One of Adele’s most complicated relationships isn’t documented in her songwriting, but in two hilariously relatable Instagram photos where she struggles and powersthrough her workouts.
The Grammy Award-winning singer works with trainer Pete Geracimo, who has helped Adele kick up her workouts since the release of her third album, 25, and came with heron her worldwide tour over the last year. Along with his workouts, Geracimo puts his clients on The Sirtfood Diet, which comes out in the U.S. in March.
With all of his clients, Geracimo focuses on building a strong core before doing anything else.
“My whole basis is that I start from the core, and work peripherally, because that’s your foundation for all your strength and your well being,” he tells PEOPLE. “For me it’s not all about the big muscles. Exercise is supposed to improve our lives, not impede it, and sometimes if you just stick to the big bodybuilding, you’re shortening all your muscles and then all of a sudden your major motion is lessened.”
Geracimo loves to start his clients with a plank workout, nicknamed Seven Minutes in Heaven. The program incorporates seven different plank movements, each held for a minute.
“I love planks, and plank work. Because if you have any kind of back problems, doing crunches is not going to help,” he explains.
First minute: Classic hand plank hold
“You start off on your hands, with your arms locked out and your back straight.”
Second and third minutes: Side planks
“After that minute, you go on one forearm, and you turn sideways. You can raise your arm up or put it on your hip. Then you switch to the other side after a minute.”
Fourth minute: Forearm plank
This movement is similar to minute one, but instead of holding it on your hands, you’re down on your forearms.
Fifth minute: Table plank
“You’re doing a table hold, so you’re sitting on your butt [with your chest facing up], with your knees bent, and you push your butt up with your forearms down on the ground.”
Sixth minute: Dish plank
Lying on your back, lift your legs, arms and shoulders off the ground. Point your toes and hold your legs at about a 45 degree angle.
Seventh minute: Superman
Laying on your stomach, move in the opposite direction, lifting your arms and legs up while keeping your core on the ground.
“That’s a great test that I give to everyone and see how they cope,” Geracimo says. “Some people stop at 10 seconds, they’re shaking and shaking. Its okay, if you fall you fall, if you drop you drop. You have to breathe.”
“If you’re looking for a challenge, it’s 10-15 seconds max to get yourself into the next pose. But once you get good, it’s no rest, it’s right into the next and the next. But when you start, you can do 10 seconds of each one, so it’s 70 seconds of heaven. And keep going up from there.”
This article originally appeared on People.com
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com