by Dakota Johnson’s Fitness Journey: How She Gets Ready for Roles
Dakota Johnson has cemented herself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses thanks to compelling performances in films like Fifty Shades of Grey, Bad Times at the El Royale, and The Lost Daughter. What audiences may not realize is the intense physical preparation that goes into transforming her body for each new role. While specific details about her training routines are often kept private, we can gain insight into Johnson’s fitness approach by looking at past interviews, her celebrity trainers, role requirements, and her overall wellness philosophy. Through these avenues, a picture emerges of how she gets her body and mind ready to bring these complex characters to life on screen.
Fitness Interviews for Insight
On rare occasions, Johnson has opened up about her workout habits in magazine features and interviews. In preparation for her role as Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades films, she revealed to Women’s Health that she was doing weight training 3-4 times per week to build muscle tone and definition. “I was doing a lot of strength exercises like squats, lunges, pushups, and planks,” she said. This type of resistance training helps sculpt the lean physique her character required.
For her role as a dancer in Suspiria, Johnson shared with Shape magazine that her workouts focused more on cardio and flexibility. She was taking ballet, modern, and jazz dance classes 5-6 times per week to improve her technique. Johnson also incorporated yoga and pilates into her routine to enhance her control, balance, and core strength for the demanding choreography. This interview provided insight into how she tailored her fitness plan specifically to the physical demands of that role as a professional dancer.
Celebrity Trainer Reveals Methods
When preparing intensely for films, Johnson often works with celebrity trainer Jason Walsh. Though he keeps most training programs private, Walsh has offered some glimpses into their sessions on his Instagram account. For the Fifty Shades sequels, he posted videos of them doing weighted squats, pull-ups, and other challenging moves using resistance bands and kettlebells. This type of intense metabolic resistance training would help Johnson achieve the toned physique the character required.
For The Lost Daughter, Walsh shared they were focusing on mobility, stability, and endurance training. In one post, they’re seen doing yoga poses, planks with resistance bands, and other full-body exercises meant to improve functional strength and flexibility. The demanding nature of Johnson’s role likely necessitated this well-rounded fitness approach. While not giving away all her secrets, Walsh’s social media at least hints at the types of intense workouts Johnson puts herself through.
Action Role Athleticism
When an action role is on the horizon, Johnson seems to take her training to another level. For her part in Avengers: Endgame, she needed to look physically fit and strong enough to hold her own alongside superheroes. Reports stated she was weight training 4-5 times per week, doing circuit training, plyometrics, and martial arts. All these exercises build power, agility, coordination, and stamina – attributes crucial for action sequences.
For Cha Cha Real Smooth, Johnson’s character does a lot of dancing and physical interactions on screen. Her trainer revealed they were focusing on dance-inspired interval training, with moves like jumping jacks, burpees, and sprints incorporated into cardio sessions. Plyometrics like box jumps and squat jumps also featured heavily. This dance-centric training no doubt prepared Johnson’s body to handle the energetic demands of her dancing role.
Holistic Wellness Approach
While intense exercise is key, Johnson adheres to a holistic philosophy that wellness encompasses body and mind. She’s open about managing stress through meditation, spending time with family/friends, and getting enough sleep. Proper nutrition is also important – she follows an anti-inflammatory, mostly plant-based diet to fuel workouts and support recovery.
Yoga seems to be Johnson’s wellness constant as well. She practices various yoga styles for flexibility, balance, and centering her mind. In one interview she said yoga helps her feel “calm and present” both on and off set. Dance is another passion that keeps her fit while bringing joy. All these lifestyle factors work in tandem with Johnson’s targeted training to help her embody characters fully.
Commitment to the Craft
Through interviews, her trainer’s insights, role requirements, and holistic approach, it’s clear Dakota Johnson leaves no stone unturned in her physical preparation. She tailors intense workout programs specifically to each character’s needs, training smart to build attributes like strength, endurance, mobility or dance ability. Equal focus goes into managing stress, nutrition, yoga and other wellness practices to support her training from all angles.
It’s this level of commitment to completely transforming her body and lifestyle that allows Johnson to bring such rich, authentic performances to life on screen. While she keeps many training secrets close, her dedication to getting into prime physical and mental shape for each role shines through. It’s what makes her one of today’s most dedicated actors working to elevate her craft through fitness. Audiences will no doubt continue to be impressed by Johnson’s compelling transformations in films to come.
