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How New Mom Janet Jackson Got Back In Shape To Slay Her World Tour (Interview with Paulette Sybliss)


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From Essence magazine 

Mega star Janet Jackson has been serving body goals since the very beginning of her decades long career, and now at age 51, there is still no stopping the new mom when it comes to looking great on tour. 

Jackson embarked on the 56-city State of the World tour, just nine months after giving birth to her son, Eissa, and now the singer's all-star trainer Paulette Sybliss has revealed just how she got back in shape to hit the road. 

"When I was taken on to do the job, my goal was, one, to get her aesthetically looking great, but also to get her fit for the tour," says Sybliss. "That was my plan. People just think about the aesthetics and how great she looks. But fitness and having her do a tour was also really important."

One the of the secrets Jackson used to return to her pre-baby body and dance routines might surprise you. "We did no conventional cardio whatsoever," Sybliss divulged. "A lot of people find that really hard to believe. It was all weight training and it was the type of weight training that I did, so we would incorporate exercises back-to-back. I didn't just want her to lose weight; I wanted her to drop body fat. I wanted her to look fit and be fit as well. I'm really trying to re-educate a lot of women about the benefits of weight training. Women typically think, I'm gonna get big, I'm gonna get bulky., and they will not. When the body has to use muscle, not only does it burn fat during the session, but also after."

So how can you get your inner Janet on in the gym to get a head start on your summer 2018 body?

It all begins, says Sybliss, with training light and getting your mind right.

"I always say to women, start really light. Start by almost feeling the area that you want to work. So if you want to work your booty, do a squat. Just find the right positioning, think about the muscle group that you're working before you start to add weights and take it right back to basics. Also, Train all year round. What you do in the winter is gonna show off in the summertime!"

Ready. Set. Go forth and slay those workouts, ladies!

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From People magazine 

i love the insight that Paulette has given us

 

 

To get back into touring shape after giving birth to her first child, Janet Jackson‘s workouts were “focused on intensity,” says her trainer Paulette Sybliss.

Sybliss says the 51-year-old singer wanted to get stage-ready after delivering son Eissa on Jan. 3.

“That was my goal. I needed to get her not just looking fit, but to be able to move, to talk and to sing,” Sybliss tells PEOPLE. “She sings and dances. She does them together — she doesn’t do one or the other.”

Jackson started working out again eight weeks after delivering Eissa, and would train with Sybliss at least four days a week for 45 minutes to an hour.

Sybliss says she focused their workouts on weight training — not cardio.

“People are quite surprised, but we did no conventional cardio the entire time we worked out together,” she says. “It was weight training.”

“When you work your muscles in that way, your body is going to continue to burn calories. You may burn some calories when you step on a treadmill, but the minute you stop your body stops; you’re not burning any more. So my goal was, every time she’s not with me, I need her body to be working.”

An added bonus of strength training: It prepared Jackson for the intensity of performing live.

“I remember her saying to me at one point, ‘This feels like my dance routine, because it’s intense, with quick rest, back to it, quick rest.’ And that’s how I structured my sessions, that’s what I wanted,” Sybliss says.

While Jackson was dedicated to slimming down, she didn’t always love her workouts. Sybliss laughed when asked if Jackson had a favorite exercise.

“I think back work might be her favorite, if I had to choose,” Sybliss says. “But I think all the sessions are quite challenging … She didn’t look forward to any of the leg sessions. They were intense. They had to be intense — the bigger the muscle group, the more you’re going to have to physically work it to feel it. But that was where we would be doing the work and burning the calories.”

Still, Sybliss says Jackson was “great” at moves like one-arm rows that would tone her shoulders and sculpt her arms.

Sybliss is working with Jackson throughout her tour, and says they’re focused on body maintenance.

“Now my goal as a trainer is to keep her fit, to keep her healthy,” Sybliss says. “She still has 40-plus shows. You can compare it to an athlete — they’re so strong but they’re often bordering on an injury. So my goal is to keep her going, keep her strong and healthy.”

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A 4-move circuit—straight from Janet Jackson’s trainer

Sybliss says to do 12–15 reps of each move—starting with 15 and working your way down to 12 as the moves become easier. “Anytime you want to make a move harder, just slow it down,” she says. Do all 4 moves back-to-back, resting for a minute when you complete the circuit. Then, repeat it all over again 4 times.

Squats: If you want to keep yourself honest while doing a round of squats, Sybliss recommends using a chair. “Sitting down with your butt cheeks hitting the [seat] and standing up is a good squat,” she says. Sound too easy? You’ll change your mind after about 8 reps—especially when you’re counting to 12.

Push-ups“Keep your hands nice and wide,” instructs the trainer. And yes, putting your knees down is completely fine.

Body weight lunge: Hinge at the waist, keeping your butt back and your knees over your ankles. Extend one leg behind you, drop that knee down (keeping the thigh of your opposite leg as parallel to the ground as possible), and then bring the leg back up. Repeat with the other leg.

Abdominal crunch: Lie on your back with your feet up in the air. Slightly lift your shoulders and reach toward your feet. Want to take it to the next level? Pedal your feet like a bicycle.

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