Whether you want the biceps of Thor, the stamina of Wonder Woman, or the abs of Captain America, you’re in the right place.
Your gym workout plan might not give you superpowers. But the truth is, it isn’t all movie magic. Our favorite heroes put in the work for the big screen, implementing intense gym workout plans. By the end? They’re transformed into lean, strong, and comic-book buff superheroes.
Get ‘Super-Strength’ with This Hero-Inspired Gym Workout Plan
Are you ready to unleash your inner superhero? Look no further. In this article, we’ll reveal the top 6 training strategies inspired by your favorite heroes to help you get in shape and achieve the body of your dreams:
Super Strategy #1: Lift Big.
Marvel superhero trainer, Don Saladino, revealed super strength starts with one simple rule: Lift big.
Push your limits, and find your max. Even if you only hit three maximum-weight reps once per week, it makes a difference.
Muscle growth is all about conditioning. Get your body used to doing the heavy lifting, and you’ll unlock superhero strength.
However, lifting big requires the right weight lifting equipment, such as heavy dumbbells, barbells, and weight plates. If you don’t have these at home, join a gym or get your own weight lifting equipment.
Super Strategy #2: Variation is Key.
Heroes always keep their gym workout plans interesting by switching them up.
For his big transformation, Captain America’s Chris Evans had a strict gym workout plan: 4-5 days per week, 2 hours per day, over 3 months.
To prioritize his patriotic gains, he put cardio on hold. During each session, he focused on two muscle groups. He did various exercises to target those muscles from different angles, ensuring all-around gains.
Both he and his co-star Chris Hemsworth (Thor) said this variation was the key to their success. This theory is known as “muscle confusion:” The principle that doing the same exercise repeatedly will cause your muscles to become complacent and stop growing over time.
Switching up the speed, type of workout, and weight lifting equipment can keep your muscles “confused,” always growing and adapting.
Super Strategy #3: Want a 6-Pack? Build Tension.
Want to pack a superhero punch? Focus on your core.
Every exercise utilizes our core. Whether you’re doing squats or bench presses, you need core strength for stability and balance. According to Saladino, you can turn every workout into an ab workout by keeping your core muscles tense and activated while using weight lifting equipment.
Super Strategy #4: It’s Arm & Chest Day, Every Day.
Okay maybe not every day we’re exaggerating but superheroes are fighters. They need upper body strength to intimidate their foes and strike a punch if needed.
Ripped superheroes like Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Henry Cavill’s Superman took on intense gym workout plans to up their game.
According to Cavill’s trainer, Michael Blevins, the Man of Steel utilized a combination of Olympic weight lifting equipment and strength training exercises to bulk up, including:
- Power cleans
- Hang cleans
- Front squats
- Push presses
- Back squats
- Split jerks
The God of Thunder built his muscles with a slightly different strategy. According to his trainer, Luke Zocchi, he focused on functional training and bodybuilding. For his bodybuilding exercises, he utilized weight lifting equipment to practice:
- Hammer curls (no pun intended)
- Barbell deadlifts
- Barbell bench presses
- Barbell squats
- Military presses
Plus? He paired it all with a high-protein bulking diet, complete with 6 meals — just like the bodybuilders do.
Super Strategy #5: Gain Muscle, Shed Fat.
Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt had one of the biggest transformations in superhero history.
Before the first movie’s debut, Pratt hit the gym 4-6 times per week for 6 months — and lost 60 pounds in the process.
He committed to the part. To lose weight while building muscle, Pratt was consistent with his exercises, such as:
- Lat pulldowns
- Barbell curls
- Dumbbell rows
- Pushups
- Concentrations curls
- P90X
- Swimming
- Running
- Boxing and kickboxing
Super Strategy #6: Stay Fast, Furious, & Flexible.
Ready to save the universe? Aim for a whole-body transformation.
Captain Marvel’s Brie Larson took on a 9-month gym workout plan for her superhero debut. This not only included regular exercise but a comprehensive nutrition, sleep, and recovery plan.
Captain Marvel is strong but agile. To achieve a strong yet lean look, her trainer Jason Walsh designed a gym workout plan prioritizing mobility and activation work to warm-up, followed by primary strength exercises like:
- Squats
- Bilateral exercises
- Unilateral moves
- Hip-hinge exercises
- Posterior chain work
Overall, these exercises aimed to support her spine, muscles, and joints throughout her workouts and action shots.
How to Create Your Superhero Gym Workout Plan
Ready to promote yourself to superhero status? To create your superhero gym workout plan, you need to follow these five steps:
- Assess Your Fitness Level.
Every hero experiences a journey of transformation. Assessing your fitness level will help you determine your starting point, including your strengths and weaknesses.
- Set Goals.
Pinpoint your goals: Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, or both? Be specific, measurable, and realistic.
- Plan Your Schedule.
Create a workout schedule that suits you, your goals, and your lifestyle. Remember to include rest days to avoid overtraining.
- Pick Your Exercises.
Choose exercises that target your muscle groups, such as squats, lunges, bench presses, and deadlifts. Choose your focus while switching up your exercises for variation.
- Use Weight Lifting Equipment.
Ensure you have the right weight lifting equipment to support your goals, such as barbells, dumbbells, and weight plates.
Take Your Fitness to the Next Level.
The road to becoming a superhero is challenging. It’s a battle out there — but by incorporating these training strategies into your gym workout plan, you’ll get one step closer to achieving your fitness goals and transforming into your best, most “super” self.
Remember, hard work, discipline, consistency, and grit are the keys to success. Are you ready to train like a superhero? Make it happen.
Keep reading: ‘The 10 Best Smith Machine Home Gyms for Strength Training at Home!’
