For many men, the perfect body is that of the superheroes they grew up idolizing. From the raw, brutal power of Batman to the lithe, agile Spider-man, these characters — for better or worse — helped shape many people’s ideas of what an in-shape male should look like. Today, with a new superhero movie seemingly coming out every month, this idea has only been reinforced.
If you’ve always wanted a body like your favorite superhero, it’s important that you don’t do anything rash when it comes to your weight loss. Trying to go too hard or ignoring your nutrition is stupid, and it’s only going to wind up with you permanently hurting yourself. If you want to transform your body and look like your favorite demigod, you need to follow the advice and methods recommended by professional personal fitness trainers to the stars who play these characters on the big and small screen.
Three Techniques Big Screen Superheroes Use to Cut a Killer Physique
- Make Nutrition Your Top Priority
- Don’t Get Stuck
- You Can’t Neglect Cardio
Hugh Jackman stunned fans when he revealed his new and improved physique in 2013’s “The Wolverine.” While Jackman spent a lot of time lifting, boxing, and running to get into that shape, he tells Men’s Fitness that his body is due more to his nutrition plan than anything else. As any sports nutritionist can tell you, exercise is only 30% of the formula. The other 70% of getting a great body is nutrition. Eating natural, lean foods will get you to that superhero physique a lot quicker than powering your engine with processed carbs.
Stephen Amell, the current Green Arrow on the CW’s “Arrow,” is famous for his acting chops and his charity work, but he’s also famous for the incredible workout regime that gave him a body that rivals even Hugh Jackman’s. The secret to his success, Amell suggested in an interview with FitMole, was never being satisfied with where he was at. Sure, you can keep lifting the same amount of weight until it’s like lifting a pencil, but you’re never going to improve your body or your health that way. Whenever you feel something getting easy, move on to something hard. It’s the only way to get that look you want.
As Bodybuilding.com points out, unless you want to look like the Incredible Hulk — and risk doing damage to your heart — you have to make sure cardio is part of your personal fitness plan. How much you do depends on the type of physique you’re looking for. If you want the bulk of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, you should restrict cardio work to once or twice a week. If you want the sleek, agile build of the Flash, running should be a daily activity.
If you’re a personal fitness instructor, what are some of the techniques you’ve used with your clients to help them get chiseled? Let us know in the comments below. Learn more.