The Henry Cavill workout lasts for 2.5 hours a day. It was a 5-6 day routine that lasted 10 hard months. Henry Cavill gained over 20 pounds of muscle with the Superman workout. Henry Cavill worked out with kettlebells, dumbbells, and bodyweight.
Henry Cavill Workout Routine
The Henry Cavill workout routine is broken down into 2 separate workouts, in the sense that he did 2 different body parts a day. But, all 2.5 hours of the Henry Cavill workout was performed at the same time. Henry Cavill then focused on proper diet, filming, and recovery for the rest of the day.
Henry Cavill Monday Superman Workout Routine
The Gym Jones team, lead by trainer Mark Twight, supervised the Henry Cavill Workout for Superman. They had Henry Cavill go through a grueling 2.5 hour workout almost every day. Here is the Henry Cavill workout for Superman in action:
1st workout-Henry Cavill Monday Superman Workout Routine:
Total Body Workout
- 2x Clean + 5x Kettlebell Squat @ 70% body weight (One combo every 30 seconds for 5 minutes)
- 2x Two-hand KB Clean and Squat (One combo every 30 seconds for 5 minutes.)
- 100 Front Squats (Body-weight, break into sets of 25 if you need to)
- 3 sets of 15 reps Box Step-up
- 3 sets of 15 reps Deck Squats
- 20x Frog Hops + 40m Bear Crawl (Do 4 rounds of this combo, rest 2 minutes between sets)
- 3 sets 20 reps: Man-Makers (with dumbbells)
- 3 sets of 20 reps: Sit-Ups
(See 1:05 of this video for a glimpse at Henry Cavill doing a Kettlebell Squats.)
Henry Cavill was playing World of Warcraft when he got the call from Zach Snyder that he got the job. Zach Snyder made sure that he went to Gym Jone’s Mark Twight, the designer of the Henry Cavill Superman workout. Henry Cavill talks about how the initial interview went:
He asked me a lot of questions about my goals. Then he asked, ‘Would you like to do steroids or HGH to get you where you want to go?’ ‘I immediately said no.’ And he said, ‘Good, because if you did, I wouldn’t train you.’
2nd workout-Henry Cavill Monday Superman Workout Routine:
Upper Body Chest / Shoulder Workout
- Any Cardio Machine 10 minute (warm up)
- 10 more minutes with Rowing machine @ easy Pace (warm up)
- 6 sets of: 10x Bench Press (alternating arm, with kettlebells)
- 4 sets of: 12x Military Push Press
- 4 sets of: 12x Arnold Press (The Henry Cavill workout used alternating, one hand dumbbells)
- 2 sets of: 25x Squat Assisted Push Press
- 4 sets of: 12x Hammer Curls
“Jonestown Sprint:”45 secs of each exercise. 2 sets of each (perform as a circuit).
The Superman workout used olympic rings, kettlebells, and other equipment to perfect his body. Henry Cavill says about the Superman workout and trainer Mark Twight:
Mark has opened my eyes to seeing past what I thought was my limits. He understands what I’m going through physically. He understands me, what I go through physically. That’s what makes him such a good trainer.
Superman Workout: Kettlebell Workouts
Kettlebells are great because they work your entire body. In addition to focusing on the body part you’re working, you have a tendency to activate your core with kettlebells. Also, if one part of your body is weak, it will be tougher to work with kettlebells until that part is strengthened.
If you don’t have access to kettlebells, try to get some or use dumbbells. Here is Henry Cavill of Superman: Man of Steel talking about getting in shape and random stuff about the Superman movie:
Henry Cavill Workout Tuesday Routine
1st workout-Henry Cavil Workout Tuesday Routine:
Upper Body & Back
- 20 Push Press (Dumbell)
- 20 Burpee Pull-up
- 10 Push Press (Dumbbell)
- 12 Burpee Pull-up
- 10 Pull-Ups
- 3 sets of 50 Wall Ball @ 20lb.(9kg. or a medicine ball that challenged you)
- 3 sets of 50 Ball Slam @ 25lb.(11kg or a medicine ball that challenged you)
(sub: lat pull-downs and more pullups if you don’t have medicine balls) When Henry Cavill was on-set, he was seen doing pull-ups between takes (video on page 3).
Trainer Mark Twight says about starting this upper body and back workout:
Start the journey with 20x Push Press, dip the hands and knees slightly, drive the bar overhead to full extension. Once finished rack the bar and set up under the Pull-up bar to do 20x Burpee Pull-ups. After the final Pull-up, drop off the bar, grab the barbell and do 10x Push Press.
Dirty 30’s
Dirty 30’s: (Do following 4 exercises, you have 1 minute to complete each. Find an amount of reps that’s challenging for you to do in 50 secs. Then, in the other 2 sets try to continue to get everything done in under a minute. The idea is to reward you, if you move fast, by giving you some rest. But, it gets harder as you go longer. Use remaining time to rest. 3 sets.)
The Henry Cavill workout used used kettlebells placed in a tub, to do the sled pulls. Use whatever you can make/find to get this done. If you want to be less functional (the Superman workout is about mimicking things that he would do in real life) then you can do Seated Pulley Rows instead.
Also, Mark Twight would sometimes sub Mountain Climbers for one of the exercises above. So, if you can’t do one of the exercises listed above, here is Mark Twight (Superman workout trainer) showing you how to do Mountain Climbers.
