Carrie Underwood Workout: Long and Lean

Nov 13, 2014

Carrie Underwood Legs Workout

The Carrie Underwood Legs Workout is central to her routine. Having long and lean legs on stage is what body part she is most famous for. Carrie Underwood works out her longtime trainer and friend Erin Oprea–though they may not always seem like friends, especially if a brutal workout was planned for that day.

carrie-underwood-with-trainer-Erin-Oprea

Here’s the Carrie Underwood Legs Workout Routine:

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Notes
Squats into a Lunge	15 (each side)	Circuit	Perform a squat, then without standing up, move your right leg back into a lunge.
Cherry Pickers	15	Circuit	Hold a 10 to 25 pound kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands.
Skater Lunges	(Go For 1 minute)	Circuit	See video (first exercise in the routine) for demonstration.
Side Lunges	15 (each side)	Circuit	Carrie Underwood uses a 5 to 15 pound dumbbell or kettlebell.
Bosu Jumps	(Go For 30 seconds)	Circuit	Don't have a Bosu ball? Try doing rotational Jump Squats instead.
Pulsing Sumo Squats	40 pulses	Circuit	Carrie holds onto a bar while doing pulsing sumo squats. Her trainer has her stay on her toes.
Stair Squat and Jump	5 Sets of Stairs	Circuit	After each jump, get back down into a squat position.

The Carrie Underwood Legs Workout is done in circuit format. That means you do one set of each exercise, then move onto the next. Try to repeat the circuit 2-3 more times (depending on your fitness levels). Here’s a couple leg exercise explanations, straight from Carrie’s trainer, Erin Oprea:

1. Squat into a Lunge

Carrie’s personal trainer, Erin Oprea, says:

Squat down on your left leg, right toes just touching the floor for balance. Without standing up, move your right leg back into a lunge. Keep your left leg bent and return your right leg to starting position. Do 15 reps, then repeat on the other side.

2. Cherry Pickers

Explaining the Cherry Pickers Exercise:

Hold a 10 to 25 pound kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands. Stand with your legs wide and soften your knees. Bend at the hips, keeping your back flat, chest up, and shoulders back as you lower the weight straight down, then reach it back between your legs, controlling the motion.

Carrie Underwood Arms & Back Workout

The Carrie Underwood Arms & Back Workout helps her upper body look stunning. Whether she’s in a tank top or even a sleeveless dress, this arms & back workout is what prepares her for the limelight. Here’s the Carrie Underwood Arms & Back Workout:

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Notes
Biceps Curls into Hammer Curls	12-15 (each side)	Circuit	Alternating Curls--one rep with your right hand, then one with the left
Lateral Raise into V-Dumbbell Front Raise	12-15 (each side)	Circuit	Lift weights out and to the side until your arms are parallel.
Dumbbell Rows in a Lunge Position	12-15 (each side)	Circuit	Keep your trailing leg straight, and toe pointed out at an angle.
Off-Center Medicine Ball Pushups	10 (each side)	Circuit	Alternating sides, use a stable object if you don't have access to a ball.
Knee Pushups	30-60 secs	Circuit	Make sure your back stays straight, bend your elbows.
Dumbbell Chest Press	30-60 secs	Circuit	Bridge position: Hips up, legs bent to 90 degrees, weight on heels.
Dumbbell Flys	30-60 secs	Circuit	Bridge position: Hips up, legs bent to 90 degrees, weight on heels.
Dumbbell Pullovers with Overhead Triceps Extension	12-15 (each exercise)	Circuit	Carrie uses a medicine ball, so the weight is behind her head.
Plank w/Reverse Fly	8-12 (per side)	Circuit	Keep your abs tight, lift one arm out to the slight with a slight elbow bend.
Floor Dips	8-15 (per leg)	Circuit	Do this exercise with one leg raised in the air, completely stretched out.
Chinups	AMAYC	Circuit	Most gyms have a machine that can help you perform this exercise.

CU Good Girl Album Cover — Carrie Underwood “Good Girl” Album Cover

AMAYC = As Many As You Can

The Carrie Underwood Arms & Back Workout is done in circuit format. That means you do one set of each arms/back exercise, then move onto the next. Try to repeat the circuit 1-2 more times (depending on your fitness level).

Erin Oprea Floor Dips Demonstration — Erin Oprea-Floor Dips Demonstration

Carrie Underwood Workout Motivation

Carrie Underwood’s workout motivation stems from wanting to look hot on stage. Carrie Underwood was not always a fan of working out. In fact, the town she grew up in didn’t even have a gym. In Checotah, Oklahoma, they’re not known for pumping iron, but their for steer wrestling.

Not that she’s constantly performing on the stage, and a celebrity with a paparazzi following, Carrie knows she needs to look hot. She achieved a total body transformation after starting her workouts. Carrie Underwood says she loves to sing, but that she considers it her “job” to workout. Still, like anyone, there are days when she knows to give it a rest. Carrie says:

It’s about balance. You can’t go at breakneck speed all the time.

Carrie Underwood On Tour

When on tour, Carrie Underwood knows that she still has to work out. Especially in small towns, without a gym, Carrie Underwood says she has to improvise with her workouts. Lacking decent equipment, Carrie Underwood says:

We box, we do bodyweight exercises. If there are trails, we go for a run. I’m not a procrastinator. I want to feel prepared and just get it done.

Carrie Underwood Workout Videos

Carrie Underwood Workout Videos, including this video where Carrie Underwood’s trainer shows you one of her Leg Workouts:

Carrie Underwood’s Arm and Back Workout Video, as illustrated by her trainer, Erin Oprea:

Carrie Underwood’s Abs Video by her trainer, Erin Oprea of Oprea Personal Fitness:

Carrie Underwood Video performing Blown Away, or as the author of this video calls it, The Carrie Underwood Legs Show:

(Video proof that the Carrie Underwood workout pays off!) Of course, the Carrie Underwood diet is just as important. She eats mostly vegan, always opting for at least vegetarian.

Embracing how to cook vegetables in fun ways, even while on tour, is what allows her to eat so healthy all the time. You can always stay up to date with Carrie by reading about her at The Official Carrie Underwood Site.

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