In the latest Thor film, Chris Hemsworth vowed to become bigger than ever – and pulled it off. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck's chest muscles were so jacked as Batman that there were accusations of CGI augmentation (the jury’s still out on that one). And, in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy 3, the formerly weedy boy next door Will Poulter got absolutely yolked to take on the role of the god-like Adam Warlock. All of which raises the question: how is the average, slightly less super guy on the street supposed to keep up?
The good news is that for all of their millions of dollars, personalised nutrition plans, home gyms, endless free time, blessed genetics and high-end personal trainers, all of these superhero actors are still human. We aren’t saying you can necessarily achieve the same results, of course – and nor should you aim to. But if you’re taking lycra-clad inspiration for your own fitness goals, you can focus in a safe and responsible way on the one area every superhero puts front and centre: their chest muscles.
To help, we asked fitness hero PT Farren Morgan – founder of The Tactical Athlete training method to talk us through some key superhero transformations of different ages and physiques. Take inspiration from the workouts below, incorporate them as part of your normal, balanced regiment, and in no time your chest will also look pretty super. Cape and giant ’S’ optional.
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool
The ‘Merc with a mouth’ plays off Reynolds’ signature wit, but the film also saw the Canadian actor get into the shape of his life, aged 40. With a third instalment due next year, the now 46-year-old is back at it once again. Here’s how.
“One of the exercises Ryan Reynolds performed to develop his chest for Deadpool was the incline dumbbell bench press, an upper-body exercise known to engage your pectoral muscles,” explains Morgan. “The movements of the workout give the definitive shape, and the dumbbells incorporated apply additional resistance to the chests, making them work harder and grow larger.”
To perfect the incline dumbbell bench press:
1. Sit and lean back on the bench with your feet flat on the floor and your neck relaxed. Grab each dumbbell, and bend your elbows as you position your hands toward your shoulders.
2. Engage with your core, exhale, and maintain straight wrists as you press both dumbbells above your chest.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbells as you inhale. Your shoulders should come down to a 45-degree angle to your torso, and your elbows should point to the floor.
4. Repeat the movement for four sets of eight reps.
Will Poulter as Adam Warlock
In the Marvel comics, sentient space being Adam Warlock holds almost god-like power, and a physique to match. On the surface, the casting of Poulter was a surprise move, but fans of his will know he's been beefing long before Detroit in 2017. And given the photos of him as Warlock, it seems the hard work has paid off. And then some.
“To acquire Will Poulter’s chest in Guardians of the Galaxy, you should perform overhead dumbbell tricep extensions,” advises Morgan. “The workout is a compound exercise that focuses on your biceps, forearms, obliques, abs, traps, and pectoral muscles to achieve the same size and definition as Will’s physique.”
To perfect overhead dumbbell tricep extensions:
1. Sit on a flat bench with your feet planted to the ground shoulder-width apart.
2. Grab a dumbbell and use both hands to hold it so the dumbbell stands at a 90-degree angle with your palms facing inward and up beneath the top end of the dumbbell.
3. Slowly raise the dumbbell straight above you to get into starting position.
4. Take a deep breath and bend your elbows as you bring down the dumbbell with your arms close to your head.
5. Exhale and use your triceps to lift the dumbbell back to the start position and repeat the process for four sets of eight reps.
Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor
The fourth Thor instalment may have been a hot mess, but one of the highlights was Natalie Portman’s gunshow as Mighty Thor. Proving that it isn’t just the boys who can do it, Portman got absolutely stacked for the role.
“Natalie Portman conducted vigorous upper body training to develop her physique for her role in Thor: Love And Thunder,” says Morgan. “An essential workout that shaped her chest was the calisthenic offset push-up, an exercise designed to challenge the strength and stability of your upper body through uneven hand positioning. The workout enhances your shoulder, arms, core, pecs, and overall muscle strength and durability.”
To perfect offset push-ups:
1. Start in a push-up position with one hand on the floor and one hand on an elevated platform or medicine ball if you want to increase the difficulty.
2. Perform a push-up by using your arms to go as far down as you comfortably can.
3. Once you have briefly held the position, use your arms to push your body upward as you maintain a straight back and legs while your palm balances using the uneven surface.
4. Repeat the process, but shift your body so the opposite hand is on the platform while you perform the next push-up.
Aldis Hodge as Hawkman
As far as dumpster fires go, Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam is up there. While Dwayne himself was fine as the title role, it’s Aldis Hodge who stole the show as legendary DC character Hawkman. While he didn’t actually grow wings for the role, he certainly puffed out that chest.
