Introduction
Award-winning. Perfect Physique. Mutli-awarded Actor. Hugh Jackman, best known for Wolverine’s long-running role in the X-men film series, has one of the most impressive physical features the world has ever seen, despite not being an elite or top player.
Playing Wolverine’s character for over 17 years, Jackman didn’t stick to a single diet plan and fitness routine. For him, it’s a healthy combination of heavy protein consumption and an intense weight lifting exercise to maintain a superhero physique.
If you want to bring out that superhero body like the man who can’t die Logan, you’ll also be expected to get busy working for it. Learn how striking the power of dedication and discipline Jackman has to be a Wolverine hero himself.
Get To Know More About Hugh Jackman
Born in the oldest and biggest city of Sydney, Australia, and son of Christopher John Jackman and Grace McNiel, Hugh Jackman was the second child among four older siblings.
Right after the night of Jackamn’s academy graduation, he had offered to play the role of “Corelli,” and where he had been able to meet his future wife. After the series drama ended in one season, he started working on the other projects offered to him. It was in the year 1998 that his name became so famous outside Australia.
The turning point of his career began when he played the role of Wolverine in the top-hit film series X-men. At the same time, it’s the starting point that transformed his body dramatically for playing the role. But his most physique dramatic change occurred in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Over the past years of physical transformation, it brought Jackman to be recognized as one of the most impressive Hollywood physiques. And perhaps, playing the Wolverine role had played a huge responsibility in his entire physical transformation.
To change his body for the 2009 film, Jackman worked for more than a half year to transform himself into the impressive picture of Wolverine we have all seen. And you bet that all that hard work manifested into the most controversial Marvel superhero.
He has an overwhelming presence. It’s all backed up by his muscle power: training with a workout routine of 315 pounds, plus leg-squeezes for 1000 pounds. All of this is preparation for his role in X-Men: The Last Stand. Add to that, perfecting the groin-shredding yoga positions and key tai chi forms for the Fountain’s yoga positions, Jackman did almost all of the stunts they shoot.
And all these comes with his secret weapon beyond his physical training: brainpower. He’s consistently looking for the tipping point between his psyche’s needs and what the body can accomplish.
What Does A Wolverine Workout Routine Look Like?
Before jumping to Jackman’s workout routine, let us start with his stats real quick.
Height: 6’2 (1.88 cm)
Weight (approximate): 185 pounds (85 kg)
Age: 52
The man behind Jackman’s great physique and accomplishment in playing the role of Wolverine is Steve Ramsbottom.
Perhaps you’ve already watched the movie and saw how his body looked appropriately chiseled. A high caliber of effort and dedication to training has been created by him.
“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.”
In fact, Wolverine’s routine is separated into three parts; mass building, strength training, and cardio training.
Mass Building
His first routine mainly focused on building mass by changing the speed of each round by specific seconds. For example, the first round will be quickly running for 5 minutes, followed by a slow running for about one minute. Next, a second-round can be the same as the first one. He should do around 3 to 4 rounds to complete this routine.
Strength Training
Jackman hadn’t done a lot of low rep, high-intensity lifting before beginning the program. For the most part, the program comprised sets with under five reps to invigorate myofibril hypertrophy. I know, that’s a mouthful.
What this means is when you flex a muscle, the contracting elements (myofibrils) of your muscles shorten. One exercise that can lead to myofibrils hypertrophy is doing resistance training, which is an increment in these contracting components’ muscle size brought about by expanded protein synthesis. Source: Healthline.com
There are even research recommendations that myofibrillar hypertrophy adds to upgrades in muscular strength. It’s believed that myofibril hypertrophy adds to this increment in strength.
High-volume programs are viewed as practical and helpful to expand muscle size mainly through sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, an increment in the fluid that encompasses your myofibrils. This kind of muscle growth doesn’t promptly expand strength.
The primary exercise performed by Jackman in the Wolverine program are:
- Bench presses
- Back squats
- Weighted force ups
- Deadlifts
Each set depends on a level of his working one-rep maximum or 95% of your actual max. To be specific, here is Jackman’s daily routine.