2nd workout-Henry Cavil Workout Tuesday Routine:
Legs Workout
- 3×5 Wall Squat (explanation @ 47 secs in | warm up)
- 100x Squats (bodyweight, break down into sets of 25 if needed)
- 3×5 Goblet Squat (while holding kettlebells, see 0:27 of this video for a quick glance)
- 3x 20 meters Walking Lunges (sandbag weighted)
- 3×20 Split Jumps
- 2x Dead Stop Back Squat @ 80% of Max
- 2x Explosive Triple Broad Jump (Five Sets, Full Rest between each)
- 30sec Box Jump + 60sec Explosive Box Step-up (Four Rounds)
- 30sec Jump Squat +60sec Quick Step (Four Rounds)
- KB Swings to failure with 50 lb. kettlebell (23kg)
- Farmer Holds, 60-65% of body weight (Five sets, rest 3 minutes between set)
See 1:08 of this video for a glimpse of Henry Cavill doing Walking Lunges with a sandbag. Director Zach Snyder, who also did the 300 movie, says about the Henry Cavill workout with Mark Twight at Gym Jones:
I love Mark Twight’s [Superman workout trainer] approach to the actors and physicality. When we were doing 300, you see actors who make the workouts part of their acting. That’s what Mark loves to get at. And, it’s fun for me.
Mark Twight, the Henry Cavill workout trainer, says about Director Zach Snyder:
Zach understands physicality in a way other directors don’t. It’s a little bit unusual for us to train actors. We started training some fighters, that developed into training athletes, and then actors.
Here’s Part 2 of Soldiers of Steel. Mark Twight, the Henry Cavill workout trainer, shows part of the workout that he uses with the National Guard. This one focuses on the warm up:
What’s the difference between the Squat Assisted Push Press and the Push Press (Dumbbell)?
Standard Push Press is where you use only your upper body (shoulders) to perform the exercise. You can be standing or seated. Your palms are faced forward, while holding the dumbbells.
Squat assisted push press is where you get to use your legs to assist you. You dip down into a squat, and then drive the weights above your shoulders as you come up. Some people consider this ‘cheating,’ but Mark Twight likes to get his clients to perform total body metabolic movements instead of isolated exercises. Here is the Superman trainer explaining the Squat Assisted Push Press.
I don’t have access to do the Sled Pull, is there an alternative?
The Sled Pull is such a unique exercise that it’s hard to find a direct alternative. Essentially, it’s just running with resistance. Therefore, use the treadmill at a higher resistance than normal for the best alternative. Since Henry Cavill ran both forward and backwards while doing sled pulls, you would have to run backwards on a treadmill to somewhat mimic this exercise.
More importantly, Superman trainer Mark Twight would sometimes use Mountain Climbers while doing the Dirty 30’s routine. This activates your core not by the resistance of a sled, but by moving your legs up and down, off the ground. So use Mountain Climbers instead of Sled Pulls.
I have noticed that 24 Hour Fitness Clubs are starting to incorporate sleds into their gyms. The sleds are often hard to find, since the personal trainers like to hog them for their clients. So, if there’s a location close to you, this may be a possibility.
i already have been doing this workout for a month and have some definituive results already
Awesome, that’s what I like to hear!
Hi guys, i started the program a few days ago, so far so good, its pretty brutal. Just curious though as to what part of the routines works for bulking, i mean i dont see how i get a big chest or back in these routines??
The Superman workout program is very different from most programs. It is much like CrossFit, if you’re familiar with that approach. What you’re touching on (by asking about the bulking) is the fact that this is a functional workout. Most exercise routines focus on bulking a specific muscle group each day. This workout is about doing a bunch of different functional exercises to work your entire body at once. Functional exercises are total body movements that improve muscular endurance, coordination, agility, in addition to overall size, strength, and shape.
The Man of Steel workout is about making Henry Cavill look the part of a superhero. He’s not in a gym, he’s out in the world. Thus, the Superman workout is about doing a lot of compound movements that focus on multiple body parts at once. There are plenty of exercises here that will bulk you up, but the Man of Steel workout is more than that. It is made to prepare you for real life activities, and to look the part. This routine is for anyone who wants to have a body that looks like you’re ready to perform the types of athletic things you would expect from a superhero. The goal is that you’re preparing your body for real-life situations (and looking the part) instead of just being able to be really good at the “bicep machine.”
Started this program a few weeks back. I was wondering if this is your take off what you saw in the video or what you got off of gym jones website?
I started by reading every interview that Henry Cavill, Zach Snyder, and Mark Twight did while promoting Man of Steel. This took priority in building the workout. I then combined the Man of Steel videos, the Gym Jones workouts that matched what Henry Cavill described, and made sure to use exercises from the Man of Steel Series – Military partnership.
The Superman workout is a combination of everything I could find that they talked about. The Henry Cavill workout changed from week to week, just like the workouts change on the Gym Jones site. So, this is a one week snapshot of a complex and dynamic workout routine. All the information provided comes from the primary sources- Henry Cavill, Zach Snyder, Mark Twight, Man of Steel Series videos, etc.
Hello what does it mean by 2x clean + 5x kettlebell what does the 2x and 5 x mean ?
I think it’s two exercises supersetted, where you do 2 reps of cleans and 5 reps of kettlebell squats.
Yes, 2 reps = 2x. It’s just shorthand.
I’m been doing a metabolic resistance workout in small group training at a studio (in Orem actually). The routine has a lot of overlap with this one, and I’ve been pleased with the progress so far. One thing that strikes me is the sheer amount of work that Henry did, and I am far from being able to handle the workload. Do you have tips that might help me build up to it?
I agree, Henry Cavill did a lot of work to get in shape for Superman. The best thing you can do is just increase your workout in small increments. Do what you can, then add another set each week. Track your progress. Make sure you have a good meal 30 mins before the workout, so you have the energy you need.
Also, I use caffeine and creatine before my workouts. Currently, I’m using the Cellucor C4 Extreme brand. Check it out. Different people have different reactions to pre-workout stimulants, so research and decide what is best for you.
