Written by Andrew Lenau | ISSA CPT & Sports Nutritionist
Fact checked by Tyler DiGiovanni, BSBM
FACT CHECKED
Miley Cyrus has graced our televisions since her first role alongside her father in "Doc." Since then, she has reinvented herself from "Hannah Montana" Disney star to the "Bangerz" wild child and, of course, the millennial rock rebel; Cyrus is the perfect example of an artist who doesn't sit by and let the world evolve without her.
Like her, Miley's workout routine has evolved over the years, too. Whenever she walked the 2024 Grammy Awards red carpet in a sheer, gold-netted dress that accentuated her toned arms, abs, and legs, I couldn't help but be impressed!
So what does she do to maintain that rocking body?
Table of Contents
- Miley Cyrus's Workout Routine
- The Training Program
- Miley Cyrus Diet
- Outro
Miley Cyrus's Workout Routine
Miley Cyrus is dedicated to her fitness routine, which includes a mix of challenging workouts like Ashtanga yoga and Pilates. Ashtanga yoga, known for its athleticism and demanding poses, has been a staple in Miley's regimen for years. This practice helps her improve flexibility, build strength, and stay mentally focused.
In addition to yoga, Miley turns to Pilates to sculpt and tone her body. Pilates involves a series of controlled movements that target the core and other muscle groups, focusing on strength and body alignment. She says that she keeps herself concert-ready by incorporating Ashtanga yoga and Pilates into her routine and trying to move daily.
One of the hottest things buzzing on the internet right now is Miley Cyrus' Grammy-winning song and music video "Flowers." and it isn't hard to see why! She gives us a look into her workout routine in such a way that burpees may even become fun!
The video's workout consists of multi-joint, full-body movements to help you focus on your strength, get some cardio, and improve your core stabilization. Combining these pieces creates an incredible full-body workout that can be tailored to your needs.
In my opinion, full-body workouts are fun and challenging while also giving you the best bang for your buck, which can be great if you're short on time. Just a quick note: Before trying this workout, make sure that you have basic movements like the bodyweight squat and plank down.
As you get stronger, you can start adding equipment, such as kettlebells, weight vests, resistance bands, and other forms of resistance. You will need only a few things for Miley's workout in the video, such as a battle rope and a resistance band.
Battle Ropes
The start of her workout is one of my favorites, alternating battle ropes. Not only will you feel like a boss bitch while doing them, but they are also incredible for a cardio routine. While not something I would recommend for long periods of time, when done correctly, they will get your heart rate up and can also be used to build strength.
If the rope is heavy enough, you will quickly start to feel it in your shoulders, the core will start to ache, and if you hold a squat while doing them, it will also hit the legs. In addition to the standard alternating ones Miley used in the video, there are other variations, like circles, twists, double-arms, and single-arms.
Spider-Man Pushup
Next up, on the sweat session with Miley, we're doing a variation of a Spider-Man pushup with a resistance band. If it is too much, don't worry; just start with a Spider-Man pushup, which is hard enough on its own.
Spider-Man pushups are a killer combo of upper body strength and core, as they will work your obliques, chest, and triceps. By adding the resistance band and trying to walk yourself out, you will use better core control and work much harder.
Glute Bridge
You can't have a great full-body workout without having some leg work, and glute bridges will definitely do the job. In the video, she does a kind of hip grind with her glute bridge, which, while great for the video, isn't necessary for real gains.
I would just stick with a plain glute bridge and make sure that you're squeezing your booty at the top. Besides making your butt look good, glute bridges are great for building your core, hamstrings and glutes.
I would add a dumbbell in your lap or pause at the top of the movement to add some resistance.
Banded Lunges With Knee Drive
After watching this video, I started adding this movement to my clients' training routines; they absolutely love it. You'll feel the burn because the mix of core, glutes, and hamstrings works while keeping your heart rate up.
While a lunge with knee drive is hard by itself, adding the band forces you to focus on your stability and keep your core activated longer. While Miley made quick work of them in the video, focus on slowly lighting your knee towards your chest when you first start doing them.
As you get more comfortable with them, increase the tempo. If you struggle to do them with the band, remove it from the equation and focus on just doing the lunge with knee drive.
Burpees
It's everyone's worst nightmare, yet it's probably one of the best full-body movements out there. It works just about every muscle group and gives you a cardio workout at the same time.
If you struggle with doing burpees off the floor, try incorporating the resistance band from earlier in the workout; it allows you to push back up without fully supporting your full body weight. Another variation is to put your hand on an elevated surface to make the movement more manageable.
Bird Dogs
Miley simultaneously extends her right arm and left leg out for the bird dog exercise. This is a great movement regardless of your level of fitness.
