Jacked like Hugh!
Star of X-Men and Australia, Hugh Jackman has built a body like a brick and his “Wolverine” uperhero movies showed him at his best physique. So what is this Aussie doing that has his training program so highly requested by other celebrities?
Hugh’s workouts consisted of a multi-phase approach, so check it out below…
Hugh Jackman Workout Plan
1st phase was focused on building mass by changing the speed of each lift, 3 sec count up and then a 1 sec count down or really slow 4 sec count up and 4 count down.
2nd phase focused on strength by lifting really heavy weights, without the sec count.
Each phase lasted from six to twelve weeks, for 1-2hrs, 5 days a week.
When it is close to shooting time, he lifts weights 1 day and fills the other days with running, yoga, pilates, and stretching. For the full workout check out below…
P.S. I have updated Hugh’s workout for his new role if you want to check that out visit Hugh Jackman Workout.
Hugh Jackman Workout Day 1
* Dumbbell Chest Press (Swiss ball and dumbbells required): While holding a pair of dumbbells, get into a table-top position with chest up and back to the floor, and with head resting on a Swiss ball and knees bent (imagine doing bench presses without the bench but using your core muscles and feet to stabilize your weight distribution).Keep hips up and shoulder blades pulled down and back together. Perform 12 reps (pick a weight so the 12th rep is hard); 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down.
* Push-ups: Do immediately after chest press. Keep head in line with the spine and support lower back by pulling belly button into the spine. Can be done from knees or toes. Perform 25 reps (take a break if you have to, but finish 25). Rest 1 minute and repeat Dumbbell Press and Push-ups for 3 sets.
* Lat Pull Downs (modular lat pulldown machine required): With palms facing away from the body, grip hands on the bend of the bar. Pull bar down below chin, keeping shoulder blades pulled down and together. Perform 12 reps; 3 seconds down and 3 seconds up.
* External Shoulder Rotations (tubing required): Do immediately after Lat Pull Downs . Use tubing with palms facing up and elbows in tight to body. Stretch out band, holding elbows at 90 degrees, thumbs outward. Perform 20 reps; 2 seconds out and 2 seconds back. Rest 1 minute and repeat Lat Pulls and External Shoulder Rotations for 3 sets.
* Cable Side Raise (adjustable cable pulley machine required): Grip a cable in front of the body with one arm, with a slight bend in the elbow. Hold posture, keep shoulder blades down and back. Perform 12 reps; 3 seconds down and 3 seconds up. Do other arm immediately.
* Straight Bar Curl (free-standing bar required): Grab bar shoulder-width apart and curl, holding a soft knee bend and without arching back. Perform 12 reps; 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down.
* Close Grip Bar Push-up (free-standing bar and squat rack required): Do immediately after Straight Bar Curl. In a squat rack, set up bar at waist height. Perform a push-up with elbows in tight. Do 12 reps; 5 seconds down and 5 seconds up. Rest 1 minute. Repeat Straight Bar Curls and Close Grip Bar Push-ups for 3 sets.
Hugh Jackman Workout Day 2
* Leg Squat: Slowly lower the body on one leg, bringing the hips back so the front knee does not go beyond the toes and squat until upper thigh is parallel to the ground. Perform 12 reps on each leg; 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down. Rest 1 minute and repeat for 3 sets.
* Balance Board Lunge (extreme or round board is required): Place one foot centered on balance board, back foot on toes behind in a lunge. Slowly bend both back and front knees into a lunge until front thigh is parallel to the ground. Perform 12 reps on each leg; 4 seconds down and 4 seconds up.
* Split Leg Box Jump (do immediately after balance lunge): Plant one foot on top of a box/bench that holds the front knee at 90 degrees. With weight mainly on the top leg, jump and switch legs. Do 30 jumps. Rest 1 minute. Repeat Balance Board Lunge and Split Leg Box Jumps – 3 sets.
* Jack Knife: Start in a push-up position with toes on top of a Swiss ball. Raise hips up slightly and draw the belly-button into the spine. Pull knees up towards chest. Perform 20 reps; 2 seconds in and 2 seconds out.
* Swiss Ball Crunch (do immediately after jack knife): Lie on top of ball with low back supported; pull in belly button to spine. Perform crunch, exhaling as you come up without allowing stomach to “pop up.” Perform 20 reps; 2 seconds up and 2 seconds down. Rest 1 min and repeat Jack Knife and Crunch 3 sets.
Hugh Jackman Workout Day 3
Do 3 sets of the following exercises with no rest in between.
* Walking Lunges: Hold dumbbells at sides. Step through front heel and bring back knee towards floor. Do 30 steps.
* Push-ups: Do 100.
* Swiss Ball Crunch: Do 50.
* Sprint: Outside or on treadmill, sprint 1 minute at 80 per cent intensity.
