Hugh Jackman Workout

Build Serious Mass like Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman has received a lot of attention in recent years for bulking up and getting ripped.

Of all his roles, X-Men’s Wolverine saw Hugh Jackman at his biggest, with bulging biceps, defined pecs, and rock hard abs, and with his own superhero movies, “The Wolverine” we’re all shocked at his ability to continue being in the best shape of his life.

But how does he do it? And how can you get there too?

For his role as Wolverine, Hugh Jackman not only bulks up, but he also stays lean and ripped. He accomplished this level of fitness in 2 major phases, while paying special attention to gaining lean muscle mass. Each phase lasted 6 weeks, focusing first on gaining mass and second on gaining strength.

The following fitness schedule is designed to mimic Hugh’s Wolverine workout. Use the weight that works for you, and get ripped!

Phase 1: Gaining Muscle Phase

The first phase focuses on adapting your muscles. For each exercise, change the tempo so that you lift for 3 seconds up and 1 second down. This forces your muscles to adapt and grow quickly. In Phase 1, aim for 4 sets and 8-10 reps of each exercise.

Phase 2: Gaining Strength Phase

For the second phase of his workout, Hugh Jackman focused on lifting as much weight as possible without worrying about tempo. For this phase, aim for lifting as much weight as you can and only getting out 3 or 4 reps. You should be able to lift more during this phase because of your conditioning in Phase 1.

Hugh Jackman Workout Routine

Here are some powerful workouts you can use in both phases, altering weight and number of reps according to each phase. Aim for hitting the gym at least 5 days a week.

Day 1: Chest & Triceps

• Flat Barbell Bench Press (view exercise)
• Incline Barbell Bench Press (view exercise)
• Decline Barbell Bench Press (view exercise)
• Cable Pec Flyes (view exercise)
• Tricep Dips (view exercise)
• Tricep Cable Extension with Rope (view exercise)

Day 2: Legs

• Barbell Squat (view exercise)
• Deadlifts with Barbell (view exercise)
• Leg Press Machine (view exercise)
• Leg Curl Machine (view exercise)
• Seated Calf Raise (view exercise)
• Dumbbell Lunge (view exercise)

Day 3: Back & Biceps

• Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curls (view exercise)
• Lying Bicep Curls (Facing Bench) (view exercise)
• Cable Lat Pulldown (view exercise)
• Cable Seated Row (view exercise)
• One Arm Dumbbell Rows (view exercise)
• One Arm Concentration Curls (view exercise)

Day 4: Abs & Core

• Hanging Leg Raise (view exercise)
• Ab Twists with Plate or Ball (view exercise)
• Oblique Side Bends with Dumbbells (view exercise)
• Back Extensions (view exercise)
• Ab Crunches on Stability Ball (view exercise)

Day 5: Shoulders

• Military Press with Barbell (view exercise)
• Lateral Raises with Dumbbells (view exercise)
• Seated Bent Over Rear Deltoid Raises (view exercise)
• Barbell Shrugs (view exercise)
• Single Arm Shoulder Presses (view exercise)

Remember, these are just a few intense workout ideas. You can definitely add to these as you progress through your training. Once you finish a round of both phases, make sure you take a week of rest before starting up again.

Staying Lean

During the sixth week of each phase, only do a few exercises from each muscle group all on the same day. For the rest of the week, focus on high intensity interval cardio training (see my article on HIIT here). This will help you burn any fat that you may have accumulated during the previous 5 weeks and keep you leaned out.

Eating Right

Diet was the final key component of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine workout. He ate a lot of protein and had a few protein shakes each day. Here are some recommended supplements to help you pack on some Wolverine muscle of your own:

• A tasty, satisfying whey protein supplement to support muscle growth. You can’t pack on muscle without more protein. Try Optimum 100% Natural Whey.
• A pre-workout booster for energy and endurance, to help you get that extra pump. Try USPLabs Jack3d.
• An intra-workout supplement for improving muscle endurance and recovery. Try Scivation Xtend.

Have any questions or feedback about the Hugh Jackman Workout? Please leave a comment below…