8 Moves To A Celebrity 8-Pack

8 Moves To A Celebrity 8-Pack Like Bradley Cooper's

Ashley's Ab Routine

Goal: Complete 5 total circuits. Move from one exercise to the next without resting, until you've completed them all. That's one set. Rest 1 minute. Repeat more circuits.

Reps: Take all of Ashley's ab exercises to failure! If you set a number, you may experience early fatigue; psychologically, you know you're approaching your ending point. Instead, always go until you can't go anymore.

Got it? Good! Here are the exercises:

Ab Circuit: 3-5 Rounds

Jackknife Sit-Up
1 set to failure

90 Degree Crunch
1 set to failure

Weighted Bicycle
1 set to failure

90 degree Toe Taps
1 set to failure

Elbow Walk
1 set to failure

Army Crawl
1 set to failure

Exercise Ball Crunch
1 set to failure

Isolated Crunch
1 set to failure

Note: 1 min rest between rounds

Weighted Jack-Knife
I start with this exercise, because it engages the upper and lower abs, and the serratus all in one movement. Efficiency is key!

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Grab a light to moderate weighted ball.
2. Lay down on flat bench with your legs straight and your arms extended back behind your head (ball should align with the rest of your body).
3. Elevate your arms and legs (without bending) at the same time until they meet in the middle.
4. Once you touch the ball to your legs, slowly lower your arms and legs back to the starting position.
5. Repeat to failure.

Tips & Techniques

• The first exercise of any workout should engage the largest number of muscles, so you are immediately fatigued.
• Always isolate directly to the abdominals and the other muscles engaged in the core, such as the serratus, obliques and lower back, with slow and controlled movements.
• If you concentrate on isolating the abs and going to failure, even if it means fewer reps, you'll get better muscle contraction than if you swing your arms or legs for extra momentum.
• Pain equals results.

90-Degree Crunch
This exercise works both the upper and lower abs every effectively. Keeping the legs up, engages the lower abs, while rising up with the ball blasts the upper abs.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Using the weighted ball and the same lying position on the bench, raise your legs upward to a 90 degree angle from your torso.
2. With your arms extended straight above your chest, elevate your torso upwards as far as you can towards your toes in a crunching movement.
3. Keeping your legs up, lower your torso down to the starting position.
4. Repeat to failure.

Tips & Techniques

• Restrict your downward movement and keep your head from swinging to prevent neck injury as well as to ensure that you're not using momentum to cheat.
• Keep your legs completely straight. If your knees bend or your legs begin to drop then your abs are failing.
• This exercise is also a perfect ending to any upper body workout. The weight of the ball will activate your shoulders, chest and triceps and maximize the definition and tightness of your already fatigued muscles.

Weighted Bicycle
This exercise targets the obliques and serratus anterior muscles which are those hard to get lines on the side of your rib cage.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. In the same laying position with the ball extended above your chest and torso slightly elevated, rotate your legs like you're pedaling a bicycle.
2. Repeat to failure.

Tips & Techniques

• Your torso should always be slightly elevated during the bicycle movement to keep your upper abs engaged.
• Execute fully extended leg rotations while bringing your knees in to your chest. The leg extension will target the lower abs, while the exaggerated movement to the chest will target the serratus.
• When you cannot make full and complete leg rotations any longer, you've reached failure and should stop, but not for long!

90-Degree Toe-Taps
This exercise gets really deep into your abs, and is very effective.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. You're in same lying position, but will drop the ball for this one. Instead, rotate your shoulders and grab the bench with both hands above your head.
2. Raise your legs to a 90-degree angle and keep your knees as straight as possible.
3. Elevate your rear end off the bench by pushing through the hips and extending upward as high as possible while maintaining a strict 90-degree angle.
4. Return to the resting position by lowering your rear end back down to the bench while still maintaining strict form.
5. Repeat to failure.

Tips & Techniques

• Your legs should not be moving forward or backwards during this movement. If they are then you're not properly engaging your abs, and you should give yourself a couple seconds rest and then go right back into it.
• When people hear core, they usually think Pilates or movements that only girls would do. However, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Core strength is essential for everyone regardless of gender. The stronger your core is the stronger you are at other lifts in the gym, and the better athlete you can become.
• Trying rotating the bench to an angle that allows you to see yourself in the mirror. While some people may think that you're checking yourself out, the main reason for this is to watch your form and make sure that you're not cheating yourself.

Elbow Walk
This exercise combines isometric contractions with dynamic movements of the muscles. Isometric is the static hold that contracts the muscle without moving.

The dynamic movements come from concentric or eccentric contractions of the muscles through range of motion.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. In a plank position, keep your abs engaged and back as straight as possible.
2. Positioned on your forearms and toes, begin "crawling" forward with your right arm and opposite leg.
3. Next, stop the forward movement and push yourself up off your forearms and onto your hands in the same plank position.
4. While keeping your core tight and back straight, bring one leg at a time outward and up to your elbow on the same side. Keep your back solid and don't shift your hips down when doing this movement.
5. Repeat these two movements in series until you reach failure.

