Kate Upton ‘inspires girls’ to push harder at the gym

Kate Upton "inspires girls" to push themselves harder in the gym.

The 24-year-old model was announced as the cover star for Sports Illustrated magazine’s annual Swimsuit edition this year for the third time in her career, and her personal trainer Ben Bruno – who helped her develop her enviable physique – has said her dedication to training serves as an inspiration to other women.

He said: "I’ve personally seen Kate already inspire a lot of girls to [lift] heavier because in their mind they think that they’re going to get big and bulky, but then they see Kate doing it and think, ‘Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about that.’"

And Kate was "very disciplined" when it came to getting in shape for the nearly nude shoot, specifically when it came to strength training.

He added: "A lot of times in the afternoons, we would either go together or she would go with her dog, Harley, hiking just to get outside. Or, for a while when we were really amping up for the shoot, we would do an hour of tennis every day.

"Strength training is your main course and the cardio is your side dish. So, both have their place at the table, but strength training is really the crux of what she did and what I think women should do to change their body."

Ben didn’t put Kate on a strict diet for the shoot so the blonde beauty was allowed to enjoy "wine and sweets" in "moderation".

He told E! News: "She made time here and there for treats. It was mostly healthy, but also some fun. Kate likes her wine and sweets. It’s just about moderation.

"We made a pact, a pinky promise that she would do it the healthy way. I’m proud of her hard work, but I think that a lot of times people get really obsessive when they have [big events coming up], but she kept a really good job of living a balanced life."