Singing sensations Nicole Scherzinger, 41, and Alicia Keys, 39, know how to belt out a good tune, but they also know how to obtain rock hard bodies that anyone would envy, and their trainer Alissa Tucker of AKT Fitness is the mastermind behind their long, lean muscles and hard abs. So just how much work does it take to look this good, one might ask? Spoiler alert — It sounds hard, but it can be done at home! In an EXCLUSIVE interview with HollywoodLife, Alissa took the time to break down just how her method works, why it’s effective and all of the stars are running to try it, no matter where in the world they are, even at home!
Alicia Keys is really muscular and has great long, lean and toned arms and legs. How does your workout help her obtain those? “Alicia has been a devoted AKT client for years. She does private sessions and takes classes at our New York AKT studios. I’ve had the immense pleasure of training her when she’s in LA working on The Voice. In our workouts we alternate between intervals of cardio, either dance or weighted cardio, and strength intervals with short active stretches in between. It’s important to prioritize both strength training and cardio for optimal results. Our workouts are always full body and always challenging. Alicia is so strong and she works hard.”
Nicole Scherzinger also has amazing abs. What’s her workout to get those? What’s her regimin like? “Nicole is obviously a fabulous dancer so she loves our AKT DANCE workouts. We alternate between dance cardio and strength intervals for a full body workout. She loves working her abs so we spend a little extra time on core, focusing on the core as a whole instead of just the rectus abdominis [superficial “6 pack” muscles]. One of the best ways to work your entire core is, you guessed it, a plank. The entire second song of our DANCE workout is spent in a plank doing moves like knee drops, hip twists and mountain climbers to fire up the core so it’s ‘turned on’ throughout the entire workout. Then we always end the workout with a good core burnout, mixing it up, always challenging the body in different ways.”
Why does your workout work and what makes it different? “First of all, AKT is very challenging. Our workouts are interval based, which is the most effective and efficient way to train your body. Our programming is carefully curated by our founder, celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser, and changes every three weeks so you can come back and get stronger each time but never plateau. We utilize a variety of fitness modalities so you truly get everything you need in one place. And we take the guesswork out of it so all you have to do is show up, sweat and have a great time, because ultimately in order to stick to a fitness routine it has to be both effective and fun!”
Alissa, who’s in the process of helping the AKT Studios open on the left coast in sunny Los Angeles later this year, has broken down the stars’ workout plan from head to toe. If you need extra motivation during this time at home during quarantine since all 9 studios are currently closed due to the COVID-19 epidemic, have no fear, because AKT is here to help! The fitness company is currently offering AKTGO to get their clients motivated through these tough times, with new content added weekly.