Tips & Techniques

• When doing plank or pushup movements, never let your lower back sag down. If you do, you're leaving your lumbar region totally exposed to unnatural strain, and just asking for injury.
• Always focus on staying straight as a board and keep your abdominals flexed.

Army Crawl
This exercise is really targets the serratus but also activates the lats, so it's a great finisher for any back workout.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. From the plank position, keep your torso elevated drop your hips and knees down to the floor, and let your feet relax behind you from the tiptoe stance.
2. Next you'll want to extend one arm out in front of you as far as you can reach, drop it to the floor and pull yourself forward using only your forearm. Your legs should serve only as dead weight.
3. Continue to pull until you reach failure.

Tips & Techniques

• Most functional movements are dynamic, so we should train for that in the gym. People tend to lock themselves into machines and only get front and back movements. Then they end up injuring themselves when they try doing a multi-plane movement.

Ball Crunch with Flyes
This exercise incorporates two different movements to target the abs and the serratus. The crunch targets the abdominals, while the weighted fly targets the serratus.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. With light to moderate weighted dumbbells, position yourself on a stability ball, like you would for a normal crunch but with your arms extended out to your side.
2. As you rise upward, you'll incorporate a chest fly movement in unison with the crunch.
3. You should extend as far upward and outward as you can while keeping your abs tight and isolated.
4. Lower your torso and arms back to the starting position and repeat to failure.

Tips & Techniques

• Don't over extend your back around the ball or the weights past parallel to your shoulders. Doing this allows your muscles to rest as you go past the maximal tension point of the movement.
• If you are unable to use weights, do the same movement with just your body weight and clap your hands at the top for full range of motion.

Isolated Crunch
This exercise is a great finisher because the short contractions isolate to the abdominals and really burn them out.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. In the same position on the ball, drop the weight and rest your hands on your thighs.
2. Let your back rotate slightly backward on the ball and crunch forward keeping your hands low and your chin tucked to your chest.
3. Keep your abs flexed at all times and continue with short deliberate movements until you reach failure.

Tips & Techniques

• Try to engage your core in every lift you do. If you don't then you're reducing the amount of weight you can lift.
• People tend to arch their back when trying to lift heavy on bench press, but by doing this you're actually limiting your potential and increasing the risk of injury.

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Will smith

Will Smith's workout 


To go from the skinner 185 lb. actor to a 220 lb. boxer for Ali… Will Smith worked out 5 days a week for 6 hours a day which included lots of running (for endurance) and boxing training for the Ali movie but…


Will Smith mainly picked up his muscular frame from the weight training he did one year prior to the Ali movie and during that year his bench press went from 175 pounds to 365 pounds and…


You don't have to train 6 hours a day to get the same type of body Will Smith had in Ali because you must realize that… Most of Will Smith's grueling 6 hour a day workout regimen for Ali consisted of boxing technique training so…



How Will Smith dropped his body fat to a low 7.5% for I, Robot

       To regain the muscle he had lost After filming Ali & to also get an even more ripped (muscularly defined) body…

        Will Smith basically went back to his same 5 day a week training schedule which consisted of running 5 miles a day and…

         For the weight training routine he would focus on 1-to-2 body parts each day but…

       The main reason why Will Smith got a low 7.5% body fat was that he slowly cut his calories and he cut out junk food so…


How Will Smith lost 20 pounds for I am Legend

During an interview Will Smith said…

"I have a much easier time losing weight (for I am Legend) than putting weight on. Ali was fifty times harder trying to put weight on than to drop."

     The reason why it's easy for Will Smith to lose weight is because he has a very high metabolism from his training for Ali & I Robot so…

       Will Smith probably stopped all of his heavy lifting (which increases muscle mass & total body weight) and…

• Instead of heavier lifting - he probably did lighter weights to maintain some muscular definition and to drop his 20 pounds rather easily…
• He kept running 5 miles a day and as for his diet…
• I don't think he really had to rely on a diet so much since his increased metabolism (mainly from the muscle he gained & his active lifestyle he picked up from Ali & I Robot) makes it okay for him to eat anything he wants and not worry about gaining weight but…
• Will Smith could also go on a simple calorie cutting diet plan and lose weight at much faster rate than most people because of his very fast metabolism. so…

WORKOUTS ROUTINES

 Run 5 Miles a Day Six Days per Week, first thing in the morning (Will likes to listen to audio books during his runs)

•  He Did His Weight Training Routine around 5 PM
•  He Performed Weightlifting or Resistance Training Five Days per Week
•  Will Smith Trained Two Body Parts per Workout

Back and Chest (Upper Body Push/Pull)
Quads and Hamstrings (Knee Dominant/Hip Dominant)
Biceps and Triceps
Shoulders and abs

Chest

4 sets of 10-15 repetitions of bench presses
5 sets of 10-15 repetitions of inclined dumbbell presses
3 sets of 10-15 repetitions of machine flys
5 sets of 20-30 repetitions push ups
Do 25 minutes on a cross trainer at about 65 percent of maximum output

Triceps

3 sets of 20-30 repetitions skull crushers
3 sets of 20-30 repetitions triceps pull downs
3 sets of 20-30 repetitions triceps kick backs
3 sets of 20-30 repetitions of bench dips

Biceps

3 sets of 10-12 repetitions of hammer curls
4 sets of 10-15 repetitions of dumbbell curls
4 sets of 20-25 repetitions of concentration curls

         For him workouts he also would do 3-4 sets of around 10 reps per exercise and with each set he would try to increase the weight.  For a good starting point I would find out your 1 rep maximum you can do for each exercise and go with 60%-80% of that weight for each exercise.
You can work only 4-5 hours a week to build a body like will smith but only exercise is not important for a good body. Your diet is the 2nd most important thing to build a body like him. So let us have a look on will smith’s diet chart.