Day 1 – Working on Chest
- Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps
- Barbell Bench Press – 4 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 reps
- Cable Crossover – 4 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 reps
Day 2 – Working on Back
- Pull-Ups – 4 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 reps
- Barbell Deadlift – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps
- Seated Cable Rows – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 8 reps
Day 3 – Working on Legs
- Leg Extensions – 4 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 reps
- Lying Leg Curls – 4 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 reps
- Leg Press or Squat – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps
Day 4 – working on Shoulders
- Seated Side Lateral Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps each
- Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise – 4 sets of 12 reps each
- Standing Military Press – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps.
Day 5 – Working on Arms
- Dumbbell Bicep Curl – 4 sets of 12 reps
- Barbell Curl – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 8 reps
- One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl – 4 sets of 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
- Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension – 4 sets of 12 reps
- Skull Crushers – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 8 reps
- Triceps Pushdown – Rope Attachment – 4 sets of 12 reps each
Day 6 – Flexibility
When he reaches this day, Jackman focuses on SPARQ(Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness) training. It is the best-known exercise for burning fat for athletes and can be found funny when performing too.
Cardio
Jackman’s cardio routine varied in his muscle-to-fat ratio changes per week. This is the cycle in the entire Wolverine training program. The kind of cardio is less significant than the intensity and all-out calories consumed in every session.
The Wolverine program is divided into 4-week training blocks that he repeats with a 5 to 10 percent increment in weight each time he repeats the cycle. You can add cardio to your program on a case-by-case basis to accomplish your ideal muscle-to-fat ratio.
In an interview with Men’s Health, Jackman described this cardio workout as:
- Warm-up on a treadmill.
- For 15- 20 seconds, he performed Sprint at 85 percent of max speed.
- Rest for 30 seconds.
- Repeat for ten sprints.
Hugh Jackman's Diet Plan
Let me emphasize here why many have considered him to have the most impressive physical physique. Well, Jackman was recognized as “Sexiest Man Alive 2008” in People Magazine. Apart from this, he is an athletic, strong charmer and known as a ladies’ man.
But, what diet has he followed to playing his role to X-Men Origins– Wolverine a success?
- Jackman woke up early in the morning, around 4 am and then ate four egg whites.
- Then, he intakes after every 3 hours the combination of brown rice and protein / steamed vegetables.
- Generally, he took protein from drinking protein shakes.
- After noontime, he’s not eating rice or any carbohydrates. He’s eating more on vegetables (like cauliflower, broccoli, and many more), fish, and meat (chicken breast, steaks).
- He intakes protein smoothies before going to bed.
Besides changing every stage of his training program, Jackman’s diet plan also changes. It mainly focused on carbohydrate cycling. He eats rich foods in carbs during his weight-training days but eats low-carb foods on his rest days. He must strictly follow the right amount of calories to achieve his bodybuilding goals.
Here is Hugh Jackman’s combination diet plan:
Meal 1:
- Four egg whites
- Oatmeal
Meal 2:
- Broccoli
- Sweet potato
- Steak
Meal 3:
- Spinach
- Brown rice
- Chicken
Meal 4:
- Broccoli
- Fish
- Avocado
Hugh Jackman's Workout Supplements
When he’s going through Wolverine workout, Jackman uses 5-10g of BCAA supplements. He must intake it before and after the training. This will help in preventing muscle breakdown during workouts, infusing amino acids in your body.
He intakes an L-carnitine, uses it as a pre-workout lean muscle builder. This supplement helps remove lactic acid during the entire hour of workout.
Another supplement he intakes is Animal Pump. These pre-workout supplements have Creatine Matrix, Antioxidants, Energy Rush, Pump Transport Complex, and NO Blast Complex, which effectively help him during the workout.
Lastly, Jackman uses an Animal pack supplement. He intakes it once a day with any meal and avoids any drink with caffeine while absorbing these vitamins. He likewise intakes ZMA (Zinc and Magnesium supplement.)
Conclusion
It takes so much effort, high-caliber discipline, and dedication to be like Hugh Jackman or Wolverine.
But as Jackman said in an interview with Men’s Health,
“We have far more ability than we give ourselves credit for. You see that in people under pressure. How does someone run a 100-meter race at the Olympics? When it’s once every four years, with everything they’ve done leading to that? It can’t just be adrenaline. Maybe it’s just the mind getting out of the way.”
Sources:
https://healthyceleb.com/hugh-jackman-workout-routine-and-diet-plan/
https://superherojacked.com/2017/01/10/hugh-jackman-workout/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Jackman
Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is through constantly challenging yourself.