Chris Hemsworth’s Workout: Achieving Thor’s Asgardian Physique

Photo by: Bigstockphoto
Photo by: Bigstockphoto

Chris Hemsworth is by no means a lanky lad before playing Norse god, Thor in the Marvel franchise. But in the comic book, Thor clocks in at about 500 pounds of pure Asgardian muscles. Hemsworth never lifted weights in his life prior to the role. Achieving close to this physique is quite a challenge.

For Hemsworth, it’s important to bulk up and remain agile – two characteristics Thor is known for. He trained with fitness expert Mike Knight to sculpt, shape up and define his body as close to his comic book counterpart as possible.

The Thor workout is an intensive combination of cardio and bodybuilding. Hemsworth’s routine is conducted in several stages to achieve more muscles and build power.

Stage 1: Increasing Muscle Mass

Increasing muscle mass require consumption of more protein and then developing the tissues.  He started eating protein-rich foods, vegetables, and fruits. He goes for non-processed carbs to rebuild muscles and slow down protein breakdown. Fruits and vegetables contain fiber. This compound improves cardiovascular health and aids in muscle recovery. Instead of wolfing down on rice or bread, he noshed on quinoa instead.

Step 2: Developing Muscles

When it comes to lifting weights, Hemsworth did it gradually. The first five weeks of his routine was geared towards building the muscles slowly and doing a variety of reps. For instance, during the first week, he did 4 to 6 reps. In the weeks following that, he pushes for 6 to 8 reps. By the fourth week, he goes back to 4 to 6 and so on. The reps build muscles and improve power.

During the initial training, his workout includes bench presses, weighted pull-ups, weighted dips, and squats. Hemsworth also did a lot of weighted chip ups, close grip bench presses, and dead lifts.

Step 3: Reducing Body Fat and Definition

By the fourth week of training, the routine kicks into losing the body fat and achieving definition. This was done in two ways: training and diet.

As far as diet goes, carbohydrates are reduced from the actor’s diet. This means no sugars or simple carbs. Hemsworth was only taking vegetables, protein and consuming more water.

And when it comes to achieving definition, he went circuit training. But this was not the main event. Circuit training was just a method to prep him for kettlebell training. The circuit training came in three stages, each one targets fat burning and conditioning the muscles. It’s important to do warm up exercises before training to prevent soreness or injuries.

According to Hemsworth himself, the kettlebell training was the most punishing part of his training. Because the kettlebell training is quite complex, he hired a professional to guide him throughout his workout. As such, before trying out kettle training, it’s best to work with a fitness expert or achieve the right form.

His routine included kettlebell halos and kettlebell ribbons. He also did isometric pushups and bouncing pushups. Part of his kettlebell training includes kettlebell snatch, kettlebell push press and kettlebell sling blade. Rounding up his training is getting a lot of rest. Hemsworth said that resting in between sets and getting more sleep was an important part of growing muscles.


Facebook Fan Page

Be first to get an exclusive and helpful articles every day! Like us on Facebook