Shakira's hips don't lie and neither does her longtime trainer when it comes to the workout routine behind the star's enviable abs.
Anna Kaiser first met the pop icon in 2009 on the set of her music video for "She Wolf," where she served as choreographer and a background dancer. But what was supposed to be a six-week shoot in the Bahamas turned into an enduring bond between the two women.
"We just fell in love," Anna, the creator of the popular NYC-based fitness brand Anna Kaiser Studios, told E! News in an exclusive interview. "It's been 13 years and two babies for both of us."
However, that doesn't mean their relationship was love at first sight. Or should we say love at first squat?
"When I first met her, I would sit outside her studio until 1 a.m. to get her to workout," Anna revealed. "We started in this place where it was pulling back on overeating, not exercising and working really late hours. It was like pulling teeth."
Over time, however, Shakira—mom to sons Milan, 10, and Sasha, 8, with ex Gerard Piqué—began to see the benefits of training for life, not just for a special event or performance, like the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show, which she co-headlined with Jennifer Lopez.
"As she got older and we started prepping for the baby and then coming back post-baby," Anna explained, "it was really more about consistency. It was doing a little bit every day and not taking a ton of time off and then having to start again from scratch."
Consistency has been key in the 46-year-old's fitness routine, which Anna has also tailored to be attainable for Shakira's busy lifestyle.
"She's a businesswoman, a philanthropist, a mom, she's making music, all of these things are part of her life," Anna said. "But she has to connect to her body on a daily basis to make all of those things happen and stay sane and happy, too."
And the movement that makes Shakira most happy? Dancing, obviously, as we all really knew that she could dance like this, despite what Wyclef Jean sings in "Hips Don't Lie."
Anna promised that there "a lot of benefits" to adding dance-based training to your fitness routine, including "accessing every muscle from the inside out" and developing "a new awareness" for how to most effectively activate those muscles. Plus, Anna said, "it helps with brain health and improves your cognitive function."
In addition to dancing, Anna revealed Shakira "does love working her core," though she has to keep abdomen-focused exercises towards the end of their sessions because the star "does get hungry whenever we work her core."
Some of Shakira's favorite moves include "exercises focused on very deep core stabilizers," said Anna, including weighted full-range sit-ups and Pilates teasers. (However, the "Waka Waka" singer isn't a fan of planks. Relatable!)
So, how can you achieve abs like Shakira? According to Anna, who has also trained Kelly Ripa for years, it's a combination of "full-body plyometric exercises"—think dance cardio, which can be "more effective than burpees"—and Pilates and barre-focused strength work, which will "build your core very quickly."
And don't be afraid to eat.
"You have to eat protein within 45 minutes after your workouts," Anna stressed. "It's super important to build lean muscle. It's not going to make you bigger. Your body is not going to burn fat if you don't feed it."
For Shakira, that means "eating small meals all throughout the day," Anna said, which includes "fresh soups, vegetables and salads."
Finally, Anna highlighted the importance of getting proper sleep, which, conveniently, is aided by regular workouts.
"And moving your body and exercise help you sleep at night," Anna advised. "Otherwise, you haven't spent the extra energy, so it's just going to keep rolling throughout the night. You're going to keep thinking and thinking. Shakira's an overthinker, too!"
Fortunately, you don't have to overanalyze your workout routine, especially if you have a packed schedule. As Anna assured that even 15-minute workouts—including the ones offered in her 30-Day Master Training Video Series program—are beneficial in helping you build a consistent fitness regime.
"Sometimes an hour is not possible ever and there are ways where you can feel challenged in a short period of time," she said. "Sometimes you wonder, 'Am I really getting something out of this? Is it worth the time?' And you have to feel like it is."