While many celebrities are known for downplaying their workout routines, claiming they ‘hate the gym’, while having the most sculpted physique ever, Jennifer Aniston is refreshingly honest.

The 57-year-old is open about the fact she works out – hard – for her toned figure, with her trainer, Dani Coleman, often sharing insights into their routine on Instagram.

The latest video of the duo sees Jen performing a plank-to-pike move on gliders (the little pads under her feet), with alternating reaches. Watch the video below to see the move in action.

Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, Dani, who is VP of training at PVOLVE, the exercise regimen Jennifer famously follows, revealed: “Jen and I love to play with different plank variations. Instead of rushing through reps, we focus on the muscles doing the work, which creates deeper activation and helps build strength without unnecessary strain on the joints.”

Even as a committed exerciser myself, the move looks daunting, but the good news is you don’t have to do it for hours on end, according to Dani. “Even in 10 to 15 minutes, that kind of focused training can be incredibly effective and help build consistency in your movement practice, which is crucial.”

Fancy giving it a go? We spoke to fellow fitness professionals about why Jen’s plank to pike move is so effective, how to add it to your routine, and what to do if it looks impossible to you.

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Plank to pike: how to

“The movement starts in a high plank with your feet on gliders, then uses your core to glide your feet toward your hands before returning to a strong plank position,” explains Dani’s PVOLVE colleague, Antonietta Vicario, who is Chief Training Officer at the company.

“The alternating reach adds another layer of challenge because your body has to resist rotating or shifting as you remove one hand from the floor. It combines strength, stability, and coordination into one exercise. It may look playful in the video, but it actually requires your entire body to work together in a very controlled way.”

Why it works

Fitness professional Tara Riley explains: “Plank to pike is incredibly challenging as it recruits multiple muscle groups at once and requires strength and control. Unsurprisingly, the abdominals play a key part – both Rectus abdominis (six-pack) and transverse abdominis (deep core) as well as obliques (side).”

© @yogaandphoto

She adds that the shoulders, upper back and arms are just as key in the move. “Deltoids, triceps, upper back and chest muscles work to stabilise the upper body through the transition. And finally, you’ll even get a hamstring and calf stretch at the top of the pike. Performing this move is impressive at any age!”

Antoinette agrees. “This is truly a full-body exercise. Your deep core is driving the movement, while your shoulders, chest, upper back, glutes, hip flexors, hamstrings, and even your feet are all working together to create and control the movement.”

On the addition of the gliders, she adds: “The gliders increase the demand on your stabilising muscles because nothing is fixed. Your body has to constantly adjust and control the movement rather than relying on momentum, making it a very functional way to build strength.”

How long do I have to do it for?

If you think the move looks intimidating and wonder how long you’ll have to do it for, Antoinette reassures that it’s quality, not quantity.

“I’d rather see someone complete fewer sets of eight to 12 slow, controlled repetitions with great form than rush through dozens of reps.”

She does emphasise that it’s commitment that is important, though.

“As with any fitness routine, consistency is what ultimately drives results. Incorporating thoughtful, progressive core work two to three times per week as part of a balanced strength program is far more effective than trying to cram all of your core training into one session.

“Over time, you’ll not only notice improvements in strength, but also in balance, posture, body control, and how you move throughout everyday life.”

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Alternative options for beginners

If the plank to pike feels inconceivable (for now!) Tara has suggestions for a more accessible version for beginners

“It’s a really challenging move and a lot of people can’t quite do it for a number of reasons – either their hamstrings are too tight, or they don’t have the shoulder stability or strength. A modification of the exercise for beginners sees you start in the plank position and then instead of piking, you drag your legs and bend your knees into a hover, bringing the knees underneath your hips with your feet still on the sliders.

“So rather than tipping your bum and taking your hips to the ceiling to end  up in a pike you would drag your knees inward, ending up in a hover.”

She explains that the ‘plank to hover’ move is a good alternative or modification to start with before moving into the more advanced move.

Walking is one of the simplest, most convenient and effective ways to improve your health and fitness, whether you prefer to ramble outdoors or rack up some steps on the treadmill. And yet, runners still often underestimate the power of this activity.

‘People think that because it’s walking, it can’t be challenging and it’s not going to do anything,’ says Mathew Forzaglia, C.P.T., trainer and founder of Forzag Fitness. In reality, walking on a treadmill can be one of the best ways to get into running, because it allows you to control different variables like your breathing, speed and incline, which are all important factors in running, he adds.

We tapped three certified personal trainers to understand why treadmill walking workouts can be so rewarding – plus, four treadmill walking workouts for you to try today.

‘Walking is an incredibly economical way of using your energy and moving your body efficiently – it increases joint strength, improves heart health and lowers blood pressure,’ says Rebecca Kennedy, Peloton tread instructor. It’s a low-impact form of exercise, too, which means that it’s easier on the body and allows for more consecutive days of exercise.

New runners or those who are just starting an exercise routine can also do walking workouts as a way to build a training base. ‘It’s a cheat tool in conditioning in the sense of adding the base layer that we can build on top of when we start to introduce running and sprinting,’ says Forzaglia. Easing into running via walking allows you to build intensity without feeling as sore as you do post-run, which can encourage you to do more of it, he adds.

For advanced runners, treadmill walking workouts, like the ones listed below, are a great option to practice on active recovery days, says Kennedy. You’ll still get in a cardio workout, but without that impact of running.