It is excellent for improving your balance and core strength while working on hand-eye coordination and mobility. I like adding core exercises at the beginning of a workout because I tend to wear myself out and not hit them as hard as I should.
You can modify this movement by working your arm or leg one at a time and switching back and forth from there. To make it more challenging, try it from a pushup position.
The Training Program
To have a workout routine similar to Miley Cyrus, I would recommend starting with either Pilates or Ashtanga yoga for roughly 45 minutes to an hour, three to four days per week, depending on your skill level and whether you're in a group setting.
On the other days, I recommend combining the exercises above as an AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) and adding a warmup beforehand. As an avid animal lover and dog mom, Miley also likes to spend a lot of her free time walking and hiking with her seven pups!
(Note: This is my interpretation of Miley Cyrus' Workout Routine based on information I was able to gather. It is not her exact program.)
Monday
- 45 minutes to an hour of Pilates
Tuesday
- 15 minutes of low-intensity cardio
- 20 Minute AMRAP
- 20 Battle Ropes
- 10 Spider-Man Pushups
- 10 Glute bridges
- 20 Banded Lunges with Knee Drive
- 10 Burpees
- 10 Bird Dogs
Wednesday
- 45 minutes to an hour of Ashtanga Yoga
Thursday
- 45 minutes to an hour of Pilates
Friday
- 15 minutes of low-intensity cardio
- 20 Minute AMRAP
- 20 Battle Ropes
- 10 Spider-Man Pushups
- 10 Glute bridges
- 20 Banded Lunges with Knee Drive
- 10 Burpees
- 10 Bird Dogs
Saturday
- 45 minutes to an hour of Ashtanga Yoga
Go on a hike with the dogs
Sunday
Take this day as either a rest day or, if you have the energy, do this workout.
- 15 minutes of low-intensity cardio
- 20 Minute AMRAP
- 15 Inchworms
- 15 Bicycle Crunches
- 15 Pike Pushups
- 15 Lunge Jumps
- 15 Banded Squats
Miley Cyrus Diet
Miley Cyrus's journey with nutrition is probably just as dynamic as her career. From 2013 to 2019, she followed a strict vegan diet. However, in 2019, she decided to expand her strict diet to include fish and omegas due to concerns about her brain function. She also decided not to eat anything with gluten or lactose since she has an allergy.
While I agree that everyone should eat more fruits and veggies, it is worth mentioning that a vegan diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies unless you know what you're doing or are working with a doctor or nutritionist.¹
While specific meal details may vary, Miley has shared some of her favorite dishes and meal ideas in interviews and on social media:
Breakfast:
Miley typically starts her days with a simple breakfast: a Pumpkin pie smoothie, a blueberry smoothie, or oatmeal with plant-based milk and fresh fruits.
Lunch:
Later in the day, she eats Kale and white bean salad, avocado toast, or vegetable-based soups. Despite being more pescatarian, she still tries to keep her intake of animal products to a bare minimum.
Snacks:
Snacks are often very light and just enough to keep her going between meals, so fresh fruits, raw vegetables with hummus, or vegan protein bars are usually more than enough.
Dinner:
Miley's dinners are typically the only meals that have a chance of containing meat, with most of them consisting of some kind of grilled fish with roasted vegetables, stir-fried tofu with quinoa, or plant-based pasta dishes.
Miley has mentioned that she began taking a vitamin B12 supplement to "fill in the gaps" in her vegan diet. However, nothing recently indicates if she still takes it today.
At any rate, if you're vegan or someone trying to keep animal products to a minimum, try speaking with a dietitian to find a diet plan that suits your needs and fills in all the nutritional gaps. Supplements such as iron, vitamin D, iodine, and zinc are recommended to vegans to avoid deficiencies.
If you're like Miley and don't want to incorporate animal products into your diet but want to manage your omega-3 levels, consider adding a vegan omega-3 supplement to your morning routine.
Outro
As Miley continues to reinvent herself, we can take a page from her book. Don't hesitate to introduce some variety to your workout routine, and keep your mind open to ways that you can improve your diet!
Regardless of what you think of her, Miley continues to shine in the spotlight. Her fitness and nutrition journey reminds us that we need to push boundaries, embrace new workouts, and never stop evolving. After all, strength, confidence, and killer abs are just a workout (or more) away!
References
- Saint Luke's. "Research Shows Vegan Diet Leads to Nutritional Deficiencies, Health Problems; Plant-Forward Omnivorous Whole Foods Diet Is Healthier." Saint Luke's Health System, 8 Sept. 2022,www.saintlukeskc.org/about/news/research-shows-vegan-diet-leads-nutritional-deficiencies-health-problems-plant-forward
Andrew Lenau
Author