How does Hugh Jackman continue to pack on muscle mass and play one of the most physical of all movie superheroes at 44 years old?
The latest installment of the popular series, “The Wolverine”, hits theaters this summer. Read on to learn what can you learn from his wolverine workout routine and apply it to your own summer blockbuster.
How to get in Wolverine shape
Jackman continues to work with Mike Ryan, an Australian personal trainer and longtime friend of Hugh Jackman. Ryan has trained Jackman on and off the set throughout all of the X-Men movies. Jackman has also added Don Scott, a private trainer out of New York, to help with his overall mass program and nutrition.
“In Wolverine, Hugh looks big onscreen, but really he’s just ripped. That’s the secret to looking good. It’s not just about getting big, it’s about getting ripped.”, Ryan said in a recent interview.
After watching Jackman on the set of Wolverine, fellow actor Will Yun Lee had this to say: “I’ve seen playbacks of Hugh fighting different characters in the movie he’s no joke! He’s probably in the best shape I’ve ever seen him in all the X-Mens.” Not bad for someone who just celebrated their 44th birthday.
“For Wolverine, I ramp it up,” Jackman says. “I do an hour and a half a day in the gym and eat a thousand calories more a day than I would normally. And I train really hard. I crank up the Godsmack and Metallica. I yell and scream, which helps me get into the character and have a bitch of a workout.”
“I yell and scream, it helps me get into character and have a bitch of a workout” – Hugh Jackman
The workout itself is not groundbreaking. Lots of heavy compound work; Squats, Deadlifts, Bench presses, Miltary presses. “I’d change it up every 3 weeks,” Jackman says. “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.”
The 12-Week Hugh Jackman Wolverine Workout
Jackman incorporates supersets into his Wolverine workout. These are where two different lifts are completed in a row without stopping, with the goal being to ramp up intensity and time under load. He also changes up his routine every few weeks to avoid burnout and keep him mentally focused.
Weeks 1 & 2: Hypertrophy
Monday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Dumbell Bench press x 10
Dumbell flyes x 10
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Bench dip x 10
Cable press-down x 10
Cable crossovers 3 x 10
Treadmill Set treadmill to 6 m/h at 1% incline. Increase incline by 1% every 30 secs until failure. Rest 1 minute, repeat.
Tuesday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Goblet Squat x 10
Dumbbell bulgarian split squat x 10
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Romanian deadlift x 10
One-leg gym ball curl x 10
Walking dumbbell lunge 2 x 10 each leg
Rowing machine steady pace, 4000m
Thursday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Cable row x 10
Bent-over DB reverse fly x 10
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Hammergrip chin-up x 10
EZ-bar curlx 10
Inverted row 2 x 12
Exercise bike intervals 30 seconds “sprint”, 2 minutes low intensity recovery. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes
Friday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1
Seated shoulder press x 10
DB lateral raise x 10
Superset 2
Weighted crunch x 10
Gymball jackknife x 10
Bicycle crunches 3 x 15
Treadmill sprints Set treadmill to 2% incline and fast pace. Stand with feet either side of the running surface, then jump on it and sprint for 30 seconds. Jump back to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times
Weeks 3 & 4: Muscle Burnout
Monday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through, remove weight for each set):
Barbell Bench press x 4, 6, 8, 10
Pec Deck x 4, 6, 8, 10
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Skull Crushers x 4, 6, 8, 10
Cable press-down x 4, 6, 8, 10
Cable crossovers 3 x 10
Treadmill Set treadmill to 6 m/h at 1% incline. Increase incline by 1% every 30 secs until failure. Rest 1 minute, repeat.
Tuesday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Squat x 4, 6, 8, 10
Leg Press x 4, 6, 8, 10
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Deadlift x 4, 6, 8, 10
Lying leg curl x 4, 6, 8, 10
Dumbell Step up 2 x 10 each leg
Rowing machine steady pace, 4000m
Thursday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Bent over row x 4, 6, 8, 10
Lat Pull Down x 4, 6, 8, 10
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Close grip pulldown x 4, 6, 8, 10
EZ-bar curl x 4, 6, 8, 10
Close grip pull down 2 x 12
Exercise bike intervals 30 seconds “sprint”, 2 minutes low intensity recovery. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes
Friday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1
Dumbell overhead press x 4, 6, 8, 10
Plate front raise x 4, 6, 8, 10
Superset 2
Plank 60 seconds
Hanging leg raise x 10
Leg raises 3 x 15
Treadmill sprints Set treadmill to 2% incline and fast pace. Stand with feet either side of the running surface, then jump on it and sprint for 30 seconds. Jump back to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times
Weeks 5 & 6: Strength
Monday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (3 times through, add weight for each set):
Dumbell Bench press x 8, 6, 4
Dumbell flyes x 8, 6, 4
Superset 2 (3 times through):
Bench dip x 8, 6, 4
Cable press-down x 8, 6, 4
Cable crossovers 3 x 8
Treadmill Set treadmill to 6 m/h at 1% incline. Increase incline by 1% every 30 secs until failure. Rest 1 minute, repeat.