When using dumbbells what weights were used ? The post mentions near enough all weights used when kettle bells are the main focus but not so much for dumbbells. Any ideas guys ? thanks
I haven’t found enough information on the dumbbell weights Henry Cavill used for his workout. It’s just going to revolve around what amount you think is right for you. If you’re having trouble finishing all the sets, go down in weight. If you think the workout is too easy, then you want to jump up higher in the weight you’re using.
Sometimes it’s best to start light, and get your form right. From there, go up each week as you feel comfortable and continue to challenge yourself.
Thanks for the fast response and answer to my question. One other question; you mention this is a one week workout (so like a micro cycle ) what would you suggest for week 2,3,4 or say i used this as 4 week workout what would you recommend for the next phase ( the next 4 weeks; after that id go back to the first phase; a 12 week plan basically) or maybe another workout which is similar to this workout ? thanks again
It’s fine to continue doing this workout in weeks 2,3,4. I just want to make it clear that the “Gym Jones” style of weight training is about always challenging your body. Mark Twight will always change things up a little bit, just so that your body doesn’t get stuck in a plateau.
If you want to change things up, then change the order of the workout routine. Or, sub in and out 1 exercise for another. Or, maybe there’s some upper body work from one day that you want to combine with lower body work from another day. Stick to the exercises listed in the routine, as they’re all the exercises that Henry Cavill and his trainer Mark Twight mentioned in their interviews. But switch up the routine a bit to keep your body challenged.
When it comes to deadlifting you wrote 65% max is that you do 65% of your body weight and then go you go to your highest and the next weight you drop down and work your way up again ….. And I feel your missing something on triceps as I don’t see a lot of tricep work outs on here ?
If you were at Gym Jones in Utah, they would start by finding what your max deadlift is. Then, you would perform sets of 65% of that max weight. So, you would have to figure out what your max is to know what 65% is for you. Alternatively, if you don’t want to get hurt trying to figure out what your max deadlift is, you can just find the amount that challenges you. Start with lighter weight for a while, as you focus on form, and go up each week.
The Superman workout, grounded in Gym Jones style lifting, is about making Henry Cavill look like he’s a functional hero. This means you will find him doing a lot of exercises that mimic real life needs. Instead of doing things like focusing on triceps, Cavill is focused on complex exercises. There are many complex exercises (exercises that work multiple muscle groups) that hit the triceps in this workout. Bench Press, Man Makers, Kettlebell Farmer Holds, Push Press just to name a few. The whole idea is that you’re doing complex exercises, rather than isolated ones that have little real world value.
Because, in the real world, it’s complex exercises that are required for superhero strength. Gym Jones lifting focuses on demanding that your body can perform these challenging exercises. And hey, if your body looks better as a result, that’s good too!
a kettle bell squat at 70% of my body weight?… so if i weigh 160 the kettle bell has to be 112 pounds? im a begginer and im really interested in this workout, but im a little confused. your help will be appreciated. thanks.
Yes, that’s correct it would be squat at 112 pounds for you. The Gym Jones complex has wall racks that are filled with kettlebells. Since your gym probably doesn’t have kettlebells that big, use 55 pound dumbbells in each hand, or a squat rack barbell with 35 pounds on each side. When I’m doing this workout at home, all I have are 25 pound dumbbells, so I just use what I got and increase the reps.
Also, understand that Gym Jones, where Henry Cavill trained, is a very exclusive, for elites only, type of place. The percentages and amount of exercises listed is only if you’re already in amazing shape. Throttle it down to what challenges you. It may take you awhile to get there. That’s fine–just set goals that are achievable for yourself, and get better each week.
These exercises are all about form. If you think a lift is too heavy for you, drop down in weight. If you’re trying to do stuff that is too heavy for you, you’re bound to get hurt. Instead, realize that it’s okay to find a weight that is right for you. Focus on proper form before anything else.
just finished the thursday rountine with my own custom weight and reps. And wow! it kicked my ass ahahaha. But i feel great and will continue to build with this program. Thanks for posting it!
Hi, i love this workout. When You say 100 squat With bodyweight, You mean With a barbell weighted as your bodyweight or without anything, only your bw ? Thank You
Good to hear! Yes, just use your bodyweight for the 100 squats. The idea is that it’s actually still part of the warm up, so no need to add the barbell. If it’s way to easy, then feel free to add weight. But, I think most will agree these are pretty hardcore workouts. In fact, being too hard is usually the problem. If this is the case, make sure that you take your time, and work your way up to the sets/reps listed. Good Luck!
Hey, great job collecting all this. I have a question: I was going to start with this at Monday, but something came up that will prevent me from going to the gym at Tuesday, so should I wait for the week after next to start this workout or is it ok if I start at Wednesday, because I don’t wanna skip days.
I suggest getting a few “warm up” days in before you start the real thing. Since you have less than a full week, focus on lighter weight and proper form. Maybe do a few of the sets, but not all. You will find that the Superman workout is challenging, so ease your way into it.
Love this workout so far, thanks!!! I have a question though, for th sparrows dozen, can you explain more how that looks? Is it a circuit, is it 12 total sets for each exercise then move on to the next? I’m just a little confused.
Yes, The Sparrow’s Dozen is 12 sets of each exercise, in circuit format. Do 1 set of each exercise to perform a circuit. So, you would do 12 deadlifts, 12 pullups, 12 pushups, and 12 medicine ball slams without rest. Then, you would repeat that circuit of 4 exercises 11 more times. You may not get all 12 sets in to start, but that is what your ultimate goal should be. Focus on form. Although you’re not supposed to rest between exercises, you might want to after a few sets, especially when starting out.
