Movie stars are known for their ability to completely overhaul their bodies when the role demands it, and star muscle building has become a trend. Sure, the celebrities also have trainers and nutritionists on call. However, it is mostly up to them to get the job done. Looking at their bulging biceps and six-pack abs, we can quickly tell that this was no easy task. Of theintensiven WorkoutsFrom Ryan Reynolds to Ben Affleck's early morning workouts, here's how Hollywood hunks keep themselves in tip-top shape.
Celebrity muscle building
Jason Momoa
Jason Momoa was already fit when he conquered the hearts of women all over the world as Khal Drogo in the cult series “Game of Thrones”. However, he had to do someChanges to his dietto show off his muscles for the role of Aquaman in the DC Comics film of the same name. Trainer Stuart Walton shares what Momoa ate in preparation for his take on the Aquaman hero. You might be surprised to learn that no foods were forbidden to him. Instead, the pair worked to influence the actor's macronutrient intake. Before an intense workout, he loaded carbohydrates into his body. Fresh fruit for early morning sweat sessions or rice and quinoa before evening workouts were part of his menu. As for eggs and fat, the ocean-dwelling superhero loved sashimi (mainly barramundi and salmon), as well as steak, avocados and olive oil.
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman has always been fit, but his metamorphosis into Wolverine is often hailed as the ultimate superhero transformation. The 50-year-old Aussie fasted every day to pull himself together. Jackman also followed the 16:8 diet, whereall mealswere fitted in a period of eight hours and the remaining 16 were fasted. Seventy percent of his body represented his diet, and that contributed to his biggest change. The actor started training six months before filming. He followed a progressive overload plan to strengthen the compound exercises. According to Men's Fitness, it's all about starting light, using only a small percentage of your maximum, gradually increasing the weights and lowering the reps so that you smash through the plateaus in just a few weeks.
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds isn't a fan of superheroes, but according to his trainer Bobby Strom, the actor doesn't have the same physique every time. To prepare for his role in the film Green Lantern, the 42-year-old Canadian began training a year in advance. Strom kept the father of two on his feet by changing up his exercises every day for the role of Deadpool. However, the first 20 minutes of each session were dedicated to the abdominal muscles.
The trainer explained that he cooked for the actor six days a week. He made healthy Bolognese sauce that consisted of 97 percent fat-free beef. The trainer sautéed it in a pan with broccoli and his own marinara sauce along with black pepper, a little cayenne pepper and a little garlic. No salt or sugar, served over brown rice or high quality brown rice noodles.
Chris Pratt
Before his debut as Star-Lord in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Chris Pratt was known as Andy Dwyer in “Parks and Recreation.” When the 39-year-old decided on the role, he weighed around 120 kilos and lost around 30 of them in an impressive six months. The secret to Pratt's transformation was lots of calories, water and intense strength training. In addition to running, swimming, boxing, kickboxing and even a triathlon, Pratt's nutritionist increased his daily calorie intake to a whopping 4,000 calories and had the actor drink water throughout the day.
Chris Hemsworth
To be honest, Chris Hemsworth always looks like a superhero, but to play the God of Thunder in Thor, the 35-year-old had to up his workout routine as well as his diet. In a conversation, Hemsworth admitted that, like many actors, he often ate almost every two hours, while his diet consisted mainly of protein. He consumed endless amounts of chicken breasts, steaks, fish, vegetables and brown rice. The father of three also lobbied long-time trainer Luke Zocchi and ensured his training schedule was changed. His workouts were all about being varied. When the actor trained his arms, he simultaneously worked in box jumps between sets. By doing more cardio, you shock your body and avoid problems in certain areas.
Michael B. Jordan
Before Michael B. Jordan took on his role as the villain in Marvel's superhero blockbuster "Black Panther," he had to put on some serious muscle to play the title character of "Creed." Jordan's trainer, Corey Calliet, revealed that the 32-year-old actor combined cardio with circuit training four days a week to burn fat and get in shape so he can play the son of Rocky Balboa's boyfriend, Adonis Creed.
To prepare for his role as Erik Killmonger, Jordan took his training to the next level. Recently, in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on "The Ellen Show," he explained that he was strict about six meals, two to three workouts, and a gallon of water per day. Unfortunately, having to drink so much water also meant frequent trips to the toilet at night. Jordan's diet plan was too high so he could no longer enjoy himself. It was hard for him to go to a club or a party or even socialize when he had to get in such shape.
Chris Evans
To get into the mold of Captain America, Chris Evans worked with top British trainer Simon Waterson for three hours a day a few months before filming began. He put the 37-year-old on a high-weight, low-rep regime filled with squats, deadlifts, incline bench presses and pull-ups. Evans also used a lot of body weights and incorporated some plyometric exercises to ramp up his fast-twitch muscle fibers.
When it comes to food, the actor stuck to a not so tasteful oneLean protein diet, rice and vegetables. So the hard part was eating everything all the time. It sounds funny, but it's not, which is a true dedication of a real American hero.
Henry Cavill
To make him look like he was faster than a speeding bullet in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Henry Cavill turned to strength coach Michael Blevins. The trainer developed a plan for the Man of Steel that consisted of four phases: preparation, replenishment, orientation and maintenance. The bulky portion involved lifting weights in a complex manner that simultaneously built muscle, strength, and speed. The 35-year-old actor did this in a repetitive manner, which also increased his stamina.
There is a misconception that cardio negatively affects stars' muscle building. Greater work capacity allows you to train harder and longer. Building muscle without conditioning is like building an impressive engine without a gas tank - it's worthless. Cavill also increased his food intake during the months he was in the form of Superman. He consumed 5,000 calories a day while filming “Man of Steel.” The movie star had to eat protein first, then a little carbohydrate while staving off hunger.
Tom Hardy
After his roles as Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises” and Max Rockatansky in “Mad Max,” Tom Hardy is no stranger. However, for his role as Eddie Brock in “Venom,” the 41-year-old decided to switch up his training program. By some accounts, Hardy practiced martial arts, boxing and jiu-jitsu training with professional MMA fighters five days a week. Coach Mark Mene and the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association of the Royal Marines also supported him. As for the actor's diet, he should consume lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and plenty of green leaves. With all that said, however, Hardy said his superhero transformations may come at a cost.
Ben Affleck
The famous muscle building of the stars also includes Ben Affleck, who also had to train vigorously for his role in “Batman vs. Superman”. This happened when he was filming “Gone Girl,” which, as many can imagine, wasn’t easy. Before he began his daily 14-hour workout, the 46-year-old got up at 4:00 a.m. Affleck's superhero transformation took about 15 months, ranging from 90 minutes to two and a half hours a day, with a schedule of six days of training and then two days off. So the actor did a lot of bodybuilding and wanted to get strong and add mass at the same time. He used heavy dumbbells and other weights as the basis for training. The father of three also followed a diet plan that consisted of 35 percent lean protein, 45 percent carbohydrates and 20 percent essential fats.
Robert Downey Jr.
When Robert Downey Jr. had to play Iron Man again in The Avengers, the 54-year-old actor turned to his beloved Wing Chun technique. This martial art was made famous by Bruce Lee. In conjunction with training Wing Chun, Downey went into fitness mode with trainer Brad Bose. Downey reduced his cardio and increased the amount of weight he was supposed to lift. This meant he was able to build around 11 kilos of muscle mass. However, in order to maintain his mass, the father of three had to go on an equally intensive diet. He ate every three hours while his trainer fed him 30 percent protein, 30 percent fat and 40 percent carbohydrates. He consumed more than 5,000 calories per day for nine months. If you don't eat as much, your body won't accept the weight.