DIETING ROUTINES 

              Will Smith follows a high protein, high carbohydrate diet which helps in maximizing muscle repair. Since he had to gain 30lbs for his role in Ali, hence he needed 6-8 small meals per day and supplement his diet with protein shakes and possibly creatine. He didn’t eliminate all of his carbohydrates (because your body needs them to survive and thrive) but he did focus on eating healthy sources of carbs instead of the processed junk.

             The extra muscle he started building increased his metabolism so he was already naturally burning a lot of fat but by zeroing in on his diet it made him that much leaner.

I was super impressed when I was doing research for this his workout routine and I couldn’t believe how focused and how much hard work he puts into everything he does.  No wonder he’s so successful and the best way I’ve found to create success is to model people who are really doing it.

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Taylor lautner

TAYLOR LAUTNER'S WORKOUT

             Taylor Lautner became a household name after his appearance in Twilight, particularly after gaining 20lbs for his role in New Moon. Taylor was already in great shape from his training as a martial artist (he won the Junior World Karate Championship at age 12). This training allowed him to build a strong core and ripped set of abs. However, by necessity, he was forced to gain muscle mass for his role as Jacob Black in New Moon. The role required him to be a physical, menacing presence and at 5'10" 140lbs, he was not. Here is how he built the ideal body.

Taylor Lautner Workout Routine

          One aspect that Taylor's trainer incorporated was negative reps. He would load up a bar with 40% more weight than Taylor could normally lift 10 times. He would only perform the negative portion of the repetition for 2-3 sets of 5 reps every other week.

Taylor's abs are fantastic. He only trains them 3 days per week though to avoid overtraining. Just like any other muscle, abs need rest to grow. He tries to work his entire core to maintain a balanced look. His preferred exercises were leg raises, reverse crunches, and planks.

           Finally, Taylor took every 3rd day off from training and never trained more than 5 days per week to allow his body adequate time to recover. Of course he also incorporated a proper diet that focused on eating a surplus of calories to allow his muscles to grow.

• Taylor Lautner starts his workout with a warm up, stretching and then running on the treadmill.
• He used a lot of compound and weight training exercises which includes Squats, dips, pull-ups and lunges.
• In order to create interest, he brings variation in his workout time to time.
• His trainer made him to lift 40% more weight than he could normally lift in order to lift 10 complete reps per set.
• His workout consist of 5 days a week varying from 1 – 2 hours in which each set consist of 8 – 12 reps.
• Some of the exercises he followed for making 6 pack abs are Swiss ball pikes, Reverse crunches and hanging leg raises.

       Taylor’s workout consisted of some muscle building exercises for his whole body and some specific abs workouts for his core. Here’s his overall philosophy about working out.

Push Beyond Your Limits – Here’s where your workout partner comes in. For some workouts you want to lift more weight than you are used to, If you can normally bench 200 pounds, put 225 or 230 on the barbell and get used to feeling that amount of weight on your arms with your spotter right there. this will help you blast beyond your limitations.

Do Different Workouts – Don’t do the same things in your routine all the time. Your body won’t respond as well if you keep doing the same workouts all the time. If you change up your routine and use different weights, do different exercises, do more reps or do more sets, you will see your body respond and grow bigger.

Create Resistance- Don’t always use free weights! I know that sounds crazy to your purists, but there is a slight problem with free weights, they don’t always create enough resistance. When using free weights there are parts of your rep that become easier, but if you use a machine or have someone put a little tension on your dumbell or barbell, you will have constant tension during the entire swing of your rep.

Go Easy On The Cardio- Cardio is great at first to help burn some fat, but you never want to do cardio after an intense muscle building routine because it will lessen the effects of what you just did. Do cardio on different days than your muscle workouts.

Don’t Work Your Abs Too Much- This is a big secret. Most guys you see in the gym are working the crap out of their abs, but the fact is, your abs are only a small part of your entire muscle system. You should work all your muscle groups almost equally and that will take care of your abs.

• Shoulders: Handstand pushups, Standing Press, Lat Raise.
• Biceps: Dumbbell Curls, Barbell curls, and Chin ups.
• Triceps: Triceps extensions, triceps bench dips, as well as triceps dips.
• Back: that you can do pull-ups, wide pull-ups, and Lat pull down, Bent over rows.
• Thighs: Lunges, Squats with lots of different variations.
• Abs: Planks, Side Planks

Taylor Lautner Abs

So, what are the specific workouts that Taylor did for his abs? They’re listed below. I would go into how you do them but this post is getting long enough and you can Google them to see how they work.

