IT HURTS SO GOOD
agreeing to be the submissive and Christian the dominant.) The film, which UK newspaper the Sun says is even kinkier than the first flick, reportedly includes a racy bit in which Anastasia draws with lipstick on Christian’s chest and sex scenes that are “too graphic to describe.”
For her role, Johnson needed a slender but toned physique. Dornan, on the other hand, needed to be able to hoist up that limber body during the steamy shower-sex scene the trailers keep teasing.
With Dornan, Braganza focused almost entirely on legs, although he worked out his arms and other areas on his own — Dornan reportedly does pushups before their steamier scenes. Men often forget about “leg days,” or workouts in which they strengthen their quads, hamstrings and glutes, Braganza says. These muscles are rarely seen outside the bedroom (unless, of course, you’re the star of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy).
But focusing on those muscles helps speed up metabolism, burn fat and, most importantly for anyone hoping for Christian Grey-esque confidence, release more testosterone.
“Legs are the biggest muscles in the body,” Braganza says. “They require more energy from the body to move them . . . thereby burning more calories and stressing hormonal systems, which in turn releases more testosterone.”
Braganza had Dornan do several squat variations, often with weights. At the top of every squat, Braganza advises her clients to squeeze their glutes tightly to make the workout even more effective. They worked together about twice a week for around 30 minutes each day inside Braganza’s portable gym, Mobile Physique. The RV-like gym rolled onto the Vancouver set for the duration of filming in the winter and spring of 2016.
With Johnson, Braganza focused on lengthening and toning exercises, such as leg-lifting floor routines, and plenty of ab workouts. She also had Johnson complete tons of plank exercises to tone her arms and further define her core. The two worked together about four times a week for around 30 to 40 minutes each day.
“We wouldn’t have [Johnson] doing the heavy squats that Jamie would do, because we wouldn’t want her to look that muscular,” Braganza says. “That’s just not what Anastasia Steele would look like.” On top of Braganza’s workout routines, Johnson also practiced hot yoga and the “Ballet Beautiful” dance-inspired fitness regimen — her next role is as a ballerina in Luca Guadagnino’s remake of the horror flick “Suspiria.” But Braganza tried to stay focused on Johnson and Dornan’s “Fifty Shades” roles. The actors received a customized workout plan designed to fit their respective characters.
Filming for “Fifty Shades Darker” also lasted longer than usual because the cast began shooting the trilogy’s third installment, “Fifty Shades Freed,” immediately after the second. The lengthy shoot meant Braganza had to work extra hard to keep the cast energized.
She employed one of her favorite tactics for motivating her celebrity clients: Called the “catsuit trick,” it involves putting on that one outfit we all have in our closet that makes us feel particularly sexy, as long as we’re in the right shape. (For Braganza, it’s her old Raiders cheerleading uniform.)
For Johnson and Dornan, “their catsuits were who they were on camera,” Braganza says with a laugh. The movie will feature two bondage scenes, and they’ll have to feel confident in them. “Otherwise,” she says, “we’re not gonna buy it.”
But for those of us who don’t anticipate a steamy, naked close-up anytime soon, Braganza advises monitoring fitness using something like a bathing suit or sexy lingerie.
“If you know you’re gonna wear a bathing suit on a vacation, put it on a month before and see where you’re at,” she says. That alone could be all the gym motivation you need.
But any look-good-naked workout regime is pointless if you’re not mentally prepared for the action.
“If you want to feel comfortable naked, it’s really more important for you to feel comfortable deep down inside, and then the other parts just sort of happen,” she says. “Sure, you can fix your anatomy and go on a healthy food plan. But we all gotta have that confidence level.”
Here, Braganza demonstrates the moves that got the stars into shape.
“[Legs] require more energy from the body to move ... which in turn releases more testosterone.” — Ramona Braganza on Jamie Dornan’s training regimen