Brie Larson Does a 'Workout' Before Her Workout — But It's Not What You Think

Essentially an activation circuit, Larson's full-body routine will have your muscles primed and ready for whatever comes next.

Certainly, Brie Larson is a formidable force, whether she's portraying the role of Captain Marvel, tackling Bulgarian split squats with determination, or climbing a 14,000-foot mountain. However, like everyone else, she sometimes has to push her workouts aside due to life's demands. Even for those who've played superheroes on screen, exercising can occasionally take a backseat. To counter this, Larson has recently shared a "super light workout" on YouTube, encouraging herself and her followers to commence their 2022 fitness goals as a team by kickstarting their bodies into action.

From her well-equipped garage gym, Larson begins her video by stating that the upcoming easy workout acts as a personal assessment tool for her. She then humorously acknowledges that some might roll their eyes at the thought of her pre-training before actually training with her professional trainer. But according to Larson, the main reason she does this is to avoid looking clueless when she starts her pro sessions.

The beauty of Larson's quick full-body routine is in its versatility. The entire sequence takes less than six minutes to complete, and according to the 32-year-old actress, it serves as an excellent way to "wake everything up," especially after a period of not working out. Larson candidly discloses that she had been neglecting her planned workouts lately, attributing this more to idle phone scrolling than busyness.

Besides being time-efficient, Larson's preliminary workout doesn't require any special equipment — just a yoga mat will do. It caters to various fitness needs, from stretching and warming up your muscles to minimize injury risks, to elevating your heart rate within a few short minutes.

Starting her routine with fundamental yoga movements, Larson transitions from a plank to a cobra pose, eventually leading into a downward-facing dog. She then raises her leg smoothly into a pigeon pose before progressing into a runner's lunge and a revolved side angle pose. This latter movement provides a unique twist on the standard runner's stretch, extending from the top of the spine to the foot's base. Following this, she engages in arm circles and leg kicks.

Next in line is cardio, which she initiates with jumping jacks, noting that it’s essential to increase her heart rate. However, very soon Larson returns to the mat for core exercises, including hip thrusts held for 20 seconds each. She completes ten repetitions, demonstrating that significant progress can be made without any resistance. Moving forward, she does 15 crunches on each side and in the center, activating her abs efficiently.

Following a brief full-body stretch, Larson continues her routine with bridges, push-ups, and bicep curls sans weights, aimed at activating her arm muscles. She also includes squats with extended arms to further engage her upper body. The session concludes with calming stretches like seated spinal twists, gentle lunges, seated toe touches, and child's pose, all aimed at aiding the cool-down process before her actual workout begins. "Preventing injury is crucial as it keeps you on track," Larson advises. "Five minutes of post-workout stretching can make a significant difference."

Larson emphasizes the relevance of these pre- and post-workout routines despite having a hectic schedule. "There are numerous issues globally, countless things to be passionate about, people to love, initiatives to support," she reflects. "However, I've realized that when I take some time for myself and ground myself in my body, I handle every situation better."