’s sessions contain many ingredients – some focus on strength, others on mobility, balance, or power. But the emphasis of her workouts shifts depending on her client’s goals and needs.
For Prada, Blunt did more intense sessions to develop the lean look associated with her character, while Tucci strengthened his core muscles to support the immaculate posture his role required. Hathaway, on the other hand, favours ballet-inspired workouts which give her “that feeling of poise and elegance”.
“I consistently mix things up,” Eastwood adds, embracing what sounds to be an oxymoron. “Some days we might use light weights; some days we might use slightly heavier weights; I will often add in jumps too. You have to have the hard with the easy.”
Read more: I did goblet squats every day for a month – the results surprised me
Not every workout should wipe the floor with you
Eastwood also adapts her workouts to suit her clients’ hectic schedules. To prepare for a specific role, she might make Hathaway’s workouts slightly more challenging. To counteract her “flat-out” filming days on Prada, she switches to “maintenance” mode – less intense, stretch-centric sessions.
“There’s no point in me putting them in a high-alert state with a HIIT class before they go and do a crazy full day of filming and running around in high heels,” Eastwood says.
Most clients see her for four or five 60-minute sessions each week. But results are not immediate, she warns. Progress takes time.
“I started working with Annie when she was doing a dance film called Mother Mary,” Eastwood says. “Annie laughs because, when she first met me, I told her that working with me is a three-year course, at least.
Read more: Do these two easy things to make your daily walk better for your health
“It’s time and consistency that will give you the ability and mindset needed to move like a dancer. And now she totally gets it.”
Training is a key element of her client’s morning routine. This even applies when on holiday.
“We [Eastwood, Blunt, Tucci and Tucci’s wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt] go away on holidays together and it’s part of their lifestyle – they wake up in the morning and they want to train,” says Eastwood.
“Sometimes they’re all together, which is such a laugh because you can imagine how cheeky they are as a group. I have to be bossy, and I sneakily get them to do what I want them to do.”
Read more: Why people who don’t exercise aren’t lazy – and the simple fix that makes it easier
The secret ingredient: multidirectional movement
Multidirectional movement is the common denominator behind workouts that forge robust, mobile bodies, Eastwood says. This is vital for her actors, whose jobs often hinge on them staying injury-free.
“I’m 59 years old. I’ve trained my body since I was young, as a dancer and as a gymnast. I have observed bodies my entire life. I’ve trained all types of people. I have a world of information in here,” she says, motioning to her forehead.
“My method is a different way of training. It’s not just moving up and down – lunging or squatting or lifting a weight overhead.
“You are moving from one side to the other, into a lean, into a lift, into a side bend. You are stimulating the muscles in and around your pelvis and core constantly. You are harnessing the power of that corset [of muscles around your midsection].”
This is effective because the body works on a rough use it or lose it basis. When movements and muscles are underused, they can grow tight and stiff. Eastwood’s aim is to include varied movements in each of her sessions, cutting this problem off at the source.
Read more: The overlooked vegetable packed with nutrients for reducing inflammation and improving heart health
Adding a flowing dance-like element to the workouts introduces intensity to keep clients’ hearts and lungs in good nick, while also topping up other facets of fitness such as balance and stability. Pair this with a nutritious diet – something she regularly stresses the importance of during our discussion – and you have a recipe for success.
“Everyone tells me, ‘My God, I sweat in those sessions,” Eastwood says. “You are keeping your arms raised in second position [a ballet term] while your legs are working. You have to stay poised, upright and connected to your breath throughout. It’s exhausting.”
This isn’t to say you should exclusively use Eastwood’s method to stay in shape. She encourages clients to diversify their exercise plans; sprinkle in strength training, swimming, hiking and any other active adventures that might tickle your fancy. Tucci enjoys supplementing his workouts with lifting weights in the gym, for example.
Eastwood’s sessions are designed to support the activities they enjoy by laying strong foundations.
Read more: Stop falling for fitness industry myths – do this instead
Try Anne Hathaway’s workout
The flow above is an introduction to Eastwood’s method. It features all of her hallmarks, from multidirectional movement to ballet-inspired exercises and flowing sequences.
To begin with, try to complete it without weights, then you can add light dumbbells (5kg or below) when you feel more comfortable with the movements.
“Use a strong exhale as you bring the weight to the floor and overhead,” Eastwood advises.
“Try to keep a neutral spine as you move into each position, and try not to turnout your feet too much in the pile.”
More workouts and exercise plans from Monique Eastwood can be found on the Eastwood Fit app.
Read more: The difference between celebrity workouts and ours, according to A-list trainers – and how to bridge the gap