12x Deadlift @ Bodyweight (however much you weigh, or can do 12 times)
12x Pullup
12x Pushup
12x Medicine ball slams
What are the recommended weights for the dumbbell exercises?
Henry Cavill and his trainers never gave the exact amounts. It looks like in one photo, that it’s a 30 pound weight. So, I’d suggest a 30 pound weight. But, if it’s metric, then it’s closer to 65 lbs. The key is to make sure you’re doing an amount of weight that is right for you.
If you’re referring to the dumbbell exercises, where you do 6 reps, then make sure that you’re using a weight heavy enough to where you start to fatigue after the 6th rep. Of course, also make sure that your form is perfect, to avoid injury. That might mean you go lighter, starting out, then go heavier over time.
Is Henry Cavill mesomorph ? Couse I’m an ectomorph. I want to try this workout, but I doubt this workout suit me well.
Researchers are starting to blur the lines between body types, and even flat out say that the three different body types are a total myth based on false stereotypes. It is likely that your body type is the result of your metabolic and caloric intake. Lets take a look at what you can do:
1-Focus on diet. Since ectomorphs are known as ‘hard gainers,’ your primary focus has to be your diet. Bumping up your caloric intake is what will help you gain mass. At the Gym Jones facility, they say “there’s no such thing as overtraining, just under-recovery.” What this means for you, is that you need to recover from each workout by 1) not working the same muscle group if you’re still sore 2)eating more lean protein and fibrous carbs.
2-Tailor the Henry Cavill workout to your needs. As a hard gainer, who is now committed to eating more calories more often, you may also want to rest more in between sets. Also, you’re right, these workouts are long, and may not be the best for you. Adjust them by only doing one workout per day, or shortening the amount of exercises you do per workout. Recovery, for your body, is the key.
Thank you so much for response!
Hi, I’m juat about finished with the6 week “Man of Steel” prep phase. It was really good, the thing I like best is how motivated I was to stick with the program. I feel the different workout every day was what kept me waking up 2 hours earlier before work. I would really like to continue with the 8 week Mass phase but really cant afford the upgrade on gym jones… does anyone have a copy of that program I can bum off of? It would be greatly appreciated.
John,
Did you purchase the Prep Phase off of the Gym Jones Website??
work , monday tuesday friday wednesday thursday , and rest friday saturday and sunday , cardio?
im french ^^
Henry Cavill would workout twice a day. Monday-Saturday. Sunday rest. The cardio is done during the workouts. One workout focuses on strength. The other on agility. The agility workout usually uses a lot of cardio.
and Thursday and Friday, what the training?
At the bottom of the page, click the “Continue to Page 2” orange button. This will take you to the next page. The Thursday and Friday training is on the next page.
I don’t really know anything about working out so I was wondering about the times. How much time do you leave in between sets when the workout doesn’t say, and how much time in between the different exercises. Also since there are two workouts for each day of the week how much time did you leave between the first and second workout of the day, if any. If you could reply ASAP then that would be great since I want to get started on this workout soon.
Thanks!
Starting out, it’s all about getting your form right. Making sure you’re doing the exercise right is more important than speed. Once you’ve mastered form, then start think about speeding up your workout. What you should do is give yourself ample time to recover after each set. Then, as you get in better shape, start minimizing the time you rest.
I don’t have Henry Cavill’s exact times for each workout. But, we can use standard weightlifting advice to garner the best times. From the Hugh Jackman workout, we find that your goals determine how much time to rest:
Training for Strength: 2-6 reps for 4-6 sets. Rest 2 min between sets.
Training for Muscle Growth: 8-12 reps for 3-5 sets. Rest 1 min between sets.
Training for Fat Loss: 12-15 reps for 2-4 sets. Don’t rest between sets. Rest 1 minute between each exercise.
For things like the Dirty 30’s there are times listed. For everything else, you want to minimize rest to burn fat. Ultimately, you want to get to the point where not resting between sets. You want to just go from one exercise to the next. This will take time to build up. Starting out, make sure that you’re resting 1 min between sets.
Also, you might want to start out with just one workout a day. But, if you’re going to do 2-a-day’s, then you want as much recovery time as you can get. So, workout first thing in the morning, then again in the afternoon. Doing 2-a-day’s, it’s all about recovery and proper nutrition.
Okay thank you so much, Chris. This was extremely helpful!
I’m in college doing biochemistry and pre-med stuff so I don’t really have the time to wake up early in the morning and workout then and also in the afternoon. If I wanted to just do one workout but still do every single workout on this routine then how would I split it up? Should I do each part of a day’s workout bi-weekly, such as part 1 of Monday on Monday and then next Monday do part 2 and then next Monday part 1? Should I do part 1 of Monday on Monday and then part 2 of Monday on tuesday and then part 1 of Tuestday on that Wednesday, etc.? I’ve always heard to let muscle groups rest so I don’t want to just pick a method and accidentally work too much of an area too many days in a row.
One thing you want to research as a bicohemistry/pre-med student is first-thing-in-the-morning workouts. Why are all the celebrity trainers getting their actors to train first thing in the morning? The answer has to do with how the body works during sleep. The body burns fat in order to fuel the brain during your sleep.
When you wake up in the morning, your body will either burn this fuel in a workout, or turn it back to fat. You want to work out first thing in the morning to optimize fat loss. It will also boost your brain power when you’re trying to figure out the difference between stereo and optical isomers..but that’s a different story.
I know the chemistry teachers like to start at 8 in the morning. But, consider working out before that for the reasons I mentioned. With regard to the Superman workout schedule, I would want you to stick to the routine listed. It’s more empowering and motivating to do it just like he did.