• Reverse Skye Crunches
• Physio Ball Pikes
• Hanging Leg Raises
• Physio Ball Leg Curls
• Cobra In The Prone Position

Taylor Lautner Diet Plan:

          Taylor Lautner followed a simple and healthy diet to develop muscles. His diet plan consist of high protein and low carbohydrates which is as follows:

 Proteins: Chicken Tuna, turky, protein shakes, cottage cheese and egg whites.

Carbohydrates: Whole grains, Yams and Oatmeals.

He consumes protein shake between his breakfast, lunch and dinner which are as follows:

1. Breakfast: Egg whites, oatmeals and a glass of orange juice.
2. Snack 1: Protein Bar.
3. Lunch: Albacore tuna or chicken with veggies and brown rice.You can replace those with turkey or ground beef. 
4. Snack 2: Protein Shake.
5. Dinner: Grilled fish, brown rice, vegetables and salad

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Incredible Hulk workout

Incredible Hulk

The rise of bodybuilding causes comic book heroes to feel a lot like that skinny kid who got sand kicked in his face ... Here’s one hero, who some consider a freak of nature, that took it to heart. Check out how he trains ... and eats!

    For years and year's bodybuilders all over the world have aspired to look like the comic book superheroes, with bulging striated muscle and illuminating vascularity.

           Many of these athletes have succeeded and produced some outstanding physiques, such as Shawn Ray, Flex Wheeler and Bob Paris, others have produced some of the more freaky muscled physiques but won their fair share of physique contests, such as Markus Ruhl, Jean Pierre Fux, and even Mr. Olympia himself Dorian Yates, who by the way also had a superheroesque alias ... The Shadow.

     Even as far back as the days when the legendary Steve Reeves played the role of Hercules on the silver screen; the fascination with superhero style muscles has always had an awe inspiring effect on the general public.

Superheroes Feeling Inferior

      Down through the years as the rise in popularity in the sport of bodybuilding became more and more mainstream. The awe inspired effect was wearing thin as the competitive bodybuilder was becoming bigger, more ripped and more vascular, making some of the comic book heroes feel a lot like that skinny kid who got sand kicked in his face in all those Charles Atlas adverts.

       Many of these superheroes now suffering from inferiority complexes because of the IFBB's finest decided it was time to take a note, stand up and be counted, and no longer have sand kicked in their faces.

             One of those who took this whole thing to heart was none other than Marvel Comic's very own Bruce Banner (The Hulk's alter ego). His much hyped arrival to the big screen some years back was a bit of a let down.

            His computer enhanced physique is what he blames, so to combat his frail ego David would make himself mad and metamorphose into the Hulk and begin his NEW INCREDIBLE BULK WORKOUT, and he had to, otherwise the movie studios would have to cut the Hulk franchise loose.

       The program he followed was so effective that the movie people decided they had to rename the latest sequel in the Hulk franchise, from Hulk 2 to The Incredible Hulk, seriously I kid you not.

The Incredible Hulk

           First and foremost the Hulk would start the day, like any good dedicated bodybuilder with a good hearty breakfast, 100 egg whites to get a good protein buzz and put his body into a positive nitrogen balance, along with 20,000 grams of oatmeal. He would then bounce his way to the local gym where he would begin his weekly workout plan with some lat pulldowns.

Using two warm-up sets and 4 working sets with rep ranges between 6-and-8 with 10,000 pounds for that true mass-building feel. Once warmed up he would then move onto the next exercise, the hardcore bodybuilders favorite, bent over rows, again keeping the reps down to 6's and 8's using upwards of 20 - 25,000 lbs to remain in that mass-building zone.

       Then to finish his incredible back workout, he would move onto one-arm rows, where he used his purpose built dumbbells weighing in at 15,000 pounds each.

          I heard a rumor from bodybuilding paparazzi Isaac Hinds (who allegedly did a photo shoot during one of these workouts, and we are yet to see the pics - what's the deal with that Isaac?) that written on the dumbbells was "Hulks Weights" just to let Jay Cutler know who exactly was throwing around this type of poundage!

Post workout - to prevent muscle breakdown from excelling past muscle synthesis, Hulk took full advantage of the "window of opportunity" by consuming 5 lbs of his favorite whey protein mixed with 2 gallons of water and 1 lb of creatine and glutamine - he likes them creamy!

      Following his muscle-building protein surge, Hulk would then move onto his favorite hibachi steak house where he would have 10 pounds of filet steak, 2 pounds of steamed rice and 3 pounds of steamed broccoli (to maintain his green complexion).

He then returned to his home where he would consume another protein shake, but this time it was a slow release shake with a combination of whey, soy, and casein. Following this he would have his mid-afternoon power nap, all in the aid of increasing recovery to maximize his bodybuilding gains.

           Upon waking Hulk would then consume 10 pounds of live chicken breast, 2 pounds steamed rice and a further 3 pounds of steamed broccoli. He made sure to point out and I quote here

"Hulk need roughage, Hulk need lots broccoli, Hulk like protein for big muscle."