* Inch Worms : In a push-up position, take tiny steps so the feet come towards the hands. Keep walking until you feel a gentle stretch through the hamstrings. Do this 30 times.
* Lat Pull Downs : Do 50.
* Stairs: Take every second step. Perform 20 reps (up and down is 1).
Recommended Supplements for the Hugh Jackman Workout:
- Creatine for volumizing and strength gains (Muscle Pharm Creatine)
- Glutamine for immunity and muscle recovery (Scivation Xtend)
- Whey protein for muscle tissue development ( Signature Casein Slow Release Protein)
- Super Multi-Vitamin for Men: Universal Animal Pak
Conclusion of Hugh Jackman Workout:
It is key to have tons of protein (try supplementing with whey protein), and 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Because of the high intensity remember warm up adequately before starting and get in lots of flexibility training at the end of your workouts.
Have you tried this workout? Leave a comment below:
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Thank you for visiting! Weight Loss and Training is a health blog which features all the best weight loss tips that I have learned over my 20 years of training. My background includes a degree in Kinesiology from the world renown Simon Fraser University, certification in nutritional sciences from UBC, and Personal Trainer Specialist certification from Can Fit Pro.
Hey i just got a question on how i can do this work out
as functional training rather than isolation ?
Hey rudeboy68, this workout is intended to be done as a split routine, however you can do the exercises in a circuit with little rest between exercises but a long rest period after the first cycle. Do 3 complete cycles.
what are external shoulder rotations with the palms facing up. I have googled it, but all the videos show people with their palms facing either left or right not up or down.
Shouldn’t make too much difference with your palm facing up or left/right. Just make sure you keep your elbows in tight near your body.
hey sam,just wondering about the 2nd phase of the program,the heavy phase, is there a certain amount of sets n reps you do??
Hi Brian, go for 6 reps and 2-3 sets. That will pack on most muscle and strength but it will also be quite intense!
no pain no gain buddy
my husband is a dedicated health and hugh jackman freak. any encouragement you could send would be so great! thank you for the wolverine workout his favorite!
Hi all I wiegh 11 stone and train twice a week with my Footy team then a match on Saturday.I dnt always go gym but I want to but need a good routine and want a body like hugh.I can’t lift heavy at all i lift 20 e/a on dumbells and manage 3 sets of 12 can u do this routine starting of light and gradualy lift more.I’ve got real determination but can’t lift big would that matter with this routine or can I do it and will it get me lifting bigger.also is the cardio I do from football enuff and do u recomend sups.plz help guys need a change in my bod and fast
Hi Lee, you need to start out with a workout routine that is a little less intense and build to this one. This article has some great workouts you can do for 6 weeks each until you advance and get stronger – https://weightlossandtraining.com/freeworkoutroutines-men
In regards to the 3-5 second counts, does that mean bring the weight down and hold for 3-5 seconds or take 3-5 seconds to bring the weight down and then up?
Great question, it actually means take 3-5 seconds when lowering and 3-5 seconds when raising.
Thank you! I do have another question. For phase 2, are we still doing the same exercises and supersets with heavier weights? Or do we just want to hit the same muscle groups as phase 1?
That is definitely one strategy, to go heavier which is great for muscle building.
Can you put up a workout Will Smith would use like in Bad Boys 2?
Not a bad idea at all, will do!
is this workout bad if your 15
Not if you keep the weights down or if you’re already pretty tall and not worried about height growth.
hey on day 3,, do you actually get to100 push-ups
You bet, doesn’t have to be in all at once, as long as you get there!
Hi Sam,
Great article.
I was just wondering, where can I find Days 4 and 5 of the workout? In the article you said that the workout consists of 5 days, but I only see until Day 3. Thanks.
Hi Abe, you start over again on Day 4!
Hello well long story short this workout looks really good the thing is I am in the army and we don’t always have time to go to the gym and use weights is there anyway this could be modified to be able to do this without machines or weights?
Might want to try Workout Routine for Men at Home
For this workout, are you supposed to use the same weight for every set or go up in weight?
You can definitely go up in weight with each set.
Hi Sam thanks for sharing this awesome workout. But I don’t understand the organization of the workout, because I heard Hugh Jackman trained five times a week but if we do this workout twice it goes to 6 times a week. So what do we do on day 4,5,6 if there’s a day 6 of course?
There are a lot of variations of his workouts but this one will be a good one to push through with.
Ah ha, that’s what I wanted to know. Take 3 seconds to raise the bar and 3 seconds to lower it. And pyramid sets; first set lighter and then go heavier. I like this because it reduces the chance of getting a muscle injury.
I like the mixing of dumbbell bench presses with pushups. Thanks for posting this Sam.
Toby
hi Sam, do u do this workout mon to fri with the weekend as rest days or rest days in between?
You can do either…I prefer rest days in between to allow your muscles some more recovery time.
Hugh upper body might be impressive but you should see the lower half. It’s an clear indication that he skipped leg day!