If you've ever admired Vanessa Hudgens' abs, it's probably worth it to keep reading. And if you haven't admired the High School Musical alum's ultra-toned torso, well, frankly, we have questions.
Either way, WundaBar Pilates is one of the key weapons in the multi-hyphenate's fitness arsenal. Best described as an amped up version of Pilates, former entertainment marketing exec Amy Jordan's creation makes use of the quadruple threat WundaFormer, part reformer, chair, ballet barre and jump board. A brainstorm of Jordan's that she sketched out on a plane long before she knew any engineers, manufacturers or just how tough it is to produce a patented piece of equipment, it stemmed from one goal, she tells E! News, "How can I make all of these things available in one super high-energy, fun class."
Basically if you spend 45 minutes moving around that machine performing core-centric sculpting moves without rest, you're going to walk out of the New York City or California studios sweaty and sore AF.
"The idea is head-to-toe every time," says Jordan, who's also trained Jenna Dewan and Hudgen's bestie Ashley Tisdale. "It's not high-impact cardio, but it's cardio pace. There's no downward dog between the poses. There's none of this. You're just moving the whole time."
And regardless if you're targeting your butt, legs or arms, your abs are feeling the burn. "It's very core centric," she notes. "So even when I'm asking you to move your arm, I'm talking to you about which part of your core is helping you lift the arm because everything comes from the core."
While the workout's results are written all over her client's sculpted bodies, Jordan says her primary focus isn't toning biceps and backs.
"Definitely what we do is what I always call from the inside out," she explains. "Everything is connected. You'll hear us talking about bone alignment a lot, and then it activates all the muscles inside and out, all the way up and down the chain and head to toe." The educators leading each class might focus, for example, on muscle functionality and posture, "So, it's really this inside out experience where you feel better in your own skin," she says. "You function better in your own skin, and then as a byproduct, you look better in your own skin."
Because, make no mistake, you will get the muscle tone you're after, particularly if you follow the five celeb-beloved moves she's sharing in the video above. And if you're down with the, uh, wunda-ful results, you can sign up for the practice's on demand option, that offers access to 30-minute streaming sessions—or try a LIVE class.
"We're trying to basically translate the experience from the machine to the floor. I'm literally using sliders, red bands, dumbbells, whatever—even yoga blocks to emulate the experience we have in class," notes Jordan, who makes sure to suggest easy-to-find substitutions. "If you don't have a red band, grab a scarf, a belt, a yoga strap. If you don't have a dumbbell, grab a champagne bottle. If you don't have a yoga block, I literally hold it up and be like, 'rubber-band four paperback books together.' If you don't have a blue ball—we use it for under our heel or in between our thighs—I'm telling you a toilet paper roll works nearly as well."
The training doesn't end once the weights (and toilet paper rolls) are stashed away. "Something that really sets us apart is there's a Q&A at the end of our classes, and I can really give meaningful input when they say, 'Hey, my shoulder feels really wonky when I do that move we did in the middle of class. Can you show me what it's a modification?' Or, 'Hey, my hips are really tight because I've been sitting in my apartment for, you know, eight weeks. What can I do?'" she shares. "And then I'll literally give them homework."
She'll also offer guidance on her nutrition guidelines, which includes a morning protein shake with spinach, apple, cacao and chia seeds and what she calls her 90/10 plan: "It's 90 percent of your food should be fuel, like words you can pronounce," she says. "If you look at the label and it's got, like, 800 ingredients, it's not for you." The rest? Have fun. In other words, enjoy that slice of pizza.
Because this period of time has enough stressors without getting worked up about some carbs and cheese. Which is also why Jordan recommends committing to at least three sweat sessions a week. "I mean, the mental factor of movement is so critical at this time," she says. "It's a really good thing for all of us to stay focused on, to get the blood flowing, the serotonins, all the really good endorphins to keep us healthy in body and spirit."
Plus, you've seen Hudgens' abs, right?