 I kind of understood what he was saying because there were a few guys in my school that spoke in a similar fashion, they were on the chess team (we all know that us muscle heads are far more intellectually superior and can easily conjugate sentences with big words like "marmalade" and know what they mean).

      Anyway, after finishing his chicken feast, Hulk would prepare for his second workout of the day focusing on a smaller muscle group.

     For his resistance training portion of the workout his main focus was on the cardio session where he would perform 45 minutes of intervals, to maximize body fat oxidation.

    Post workout - a 5-pound portion of protein was consumed along with the creatine and glutamine, and the day would end with two more chickens and cows before sleeping until the following day where the cycle would be repeated.

The Hulk's Mass-Building Workout

       Below is an outline of Hulk's mass-building workout, including reps and poundages. But remember that this is "The Incredible Hulk" and the weight used may not be suitable for mere mortal men, unless you have been affected by some kind of gamma ray and you turn into a huge angry green man, and if that is the case more power to ya. I won't make you angry by telling you not to do anything!

WORKOUT ROUTINE

Monday-Chest:

Bench Press

2 warm-up sets (10, 8 reps) followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6 reps with weight upward of 25,000 pounds, using the progressive resistance method, that is increasing the weight each set as the reps decrease. For 6 reps you should be using approx. 85% of 1 Rep Max. (1RM)

Incline Dumbbell Press

2 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 10,000-pound dumbbells; crazy stuff and a sight to seen! Apparently he had to have them imported from another galaxy. There was not really a heavy enough metal on earth to make a manageable dumbbell from.

Tuesday - Back:

Pulldowns

2 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 10,000 lbs.

Bent rows

1 warm-up set followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using weights of 25,000 lbs.

One-arm Rows

2 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 15,000 lbs dumbbells.

Wednesday - Legs:

   Now this was a workout even Tom Platz would have coward away from.

Squats

2 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using weights of up to 50,000 lbs.

Leg Curls

1 warm-up set followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 10,000 pounds(That's all that was on the stack and Hulk says he like to concentrate on the contraction).

Leg Extensions

1 warm-up set followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 10,000 pounds.

Calf Raises

1 warm-up set followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 10,000 pounds.

 Thursday - Shoulders:

Arnold Press

(yes even Hulk aspires to be like Arnold) 2 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 10,000-pound dumbbells.

Military press

1 warm-up set followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 25,000 pounds.

Lateral raises

2 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using 8,000-pound dumbbells. This exercise was a super set with bent lateral raises.


Friday - Arms:

Barbell Curls

2 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6, reps using up to 15,000 pounds.

French Press

1 warm-up set followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6 reps using 20,000 pounds.

Dumbbell Curls

1 warm-up sets followed by 4 working sets of 10, 8, 6, 6 reps using 7,500 pounds, super set with kickbacks using the same weights.

Saturday, Sunday - Rest

Hulk's Eating Habits

      He focuses on getting in high amounts of quality protein and carbohydrates with each meal which he consumes every 2 - 3 minutes. He also takes full advantage of supplementation utilizing both pre- and post-workout formula's to increase quality mass while minimizing body fat accumulation. We all know how they are in Hollywood these days and the Hulk is no different.

Conclusion

       So there you have it, straight from the trenches - Hulk's Bulking workout! Remember, do not try to consume the same amount of food as Hulk, he has a radioactive advantage over us which also allows him to lift more weight machines in the gym during the course of the off-season.

      Stay safe in the gym and maybe use some of Hulk's bodybuilding philosophies to help achieve your training goals. We may never be a comic book super hero but we can sure as h#ll look like one!

FOR WORKOUT PROCEDURES VISIT PREVIOUS POSTS.....

By: Brian Bullman

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Batman Christine bale workout

In this, the latest sequel in the Batman franchise, Christian Bale returns to the screen as super-buff billionaire Bruce Wayne. Let's get on with the show and look at how he made Batman faster, leaner and more agile than ever!

The Dark Knight

This summer has seen some of the greatest Marvel superheroes come to life on the big screen. Iron Man  was making some serious headlines with a super-buff Robert Downey Jr.  as the World authority on the manufacture of military weapons.

    Then we saw the much improved physique of The Incredible Hulk  which amazed audiences around the globe. Now DC comics has fought back hard and brought us The Dark Knight , starring the late Heath Ledger  as the notorious Joker, and probably the best Batman character ever in Christian Bale .   
  
     What makes this movie interesting is that from a story point of view, Batman is merely an ordinary Joe Soap; yes I know he is clean cut but that is not what I mean when I say "soap".

           Batman has NO superpowers, he was never bitten by a radio-active bug nor was he exposed to gamma rays in a laboratory experiment gone wrong. He is like everyone else, apart from the fact that he likes to wear tights and a mask and enjoys beating the crap out of gangsters.

           In this, the latest sequel in the Batman franchise, Christian Bale comes to the screen as a super-buff-looking billionaire Bruce Wayne, as usual, giving his role as much credibility as he possibly can.

Christian Bale Returns To The Screen As Super-Buff Billionaire Bruce Wayne. 