“To obtain his chest for Black Adam, Aldis Hodge went through extensive chest day workouts to hold his own among co-stars like Dwayne Johnson,” says Morgan. “One of the arduous compound workouts he did to achieve his bulked but defined chest was the assault bike.” Yup, that’s right, the assault bike. “Assault bikes work your entire physique, including your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, back, abs, triceps, shoulders, biceps, abs, and pectoral muscles,” Morgan explains.
To best use the assault bike:
1. Position the seat so your legs are slightly bent at the knees while sitting upright and looking forward. Your arms should not be too far or too close to your body. Once you have adjusted your seat, tighten the knobs before you start your workout.
2. Get on the seat in a manner that’s comfortable for you without relying on the handles or standing on the pedals for balance to avoid any chance of injury as you stabilise yourself on the bike.
3. Once seated, hold the handles and start peddling slowly so the bike has a slight amount of motion before increasing the pace to a sprint.
4. Once you finish peddling, reduce your speed gradually before you stop and get off the bike.
5. For the workout, perform a 10-second pedal, 10-second sprint, then a 30-second pedal and 30-second sprint to make the first set and repeat the process for four sets.
Winston Duke as M’Baku
Superhero fatigue is real. But, in last year’s Black Panther sequel, Winston Duke provided a stand-out character in one of the only films that didn’t feel like we’d seen it all before. As anyone who’s been following the actor’s career knows, he isn’t naturally hench, which makes his physically imposing performance all the more impressive.
“To prepare for the role of M’Baku, Winston Duke broke down his training into separate muscle groups like chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulder and traps, and legs and calves, in addition to MMA training,” explains Morgan. “If you want to achieve Winston’s chest in Black Panther, you should do chest flys.”
To best do chest flys:
1. Begin with a dumbbell in each hand as you lie down on a mat or bench. Lift your arms as your palms face one another.
2. Keep your elbows slightly bent as you lower your arms to either side till you feel your pecs stretch.
3. Reverse the movement and return to the starting position to repeat the process for three sets of ten reps.
Simu Liu as Shang-Shi
Adding long-overdue martial arts flair to the MCU, Simu Liu is responsible for one of the biggest superhero hits of recent years. Naturally, he doubled down on the choreography, taking a few bruises along the way. As a result, his physique is fit and functional, but not bulky. This is how he did it.
“For Shang Chi, Simu Liu went through extensive martial arts training and incorporated dynamic workouts designed to enhance the range of his mobility and agility to improve his ability to strike quickly,” explains Morgan. “The Sled Push to Sprint is a compound workout designed to enhance the functional abilities of your physique. The specific muscle groups put to work are your hip flexors, calves, hamstrings, core, triceps, quads, glutes, shoulders, and pectoral muscles.”
To perfect the sled push to sprint:
1. Put 25% of your maximum load on the sled. If you’re a beginner, you can use the sled with no weight, and if you’re not aware of how much weight to put, select weights that you’d be able to push for 10 minutes with minimal breaks.
2. Begin by standing behind the sled and grabbing the poles with a high grip.
3. Tighten your core and use the force of your upper body to push the sled as your lower body begins to sprint to amplify the force applied to the sled. Extend your knees and hips as you move the sled as your feet run, similar to a standard sprint.
4. Push the sled for 20 yards and rest for 60 seconds to make a rep, and repeat the process for six reps.
Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man
There had been successful superhero films before 2008’s Iron Man – notably a few iterations of Batman – but RDJ is arguably the man responsible for the MCU’s current cultural dominance. And you can’t be a multi-billion-dollar franchise lead without looking the part.
“Robert Downey Jr’s training was divided into muscle groups, but focused on the groups as a whole by separating them between upper body, lower body, and whole body training days, in addition to yoga and meditation to enhance his flexibility, mobility, and cognitive performance,” says Morgan. “To achieve the shape and size of Robert’s pecs in Iron Man, try the weighted pull-up. These focus on amplifying the resistance of your training to force your muscles to work harder and accelerate your muscular growth.”
To perfect weighted pull-ups:
1. Approach the bar and raise your arms overhead. Your arms should feel comfortable in your positioning, but noting your hand placement is crucial for the workout because it will determine the mechanical benefits your muscles receive during each rep.
2. After selecting the width of your grip, use a stable surface to assist you as you grab the bar. You should allow space for your body to hang freely after gripping the bar. For optimal stability, embrace your core and glutes as you tighten your grip on the bar.
3. Once your body is situated and in position, use your lats with assistance from your biceps to pull your body with your arms till you reach the top of your range of motion.
4. When you have briefly held your position, control your descent and maintain your form as you lower your body. Lock the tension of your physique to prevent your body or the attached weight from swaying and providing you with unnecessary complications during your training.
