Karina Smirnoff's decades of dancing have paid off in more ways than one! Before heading out to compete on Season 17 of Dancing with the Stars, the professional hoofer is showing off her stunning physique on the cover of FitnessRX for Women's October issue — and Us Weekly has the exclusive first look!
Dressed in a matching orange and black workout ensemble, the professional dancer showed off her toned body — especially her rock-hard abs — posing mid-air while wearing tight pants, a sports bra and sneakers.
Known for her dancing prowess on the ABC competition, the Ukranian native explained in the 10-page feature why she stuck to ballroom dancing when first starting out. "I think it's the combination of heart and fitness and show biz, the glitz and glamour of the ballroom dancing world— I think all of that made me want to fall in love with it," she said.
As it turns out, Smirnoff, 35, originally had a much different career path in mind: she planned to become a lawyer! "Growing up, I was nervous because there are so many dancers and there are only a few dancers who really make a career out of it. So I thought I was going to dance until I became an attorney," she added. "But if there's one lesson I learned, it's if you dance with your heart, and you give it 100 percent every time without holding anything back, good things are going to come to you and good things are going to happen."
For more on Smirnoff's secrets and tips for staying in shape and diet must-haves for a dancer's body, pick up the October issue of FitnessRX for Women.
Dancing with the Stars Season 17 premieres Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.
