Average Read Time: 00:02:57
X-Men Origins: Wolverine comes out this Friday. I don’t know about you, but with less than a few days to go, I am pretty pumped. However, before you head off to the movies, you should really appreciate what it took for the guys in this movie to get in shape.
Gambit (Taylor Kitsch)
The man on the cover of Men’s Health. He’s a certified personal trainer, hockey player, and a Canadian. So he’s good in my books. To get into shape, this guy spent his days in a boxing gym instead of pushing iron. One of his favorite workouts? Interval boxing. Three minutes in the ring and then a minute off. A few rounds of this, and you’re struggling to breathe. He also couldn’t stand the monotony of the same workout, so he mixed it up with the speed bag, heavy bag, skipping, etc. If he got bored he did something different. As well, in order to train for the part of Gambit, Taylor needed to learn how to handle a 6-foot staff. He spent hours practicing, and the result is solid core conditioning.
Put his workout to the test
If you are going to try to apply the same principles, then I would suggest starting with the Tabata protocol for interval training (20 seconds of work with a 10 second break). If you are looking for similar core conditioning, try working with the cables and do some wood chopping. I like to give my clients a good ab burn by chopping downward 10 times and then holding it out in front of you for thirty seconds. Your back and stomach should feel the burn. Then, go play some poker afterward and you should be auditioning for the sequel in no time.
Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber)
Here is a guy who was originally approached to play William Stryker, a scientist. Now, I know what you are thinking, how the hell do you go from a scientist to the mutant who is set to rival Wolverine? Well, Schreiber originally planned on wearing a muscle suit. Then, he started to read some comic blogs which called him “…the dumpiest, most out-of-shape Sabretooth I’ve ever seen in my life!” (Details Magazine).
Schreiber couldn’t stand it. The muscle suit was out. This pack and a half per day smoker and heavy drinker needed to get to work if he was going to get in shape. So that is exactly what he did. He gave himself a strict diet and exercise regime which resulted in almost 40 pounds of raw muscle!
Pussies wear muscle suits
Schreiber had his motivation. People thought he was dumpy and out-of-shape. If he was going to be a good Sabretooth, he had better act the role.
This summer I am going on a physically intense course for the army and I am getting ready. I’m running, swimming and focusing on body-weight exercises because that is what I need to get ready for.
A good way to find that motivation is to join an intramural team or masters club, sign up for a race, or join a climbing gym. If you can’t motivate yourself on your own, then the competition and peer-pressure maybe just what you need. But first things first, quit the smoking.
Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)
See him come out of that tank? That guy is in pretty good shape for a man in his 40’s. But it took discipline. He was up at 4am ever morning and training by 6am with his personal trainer. He would eat a strict diet filled with “egg whites, and then every three hours after that, eating chicken or salmon, boringly steamed with vegetables and brown rice. Then no more carbohydrates after lunch and 4,000 calories in total” So there you have it, no miracle cure, just hard work and strict eating.
You should be training while others are sleeping
If you want to get into the same kind of shape, you are going to need discipline. Getting out of bed early and getting his workout done and out of the way by 9am was an easy fix. That’s how the army works, physical training before breakfast, inspection, and any other training. That way it is done and over with before your day starts. If you want a bit of help with getting up early and getting your workout out of the way, I would recommend a few of Leo’s posts over at Zen Habits.
Hope you enjoy the movie!
Your Digital Trainer,
Jeremiah
Comments: Excited to see the movie? Heard anything else about what these guys had to do to get in shape?
No related posts.
{ 0 comments… add one now }