Jessica Biel has revealed the full-body strength training routine she used to prepare for her role in the spy action-comedy Matchbox: The Movie. Her longtime personal trainer, Ben Bruno, shared a behind-the-scenes look at her workouts on Instagram, highlighting her dedication to challenging compound movements.
Biel’s routine focused heavily on legs and glutes, with some upper body work. Bruno noted that despite her impressive performance, she was managing a lower back injury during training. “We had to find creative ways to challenge her without re-aggravating that,” he explained. This injury, sustained months before filming, required careful adaptation of her exercises to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Balancing Fitness and Family
Biel often incorporated her family into her workouts. Her children and husband, Justin Timberlake, were frequently present in the studio, sometimes interrupting her sessions. Bruno mentioned, “Most of the time she’s working out while playing with her kids or even getting straight up tackled by them.” This blend of fitness and family life showcases her ability to stay active while juggling motherhood and career demands.
One standout exercise in her routine is the inverted row to hamstring curl. This exercise utilizes gymnastic rings and a raised bench, targeting the hamstrings, glutes, and upper back. It exemplifies Biel‘s commitment to engaging her entire body during training, combining pulling strength with lower body engagement for a full workout.
Key Exercises from Biel’s Routine
The foam-roller wall goblet squat is a staple in her routine. It involves using a foam roller against a wall and holding a dumbbell vertically. This exercise improves squat form and core stability, ensuring proper alignment during the movement. By keeping the roller in contact with the wall, it helps maintain posture and targets the glutes and quads effectively.
Another lower body exercise Biel incorporates is the wall-supported Bulgarian split squat. This move enhances balance and leg strength by placing one foot against a wall and lowering into a squat, effectively targeting the quadriceps and glutes. The wall support allows for greater depth and control, making it ideal for building unilateral strength.
Injury Management and Family Integration
Biel’s training regimen was carefully adapted to accommodate the lower back injury she sustained months before filming. Bruno emphasized the importance of creative modifications to challenge her without worsening the injury. These adjustments included exercises like the foam-roller wall squats, which provided support and reduced strain on her back while still building strength.
Additional Exercises in Biel’s Routine
Similar to the goblet squat, it uses a foam roller against a wall but with dumbbells held at the sides, focusing on leg strength and core stability. This variation shifts the emphasis slightly, engaging the core more intensely while maintaining proper spinal alignment.
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