It’s totally normal for music and movie stars to suddenly step on a gym hype. But, every now and then there’s the body transformations that truly make you choke on your popcorn. Here are Hollywood’s seven most infamous and unforgettable stacked and jacked physique changes from recent years.
1. Tom Hardy
The British actor is quite the Chamaeleon on the big screen, handling almost any type of role thrown at him. Yet, if we were gonna say there’s a stereotypical Hardy character, it’d be one muscled-up mutha.
Today’s Tom Hardy is known for being one seriously stacked dude who’s portrayed everyone from Britain’s most dangerous prisoner to Spiderman’s evil and twisted arch nemesis Venom.
However, none of his muscular moments top that of Bane. A hulking master-criminal determined to make Batman meet his demise, with traps like a rodeo bull and a neck thicker than a freight train.
Hardy forged an incredible 30-lb of mass for the role. And whilst it wasn’t the cleanest bulk we’ve seen in a blockbuster, it’s one of the most imposing and terrifying.
Being shorter than on-screen rival Christian Bale, Tom Hardy had to build outwards. Only that way would he look like he’d kick Batman to smithereens. He ate dirty, played dirty with four-a-day workouts, and ended up with a formidable frame to show for it.
The Workout
Here’s a workout like the one Hardy would hit to build those sun-blotting traps:
1.a – Deadlift
5 sets x 5 reps
2.a – Hang clean
5 sets x 5 reps
3.a – Dumbbell shrugs
4 sets x 6 reps
4.a – Barbell push press
4 sets x 6 reps
5.a – Farmer walks
5 sets x 18-yard
The Diet:
Dirty bulk, bro. Hardy’s approach was by no means calculated – often stuffing his face with whatever he fancied. However, he made sure to keep his protein intake high and to chow those complex carbs to fuel his workouts.
Remember, Hardy was in the gym four times every day to turn his already stacked frame into a muscle-fiber armored tank. All that battling under the iron left its mark on his body, so if you’re looking to get built like Bane, eat no less than 2 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight throughout the day.
You heard the man, go eat bro!
2. Chris Hemsworth
Australian born Chris Hemsworth is infamous for his lean and functional physique. An avid surfer, Hemsworth has no issues keeping the excess body fat away, but he’s no skinny BETA.
Whilst training to become Thor, the Aussie actor packed on serious muscle. Since the first movie he’s done nothing but keep stacking mass, but Chris wasn’t always that way.
Previous photos of the Aussie show a guy with a narrow ectomorph body. You’d have probably found wider shoulders on your newborn niece if we’re being brutally honest. Sorry, Chris.
So, when Hemsworth emerged as the God of Thunder on the big screen, fans were struck by lightning. According to his trainer Michael Knight, “Chris’s regime was split into two parts. The first was a bodybuilder-type protocol focused on high-weight, low-rep moves designed to pack on maximum size, while the second was total-body circuits designed to shift his excess fat while maintaining muscle.”
The Workout
Here’s one of the workouts that built him enough Nordic muscle and power to wield the mighty Mjolnir.
Chest Day
1.a – Barbell bench press
8 sets x 12, 10, 10, 8, 8, 6, 4, 4, 4 reps
2.a – Incline dumbbell bench press
4 sets x 12 reps
3.a – Hammer strength chest press
4 sets x 15 reps
4.a – Weighted dip
4 sets x 10 reps
5.a – Cable flyes
4 sets x 12 reps
The Diet:
In interviews, Chris was keen to point out how a high protein diet was on his priority list. “It’s obviously very high in protein,” he said, “and I eat six times a day.” Eating this way is common for guys looking to grow lean slabs of mass because it keeps protein consumption regular and maintains metabolism.
“It’s basically six meals a day of clean proteins and vegetables, which can get repetitive, but it works time and time again,” said the God of Thunder. “With the months leading up to the shoot and during filming, I’m basically overfeeding myself on protein and endless amounts of chicken breast, eggs, steak, fish, vegetables, tuna, avocado, cottage cheese, and brown rice.”
3. Hugh Jackman (Huge Jacked-Man)
There must be something in the air down under that turns average Aussies into full-blown freaks. Just check out the transformation of gangly Hugh Jackman into the Adamantium claw shredded Wolverine and tell us we’re wrong.
When Wolverine first hit the movie theaters in the original X-Men movie back in 2000, he wasn’t a memorable mutant. Whilst Jackman’s acting chops were undeniably faultless, his fuzzy frame and lack of muscle left a lot to be desired. He certainly wouldn’t make you sh*t your stringer vest unless you saw his claws (of course).