  A few years back when he first played the role of Batman, Bale had only finished shooting for the movie The Machinist  for which he had dropped 33% (61 lbs) of his normal body weight, down to 185 lbs.

  At this weight standing at 6'2" he would not look much like anyone that could beat snow off of a wet rope let alone be a crime fighting superhero. So Bale went on a bulking up cycle where he had to pack on his weight but do so in a hurry and add as much muscle as possible in the process.

     Granted, when we all saw the movie Batman Begins , saying we were impressed with Christian Bale's physique was an understatement to say the least and that's without seeing the transformation from his previous emaciated role.

   In a nutshell Christian Bale looked awesome and was quiet convincing in his roles as both Bruce Wayne and Bruce's alter ego, Batman. This movie however has far more action scenes and required Bale to be not only buff and look lean for the casual topless scene's but also be a better athlete to make the actions sequences more credible. He had to maximize the use of his speed and agility, components of fitness usually only associated with elite athletes.

             An avid runner, Bale openly admits to his running being the best cure for a hangover, and if he is anything like his fellow Welshmen, who shall remain nameless, (but for the purposes of this article lets call them Mr. Gethin & Mr. Lewis  - actually that's a little too obvious, lets call them Kris G and Flex L), Bale is well able to throw back a pint or two!! Another trait he shares with these two fellow country men is his lack of fear for a hard grueling workout.

I  have trained with both Kris and Flex; they are hardcore to say the least. So that being said, let's get on with the show and take a look at how Christian Bale made Batman faster, leaner and more agile than ever.

The Diet

      First and foremost, the diet has to be on the ball. Getting in the meals every 2-3 hours is a must for any superhero in the making, and as we have seen in the past Bale is not shy when it comes to the physical demands of preparing for a role.

      Each meal should consist of a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The ideal ratio is 1:2:3 - that is 1 part fats, 2 parts protein and 3 parts carbohydrates. Knowing that we need approx 1-2 grams of protein per pound body weight we can calculate the fats and carbohydrates to be consumed using our ratio above.

The Training Program

The training program used for this role would consist of explosive power movements, compound exercises, agility and speed training all centering on the goal of making Bale a more realistic Superhero.Exercises such as power cleans, high pulls, jump squats, explosive bench press...

            This is where you Bench Press on a Smith Machine. Start in the locked out position, lower the weight to the chest, then explode out leaving the bar out of your hands, as the bar falls catch the bar and allow the momentum to return the bar to the on chest position. THIS IS DONE UNDER COMPLETE CONTROL - you control the weight always. Once the bar has reached the chest again immediately press the bar explosively again.

           This is an awesome exercise for developing those explosive white muscle fibers. Because the training program is so complex, compound exercises are utilized to maximize the effectiveness of each workout in minimal time.

          A compound movement is any exercise which requires more than a single joint movement; the most common "compound" movements are the squat, bench, deadlift, and military press. Exercise's to enhance agility and reaction times are also used, after all, if our superhero cannot catch the villains then what use is he?

         So now that we have taken a look at some of the exercises used to create a more finely tuned Batman, let us look at what a typical weeks training might look like.

Day 1:

Chins super set with Cable rows-4 sets, 12 reps each exercise
This superset is used as a warm-up and to prepare the body for what is to come for the heavier power exercises.

High Pulls-4 x 10, 8, 6 reps

It is important to note that when performing this exercise you explode from the starting position (bar on floor) to the finish (bar as high as possible - usually chin level) and that you explode up with maximum force onto the toes!

Power Clean-4 x 10, 8, 6 reps

Power cleans are a great exercise for overall mass building as well as power, most of the major muscle groups are utilized during the execution of this movement.

Day 2:

Sprints

Run-ins with a 10 meter run in perform 5 sets of 30m sprints and 5 sets of 40m sprints. 60 second breaks between sets and 120 seconds between distances.

Squat jumps-4 x 10, 8, 6 reps

The weight used here should be minimal so as not to risk injury, ideally a "power-bag" should be used, this is a weighted bag and is much safer than using a barbell. However is only a barbell is available, when performing the exercise explode out of the squat to your until you are on your toes, and repeat.

Lunges-4 x 10 reps

Day 3:

Warm up with 3 of Dumbbell Flyes-3 sets, 12 reps

Followed by Smith Machine bench press-3 sets, 12 reps

Although these sets are primarily to warm up the muscles of the upper body maximum weight should be used for each set of 12 reps!!!

Explosive Bench-4 x 10, 8, 6 reps

This exercise because of its explosive nature is a great tool for increasing the functional capabilities of the white muscle fibers. Once the bar has been taken off the rack, lower it to the chest and explode from there releasing the bar from your grip.

The height the bar achieves should be noted by your spotter, as the bar begin to return, it should be caught in the hands and returned to the start position under control but also keeping the momentum going.

Ricochets

This is done in intervals: 2 minutes on, 30 seconds off, Mark a 2 foot wide square on the ground with tape or chalk. Jump from corner to corner as fast as you can, jumping to different corners every time. This exercise is performed for a total of 30 minutes.

