Cameron Diaz’s trainer, Teddy Bass shares the secrets to her toned physique
With a background as a professional dancer, Teddy came to LA nearly 15 years ago to pursue a career as a video dancer. Instead, he ended up getting qualified in fitness at the University of Southern California (UCLA) and started training celebrities.
Teddy was so great at his job that through word of mouth he started training all the big celebs like Christina Applegate, Rosanna Arquette, Sheryl Crow, Nicky and Paris Hilton, Kimberly Stewart, Lucy Lui and of course the world’s hottest bod right now, Cameron Diaz.
The reason clients love him is because he delivers.
“Once you show you can deliver, people want you. But the key to training my clients is very much about variety. I always mix things up; circuit training, cardio, weights, yoga and Pilates; I pretty much do everything.”
He adds that training isn’t about how much you know as a trainer, but how well you can train someone.
“It’s how well your personalities match, combined with getting what exactly it is the client wants. I also have a more holistic approach to working out too; I train my clients with a bit of spiritual therapy, which isn’t about just coming for physical training but mind and spirit training as well.”
He says the trend in Hollywood these days is to be fit and healthy, not anorexic and skinny.
“I’m all about people being physically fit and looking good so that they can go surfing in Hawaii one weekend and snowboarding the next, and have a strong enough body to be injury free.”
Training to get great legs
For a lower body/leg workout do 15 to 20 minutes of the following:
Do three sets of plie squats.
Find a bench and do 2 to 3 sets of step-ups.
Do reverse lunges three sets of 15 to 20 reps.
Curtsy reverse lunges; three sets of 15 to 20 reps.
Functional forward reaching lunges: lunge forward: three sets of 15 to 20 of these.
Squat presses – three sets of 15-20-25 reps – add weights to increase.
I advise doing three leg exercises per workout because you’re also doing cardio workouts which burn the fat too so you don’t want to be worn out.
You have to look at your problem areas – so for women who lack the muscle tone you have to build the muscle.
Repeat all of this three times a week, or to step it up do it five times a week for an hour and 15 minutes.
Teddy’s top
trainer tips
Variety is key! Do five minutes of different exercises.
Less is more: You can reduce your hour to 45 minutes. Instead of doing 40 reps, reduce to 20 and add two more pounds..
Cellulite is genetic and a lack of blood flow. Spend 10 minutes a day in the shower really rubbing and loofah-ing the cellulite. Stimulate the area with hot water, then cold water. Jump out and massage a lotion into the cellulite areas. This gets the blood flow happening in those areas.
Have a buddy system; get a friend to work out with you so there’s someone who’s helping you along the way. Make each other accountable to go for that 30 minute walk. It’s perfect; you get to kill two birds with one stone.
Weight training is important for strength; which creates less impact in injury.