Fast forward to the year 2013 and Jackman’s back in the theaters, this time starring in The Wolverine. This was one of Jackman’s most memorable physique improvements and boy did he look jacked. Gone were the weedy shoulders and tiny torso we’d seen previously and in came a shredded athletic build.
The Workout
Here’s one of Hugh’s superset heavy shredding workouts. Rest for 60 seconds after each superset, but not between each exercise:
1.a – Barbell bench press
5 sets x 5 reps
1.b – Pull-ups
5 sets x 5 reps
2.a. – Push-ups
2 sets x 90 seconds
1.b – Lat pulldown
2 sets x 90 seconds
3.a – Single arm dumbbell row
5 sets x 12 reps
3.b – Zottman curl
5 set x 12 reps
4.a – Dips
5 sets x 12 reps
4.b – Barbell rollout
5 sets x 8 reps
4.c – Burpee
5 sets x 12 reps
The Diet:
Hugh Jackman is well known for living a clean lifestyle. Rather than getting wrecked like a rockstar in the Hollywood hills, he likes to stay in shape all year round.
For the Aussie, it’s more about lifestyle than it is getting jacked for a movie role. Yet at the height of his training for Wolverine, he would reportedly wake up at 2 AM to eat! That’s just the kind of thing you have to do to fit 6,000 calories into one 24-hour window.
Here’s what went into fueling one of Jackman’s Wolverine workouts:
- 1st meal – Eggs and Oatmeal
- 2nd meal – Steak, Sweet Potato, and Broccoli
- 3rd meal – Chicken, Brown Rice, and Spinach
- 4th meal – Fish, Avocado, and Broccoli
Supplements – Creatine (when bulking), BCAA’s, and L-Carnitine
4. Chris Pratt
Before blazing the big screen in Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic Park, Chris Pratt was the chubby face of Parks and Recreation. Pair that double-chin with his portrayal of the average lazy American in the US comedy and you could be forgiven for thinking he was a completely different guy.
Yet, now in his late 30s, Chris has managed to turn his entire physique around into one of the most famous in show business. Apparently, it was all down to Brad Pitt who was impressed with Pratt’s acting credentials but didn’t hire him because he was ‘too fat’. After dropping a ton of weight with roadwork, leafy greens, and protein shakes, Chris got the job.
Now he’s ditched the supporting roles and US comedy shows for leads in blockbuster epics and has the body to match. After seeing his transformation into a badass Navy SEAL for Zero Dark Thirty, he vowed to never be out of shape again.
Fortunately for Pratt, his fundamental slightly endomorphic frame meant he didn’t struggle to stack up. At 6’ 3” he cuts an imposing figure and, as the actor himself admits, he ‘was always a big guy’. By combining his natural genetics with hardcore cardio sessions, Chris was able to build an all-around muscular physique that’s superhero shredded.
The Workout
Here’s one of the workouts written by Chris’s personal trainer Duffy Gaver. As a former Navy SEAL, Gaver knew exactly what was needed to build functional galaxy guarding muscle:
Shoulders Workout:
1.a – Military press
7 sets x descending reps (10-8-6-5-4-3-3)
2a. – Arnold press
4 sets x 12 reps
3.a – Barbell Shrugs
4 sets x 12 reps
4.a – Lateral raises
3 sets x 12 reps
4.b – Front raises
3 sets x 12 reps
4.c – Rear delt flyes
3 sets x 12 reps
The Diet:
When explaining what he wanted Chris to eat, Duffy Gaver was straight up. He told the American actor he wanted him to base his diet on chicken, broccoli, and brown rice – just like an old-school bodybuilder.
However, he wanted Chris to cycle his carbs by leaving the brown rice off the plate at dinner. This is what’s known as carb cycling to stop rogue unused sugars being stored as fat.
Gaver also told his client to lay off the booze and eat “quite a bit of fish.” Yup, you got it bro, it’s the tried and tested method of a helluva lotta protein, fibrous vegetables, and complex carbohydrates with some good fats thrown into the mix. Plus, by giving up the booze, Chris was able to crush extra empty calories and keep drunken cravings at bay.
When asked about his new eating habits Pratt said he’d still cut whilst simultaneously eating more. “I actually lost weight by eating more food, but eating the right food, eating healthy foods. And so, when I was done with the movie my body hadn’t been in starvation mode,” recalled the actor.
5. Christian Bale
We’ve already seen the bulk of Bane but how about his nemesis Batman? Gotham’s greatest Dark Knight is as stacked as superheroes come.
