Running, light weights, yoga and graceful, controlled moves: the training behind one of the most physical roles of her career. Dakota Johnson is back in theaters this fall with Verity, the psychological thriller in which she stars opposite Anne Hathaway. But for many fans, the role that made her a household name remains Anastasia Steele, the heroine of the Fifty Shades trilogy.
Playing Ana meant long, physically demanding scenes, many of them with very little on. So how did Johnson, now 37, prepare? Her answer was less about a dramatic transformation than about feeling strong and having stamina.
The First Film: Endurance Over Everything
For Fifty Shades of Grey, released in 2015, Johnson told Access Hollywood that she and co-star Jamie Dornan “worked out with a trainer.” Her approach was practical. “I thought beforehand that I would get in shape,” she said, explaining that the scenes were physically demanding. “You weirdly need endurance.”
Running was her cardio of choice, and she paired it with healthy eating. The goal was not a sculpted physique but the natural look of an active college student, which suited the character.
The Sequels: Two Trainers, One Plan
For Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, shot back to back, Johnson worked with two well-known trainers: Gunnar Peterson in Beverly Hills and Kacy Duke in New York, Vogue reported in 2017.
Peterson remembered the starting point with humor. “The joke was, ‘I’m about to be naked for six months,'” he told Vogue. Together, the trainers built combination moves that worked the abs, arms and glutes at the same time, moving the body in all directions rather than in straight lines. “For what Dakota is doing in the movie, the way her body moves, she needs to be capable of all that,” Peterson explained.
What the Workouts Looked Like
While filming in Vancouver and Seattle, Johnson combined yoga classes with a 45-minute personalized routine from Duke, according to Vogue. The equipment was minimal: light hand weights of 3 to 5 pounds, a small medicine ball and a chair.
The routine included push-ups combined with mountain climbers and pull-ins on gliders or towels, lunges for the hips and glutes, lunges paired with bicep curls and tricep kickbacks, squat-based moves for the chest, back and shoulders, and chair-supported glute exercises. Most were done in three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
Duke favored fluid, elongating movements that emphasize control and grace. Johnson apparently loved the effect. “Dakota would always say, ‘I’m walking like a cat,'” Duke recalled.
Body Confidence First
Johnson has always framed the role in terms of confidence rather than appearance. “I don’t feel ashamed of my body,” she told USA Today at the time. “I think more women should be less ashamed of their bodies.”
What You Can Borrow
Her routine is surprisingly accessible. Light weights, multi-muscle moves and controlled tempo make workouts efficient and joint-friendly. Pair them with a cardio session you enjoy, like running or brisk walking, and a weekly yoga class for flexibility.
Before the Fifty Shades films, Dakota Johnson trained for strength and stamina, not a number on the scale, and that may be the most useful lesson of all.