- Personal trainer David Higgins trained the cast of the "Barbie" movie.
- He got Ryan Gosling and the other Kens into shape with pilates and weight lifting.
Ryan Gosling and the other Kens in the "Barbie" strengthened their ab muscles with a nine-minute core workout.
The cast trainer David Higgins — who has been working with the producer and star of the movie, Margot Robbie, for years — told GQ that he whipped the actors into Ken shape with full-body workouts involving weight-lifting and pilates.
They also did push-up, pull-up, and plank challenges, allowing the actors' competitive sides to come out.
When it came to cardio, the Kens, including Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa, did two hours of daily dance training in preparation for the movie's musical numbers, as well as some basketball and ping-pong games to build team spirit as much as fitness.
"Everyone was just having a good time," Higgins said. "No one was miserable. It wasn't about training for a single shirtless scene, it was a broad brush — which isn't to say they didn't give it their all."
There was no specific diet and certainly no cutting of carbs (because the actors needed the energy), but they were asked to cut out processed foods ("nothing that comes wrapped in plastic") and also did a form of intermittent fasting depending on their schedules, Higgins said.
The 9-minute core workout for abs like Ken
Perform each exercise for one minute without breaks in between.
1. Roll back
Start by sitting on a mat with your knees bent and tucked up to your chest, and your hands on your shins. Roll backwards so your upper back is touching the floor but keep your knees tucked in. Return to the starting position and repeat.
2 and 3. Leg lift
Lie on your back on a mat with your legs straight and your left crossed over your right. Lift both legs up as high as you can keep them straight, slowly twist to the left then the right before lowering to the ground with control and repeat for a minute before switching to the right leg on top.
4. Two step crunch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Press your lower back into the ground and draw your belly button in as you lift your upper body off the ground in a crunch motion. Pause halfway up and then pause at the top before lowering and repeating.
5 and 6. Crossbody crunch
Perform the same crunch movement as above except with a diagonal twist — with your hands gently resting behind your head and your elbows open wide, twist so your right elbow reaches towards your left knee before returning to the start position. Perform one minute each side.
7. Rope climb
Lie on your back with your legs raised and feet in the air. Imagine you're holding a rope between your feet and crunch your body upwards as if you're trying to grab the rope, as if pulling yourself with one hand on each crunch.
8. Windscreen wiper
Sit on the ground with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Engaging your core muscles and tilting your pelvis forward, lean back until you feel tension in your stomach. Pause there and lift your feet off the floor. Sway your feet as far as you can to the left and then the right. To make this movement even more challenging, try bringing your knees to your chest in the middle.
9. Static dead bug
Lie on your back with your arms straight on the ground past your ears and your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Raise one leg off the ground and simultaneously bring the opposite hand to meet it. Hold the position for 30 seconds before repeating on the other side.