Jennifer Garner Just Shared a Glimpse of Her At-Home Workout Routine
We can always count on Jennifer Garner for content to lift our moods—including healthy recipes we want to sink our teeth into—or give us a dose of inspiration. So it makes sense that Garner's latest workout update has us ready to get moving.
Garner, who previously shared her go-to mother-daughter workout routine, posted a video to Instagram Monday to give her followers a peek at the plyometrics workout she does at home. Plyometrics is a kind of strength-building training that incorporates lots of skipping, jumping and explosive movements. (It made our list of the best exercises to help you lose weight and avoid injury.) Garner tagged The Limit, a fitness brand, and its founder, Beth Nicely, in her post to credit them with helping her establish her new at-home exercise regime.
It's no secret that Garner has gotten lots of workout tips from the experts at The Limit—she listed their online classes among her favorite things in a conversation with New York magazine. (The Limit offers live and on demand exercise classes for folks interested in dance, cardio or toning.) Garner even shared a clip of her working on her high-jump technique with Nicely for the entrepreneur's birthday this year.
Garner's home gym is full of equipment, from balance balls to a treadmill, but you'll only need a couple of pieces of equipment to copy her routine: a mini trampoline and plyometric box. Garner uses pretty tall boxes for this workout—an 18-inch block for one segment and a smaller one later on—but you should find a height that works for you. Beginners might want to start with something like this 6-inch version (buy it: $82, Amazon) before moving up. Any mini trampoline should work, as long as it can support your weight. This option from Pure Fun (buy it: $50, Amazon) can support up to 250 pounds.
With those items on hand, you could work out a routine at your comfort level. But if you want to copy Garner beat for beat, try these four options—just remember to stretch and warm up first.
1. Lateral Box Jumps
With two plyometric boxes of equal height on your right and left, jump up to the right and land on the box. Then jump down to the floor, between the two boxes. Then jump up again and land on the box to your left. Jump back down to the floor and repeat the pattern.
2. Trampoline Push-Up
With a trampoline in front of you, jump up and plant your feet back on the floor. Jump up again and plant your hands in the center of the trampoline, lifting your feet off the floor and then bringing them back down. Repeat the pattern.
3. Trampoline Jump
With a trampoline in front of you, jump forward onto the trampoline and bounce twice, then jump back and plant your feet on the ground. Repeat the pattern.
4. Trampoline and Box Jumps
With a trampoline behind you and a box in front of you, sit down and land with your butt in the center of the trampoline. Stand up and plant your feet on the ground, then jump in place once. Jump forward over the box, landing with your feet on the floor in front of it. Jump backward and land with your feet on the box, and jump back again to land on the floor between the trampoline and box. Repeat the pattern.
While you might think that exercise is just about staying in shape physically, there are lots of holistic benefits also worth considering. Certain kinds of exercise, like the plyometrics workout Garner shared, are beneficial for folks aiming to reduce their risk for Alzheimer's disease or sleep better. But exercise can also be a boon to your mental health. Research has indicated that regular exercise can help you improve your self-esteem, lift your mood and boost your energy.
On the mental-health front, exercise can also help you reduce your stress level, which can come in handy when you're having a rough week—or even a rough news week. In her caption, Garner also shared a call to action. "Get in formation. #BansOffOurBodies," Garner wrote in response to the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
You'll want to power up for this workout by staying hydrated and maybe even planning for a delicious recovery meal afterward—a protein-packed option like our Hot Honey Grilled Shrimp with a side of Garner's own cornbread recipe would be a tasty way to wind down.