Yet, Christian Bale hasn’t always had the guns of the well-built billionaire Bruce Wayne. In fact, if you checked out a Christian’s ghostly 120 lb shadow in The Machinist, you’d swear they were different dudes.
What makes the transformation between the two so impressive is he shot from one role straight to the other. After drastically cutting weight via “smoking cigarettes and drinking whiskey”, Bale then built his muscular playboy physique by working out like a madman to become Bruce Wayne.
When speaking to the BBC, Bale said; “I had to put on a great deal of weight, which was necessary for the character. He has no superpowers, so you have to believe he’s capable of this. I kind of knew I could do it”.
The actor would then go on to pile on 100 pounds of meat, before being told to lose 20 by director Christopher Nolan. Maybe they didn’t have a Bat Suit big enough, we’re not sure.
How did he do it? According to the actor, it was the result of a high-protein diet doubled up with heavy core resistance training. Bale’s trainer also prescribed plyometrics to his program to keep him looking cut and athletic.
“The workouts were intense. I wouldn’t play around,” says Bale, “Every day was a mix of weights, bodyweight moves, compound moves and then a run. It was intense, especially on the first movie when I had to gain all that weight after The Machinist.”
The Workout
By taking all these core-elements we can create a workout worthy of building superhero muscle. Here’s what a training day for Christian Bale’s Batman prep probably looked like:
Back and Chest Workout
1.a – Bench press
4 sets x 12 reps
2.b – Dumbbell chest flye
4 sets x 14 reps
3.a – Incline dumbbell press
4 sets x 12 reps
4.a – Wide grip pull-up
3 sets x 10 reps
4.b – Inverted row
3 sets x 12 reps
5.a – Seated row
4 x 14 reps
6.a. – Plyometric pushup
3 sets x 10 reps
7.a – Run
15-20 mins (5-7 RPE)
The Diet:
Batman doesn’t have the luxury of Gamma-ray induced superpowers. He must rely on speed, agility, and strategy to smash Gotham’s supervillains into submission, meaning Bale had to look lean and athletic.
“Diet-wise I would eat smaller meals every two or three hours,” says the actor, “Each meal I would aim for a balance of lean proteins, carbs, and good, healthy fats.” Bale recalled that he also tried to eat “a lot of vegetables” and drink plenty of “good old H20”.
When it came to cutting fat, the American actor turned to low-calorie fruits to crush sugar cravings and keep him satisfied. So, if you want to build a Batman-ready physique, keep the protein high, go for lean sources, and don’t be scared to pile on the green stuff. After all, you’re training to be a jacked-to-the-rafters, crime-fighting athlete.
6. Chris Evans
Once injected with Super-Soldier Serum, the scrawny and unfit for service Steve Rodgers morphed into the muscle-bound American dream. Well, more specifically, the shield-wielding superhero Captain America.
Unfortunately for Chris, things aren’t so easy in the real world. To shape up to the standard of Marvel’s stable of superheroes he had to stack-up the old school way – lifting and nutrition.
Initially, the process was hard for Evans who has a naturally fast metabolism. However, hard work and perseverance paid off, readying him for his first Captain America appearance. When fans witnessed Evan’s scale the screen in Captain America: The First Avenger, they saw a man of granite – chiseled and undeniably jacked.
The Workout
Chris was able to achieve this impressive transformation by smashing the gym four to five times per week. He followed this routine for a total of three months, focusing on two muscle groups in every two-hour session.
According to Evans, “The preparation for Captain America was really about me bulking up looks-wise, so it was a lot of weight training, so I could get big.” To achieve this Chris and his trainer spent their gym hitting heavy weights at low reps, including tons of compound lifting. Then, once the foundation was set, Chris would bolster his bulk by hitting hypertrophy sessions.
“I did stuff like squats, deadlifts, shoulder press, incline bench presses, weighted dips, and chin-ups,” said the actor. Smash these compounds with a bunch of bodyweight plyometrics and martial arts training, and you have a recipe for America’s deadliest soldier.
Check out this workout written by Chris Evan’s trainer Simon Waterson:
Monday Workout
1.a – Barbell deadlift
4 sets x 10-12 reps
2.a – Lat raises
4 sets x 10-12 reps
3.a – Seated cable rows
4 sets x 10-12 reps
4.a. – Shoulder press (kneeling)
4 sets x 10-12 reps
5.a – Dumbbell side raises (lateral)
4 sets x 10-12 reps
6.a – Bent over lateral raises
4 sets x 10-12 reps
7.a – Barbell bicep curls
4 sets x 10-12 reps
8.a – Dumbbell bicep curls
4 sets x 10-12 reps
9.a – Triceps extensions
4 sets x 10-12 reps
10.a – Barbell shrugs
4 sets x 10-12 reps
The Diet
We all know we need to eat big to get big. So, Chris Evan’s bulk into Captain America was never going to be any different. The actor had to make sure he was eating ample protein for big barbell bending sessions – around “2 grams per kilogram” in fact. According to the actor, that was achieved “with a bunch of chicken.”