You may not be able to get all the exercises or workouts in at first. But, gradually build up over time. It’s better to stick to what Henry Cavill did each day, then to start creating your own. But if you find yourself in that predicament: do a chest, leg, or back workout of your choice. Then, do another of those three the next day.
Oh wow. I’ve never heard that from any of my friends who lift weights as well, but alright I’ll definitely do my research on it then. It sounds pretty beneficial to do so.
Thanks again for all the information. I really appreciate it.
I’ve been doing both workouts at the same time like Cavill. How much time do you recommend between each workout for rest?
If you want to spread them out, then the best thing to do is:
1) First thing in the morning on an empty stomach (maximizes fat burning)
2) Early afternoon workout (one hour after eating)
Chris,
Are these straight through 2.5 hour work outs? If i split into a morning and afternoon work out, does that take away from the gains. Also, Twight pretty much sets the bar high, without a partner am I doomed to fail with the diet, caloric intake, and training?
Henry Cavill (as well as Twight) has a busy schedule, so he found it was better to get everything done at once. It may be better for your metabolism to get a 2nd workout in the afternoon. But, the key is to get all of the workout in any way you can. Find what works best for you.
You may want to get it all done in the morning, then do some interval cardio in the afternoon. This might be overkill though. You don’t want to burn out. Twight does set the bar high. But, once you buy into the program and start to see results, you will gain confidence.
The sooner you gain confidence–that your form is correct, your pushing yourself with the proper weights, and your diet is sound–the sooner the Superman workout will transform your body. Give yourself cheat days, experiment with what works in your diet, and be intense during your workouts!
Chris,
How much rest between sets do you need to take?
Also, there are two workouts listed each day. How much time between workouts should one take? First one in the morning and second one in the evening?
Henry Cavill did them both together. But, you can also spread them out. It is important to get one workout done first thing in the morning for optimal fat burning. I know this sounds tough for some people. I suggest getting a “pre-workout” supplement, if you need the added motivation to get going right away.
Spreading the 2 workouts out through the day will help you get used to the workout intensity. It will also keep your metabolic furnace stoked as you move throughout the day.
The answer depends on your goals. Henry Cavill wanted to get that superhero, lean muscle look. So, the Man of Steel workout was all about circuit training with minimal rest in between sets. Starting out, you will want to take more rest between sets. This will allow you to get conditioned. But, if you want a body like Henry Cavill you are eventually going to want to minimize rest between sets.
If your goals are to get bigger muscles, then you want to take 60-90 secs rest between sets. This allows for more muscle recovery, but less fat burning from constant cardio circuit training. You also want to lift heavy enough so that you can only perform 1-6 reps.
Crazy wide lats!
I am Interested in his diet..
What was he eating during this whole process? I understand he went through many different stages but I want to know a general idea and all of these workouts are useless without the right diet.
On the Man of Steel Behind the Scenes I managed to pause at a time when they were showing Mark Twight’s Laptop and I took a screenshot of Henry’s routine for 1 day…
HC 7/7/11
Ride AirDyne 10 min @ easy pase
Throw light med ball
Should Raise
3x Superset lateral and front, got to failure @ medium and light chain
Kneeling crunch @70#
5x>10
Also some superset with KTE on bullhorn
DB Fly to Narrow Grip Press Combo
5 (1x Fly + 5x Press) @ 2x 35#
3 Sets
Incline bench (on 10″ box)
Close Grip Press @ 88#KB (Squeeze like a ball)
Superset 12x each on incline + Flat + decline
3 Sets
Standing Finger Curl (Strip Sets)
135# + 95# + 45#
3 Sets
This is taken word for word from his computer on the DVD Lol
You’re right, body composition is all about the right kind of diet. Henry Cavill didn’t share too much about his diet, other than to say it was heavy on all kinds of protein and vegetables. During the bulking phase, Henry Cavill ate around 5,000 calories. This meant eating some form of protein (chicken, eggs) every 3 hours.
In the final weeks before shooting (and while shooting) Henry Cavill dropped down to a 2,500 calorie diet. This was the leaning phase, in preparation for going shirtless. Although we don’t know what he ate (other than chicken, eggs, and vegetables) we can look at what other actors are doing. Check out The Rock Workout and the Hugh Jackman workout for more information on what their similar diets consisted of.
Awesome Find! I may have to incorporate that as an extra day / bonus workout for the Superman workout. The workouts that Henry Cavill did were always changing. So, the more we have, the better.
Hello,great article!Just wanted to ask what should i eat before workout(should i take protenins,carbs?),and what should i eat after?And how much before workout should i eat,and how much after it?
It’s best to work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Your body burns fat while you sleep to power your brain and vital organs. When you wake up, your body is in the process of turning this energy back into fat. If you work out first thing, you become an optimal fat-burning machine.
Otherwise, you want to eat some carbs before a workout, and protein right after. Mark Twight, Superman’s trainer, says:
In general, recovery by getting enough calories is [the] key. Eat 1.2g of protein per pound of [lean] body weight per day. Also, [with the Henry Cavill] diet, it’s important to at least eat some protein every 3 hours.
So, make sure to eat lean protein, healthy carbs and healthy fats. If you’re still sore 2 days after a workout, that is the biggest sign that you’re not eating enough (or often enough).
Thanks for the quick response,it was very helpful.
Hello Chris, of the physical truth of Henry in man of steel is impressive although in interviews henry Cavill stated that no secondary substances consumed many people say that in order to get that physical in the time that I had before the filming is impossible. Do you think henry consumed things to part of your diet
It’s possible to get in this kind of shape. Henry Cavill used to same trainer for Superman that Gerard Butler used for 300. Mark Twight, their trainer, emphasizes the idea that there is no such thing as overtraining, just under-recovery. Although that idea should be taken with a grain of salt, it is important to remember that diet is key to physical transformation.