Day 4:

Active rest, this a day where you do not train so hard, but are still active, a pool session is good here or a combination of swimming and aqua jogging. This will aid the recovery process.

Day 5, 6 and 7:

Repeat days 1, 2 and 3

Conclusion

So now you are armed with the tools to transform your body into a lean mean crime fighting machine. Not only will you be able to run faster, jump higher and react as fast as lightning, but you will also look good doing it. But don't use this program to get in shape and go and kick some criminal @rse, leave that to the Dark Knight, only use it to pull chicks, that's what I do.

         Remember this may be a tough training regime but just think, the next time you are in a club and chick says, "Can I feel your muscle," who knows where it might lead, and you'll have the stamina and agility for endurance if required!

FOR WORKOUT PROCEDURES VISIT PREVIOUS POSTS....

By Brian Bullman

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Hugh jackman workout

Hugh Jackman workout

Hugh Jackman Wolverine Workout

Day 1: Chest

Incline Dumbbell Press-4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6 reps 

        This does not include warm-up sets, and the progression is to increase weight with each and every set, maximizing force output each and every set.

Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip-4 sets x 15, 12, 10, 8 reps

      This is the bread and butter of any bodybuilding routine; if you are not bench pressing, you might as well be pissing against the wind. As stated in an interview, Jackman was pushing 315 pounds; that's three plates each side for all you math geniuses.

Cable Crossover-4 sets x 15, 12, 10, 8 reps

      This exercise should never be performed too heavy. The emphasis here is on stretching and squeezing the muscle. For Jackman's movie roles as Wolverine or even Van Helsing, he needed to not only be super buff, but also have the elasticity in the muscle to perform the athletic movements required to be a credible superhero.

Day 2: Back

Pullups-4 sets x 15, 12, 10, 8 reps

       This exercise is an amazing back developer; it recruits all of the back muscles throughout the movement, while also utilizing the core stabilizers to avoid swinging during the exercise. Weight can be hung from the performer as they get more competent at the exercise.

Barbell Deadlift-4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6 reps

        You're dead in the water in terms of achieving your bodybuilding goals if this exercise is not in your routine. Had I been training Van Helsing or Wolverine, I most definitely would have had this in the gym bag. It not only works the back, but also the legs, especially the glutes and hamstrings, but also the arms which are isometrically contracted throughout the exercise.

Seated Cable Rows-4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps

          Taking a narrow grip handle, the main focus is on the stretch and squeeze. Again, we don't want our superhero to become muscle bound now do we? This exercise can be performed relatively heavy; after all, it is a rowing movement and recruits the legs to a certain extent.

Day 3: Legs

Leg Extensions-4 sets x 15, 12, 10, 8 reps

           This is a great quadriceps isolator. Here we are using this exercise to get the quads ready for the hard task of the main mass builder, which is going to be squats for some and leg press for others. In the case of our Hollywood superstar and 2008 World's Sexiest Man, leg press was the power exercise of choice, where he moved up to 1000 pounds! That's nothing to laugh at!

Lying Leg Curls-4 sets 15, 12, 10, 8 reps

               Keeping the muscular development in balance, this exercise will not only aid in symmetrical development in the thighs but will also ensure an adequate warm up for the heavy compound exercise toward the end of the workout which is intended to add some serious leg mass. After all, when wearing your X-Men uniform, nobody would want that "my gym had no squat rack" look.

Leg Press or Squats-4 sets 12, 10, 8, 6 reps

         Jackman himself liked the leg press. I personally like to mix and match from one workout to the next. This is where the superhero, real man attitude has to come out, or guess what; you'll crumble like one of your grandma's apple pies.

Day 4: Shoulders

Seated Side Lateral Raise-4 sets x 12 reps

        You can't exactly leave the hanger in your superhero uniform to look broader, nor can you put your Miami Vice shoulder pads in. REAL superheroes have REAL delts, and what better way to kick start your shoulder development than to pre-exhaust the muscle.

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise-4 sets x 12 reps
         Since the previous exercise primarily hits the anterior and lateral heads of the deltoids, this exercise must be included to ensure maximal total development.

Standing Military Press-4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6 reps

            Another bread and butter exercise of the bodybuilding world, because this exercise recruits the triceps indirectly, and a lot of weight can be used. This will give you shoulders like an NFL linebacker in full padding!

Day 5: Arms

Dumbbell Bicep Curl-4 sets x 12 reps

       Welcome to the gun show baby! That's the attitude you need to take to the gym with you for arms. Jackman's approach to the gym is strictly pertinent to the role he has play in an upcoming movie. As Wolverine or Van Helsing, he had a take no prisoner attitude which leads to him having a physique which is the envy of many and the motivation for even more.

Barbell Curl-4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps

         The mass builder, barbell curls allow you to throw around some serious weight in the gym, however here we have pre-exhausted them. This will lead to more muscle fiber recruitment as well as decreasing the temptation of performing cheats, while also minimizing the risk of injury. A must exercise for any serious gym goer.

