You’d think after years of showing off her skills, Brie Larson might stop impressing us with her fitness videos — but it appears the limit of “wow” does not exist. Between single-arm push-ups, one-minute-long pull-ups, and pushing a 5,000-pound jeep, there’s really nothing the actress can’t do.
Though she’s better known as Captain Marvel, Larson’s latest gym video has us thinking she could be the next Spider-Woman or Batwoman. In the video, which she captioned “trying new things…”, Larson walks up to a squat rack fitted with some narrow-grip pull-up bars, grabs ahold with both hands, hops off the ground, and crunches her knees up until she’s hanging upside down. She then extends her legs toward the ceiling and lowers them in slow motion toward the floor while slowly unfurling her body and lengthening her arms to return to the starting position. (In case you’re here for the outfit deets, she’s wearing what appear to be Alo leggings, a pair of Nike Metcons, and a Y2K-inspired pink halter top from Omighty.)
If you feel like you’ve never seen this move before, it’s probably because you haven’t. It isn’t an exercise classic, but rather a calisthenics-style move that seems to be the product of Larson playing around in the gym. (FYI, calisthenics is a type of gymnastics-inspired bodyweight training.) It’s part hanging knee raise, part pull-up, and part toes-to-bar, effectively targeting her biceps, back, chest, and every inch of her core. It’s actually quite similar to a core move called the “Dragon Flag,” which Larson has done before (as evidenced by her Instagram); it involves lying down on a bench or the floor and lifting your feet and hips above your head to form a straight line (similar to a yoga shoulderstand), and then lowering your body as slowly as possible toward the floor while keeping it completely straight.
The comments on the video understandably convey a sense of awe. “I don’t think anyone understands just how impressive this actually is!” wrote one user. Peloton instructor Ally Love gave Larson some clapping emojis, and comedian Lilly Singh simply wrote, “Machine.”
Want to try it for yourself? Practice plenty of full-ups, dragon flags, and hanging knee lifts first, and still approach with caution (and maybe the help of a trainer). After all, this is Captain Marvel you’re trying to imitate.
Image Source: Getty Images / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin