It depends – after all, Chris Hemsworth is the type of actor that adapts his body to whatever role he’s playing. But, if you’re talking about the workout he does for Thor, the key to his physique isn’t found in any secret techniques or some kind of magic bullet. Chris Hemsworth’s body in Thor is the result of functional training, a healthy protein-rich diet, and good old fashioned hard work.
If you want a body like Thor, you’re going to need access to good-quality gym equipment, a solid workout plan, a fine-tuned diet. Because at the end of the day, Hollywood actors like Chris Hemsworth have highly-paid personal trainers and dietitians to help them achieve their godly physique so if you want to replicate those results then you’ll have to become your own fitness coach!
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Becoming Thor
Becoming Thor can mean two things – it could mean becoming the muscled-up god from the first two Thor movies or becoming the less bulky more athletic-looking Thor from Thor: Ragnarok onwards.
For the first version of Thor, Chris Hemsworth trained with Duffy Gaver, a former US Navy SEAL who’s known for transforming actors into the superheroes we see on the big screen. Gaver’s workouts used classic bodybuilding techniques like pull-ups and bench-presses to add as much muscle mass onto Chris Hemsworth’s body as possible. This meant training all of Chris’ muscles while also including intense shoulder and arm workouts that made Chris look extra good in all those sleeveless scenes.
This kind of workout plan worked well during Thor’s first couple of appearances as the extra muscle mass helped him look divine and intimidating. But, as the story developed, Thor needed a new look as he became goofier and a little more human even.
To that end, Chris got his old schoolmate and current personal trainer, Luke Zocchi to help him turn into this new version of Thor. A lot of HIIT and HIRT was used in these new workouts, alongside Muay Thai and boxing drills in addition to his usual weight lifting exercises. These techniques pushed Chris Hemsworth to the limit and helped prepare him for the more intense action scenes seen in the later Marvel movies.
But, while these workouts may seem a bit more complicated than the routines he had with Gaver, they’re actually a lot simpler than you might think.
A Sample Thor Workout
A T3 article shared some of the exercises Chris Hemsworth does with his trainer. In this workout, each exercise is done for five sets of 10 reps, with 30 seconds of rest following each set. Also, the weights used for the exercises should be heavy enough to be challenging but light enough that the exercises can still be performed with correct form.
The exercises in this workout routine include the following:
- Bicep Curl to Press
- Walking Planks
- Dumbbell Renegade Row and Push-Up
- Dumbbell Bent-Over Rear Fly
- Dumbbell Hammer Curl and Reverse Lunge
- Hollow-Outs
Do keep in mind that this workout is not designed for beginners and that you should be careful when attempting it yourself. But, if you’re thinking of doing this workout or any other Thor workout routine, it might be a good idea to get some help from a personal trainer. After all, even Chris Hemsworth needed help to become the God of Thunder.
A Diet Fit For A God
While these workouts may already be a lot of work on their own, they’re still only one part of the process of becoming Thor. As Chris trained with Gaver and Zocchi, he also had to maintain a high-protein diet that included a lot of chicken breast and fish, and later, beans and soy when he went vegan. In addition to the proteins, he also had to round out his diet with whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, alongside other nutritious foods like sweet potatoes and leafy greens.
And, on top of having to incorporate all of those foods into his meals, he also had to eat an enormous amount of food every day. In fact, he needed to eat six meals per day to build up the 3500 calories that he needed for his daily workouts. That’s over 1000 more calories than what most people need per day! Even if you like all of the food we mentioned earlier, you’re not gonna have a fun time eating all of that all at once!
At this point, it’s clear just how much work Chris Hemsworth puts into his craft. But the cool thing about him is that he doesn’t just work hard to become Thor – he works hard in all aspects of his life.
Chris Hemsworth’s Other Workout Routines
As a Hollywood actor, Chris Hemsworth continues to train to transform his body into whatever shape his various roles call for. In between his appearances as Thor, he literally starved himself so that he could act as the first mate of a whaling ship in the 2015 film, In the Heart of the Sea. He also went through a modified version of the Thor workout for his co-starring role in this year’s MIB: International. You can even see the kind of workout he does for that role in this video.
On top of all that, he also works out during his downtime. Unlike the workouts he does for his acting roles though, these workouts aren’t as intense or as focused on building muscle, so they don’t make him look as buff as he could be. But, then again, these workouts are just as important as they keep him physically fit and help him keep up with his kids.
Conclusion
While he’s been lucky enough to have access to things like excellent training staff and proper equipment, the key to Chris Hemsworth’s physical fitness doesn’t lie in any of those things. The real secret behind his success is the drive to accomplish his goal! And that means anyone – including you – can achieve fitness success just like him.
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