Tuesday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (3 times through):
Squat x 8, 6, 4
Leg Press x 8, 6, 4
Superset 2 (3 times through):
Straight-leg deadlift x 8, 6, 4
Lying leg curl x 8, 6, 4
Walking Dumbell lunge 2 x 8 each leg
Rowing machine steady pace, 4000m
Thursday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (3 times through):
Cable row x 8, 6, 4
Bent-over DB reverse fly x 8, 6, 4
Superset 2 (3 times through):
Hammergrip chin-up x 8, 6, 4
EZ-bar curlx x 8, 6, 4
Inverted row 2 x 8
Exercise bike intervals 30 seconds “sprint”, 2 minutes low intensity recovery. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes
Friday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1
Seated shoulder press x 8, 6, 4
DB lateral raise x 8, 6, 4
Superset 2
Weighted crunch x 10
Gymball jackknife x 10
Side crunches 3 x 15
Treadmill sprints Set treadmill to 2% incline and fast pace. Stand with feet either side of the running surface, then jump on it and sprint for 30 seconds. Jump back to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times
Weeks 7 & 8: Time Under Tension
Try to lower/resist the weight slowly, counting to 4 seconds while lowering
Monday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (3 times through):
Dumbell Bench press x 10
Dumbell flyes x 10
Superset 2 (3 times through):
Bench dip x 10
Cable press-down x 10
Cable crossovers 3 x 10
Treadmill Set treadmill to 6 m/h at 1% incline. Increase incline by 1% every 30 secs until failure. Rest 1 minute, repeat.
Tuesday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (3 times through):
Goblet Squat x 10
Dumbbell bulgarian split squat x 10
Superset 2 (3 times through):
Romanian deadlift x 10
One-leg gym ball curl x 10
Walking dumbbell lunge 2 x 10 each leg
Rowing machine steady pace, 4000m
Thursday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (3 times through):
Cable row x 10
Bent-over DB reverse fly x 10
Superset 2 (3 times through):
Hammergrip chin-up x 10
EZ-bar curlx 10
Inverted row 2 x 12
Exercise bike intervals 30 seconds “sprint”, 2 minutes low intensity recovery. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes
Friday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (3 times through):
Seated shoulder press x 10
DB lateral raise x 10
Superset 2 (3 times through):
Weighted crunch x 10
Gymball jackknife x 10
Bicycle crunches 3 x 15
Treadmill sprints Set treadmill to 2% incline and fast pace. Stand with feet either side of the running surface, then jump on it and sprint for 30 seconds. Jump back to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times
Weeks 9-12: Go Heavy
Monday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Dumbell Bench press x 5
Dumbell flyes x 5
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Bench dip x 5
Cable press-down x 5
Cable crossovers 3 x 8
Treadmill Set treadmill to 6 m/h at 1% incline. Increase incline by 1% every 30 secs until failure. Rest 1 minute, repeat.
Tuesday:
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Squat x 5
45° Leg Press x 5
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Deadlift x 5
Lying Leg Curl x 5
Calf Raise 2 x 10
Rowing machine steady pace, 4000m
Thursday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
Cable row x 5
Bent-over DB reverse fly x 5
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Hammergrip chin-up x 5
EZ-bar curlx 5
Front Pull Down 2 x 8
Exercise bike intervals 30 seconds “sprint”, 2 minutes low intensity recovery. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes
Friday
Warmup: 10 minutes of cardio (at 50% effort)
Superset 1 (4 times through):
DB shoulder press x 5
DB lateral raise x 5
Superset 2 (4 times through):
Weighted crunch x 10
Hanging leg raise x 10
Bicycle crunches 3 x 15
Treadmill sprints Set treadmill to 2% incline and fast pace. Stand with feet either side of the running surface, then jump on it and sprint for 30 seconds. Jump back to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times
The Wolverine Diet
“I’m quite a skinny person by nature so I’m eating ridiculous amounts of food,” Jackman said about his diet going into “The Wolverine.” “I quite like everything I ate, but it’s more bland. It’s chicken breast, but steamed and no salt, and steamed spinach.”
Jackman uses a technique called intermittent fasting – where you only eat between certain times of the day. For him, it was 10a.m. to 6p.m. No food at all from 6pm until ten in the morning. Since it takes six to eight hours for your body to metabolize your glycogen stores, this gives it time every day to shift into fat burning mode without starving. In fact, Research by Mark Hartman and colleagues indicates short-term fasting can trigger production of human growth hormone (HGH) in men, which helps promote new muscle cells
“What I do is I eat everything in an eight-hour period … So between 10 in the morning and 6 at night, I eat 5,000 calories and then I eat nothing,” Jackman said.
“I eat 5,000 calories and then I eat nothing” – Hugh Jackman on the Wolverine
He packed a lot of food into an 8 hour window. “I literally talk to myself like I’m training: ‘One more mouthful, come on man, you can do it. Just one more mouthful. Half a chicken breast to go and you’ve got it! Only two meals left.”
A Wolverine 5,000 calorie day plan
1 1/2 cups Yogurt, plain, low fat
6 Egg whites, 4 whole eggs
1 cup blueberries
1 2/3 tsp Vega Antioxidant EFA Oil Blend
1 slice Whole grain bread
Vega One Nutritional Shake
1 oz Sunflower seeds
4 Skinless Chicken breasts
1 1/3 cups Brown rice
2 cups spinach unsalted
2 cups Milk, low fat (1%)
12 oz Turkey breast, skinless
1 3/4 cups Chickpeas
1/2 cup Mushrooms
1/4 cup Onions
1/2 head Lettuce
1 1/2 cups Cherry tomatoes
7 tbsp Almonds
8 oz Beef, lean cuts
1/2 cup Tomato, puree
2 cups Spinach
3 cups Carrots
1 2/3 tsp Vega Antioxidant EFA Oil Blend
1 cup Rice
1 cup Milk, low fat (1%)
35 grams Vega Sport Performance Protein Vanilla
2 cups Milk, low fat (1%)
2 cups Raspberries
1 2/3 tsp Olive, Flax, Hemp or Salmon Oils
So, what do you think? Is the Wolverine workout only for those with adamantium skeleton and hours of free time? Post your thoughts below.
-Rob
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