Halle Bailey's portrayal of Ariel in The Little Mermaid has captivated audiences worldwide. Beyond her vocal prowess and stunning hair, her toned physique, particularly her strong core, has garnered attention. To embody the iconic mermaid, Bailey committed to a rigorous training routine and tailored meal plan, achieving what she described as "the best shape of her life."
Intense Training Regimen
Bailey's preparation for The Little Mermaid was far from a casual affair. She revealed on LIVE with Kelly and Mark that her schedule was "intense every day: 4am gym, then stunts, then get in the water. It was, like, a lot." This dedication highlights the commitment required to achieve her level of fitness and strength.
Working with a Personal Trainer
To ensure she was approaching her role as Ariel in the healthiest way possible, Bailey enlisted the expertise of personal trainer Sana Shirvani. Shirvani, who works at London-based health and wellness optimization facilities Until, helped Bailey design a program that focused on core strength and overall fitness.
Prioritizing Core Strength
Shirvani emphasized that "core strength is very different to a visible set of abs." The training focused not only on aesthetics but also on the functional strength needed to film for hours on a rig. As mermaids have no legs, they heavily rely on their core and back strength to hold them up. This required a huge amount of abdominal strength as well as a huge amount of strength through their back extensors.
Strengthening Neck Muscles
Since Bailey spent so many hours suspended in the air, where she was also required to sing, a key part of their training routine was core work and 'strengthening Halle's neck muscles'. The neck muscles play a crucial role in providing stability, supporting good posture, and reducing the risk of neck-related injuries. They used a variation of neck isometrics and resistance-based methods, which involve applying resistance without actually moving the neck.
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Strength and Conditioning Workouts
Halle and Sana did strength and conditioning workouts five-six times per week to get Halle 'stronger, fit and agile', and Sana also helped Halle nail her nutrition. Besides implementing a balanced diet, she calculated Halle’s ideal calorie intake and macro splits for 'maintenance' (i.e. not losing or gaining weight).
Early Morning Workouts
In the same interview with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos about The Little Mermaid, Halle added, ‘When I was filming, I was in the best shape of my life,’ she said. gym, then stunts, then get in the water; it was, like, a lot.’ As mentioned earlier, Bailey's day often began with 4 am workouts. While this extreme schedule may not be sustainable or necessary for everyone, it demonstrates her dedication to her role.
Incorporating Hot Yoga
Beyond intense gym sessions and wire work, Bailey enjoys hot yoga. She once captioned an Instagram post, "Hot yoga kicked my ass," confirming her love for a heated exercise studio. The heat can alleviate joint stiffness, increase blood circulation, boost the immune system and release endorphins, which have been shown to ease pain.
Consistency and Goal Setting
Bailey's fitness journey is marked by consistency. She was in intense physical training for three months, and then every single day she'd either be up on wires and a harness or she'd be in the water all day,’ she said. She doesn't miss a day. In another post on IG, she wrote: 'kicking monday’s ass today 💪🏽🖤.' In February 2021, she shared that she’d been working on her strength, and took to IG to show off her booty gains. ‘been working really hard and feeling proud of my little gains 🥰🧁,’ she captioned it. And in another post, she wrote: 'i’ve always felt i was too small but honestly proud of my progress..😇getting somewhere 💪🏽💜'
Variety in Workouts
Halle often shares her workouts on IG Stories and, back in January, she filmed one of her intense circuit training workouts, which included weighted squats, box jumps, weighted side planks, and rotating hollow holds.
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Vegan Diet
On the diet front, Halle and her sister Chloe previously shared that they’re both vegan, something they originally tried out to help their voices, and it stuck, they told Complex. ‘When we moved to L.A., it really became easy,’ Chloe said. ‘So many vegan restaurants and vegan aisles in the grocery store are like heaven for us!’
Favorite Vegan Foods
During BuzzFeed's Sister Test, they shared more about their favourite vegan foods. Halle is a fan of avocado toast, rice, and bread-and she totally has a sweet tooth; she loves vegan cheesecake, donuts, and pancakes. And both sisters are fans of this "perfect" vegan smoothie, made of raspberries, almond milk, blueberries, apple, agave nectar, and ice.
Protein Focus
Since giving birth, Halle has been trying to build muscle via "slower weight training.""I've never really done this before-I always did a lot of cardio or tried to lose [weight], but now I'm in this phase of my life where I'm embracing some of the meat that has stuck since I gave birth," she says. "I'm trying to keep some of it."To do so, she's been eating protein for "every meal" and has been cooking more at home, which she says has been "really fun for me." "I'm on this whole new protein kick-really just protein and veggies," she says. "I'm seeing good things from it, but it's still very new."
Infusing Exercise into Daily Life
In their Teen Vogue interview, Halle and Chloe revealed one way that they infuse exercise into their busy schedules: Going for walks instead of driving. “Every morning we walk our little brother to school. That helps us start our day off nice and refreshed,” they said. When traveling for work, they also walk instead of hopping in cars. Halle also loves to run. They also “love to go running, around three times a week.” According to the Mayo Clinic, running is excellent for cardiovascular health, muscle building, and weight loss. Halle loves to swim. According to the CDC, swimming is a good way to get regular aerobic physical activity. Just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, such as swimming, bicycling, or running, can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses.
Mental Health and Self-Care
For both siblings, self-care includes focusing on their mental wellbeing, too. "Therapy is definitely important and essential," Chlöe says. "When you speak on overall health, you should also include mental health in that. I'm a huge advocate for therapy or talking to someone that you can trust that you're close to, so that you always have an outlet."On tough days, Chlöe says that she likes to work out, visit her favorite places, and be around family where she feels "accepted and loved." Halle, who has been open about her struggle with postpartum depression, agreed, adding that surrounding herself with loved ones reminds her that she's "meant to be here.""I think we all go through phases where you feel just down sometimes, but as long as you have love around to uplift you… I rely a lot on my sister," she says. "She gets me through a lot, and vice-versa."
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