In fact, you diet is responsible for 70%-80% of your body’s appearance. Mark Twight says recovery by getting enough calories is key. Twight says to eat 1.2g of protein per pound of body weight per day. Twight also says that on the Henry Cavill diet, it’s important to at least eat some protein every 3 hours.
Could this workout be compacted into a 4 day workout? I was thinking of following the workout as written Mon/Tues and Thurs/Fri and doing the cardio/metabolic routines on Weds and weekends.
Any thoughts?
Yes, that’s a great way to change things up. You want to keep things fluid. I often use Wednesday/Weekends as my cardio/alternative training days. Let me know how it goes!
Hey dude, great workout. I was wondering, what type of diet would be suitable for a workout this intense? I read somewhere that Cavill ate like a yeti in order to pack on the size he needed for the movie, but I was curious if you had any thoughts/ideas on how a meal plan for something like this would go. Any feedback would be greatly helpful. Thanks in advance!
Yes, Henry Cavill ate like a madman for Superman. He didn’t reveal too much about his diet, other than what is listed in the diet section. But, check out the diets for The Rock and Hugh Jackman for The Wolverine for more info on great diets to use.
Well I know this only shows a week of intense workout, would I still be able to use the same routine the following weeks or do I have to mix it up to “confuse” my body ? would it have results if I mix it up or do the same intense routine every week ?
The Superman routine is so varied, that you’re providing muscle confusion just by working out day by day. I’d suggest doing the Superman workout for 2-3 months, maybe varying it up here and there, but sticking to the routine. You’ve keyed on the right word-intensity.
If you keep your workouts intense, but use proper form, then you’re on the right path. I also like to switch things up by switching from barbells to dumbbells to kettlebells. If you’re really looking for variations, you can also switch up the incline/decline of some of the exercises to work out slightly different areas of your muscles. I know that if I do barbell bench for a month straight, it really changes things up when I make the switch to dumbbells. Experiment with different things, while maintaining proper form, and you’ll find the muscle confusion you’re looking for.
Would love to start this program, just have a quick question regarding the rowing machine. I don’t have one at home, or even a gym near by, is there a good substitute for one? I’ve read on cross fit about sumo deal lift high pulls, would those work as a substitute for this program, or could you use a form of cardio like bike riding and HIIT instead?
Thanks!
Any form of cardio that gets your heart rate up is good. Often times, I see that trainers have their actors stick to rowing because is has the lowest risk of injury. (Big movie stars can’t sprain an ankle on a treadmill right before they start shooting). So, whatever works for you. Whatever you have fun doing, that gets your heart rate up. Personally, I find low intensity cardio in the morning, on an empty stomach, combined with HIIT cardio a half hour after a meal in the afternoon to be the most successful.
Hello all,
I am in search of anew workout and stumbled onto this. I do have a questions though before I begin. I recently lost 80 pounds and am at about 180 now (I’m 6’1). Now that I trimmed down I want to get cut, but I don’t want to gain back all the weight I worked so hard to lose. Will this workout give me the results I want without the extra inches to my waist? And is there a nutritional guide that goes with it.
Thanks,
Chris
This workout will surely help you. It’s important for you to find one you enjoy. The more we enjoy our workout time, the better chance we have of keeping it up over the long term. My only caution for you would be that this is the most advanced workout on the website. It’s also a bit tougher on the joints and back. Take a look at the Zac Efron workout, Brad Pitt for workout for Troy, The Rock workout, The Wolverine workout, and The Magic Mike workout. The latter two have good meal plans for you to try. Also, getting My Fitness Pal app will help you log what you eat so you don’t have to worry about gaining it all back.
Thanks for the response! And, I will absolutely checkout those other workouts!
Thanks for the response! And, I will absolutely checkout those other workouts!
Thanks for the response! And, I will absolutely checkout those other workouts!
hello, tomorrow i will finish the “one month soldier of steel workout” and i want to know:
1. what diets i should pay attention to?
2. when should start 2nd month?
3. do i just repeat the free one month workout for next months?
4. if i should repeat it how many month is enough to change the workout?
and final question is: i did’nt understand very well about above workouts!! there is no calender for it ? how(when) should i do that?
thank you..
1) Check out The Rock Workout: How Dwayne Johnson Gets His Pump and The Wolverine Workout: How Hugh Jackson Gets Jacked for the best diet information. Of course, diet is something we all have to experiment with to find out what is right for us.
http://www.popworkouts.com/the-rock-workout-diet/
http://popworkouts.com/hugh-jackman-workout-wolverine/
2) Take a week off, or start right away. You also might want to take a day off once a week. The idea behind that is you want to reduce cortisol by giving your body a break. Cortisol is the fat-inducing hormone caused from too much stress. Again, it’s about experimentation…finding what is right for you.
3/4) I like to do a workout for 3 months. After that, switch to another, and see how it goes.
5)The Superman workout is 2 workouts per day. Page 1 has the Monday-Thursday workout. Page 2 had the 2nd Thursday-Friday workout. Page 3 just has info about what Henry Cavill did when he was on set. So, this is the weekly routine. Just repeat it each week, and that’s the calendar for it (repeat it each week).
hello, tomorrow i will finish the “one month soldier of steel workout” and i want to know:
1. what diets i should pay attention to?
2. when should start 2nd month?
3. do i just repeat the free one month workout for next months?
4. if i should repeat it how many month is enough to change the workout?
and final question is: i did’nt understand very well about above workouts!! there is no calender for it ? how(when) should i do that?
thank you..
hello, tomorrow i will finish the “one month soldier of steel workout” and i want to know:
1. what diets i should pay attention to?
2. when should start 2nd month?
