Kim Kardashian is always at the forefront of whatever the next big thing is—and these days she is showing the incredible benefits of strength training to millions of fans and followers. The entrepreneur shares frequent videos and updates of her weight-lifting workouts, proving that strong and toned is the ultimate goal. Kardashian works hard and is disciplined about her exercise routine—here’s how she does it, and how you can do it too.
Kardashian works out for two hours, five to six times a week with personal trainer Senada Greca. Her goal is to build muscle through strength training. “The hardest working woman in the room!” Greca captioned an Instagram post. “Yes you heard that right! It’s my honor to be training with Kim and to see the person that she truly is: hard working, dedicated, consistent and caring. She puts in the work for 2 hours and never complains even when I push her past what she would think are her limits. I know the strength that lays within her, and now, together, we’re working on Kim stepping into her strength. So excited about this journey.”
Kardashian’s focus is on being strong and fit—and says lifting weights has changed her life. “We lift weights for two hours daily and do five or six days a week. My goal was to gain muscle and be strong and I see such a difference already,” she captioned an Instagram video of herself doing a split stance. “I’m proud of our commitment together. It always starts with small goals.”
The pros of weightlifting and strength training—especially for women—cannot be overstated. Lifting weights not only benefits muscle strength and bone health, it has mental health benefits, and helps build a beautifully toned physique. “Resistance training increases bone density and therefore decreases the chances of women and men developing osteoporosis later on in life,” personal trainer Tom Mans tells The Independent. “Unlike fat loss, which takes a lot of time and patience, strength in the gym can increase on a week-by-week basis, especially in the first five to six months of training. My female clients get a massive confidence boost when they know they can lift more than most men of the same age in the gym.”
As with any new workout, exercise caution. “If you have a chronic condition, or if you’re older than age 40 and you haven’t been active recently, check with your doctor before beginning a strength training or aerobic fitness program,” say the experts at the Mayo Clinic. “Before beginning strength training, consider warming up with brisk walking or another aerobic activity for five or 10 minutes. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles. Choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions. When you can easily do more repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance.”
Writer Monica Greep tried Kardashian’s workout and detailed her experience in an article for Newsweek. Her conclusion? The frequency and intensity of the workouts (which included a reformer Pilates session) is hard work—and probably a little unrealistic for the average person. “I am totally exhausted. No surprise here, but a Kim Kardashian-style fitness routine is hard. I do feel great and very much like I’ve achieved something, but the thought of doing this all again tomorrow fills me with nothing but dread and fear. Honestly, I think if your full-time job includes looking a certain way, then this workout is great—it’s intense, relatively interesting and I’m sure over time would get some great results.”