Chelsea Handler Crushed Her Latest Core Workout with a Nod to Tom Brady

Handler's longtime trainer, Ben Bruno, also gave props to the comedian on her "serious core strength."

Working out with Chelsea Handler is always an adventure, as her longtime trainer, Ben Bruno, can probably attest. Whether she's using some choice four-letter words or lifting weights and (legally) smoking at the same time, Handler's the kind of gym buddy most people would dream of having by their side as they sweat.

The pair teamed up for a recent core workout, and while Bruno admits that exercising with the comedian can be "tricky" (as in, she literally tells him to stop talking to her), he gave props to her "serious core strength" — and when you see her crush these two moves, you'll quickly understand why. (Remember when she nailed rotary chop split squats? Handler does not come to play in the gym.)

Bruno shared three Instagram videos of their recent workout Sunday and later explained the inspiration for their fierce core-focused session. "Chelsea came in today complaining about being bloated after eating Chinese food, and given my affinity for the New England Patriots, we have a new name for our workouts henceforth," he shared. Panning the camera over to a hanging Handler, the duo revealed the bloat-busting name: "Deflategate."

While the name is admittedly hilarious (in short, "Deflategate" was a controversy that involved former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and allegations of deflated footballs) it's worth noting that doing core exercises isn't some magic bullet for getting rid of bloat, which can be caused by gas or stress levels, according to Robynne Chutkan, M.D., an integrative gastroenterologist. To eliminate stomach bloating before a workout, drinking 16 to 24 ounces of water one to two hours before exercising can give the body time to absorb the needed fluid, according to Eamonn Quigley, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Houston Methodist Hospital. Make sure to sip regularly during exercise to stay hydrated, he advised.

All that aside, Handler got it done during their joint session, with Bruno sharing two intense moves that she absolutely nailed. The first, which Bruno calls a "single-leg body saw," involves the former late-night host getting into the forearm plank position (with her forearms supported by a cushion), using a slider under one foot as she moves forward and back in a sawing motion. The twist here: Bruno has her lifting her other leg, so she's balancing on the sliding foot and ensuring that basically every muscle in her body is engaged. With her upper body holding it down, she can engage all the muscles in her core and legs to do the split moves simultaneously, literally looking like a "body saw."

Handler stayed so focused she even lost track of how many reps she'd done, with Bruno joking that she'd have "uneven abs now." If you're brave enough to try the single-leg body saw on your own at home, the good (or bad, depending on your POV) news is you can. Amazon has similar equipment up for grabs, including the SPRI Slide Board (Buy It, $42, amazon.com) and the Peach Bands Core Sliders (Buy It, $15, amazon.com). (ICYDK: Kate Upton recently used the same equipment with Bruno during a fierce full-body workout with Sophia Bush.)

Buy It: SPRI Slide Board, $42, amazon.com

She then tackled what Bruno calls "weighted hanging leg raises." She hung with both hands on gymnastic rings and a medicine ball between her feet, crunching the medicine ball up toward her chest. The move was so tough for Handler stayed silent and asked Bruno to stop talking — but, of course, she crushed it, which Bruno celebrated in his caption.

If you want to give this exercise a go, try the top-rated PACEARTH Wooden Gymnastics Rings (Buy It, $40, amazon.com), a set of adjustable straps, and non-slip rings designed to be used in your home gym. Amazon reviewers also love the JFIT Soft Wall Medicine Ball (Buy It, from $31, amazon.com) for both strength and plyometric moves alike, including squats, burpees, crunches, and more. It comes in 10 different weights, so you can challenge your strength every single time. (Want more? Here's how to set up a home gym you'll actually want to workout in.)

Buy It: PACEARTH Wooden Gymnastics Rings, $40, amazon.com