Australia’s singing and dancing sweetheart Hugh Jackman has taken Hollywood by storm. Recently, the video Hugh Jackman posted on Instagram of himself dead lifting 180 kilograms went viral.
A recent survey conducted by online sportswear retailer TheActive.com.au found that 44 per cent of men wanted their body to resemble Hugh Jackman’s. “He’s 45 years old, yet he deadlifted 180 kilos of barbells as we all saw on Instagram recently. Hugh’s huge and on top of that healthy and successful – who wouldn’t want that?” said Jordan Miller, General Manager of TheActive.com.au, of the results. Second choice was fellow Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth at 14 per cent. The man behind the body, personal trainer Luke Istomin, who trained Jackman in preparation for blockbuster The Wolverine, has shared his tips so you too can get a bod like Hugh. 1. Be Consistent
Make sure you’ve been doing some form of consistent training for a few months before undertaking a strenuous routine. You need to be clear of any heart or circulatory problems, major injuries or mobility issues that will inhibit your training. Start slowly into the routine if new and work your way up to the bigger weights and harder sessions. You won’t get ripped in one week, but you can put yourself out of action for a few months if you try and be a superhero at your first session.
2. Feed the machine
In order to look like a beast, you’re going to have to eat a few animals along the way. Eat regularly and include quality proteins, veggies and some fats with each meal. Hugh was eating every few hours to keep the calories up. Rotate your meats regularly and be sure to have lots of colourful veggies throughout the week. Avoid simple carbs, refined foods, alcohol and all processed food. Starchy carbs should only be consumed after a workout.
3. Lift heavy and sprint fast.
Give it your all every single set, otherwise you’re wasting your time. Treat each one like it’s your last one of the workout. Aim for nine to twelve reps every set; you should be going into muscular failure after each. Try and find a workout partner/spotter to really push each other to train harder and longer. The aim is to get your muscles stimulated and your blood pumping. Aim for 5 weights sessions per week lasting no longer than 50 mins. Squat, Deadlift, press and pull. There is no need to overcomplicate things. You should be looking to increase your weights by 2% per week for the first 10 weeks.
4. Keep your cardio short
Keep your cardio to short bursts of High Intensity Interval Training. No more than 20 mins three times a week is needed if you can go to maximal effort for each block. If you feel extremely uncomfortable or come close to passing out, that will be 100%, anything less and you’re just working at a larger capacity than normal. 5. Stay hydrated
Drink a minimum of 2.5L of water per day. Dehydration leads to decreased performance in the gym, boardroom and the bedroom. The human body is composed of 50-75 per cent water (depending upon sex and body type) and water is vital for the proper functioning of every organ.
Water is vital, it’s responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells (our blood is 95 per cent water), regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, as well as cleansing toxins and waste from our bodies. The human brain alone is composed of 75 per cent water, while our skin is 70 per cent water. That is why some of the first effects of dehydration are headaches and dry skin.
6. Sleep is king
You absolutely need a minimum of seven hours solid sleep per night to allow your body to release the growth hormones which repair and replenish your cells and help them grow. To help delve into a deeper sleep pattern, ditch the late night TV and technology at least 15 minutes before you go to bed. Make your room as dark and sound proof as possible. If you’re a light sleeper, buy some ear plugs and an eye mask to help minimize the distractions.
7. Use high quality fish oils
Omega 3 oils have been shown to help lose body fat. Use around 1 gm per % point of body fat you have for the first 8 weeks, then drop it by half after that.
8. Invest in some good quality training shoes.
Notice how I didn’t say sneakers here, but training shoes. Grab some shoes that are specific to your needs. You won’t want to be squatting or deadlifting in some flyweight shoes with little or no support. And conversely, you don’t want to be going for some sprint sessions in some stiff soled and heavy weight training shoes. As a rule of thumb, most running shoes tend to have a four to five hundred kilometer life span in them before the cushioning or support material breaks down and becomes ineffective. Your feet, and entire body will be grateful for your small investment.
9. Plan to succeed.
How many times have we all wished that we could have the body like Hugh’s? Well here’s a secret. He actually is human and doesn’t have super hero powers! Yep, the secret to Hugh’s great physique is his work ethic and consistency. He still went out to premiers and social functions with people around him drinking alcohol and nibbling on canapés, but he chose not to and kept his goal firmly in sight. To go to the next level, you have to plan your cheat meals weeks in advance. He trained six days per week with a scheduled rest day depending on his schedule. You absolutely have to have a plan to follow and stick to it to be successful, whether it is in the gym or in life. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
