The Better Sister is the gripping whodunnit series that’s got everybody talking right now – but not just on account of its captivating storyline. Viewers are frankly obsessed with actor Jessica Biel’s physique, and have taken to social media to plead for her top training tips.

‘Ok, but can we talk about you in that white dress?!? Drop the workout routine,’ one follower requested on TikTok, while others rushed to compliment her strength: ‘I watched The Better Sister just admiring your shoulders and back muscles,’ another wrote.

The star, who plays Chloe Taylor, one half of the sister duo in the show, responded by sharing a workout from her training plan to TikTok. But she’s the first to acknowledge that her routine isn’t sustainable year-round.

‘Everyone is telling me that people are really enjoying The Better Sister, which is amazing, and also talking about the white dress and how do we stay strong as we get older, specifically as women, and how do we keep our backs strong,’ she says in the video. ‘I just felt like I wanted to share that that peak shape in that show is not maintainable unless you are living the strictest, most rigid lifestyle with your nutrition and with your fitness, which I cannot do.’

Biel’s long-time trainer, Ben Bruno, shared a similar sentiment on Instagram recently, reiterating that the actor’s training plan rightly isn’t for everyone. ‘Some of our friends have texted me that Jess looks great in the show, and that’s not by accident,’ he said. ‘Jess works her ass off consistently so stuff like this is kinda the norm for her, but it’s anything but normal. She’s a total badass in the gym, and she makes all the hard exercises look easy.’

While we’re all for working towards improved strength and muscle mass, it’s important to remember that attempting to replicate someone else’s physique is a lost cause, since our genetic makeup largely informs how our bodies look. That said, if the show has inspired you to introduce more resistance training into your rota, you may want to try her lower-body strength workout. ‘You’ve got to build muscle, so that’s a key part of my particular routine. And a ton of flexibility,’ she says. She’s not wrong: building and maintaining muscle mass can improve bone density and reduce your risk of osteoporosis, among many other benefits that can improve your quality of life as you age.

‘I’m currently back on my plan to sort of get a little bit back towards that shape. I’m gonna show you a couple of these exercises,’ Biel says before crediting her “Pilates-slash-fitness friend” Ashley Brown with the workout.

What we love about this session is how adaptable it is. Biel mentions that this particular workout is usually done with a wider range of equipment – something that’s not always accessible if you’re someone who travels frequently or favours at-home exercise. Note how she utilises alternative kit (resistance bands over a cable machine, and dumbbells instead of a barbell) to ensure she manages to get her reps in regardless of the environment. Additionally, each exercise can be made more or less challenging by tweaking the load or adjusting a small element of the movement (switching from step-through to static lunges, for example, will reduce the difficulty). ‘My body is not 20 years old anymore, you know. So, I’m adjusting my workout to what I need to do,’ Biel says.

A final thing to bear in mind is that random training breeds random results. It’s fun to experiment with different types of training and explore exercise variations, but if you’re working towards a specific goal, such as building strength or muscle mass, consistency really is key. As unsexy as it sounds, you need to be working the same muscles again, and again, and again. Although Biel doesn’t emphasise this in her video, it’s undoubtedly a core element of her training plan (here she is in a video from 2023 doing those same step-through lunges).

So, what’s the workout the star loves for training lower body? Keep scrolling for a complete breakdown.

Jessica Biel’s lower body workout
Barbell hip thrusts

‘I don’t have a barbell, so I’m just using dumbbells,’ Biel says. ‘I pop them on my thighs and then I drop it down.’

Reps/sets: 10 x 4

Romanian deadlifts

‘With knees slightly bent, send your butt way back,’ Biel says. With your core braced and your back straight, hinge from the hips. Pretend you’re using your butt to close a door.

Drive through your feet to return to the starting position.

Reps/sets: 10 x 4

Hamstring curls

Lying on your back with knees bent and heels resting on a gym ball, brace your core before pushing the ball away with your feet. Keep your hips lifted.

‘I do three counts down slowly, then spring back up,’ Biel says.

Reps/sets: 10-12 x 3

Step-through lunges

From feet hip-width apart, step one foot forward and bend both knees to 90 degrees. Push back off the front foot to return to standing, before stepping that same foot behind you and repeating the lunge movement.

Reps/sets: 6-8 per leg x 3

Cable med glute kickback

‘I don’t have a cable. I am on the road making up the best I can do,’ Biel says. She uses a lighter resistance band for the first set, and increases the resistance for the second set.

With a cable or band looped under one foot, and the other foot planted, kick the banded foot behind you until your leg is parallel with the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Reps/sets: 10-12 per leg x 2

Kettlebell dead bugs

Lying on your back with feet raised and knees bent to 90 degrees, raise a kettlebell above your head. Brace your core, and alternately lower one leg until its parallel with – but not touching – the floor.

Reps/sets: 12 x 2

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