Lastly, walking workouts can come in handy if you’re coming back from an injury, as long as you’re cleared to exercise. ‘If someone’s injured, or they’re not feeling 100%, I encourage them to continue to move by walking – preferably, walking uphill, or on a treadmill with an incline,’ says Kenny Santucci, C.P.T., trainer, marathoner and founder of The Strength Club in New York City. This way, you can work to maintain your fitness levels until you’re cleared to run again.

This is a simple and fun way to add intensity to your walking workout in a way that will help you to strengthen the back of your body.

‘When you’re walking up an incline, your body is forced to lean forwards to essentially counterbalance and keep momentum going,’ says Forzaglia. ‘So that’s going to really challenge your posterior muscles – you’re going to feel your lower back and glutes, along with your quads.’ This is why you shouldn’t hold onto the treadmill while walking up a steep incline, because it will counteract your forward momentum and you won’t get as good of a workout, he adds.

How to do it

Intervals 1-4 (12 minutes in total)

• Walk for two minutes on a 2-5% incline at a pace that is easy for you (somewhere between 1.5 mph and 3.5 mph)
• Walk on a flat incline for one minute
• Repeat, increasing the speed by 1.0 mph and incline by 1% for each two-minute interval for four rounds in total

Intervals 5-8 (12 minutes in total)

• Walk for two minutes on an incline that is 1% less than your last incline interval and 1.0 mph slower
• Walk on a flat incline for one minute
• Repeat, decreasing the incline of the previous two-minute interval by 1% and speed by 1.0 mph for four rounds in total

This workout will help you to build leg strength and power by walking at incrementally faster paces on a steep incline, says Kennedy. You’ll need to pick an incline (10%, 12% or 15%) and stick with it for the entire workout, so choose wisely, she adds.

How to do it

Choose an incline of either 10%, 12% or 15% and practice the following:

• Three minutes at an easy walking pace (you should be able to hold a conversation)
• Two minutes at a moderate walking pace (you should be breathing heavily and only able to speak in short sentences)
• One minute at a hard power walking pace (you should be breathing heavy and only able to say a few words)
• Repeat for five or six sets

This lower-intensity workout is a great active recovery option for runners, as it offers mileage without the impact and you can improve endurance, says Kennedy.

How to do it

• 10 minutes of easy walking (between 1.0 mph and 2.9 mph) at a 15% incline
• 10 minutes of power walking (between 3.0 mph and 3.5 mph) at a 6% incline
• 10 minutes of easy walking (between 1.0 mph and 2.9 mph) at a 15% incline

If you’re looking to add more variety to your walking, this is the workout for you. It takes roughly 30 minutes to complete and will continuously challenge you throughout, thanks to the incline challenge. From the start, you will change your speed while lowering the incline, but still maintaining a hill walk.

Kennedy suggests going at a moderate pace throughout the intervals, which means that you should be slightly breathless – that way, it feels challenging but doable, she adds.

How to do it

To warm up, walk for five minutes on a less than 5% incline or flat treadmill

• Five minutes of walking between 2.5 mph and 3.5 mph at a 15% incline
• Five minutes of walking at an 8% incline, increasing speed by 0.2 mph or 0.3 mph
• Five minutes of walking between 2.5 mph and 3.5 mph at a 15% incline
• Five minutes of walking at an 8% incline, increasing speed by 0.4 mph or 0.6 mph
• Five minutes of walking between 2.5 mph and 3.5 mph at a 15% incline

To cool down, walk for five minutes on a less than 5% incline or flat treadmill.

If you want to get your digestive system moving, sometimes all you need to do is get moving yourself.

Along with its well-known benefits for your heart, lungs and muscles, regular physical activity supports gut health, doctors have told TODAY.com again and again.

And, if you want a workout for digestive health, you don’t have to go all-out. A short, simple period of activity may be all you need for better gut health, a gastroenterologist says.

Fitness Tip of the Day: Regular Walking Can Boost Gut Health

Any type of regular exercise is good for you, and certain types of movement have specific benefits for digestion and gut health.

In particular, “walking is great and any aerobic exercise is helpful,” Dr. Roshini Raj, gastroenterologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.

Why It Matters

Getting regular activity is helpful for so many bodily systems, including your digestive system.

“When you are sluggish, so is your digestive system. When you are sedentary, your digestion may slow down causing bloating, gas and constipation,” Raj explains.

“Exercise can help stimulate your gut and get the muscles of the digestive tract to move,” she says. “It can also relieve stress, which we know plays a role in gut health.”

We also know that exercise can “improve the balance of your gut microbiome, improving the diversity of bacteria in your gut,” Raj continues. “So you can add better gut health to the many benefits of being active and moving your body every day.”

How to Get Started

While any type of aerobic exercise is helpful for digestion, according to Raj, a gentle walk is may be the most approachable way to start.

And there is research suggesting that a short walk after eating has unique benefits for both digestion and blood sugar stabilization.

Just 10 minutes outside or on a treadmill or walking pad is enough to feel the benefits of walking after eating, TODAY.com explained previously. And you can add a little more complexity and mindfulness to your walk by incorporating Japanese or tai chi walking techniques.

Additionally, certain types of stretching and yoga can aid in digestion, particularly those involving gentle spinal twists.

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.