“I’d eat porridge, walnuts, raisins, low-fat Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein and maybe sliced banana for breakfast, which is generally an hour or two before I work out,” says Evans, “Then through the day I’d eat a lot of things with a good protein source, lots of fish and meat.”
“It was basically a high-protein diet, but then balanced with vegetables and fruits and some complex carbs, things like brown rice and porridge,” recalled Chris. Are we surprised? No way! High-quality lean protein sources coupled with complex carbs and vitamin-rich fruits/vegetables? It always gets the job done, bro.
7. Ryan Reynolds
Reynolds is our final skinny boy turned beast. Seriously, check out the ripped bulk he built for his roles in Deadpool and tell us you’re not impressed. Compared to the weedy American-teen stereotype he used to portray, Reynold’s is a completely different animal.
Whether it’s a super possessed dad in the Amityville Horror, a vampire hunter in Blade: Trinity, or Wade Wilson aka the cocky anti-hero Deadpool – Reynold’s gets ripped for his parts. He’s spent over a decade building a body that not only looks strong but functional too, making his on-screen exploits that more believable.
According to his trainer Don Saldino, Ryan Reynolds isn’t afraid of letting loose and performing his own stunts. “He wants things to look as real as possible on camera,” says Saldino, “For him to be able to do that, I need to make sure his body is moving as well as it looks.”
A Decade of Development
Reynolds and Saldino have been working together for over 10 years. When speaking to Men’s Health, Saldino said that the pair’s training had “evolved” over the decade and that “Ryan gets in better shape as he gets older.” One thing that’ll always stand out as Ryan Reynold’s biggest transformation point is his abs.
So, how can the pair keep crushing constant improvements? Functional heavy lifting and full-body circuits, of course. “The first thing we always pay attention to is his functionality and movements,” Saldino told Men’s Health, “This is kind of how I start every one of his workouts.”
The trainer also said you can create a superhero anywhere, clarifying with, “You don’t have to have access to a crazy gym. It’s about doing the right stuff, it’s about creating tension. It’s about challenging your body, but also knowing when it’s time to check out.”
The Workout
To perform showstopping superhero stunts a man needs muscle that’s up to the challenge. That means crafting a powerful physique through athletic, functional movements, full of explosive action – just like Saldino prescribed.
Crush out this circuit used by Reynolds to get in Deadpool shape. Hit three rounds of the first circuit, five rounds of the second, and then five rounds of the finisher.
Trust us when we say you’ll be leaping buildings and wiping out bad guys in no time – all whilst looking seriously shredded. Forget crunching your way to Hollywood abs, fiber-thrashing fat-scorching circuits are where it’s at:
Circuit 1 – 3 Rounds
- Lateral bound – 10 reps
- Med ball slams – 10 reps
- Farmer’s carry – 50 yards
Circuit 2 – 5 Rounds
- Sandbag lunges – 10 reps
- Floor barbell press – 10 reps
- Chin-ups – 10 reps
Finisher – 5 Rounds
- Assault AirBike: 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds
The Diet
Unlike Hugh Jackman, who trolls Reynolds via social media for his laid-back approach, the man under the red suit wasn’t militant with his nutrition. Whereas Jackman was up at 2 AM every day to eat and devour 6,000 kcals that day, Reynolds was pretty relaxed.
When preparing to play Deadpool the actor’s diet was based on eating, “clean, whole foods” every two or three hours to bulk up, and no midnight snacking.” Reynold’s also said that, “Hugh Jackman has a dedication to his craft that I’m afraid I don’t share. If I’m up at 2 in the morning, it’s because something has gone terribly wrong.” So yeah, nowhere near crazy bro, embrace that Deadpool attitude!
Ryan also cut his carbs off at 8 PM sharp! Eating a total of 3,200 kcals per day and carb cycling this way meant he could shred down to a lean and athletic frame. As we’ve already mentioned carb cycling is an intelligent method for stopping sugars being stored as fats.
Take away points? If you want an eight-pack like Reynolds and stunt-ready muscles concentrate on whole foods. Eat to build muscle via a protein dense diet and cut carbs in the evening. As the great Charles Poliquin once said, carbs should be earned with hard work. Use them to fuel training and not for feasting on the couch.
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