3. do i just repeat the free one month workout for next months?
4. if i should repeat it how many month is enough to change the workout?
and final question is: i did’nt understand very well about above workouts!! there is no calender for it ? how(when) should i do that?
thank you..
1) Check out The Rock Workout: How Dwayne Johnson Gets His Pump and The Wolverine Workout: How Hugh Jackson Gets Jacked for the best diet information. Of course, diet is something we all have to experiment with to find out what is right for us.
http://www.popworkouts.com/the-rock-workout-diet/
http://popworkouts.com/hugh-jackman-workout-wolverine/
2) Take a week off, or start right away. You also might want to take a day off once a week. The idea behind that is you want to reduce cortisol by giving your body a break. Cortisol is the fat-inducing hormone caused from too much stress. Again, it’s about experimentation…finding what is right for you.
3/4) I like to do a workout for 3 months. After that, switch to another, and see how it goes.
5)The Superman workout is 2 workouts per day. Page 1 has the Monday-Thursday workout. Page 2 had the 2nd Thursday-Friday workout. Page 3 just has info about what Henry Cavill did when he was on set. So, this is the weekly routine. Just repeat it each week, and that’s the calendar for it (repeat it each week).
1) Check out The Rock Workout: How Dwayne Johnson Gets His Pump and The Wolverine Workout: How Hugh Jackson Gets Jacked for the best diet information. Of course, diet is something we all have to experiment with to find out what is right for us.
http://www.popworkouts.com/the-rock-workout-diet/
http://popworkouts.com/hugh-jackman-workout-wolverine/
2) Take a week off, or start right away. You also might want to take a day off once a week. The idea behind that is you want to reduce cortisol by giving your body a break. Cortisol is the fat-inducing hormone caused from too much stress. Again, it’s about experimentation…finding what is right for you.
3/4) I like to do a workout for 3 months. After that, switch to another, and see how it goes.
5)The Superman workout is 2 workouts per day. Page 1 has the Monday-Thursday workout. Page 2 had the 2nd Thursday-Friday workout. Page 3 just has info about what Henry Cavill did when he was on set. So, this is the weekly routine. Just repeat it each week, and that’s the calendar for it (repeat it each week).
Hey ,thanks for the great workout …. I just had one question , should we do cardio before our workout ? I read in an article that doing cardio before workout causes muscle loss rather then muscle gain !! Should be there any gap between them or not or could we do it after our workout ? And with what time expenditure ? Thanks
Prevent muscle loss during your workout by eating carbs/protein 30 mins before your workout. Also, you can supplement with BCAA’s to prevent muscle breakdown during your workout.
Plenty of celebrities do cardio before their workout, and still get huge. The secret behind their muscular transformations is diet and recovery. I prefer to do cardio post-workout. But, make sure to take BCAA’s, and/or have a healthy protein shake after you’re done!
Thanks a lot Chris , you cleared up my confusion :)
Good to hear! For BCAA’s, I don’t know how much Henry Cavill takes. But, I do know that The Wolverine’s trainer has him take 5-10g before and after each workout. You can learn more about Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) at Bodybuilding.com
Hey ,thanks for the great workout …. I just had one question , should we do cardio before our workout ? I read in an article that doing cardio before workout causes muscle loss rather then muscle gain !! Should be there any gap between them or not or could we do it after our workout ? And with what time expenditure ? Thanks
Hey ,thanks for the great workout …. I just had one question , should we do cardio before our workout ? I read in an article that doing cardio before workout causes muscle loss rather then muscle gain !! Should be there any gap between them or not or could we do it after our workout ? And with what time expenditure ? Thanks
Prevent muscle loss during your workout by eating carbs/protein 30 mins before your workout. Also, you can supplement with BCAA’s to prevent muscle breakdown during your workout.
Plenty of celebrities do cardio before their workout, and still get huge. The secret behind their muscular transformations is diet and recovery. I prefer to do cardio post-workout. But, make sure to take BCAA’s, and/or have a healthy protein shake after you’re done!
Prevent muscle loss during your workout by eating carbs/protein 30 mins before your workout. Also, you can supplement with BCAA’s to prevent muscle breakdown during your workout.
Plenty of celebrities do cardio before their workout, and still get huge. The secret behind their muscular transformations is diet and recovery. I prefer to do cardio post-workout. But, make sure to take BCAA’s, and/or have a healthy protein shake after you’re done!
Thanks a lot Chris , you cleared up my confusion :)
Thanks a lot Chris , you cleared up my confusion :)
Good to hear! For BCAA’s, I don’t know how much Henry Cavill takes. But, I do know that The Wolverine’s trainer has him take 5-10g before and after each workout. You can learn more about Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) at Bodybuilding.com
Good to hear! For BCAA’s, I don’t know how much Henry Cavill takes. But, I do know that The Wolverine’s trainer has him take 5-10g before and after each workout. You can learn more about Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) at Bodybuilding.com
For the first workout od the saturday do i have to do 3×20 air squats five times?
Good catch. I’ve made it more clear. Just 3×20 Air squats, as part of the warmup. After the warmup, you do 5 sets of the exercises listed. Then, he finishes with 3 sets of the bear crawl combo.
Thank you and is there any workouts that i can substitute ball slam with?
Do “False slams” with a DB or Kettlebell. This is where you don’t actually hit the ground, but use your momentum to drive back through your legs.
You can make your own http://rosstraining.com/blog/2009/05/08/homemade-tornado-ball-2/.As seen here http://youtu.be/Nu5qdqpdKDI, or use a resistance band.
Started this for real this week, I’ll update as it goes along, anything that you would recommend adding or subtracting from this in the year that’s its been up?
