Reese Witherspoon Gets Red Carpet Ready With This Intense Cardio-Strength Yoga Workout

Updated on Jan 27, 2020 at 10:25 AM

When we're watching stars take on the red carpet at big award shows like the Golden Globes, Oscars, or Grammys, we don't always think about the prep it takes to get there. One person who does? Celebrity yoga instructor Kirschen Katz. It's her job to work out with stars year-round, but especially during a stressful and busy awards season; her clients include Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and Michelle Williams, all of whom were up for (or won!) Golden Globes this year. When it comes to fitness, the focus isn't just on looking good, Kirschen said. "For the people I work with, fitness is a huge component of their self-care," she told POPSUGAR.

With awards shows, Kirschen focuses on both aspects: looking toned and fit, and feeling calm, strong, and confident. Reese gave her fans a little taste of what that routine is like when she posted a "Get Ready With Me" YouTube video about her Golden Globes day-of prep. For the full story, POPSUGAR sat down with Kirschen and got the details on the mental-and-physical prep routine Reese did just hours before the big show.

Reese Witherspoon's Golden Globes Fitness Routine

Three-to-five-mile run. Reese loves to run, Kirschen shared, so they started with a few miles to get her body warmed up and moving. Besides the physical benefits, running also improves mood and may increase dopamine levels in the brain. "It's a very exciting day, but it can also be very stressful," Kirschen said. A morning run helps to shake out those nerves.
Upper-body weights workout. After the run, Reese grabbed a couple of dumbbells for a streamlined upper-body workout. She wore a sleeveless gown that night, so the focus was on toning her back, arms, chest, and shoulders with moves like bicep curls and upright rows. Using a set of lighter dumbbells, "I like to do two sets of about 12 to 15," Kirschen explained. "We do biceps, we do triceps, we do three or four different shoulder movements." Each exercise works to "expose those beautiful muscles in the arms and shoulders."
Thirty-minute yoga practice. Kirschen and Reese did a little bit of everything in this quick yoga practice. Kirschen loves inversions such as headstands, handstands, or wall dogs, which invite calm and aid blood flow to the upper extremities. The practice is a flow, incorporating plenty of sun salutations, Warrior poses, and chest-opening poses to help with posture, breath, and vocal strength, Kirschen explained. We've included more of Kirschen and Reese's go-to awards show prep moves ahead.
Breath work. To round out the routine, Reese and Kirschen went through some calming and focusing breath practices, known as pranayama in yoga. For a simple practice, Kirschen recommends inhaling for two counts, then exhaling for four, slowly building up to longer five or 10 counts. She'll also include Khumbhaka breath retention: inhaling for four counts, holding for four, then exhaling for four. "There's so much chatter in the head. "These are high-profile, super busy women," Kirschen said. "Sometimes we need to calm that brain down. If you can tap into the breath and the emptiness between the breaths, that's where you really can become creative and calm."

"I love the whole flow of it," Kirschen said of the pre-show routine. "The run, the cardio. We move to the weights, and then we stretch and lengthen everything out with the yoga."

Keep reading for more of the calming and strengthening yoga moves that Kirschen does with Reese and her other clients before awards shows and whenever they want to look and feel their best, before awards and anytime.

Mountain

The first five poses make up a classic Sun Salutation.

Stand at the front of your mat, feet together, legs active, and arms by your sides.
If you choose, this is the time to take a moment to bring your awareness inward, to create an intention for your practice or to make a dedication. Stay for five breaths.

Standing Forward Bend

From Mountain Pose, inhale and reach your arms straight above you.
As you exhale, engage your abs and fold forward with a straight back. Tuck your chin in toward your chest, relax your shoulders, and extend the crown of the head toward the floor to create a long spine. Shift your weight forward onto your toes, straightening the legs as much as possible. Place your hands on the ground, fingertips lining up with the toes.
Hold here for five breaths.

Four-Limbed Staff

From Standing Forward Bend, inhale, straighten your arms and back, and look up. As you exhale, step or jump both feet back (so you're in a push-up position) and bend your elbows straight behind you, brushing them against the sides of your body, lowering into Four-Limbed Staff.
Keep your body parallel to the ground and your shoulders parallel with your elbows. Draw your navel toward your spine to protect your lower back, holding for five breaths.

Upward Facing Dog

From Four-Limbed Staff, inhale a breath as you scoop your chest forward, balancing on the tops of your feet and your hands, coming into Upward Facing Dog.
Lower your head back between your shoulder blades. Pull your shoulders blades down your back and hold for five breaths.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

From Upward Facing Dog, exhale to lift your hips, coming into an upside down "V" shape called Downward Facing Dog.
Spread your fingers wide and create a straight line between your middle fingers and elbows. Work on straightening your legs and lowering your heels toward the ground. Relax your head between your arms and direct your gaze through your legs or up toward your belly button. Hold for five breaths.

Warrior 1 Pose

From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands. Turn your left heel in, press into your feet, and lift your torso up.
Lift your arms up and press your palms together. Draw your shoulder blades down toward your hips and gaze up at your hands.
Stay here for five breaths. Then come back to Downward Facing Dog, step your left foot forward, and do Warrior 1 on the other side.

Warrior 2

From Warrior 1, extend your arms out in T-position as you rotate your torso to the left, coming into Warrior 2. Ideally your front thigh should be parallel to the ground and your right knee directly over your right ankle. Make sure your shoulders are stacked directly above your pelvis.
Gaze past your right fingertips, holding for five breaths. Then return to Downward Facing Dog. Step your left foot forward and do this pose on the other side.

Reverse Warrior

From Warrior 2, gently arch back and rest your left hand on the back of your left leg. Raise your right arm overhead, feeling the stretch through the right side of the body. Make sure you continue to lower your hips and press your front knee forward so it's directly over your right ankle.
Remain here for five breaths. Lift your torso up, place your hands on the floor, and move back into Down Dog. Step your left foot forward and do this pose on the left side.

Warrior 3

Return to Warrior 1 from Reverse Warrior. With your right knee forward, lower your torso and lift your left leg, bringing your body parallel with the ground.
Extend your hands out in front of you, pressing your palms together firmly. If it bothers your shoulders to press your hands together, separate your arms so they're shoulder-width apart. If extending your arms creates pain or pressure in your lower back, rest your hands on your hips.
Engage your abs, holding this position for five deep breaths. Then lower your left leg, returning to Warrior 1. Release your hands to the mat and come into Downward Dog. Step your left leg forward, coming into Warrior 1. Repeat Warrior 3 on the left side.

Bridge

From Warrior 3, return to Mountain Pose for a few deep breaths. Transition into Standing Forward Fold, then slowly lower your body to the mat.
Lie flat on your back with your arms along the sides of your body, with your palms facing down. Bend your knees, placing your heels as close as you can to your bum.
With your palms and feet pressing firmly into the ground, lift your hips up. Keep your palms on the mat or clasp your hands together below your pelvis, extending through your arms. Or you can also bend your elbows and rest your hands on your lower back. If your feet are close enough, you can also hold your ankles.
Stay here for five deep breaths, lifting your hips up as high as you can.

Wheel

You can work up to this challenging posture with these five poses that prepare you for Wheel.

From Bridge, return to lie flat on your back.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground (heels as close as possible to your bum). Bend your elbows, and place your palms flat on the ground above your shoulders, fingertips facing your feet.
Inhale, press into your palms, and lift your head, shoulders, and hips off the mat, straightening your arms and legs. Try to walk your hands and feet a little closer together.
Stay here for five deep breaths, and then slowly lower your body down. Eventually you want to do this pose a total of three times. Hug your knees into your chest to release your lower back.