Hugh Jackman: The Wolverine Workout

You would have to be living under a rock to have not heard about the release of the new X-men movie 'The Wolverine' starring Hugh Jackman. The biggest talking point has not been the movie itself but the ridiculous shape that Hugh Jackman got into to play the role.

Jackman has gained the nickname 'Abs Brah' am Lincoln as a result of his portrayal of the muscle-bound Wolverine.

What everyone wants to know are the details of his workouts. For Jackman it is big compound lifts mixed with supersets. Compound lifts are your squat, bench and deadlift. Supersetting is mixing a similar exercise in with another lift without taking a rest. In Jackmans case he used a big compund lift such as a squat mixed in with an isolation lift such as leg curls to achieve the desired effect. His workout is broken down as follows.

Hugh Jackman Workout Monday Routine – Chest & Arms

• ·Flat Bench Press
• ·Superset with Dumbbell Chest Flys
• ·Barbell Seated Shoulder Military Press
• ·Superset with Alternating Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press
• ·Parallel Bar Dips
• ·Superset with Dumbbell Tricep Pressdowns
• ·Skull Crushers
• ·Superset with Cable Tricep Extensions
• ·Straight Bar Curl
• ·Superset with Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls
• ·Close Grip Bar Curls
• ·Superset with One Arm Preacher Curls
• ·Cardio: Inch Worms
• ·Cardio: Treadmill 30 mins @2 pct incline

Hugh Jackman Workout Tuesday Routine – Legs & Back

•Barbell Squats

• ·Superset with Weighted Walking Lunges or Split Squats
• ·Barbell Deadlift
• ·Superset with One-Leg Gym Ball Curl or Alternating Leg Curls
• ·Leg Press
• ·Superset with Split Leg Box Jump or Calf Raises
• ·Lat Pull Downs
• ·Superset with Front Shoulder Raises and Side Shoulder Raises
• ·Standing Cable Rows
• ·Superset with One Arm Dumbbell Bench Rows
• ·Jack Knifes
• ·Superset with Swiss Ball Crunch
• ·Cardio: Stair Climbs
• ·Cardio: Rowing 30 mins @2% incline

Hugh Jackman Workout Wednesday Routine – Chest & Arms

• ·Incline Bench Press
• ·Superset with Incline Dumbbell Chest Flys
• ·Barbell Seated Shoulder Military Press
• ·Superset with Alternating Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press
• ·Parallel Bar Dips
• ·Superset with Dumbbell Tricep Pressdowns
• ·Skull Crushers
• ·Superset with Cable Tricep Extensions
• ·Straight Bar Curl
• ·Superset with Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls
• ·Close Grip Bar Curls
• ·Superset with One Arm Preacher Curls
• ·Cardio: Inch Worms
• ·Cardio: Treadmill 30 mins @2 pct incline

Hugh Jackman Workout Thursday Routine – Legs & Back

• ·Barbell Squats
• ·Superset with Weighted Walking Lunges or Split Squats
• ·Barbell Deadlift
• ·Superset with One-Leg Gym Ball Curl or Alternating Leg Curls
• ·Leg Press
• ·Superset with Split Leg Box Jump or Calf Raises
• ·Lat Pull Downs
• ·Superset with Front Shoulder Raises and Side Shoulder Raises
• ·Standing Cable Rows
• ·Superset with One Arm Dumbbell Bench Rows
• ·Jack Knifes
• ·Superset with Swiss Ball Crunch
• ·Cardio: Stair Climbs
• ·Cardio: Rowing 30 mins @2% incline

Hugh Jackman Workout Friday Routine – Chest & Arms

• ·Decline Bench Press
• ·Superset with Decline Dumbbell Chest Flys
• ·Barbell Seated Shoulder Military Press
• ·Superset with Alternating Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press
• ·Parallel Bar Dips
• ·Superset with Dumbbell Tricep Pressdowns
• ·Skull Crushers
• ·Superset with Cable Tricep Extensions
• ·Straight Bar Curl
• ·Superset with Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls
• ·Close Grip Bar Curls
• ·Superset with One Arm Preacher Curls
• ·Cardio: Inch Worms
• ·Cardio: Treadmill 30 mins @2% incline

When questioned about the mindset of his workouts for Wolverine Jackman had this to say:

'For Wolverine, I ramp it up. 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 character and have a bitch of a workout. When I have 315 pounds above me, there’s that little breaking point. You either get pissed off at that weight, or you ask for help from your spotter…It’s that exact point when Wolverine gets pissed off. I try to reach that point every day in my workout. And then push through it.'

For diet Jackman sought out the big dog Dwayne Johnson aka the rock for advice.

I eat a lot to gain weight, and yet I have to be lean. I do the Dwayne Johnson diet. I called him, and he said 6000 calories a day. You start at 6:30 in the morning eating chicken and broccoli, then you eat every 2 hours. I needed to put on 30-40 pounds. I didn’t know if I could get there. But once I got the first 15 pounds on, I felt I could keep going. Basically, it’s steak or chicken, broccoli and cauliflower. Sometimes, rice, but only till lunch. That’s it. Eight times per day. It’s like a job in itself.

Finally a word from Jackman's fitness guru and 'motivational life coach' Dom Mazzeti on what the daily life of a meat head is like.