One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl-4 sets x 12, 12, 10, 10 reps

            In this final exercise, the focus is on stretching out the biceps at the end, and emphasizing the contraction at the top. It was created back in the early sixties by the first ever Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott, after whom the exercise was named. Larry Scott was one of the first men on record to have over 20-inch arms, all in the days before creatine and BCAA's.

Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension-4 sets x 12 reps

            Trying to keep the humorous perpendicular to the ground, stretch down behind the head with the dumbbell, and then extend all the way to full contraction of the triceps. This exercise will really add some mass to the lower head of the triceps (near the elbow).

Skull Crushers-4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps

          Having gotten the triceps really pumped on the last exercise, they are now warm enough to handle some weight. Skull Crushers are a sure way of getting those guns up to superhero standards, good enough for the silver screen.

Triceps Pushdown - Rope Attachment-4 sets x 12 reps

       Again, as with most other muscle groups, the finishing exercise focuses on stretching and squeezing the muscle. Because of the nature of getting ready for a movie role, as opposed to training merely to look a certain way, the muscle has to not only look great but be functional and flexible enough to withstand some serious athletic endeavors.

Day 6: Flexibility

        On day six of the workout plan, Jackman said that he would partake in Yoga, Pilates or some other form of exercise which focused more on flexibility and agility. I personally would have had him doing some SPARQ training, which is not only great for increasing athletic performance, but is also a great fat burner, while being great fun too.


Hugh Jackman workout motivation to others

      Down through the years, Hollywood has had the privilege of having some rugged, hard as nails, Australian tough guys. Men like Mel Gibson  and Russell Crowe  spring to mind, creating legendary screen characters such as Mad Max and Gladiator.

        Creating a total contrast in terms of the stereotypical Australian was Guy Pierce , a clean cut, suave, ladies man. All in all, these three Australian exports drove the Hollywood fans wild. Women wanted to be with them and men wanted to be like them.

       Then, out of nowhere came the X-Man, Hugh Jackman , pretty much a hybrid of all that is great about Australia. He's tall, strong, athletic and a bit of a charmer and ladies man; the latter he most likely inherited from some Irish ancestry somewhere down the line, which is most likely why he was voted People Magazine's World's Sexiest Man 2008!

           I however, think it's only because I was not in the running, due to obligations elsewhere, and Bodybuilding.com's Editor-In-Chief, Kris Gethin, swears it was all politics and he was robbed for the title. His wife, Marika, swears to him that he should have won.

           Jacko, as we like to call him, first came to prominence in the X-Men movies as the bad @ss, take no crap, I'll F*&k you up if you mess with me, 'Wolverine.' And at 6-foot-3 he is indeed a menacing figure. Add to the fact that the man can bench press 315 pounds and leg press 1000 pounds.
          
        When talking about his feats of strength, Jackman is quoted as saying, "I pretty much shat myself," on the leg press that is. Good to know that he likes to keep that Australian class and decorum alive and well, eh!

          From researching Hugh Jackman and his fitness regimen, I've learned that he likes to keep it Australian! I believe the saying here in the states is that he likes to "keep it real."

             From my experience of training athletes, I have dealt with many Australian rugby players, and to say they are hardcore is an understatement to say the least. They work hard, train hard and play hard; for them there is no other way. After all, they do come from a country that was founded as a prison colony.What I think is most amazing about all of this is that Jacko is not a typical athlete. He is an actor through and through, and his physique is merely a byproduct of his quest to make his roles more realistic.

         This was a bit of a surprise to me as I have never met an un-athletic Aussie before; even the Oscar winner Russell Crowe  is an avid sports fan, so much so that he owns a professional rugby league team back in Australia.

         Crowe is such a sports fan that he even tried to invent his own sport some time back. I cannot remember the specifics of it, but it did involve a telephone, a hotel room, and a hotel bell boy's face. It didn't take off and wound up in the same place as the WBF and XFL. Pity really, sounded like a bit of fun.

         Alright so, enough of the background malarkey, let's get into the nitty gritty of The Hugh Jackman approach to fitness. Most people at Bodybuilding.com are motivated by the quest for a better physique, or becoming a better athlete in general. Jackman however, uses his upcoming role as motivation for his training.When getting ready for the X-Men movie, Jackman would keep the routine basic: weights andcardio, plenty of bench press variations, lunges, light squats, and leg presses, the usual bodybuilding staples.

           In an interview with Men's Health Magazine, Jackman said, "I'd change it up every 3 weeks ... Three weeks heavy with lots of rest between sets. Then change to lighter weight, slower reps, four count up, four count down. Then mix in fast, explosive lifting, always changing the workout."

Conclusion

         So there you have it ladies and gents, my take on how I would have gotten Hugh Jackman into shape for his blockbuster movies, but let it be known, if I had been training him, he would have won the title of World's Sexiest Man a long time ago.

           Try putting this workout to use and see how it works for you. Remember, Hugh Jackman himself has mentioned the fact that he had to get really mentally focused for training, and this is why his results were as awesome as they were. Try it for yourself, you may not become the world's sexiest, but you sure as h#ll will be close.

FOR WORKOUT PROCEDURES VISIT PREVIOUS POSTS.....

by Brian Bullman .

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