Health & Fitness

| INTERVIEW |

VICTORIA’S SECRET MODEL TRAINER, JOHN BENTON KNOWN AS THE ‘HIPS WHISPERER’

Given your job, training supermodels from around the world such as, Victoria’s Secret model, Alana Arrington. What is your philosophy when it comes to training these girls?

My fitness philosophy: First and foremost everyone has to train for the body type they want. I frequently refer girls to other trainers if they tell me they want a more muscular look or a bigger booty… A lot of trainers train a girl or bride the same way they train a male athlete that’s trying to put on a lot of muscle. I train all girls and brides as if they are trying to become a VS model. So a toned, athletic body for my brides to be rather than an overly muscular body. Most of my workouts in my Dallas studio and on my website are bodyweight only or just using light dumbbells and ankle weights. That way all my clients can do my model specific workouts literally anywhere without any expensive bulky equipment or even a gym membership. All my clients can do my workouts from home if they want so they can avoid that gym creeper guy that is in every gym.

Image from Instagram

Photograph by John Benton

What method do you take for approaching workouts?

My method is quite different from most other trainers since most of my clients are either models or are wanting to get into the modeling industry. Exercises like squats, lunges, burpees… are great; but not so much for models. A models career is made or destroyed by their hip and waist measurements and if a girl does too much leg workouts they could potentially bulk up a a lot of muscle in their legs. To keep my clients legs toned while shrinking their measurements I have them do a lot of upper inner thigh gap and glute toning exercises. HIIT workouts are great; that’s basically what I do with my clients. I just tone it down a bit since none of my clients are trying to bulk up.

“Exercises like squats, lunges, burpees… are great; but not so much for models.“

Can women get bulky from lifting weights?

There’s a bit of a misconception that “girls won’t get bulky if they lift heavy”. Everyone is different, so some girls can lift heavy and not bulk up; but since most of my clients are former athletes they build muscle pretty easy. Most girls don’t build big bulky muscles in the arms and upper body very easy; but legs are a different story. Just look at most volleyball players. There’s nothing wrong with that look; but as I stated earlier a models career is created or destroyed by their leg/hip/waist measurements.

Victoria’s Secret model,

Alana Arrington killed it on

the runway after training with John.

Photograph by John Benton

How often should a bride workout prior to the big day?

Leading up to a VS show, a big photo shoot, or a wedding; most of my clients are working out 1-2 hours a day 5-7 days a week. Then once the big day or big show is over I recommend my clients workout about 4-6 days a week. But since my workouts are bodyweight only; a lot of my clients maintain with 1-2 workouts each day.

What types of workouts should a bride be focusing on?

Leading up to a wedding I make sure that we do a lot of upper back, arm, shoulder, armpit fat (that area that squishes out when girls wear a dress or bathing suit). These are the only areas that anyone can see when wearing a wedding dress so I make sure all these areas are toned and lean; not big and bulky.