Make sure to match your diet and training with your goals. Henry Cavill ate more and did heavier weight training during his bulk phase. Then, during the shirtless scenes, Cavill ate less and did faster-paced circuits with lighter weight. So, go heavy and eat more if you’re trying to gain muscle. Go lighter, but faster–really push yourself cardio-wise–to get those abs. And, of course, diet is everything!
guy, I love you for sharing this< no homo tho. But
1) is this all the workout henry cavil did?
2) do you have henry cavils workout for man of steel 2< cause he looks more steel than man.
3) if its possible, which would be greatfull, can you please send me a pdf or word document on all the man of steel work out he did?
thanks man, I truly appreciate your efforts to get us this workouts.
Hi,
1) Cavill’s trainer says he would constantly change the workout. But, these are the actual exercises, and ‘snapshots’ of the entire workout as a whole.
2) There’s a sequel? Waiting on the Batman vs. Superman movie, will do a workout for that for sure.
3) The closest thing would be to enter in this url to printfriendly.com. There, you can ‘click’ on sections to cut them out, leaving you with just the workouts.
On a "Tailpipe" workout i do the rack holld with dumbells and instead of rowing i do heavy seated cable rows but with a straight bar that loos like the rowing machine grip for five reps is that ok?
Yes, it's hard to find a good alternative, but looks like you've done it!
The "Tailpipe" workout is called that because you want to be "so out of breath, that it looks like you have just been sucking on a car's tailpipe," according to trainer Mark Twight. So, I suggest doing some of the cardio finishers you mentioned earlier, instead. If you want to stick to the seated cable rows, go lighter, and do sets of at least 15-20 reps (with multiple sets). And yes, totally fine to just use the rack hold with DB's. That's what I use!
Hey I'm 16 years old and I weigh 140 pounds at 5"10. I want to bulk up but the only days I can hit the gym are friday and saturday and I can't go to a gym weekdays because No gym is near my house but I can still workout at home weekdays usually I do bodyweight stuff on monday and wendsday. I was just wondering how I could get a body like henry cavill this way even though the process will be slower because of the lacking gym time and how could I just adjust my workouts to get a body like that?
It's obviously much tougher when you're just using bodyweight. I bought a kettlebell, and a couple 25 lb. dumbbells, so I can work out at home whenever I need to. This may be an idea for you, too. The key to getting bigger is getting a workout in, that really taxes your body. Follow this up with a protein shake. Get more protein in around 2 hours later for optimal gains.
I also looks at joe manganiello's paye because I want my body to look like henry and joe but I need help
If you're short on time, make sure to make the most of it. Their workouts are all about intensity and proper diet, which is essential.
Henry cavill doesn't train his tricep ?
Cavill's training focuses on compound movements over focused movements. Also, they wanted to give him the "Superhero" look where there is more of a focus on chest, shoulders & abs. Doing compound movements, Cavill won't train his triceps specifically (they're too small a muscle), but he will use that muscle group in many of his upper body exercises.
When it says “1st workout – monday” then “2nd workout monday” does that mean he trained twice a day or os that from week to week?
Thanks
Yes, that means he did 2x workouts per day. To compensate for two-a-days, Henry Cavill ate a high calorie diet. This helped him refuel and grow the muscles you see in Superman: Man of Steel.
can u tell me how to use dumbells instead of kettlebells
Kettlebells are actually harder. With dumbbells, the challenge is to remember this is a full-body exercise. If you have DB’s with wide, circular discs, hold onto that part. If you have DB’s that only have small knobs on each side, hold onto the middle. The most important technique to remember is to “think of your arms as cables” while letting “your lower body’s power do the actual swinging.” Start with light weight, focus on form. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DE5oh-n9cY
Hi, love the idea of following this program and I’ve just completed the monday double workout and now have moved on to start Tuesdays. Though looking at Tuesday’s workout (a lot of push press) I notice it says body and back but actually there is a lot of shoulder work in there, given that monday’s workout was very shoulder heavy, not to mention that my shoulders are physically aching right now from yesterday, how am I supposed to do another shoulder workout – is this right? It doesn’t seem so and doesn’t really follow the normal fitness protocols of not overworking one muscle group by keeping muscle groups a few days apart i.e giving them time to recover. Thanks.
… on top of that I’ve just realized that Monday was ALOT of leg work (100 BW squats etc – not to mention the cleans and KB squats @ 70% BW!!!?!?!?!). So naturally my legs are killing me and would need time to recover yet Tuesday’s workout is all legs? How is this possible? Monday legs then Tuesday legs? An educated trainer would not put one muscle group under this type of stress, there is simply no way that proper form or efficient/healthy muscular growth could be maintained in the long-term. This makes me think that the order of the workouts isn’t quite right, could you shed some light here? I’m not knocking the workout itself, I think it’s fantastic I’m just concerned that it’s not optimally ordered and as a result would promote injury or unnecessary fatigue further down the line. I mean it’sd pretty well documented that when you work a particular muscle it needs at least 1-2 days to recover but not longer than 3 (ACSM).
Hi John- Yeah i have been doing this workout for 3 months now, and had the same questions about the 4 consecutive leg days, so what i did is: move the legs day to; monday, wendsday and friday.
Also, for the overtrained shoulders… i changed some of the shoulder excersices for some real back excersices on tuesday.
Overall this workout looks pretty good, but also, pretty confusing. So would suggest anybody who approaches this workout to ajust the program just a bit to their own personal needs
Are all these workout really help for gain muscles???
Hi
Can I ask exactly how many reps are in here, we talking 10 at each weight?
Kettlebell Ladders
KB Swings Ladder (10x each @ 25lb/12kg, 35lb/16kg, 45lb/20kg, 50lb/24kg, 70lb/32kg weights)