Just because he’s big, doesn’t mean he’s clever.

Well, that’s kinda debatable. After all, you can’t build supersized muscle without knowing at least a little bit about… building supersized muscle. But that’s not to say all bro-isms should be accepted without scrutiny.

Let’s put 10 common muscle mantras under the microscope.

Bro wisdom #1: No pain, no gain

‘I don’t start counting until it starts hurting’

What the science says:
There’s a difference between ‘bad pain’ – the kind that signals injury – and the satisfying ache of a good workout. But the bros were right about one thing: if you want to see results, you do need to be able to tolerate physical discomfort.

“We know that training to momentary failure – the point where your muscles are no longer able to move the weight with the correct form – is the fastest route to muscle gains,” says Nick Mitchell, coach and founder of transformation specialists Ultimate Performance, “while if strength gains are your goal, you want to push very hard but avoid actual failure.”

Think of it this way: once you’re able to hit all the reps in your prescribed rep range (for example, three sets of 12) with great form, add 1% or 2% more weight and start again.

When it comes to ‘normal’ soreness, everyone is different, he says. “Be mindful of your body’s feedback so you’ll know when your body is telling you “enough is enough” – without listening to the devil on your shoulder telling you to be lazy.”

If you’re new to training and unfamiliar with the harmless yet nauseating burn of a challenging set, Mitchell suggests this exercise: stand on the edge of the first step on a set of stairs and perform slow and rhythmic calf raises, going as high on your toes as possible and getting a deep stretch on the lowering portion of the exercise. “Within five to 15 reps, those suckers are going to burn like mad. By about 25, most people will have to give up… and then 30 seconds later all of the pain will have dissipated,” he says. “This is ‘good pain’.”

Our Verdict: 4/5

Bro wisdom #2: cardio eats up your muscles

“Bro, I don’t even know where they keep the treadmills.

What the science says:
Gone are the days when the mere mention of a 5K had weightlifters running for the hills. Mixed-discipline training is more popular than ever. A formal definition of the hybrid approach might be “the concurrent training of athletic disciplines that do not inherently support one another”, but generally what we’re talking about is athletes who lift heavy and run far.

“Just look at some of the top hybrid athletes to know it’s possible to maintain and even increase muscle mass when training for endurance,” says Kate Neudecker, personal trainer, nutritionist and Men’s Health fitness writer. “Multiple studies support this, with a large-scale review in Sports Medicine concluding that concurrent aerobic and strength training doesn’t compromise growth.”

But there are caveats. If your time and mental energy are limited, then “it can be beneficial to focus on one goal at a time,” she says. The time you spend on the treadmill is lost from the squat rack, after all. And if you’re expending a lot of calories and not replacing them, your body won’t have the energy to repair and build new muscle. If you’re struggling to see results, try scaling back.

Our Verdict: 2/5

Bro wisdom #3: there’s no such thing as too much protein

“You want the recipe for my 12-egg-white omelette?”

What the science says:
Public opinion has turned on this one. Once niche sports products spotted only in athletes’ kit bags, protein bars and shakes now line supermarket shelves next to the confectionery and Coca-Cola. Whether you get your grams from fortified foods and powders or from natural sources, most of us are at the very least conscious of our intake.

Bodybuilding lore has long dictated that around 2g per kg of body weight is needed to build muscle, while the NHS advises a more conservative 0.75g. So, who’s right?

‘Clinical studies concluded that consuming more protein than the recommended dietary allowance of 50g to 60g per day can improve body composition, even if not tracking calories,” says Men’s Health fitness director Andrew Tracey, a coach and nutritionist, who suggests a minimum of 1.6g per kg. “Protein is also muscle-sparing, meaning it will help you to avoid losing any of your hard-earned gains while chasing fat loss.”

Plus, it benefits blood sugar balance and satiety and is relatively hard to overeat when compared with foods based on fats and carbs.

And how much is too much? Regularly eating more than 2g per kg of your body weight per day has been linked to digestive discomfort, dehydration and headaches. “There’s also no real muscle-building benefit to it,” adds Tracey.

Our Verdict: 4/5

Bro wisdom #4: Monday is chest day

“And on the third day, he worked arms and back, and saw that it was good”.

What the science says:
There is a reason why many gym-goers still prefer to split up their weekly workouts in order to control the frequency with which they hit specific muscle groups – chest day, legs day and so on. Adding structure to your routine can help you reach your goals faster than winging it.

Training specific muscle groups on specific days naturally means you’ll work those muscles harder, too – although it also means you’ll need more time to recover before training those same muscles again.

But so long as you’re applying the principles of progressive overload – periodically increasing your weights, reps or sets, to ensure you’re not kicking back in your comfort zone – it doesn’t matter which body parts you work and when.

“Full-body workouts are never going to create a Mr Universe physique,” explains Mitchell, “but for most of the general public, I’d actively recommend them, if they’re limited to less than two hours of weight-training time per week.” It’s just more efficient.

Ultimately, however, adherence is what matters. It’s a platitude but nonetheless true: the best training plan is the one you’ll stick to.

Our Verdict: 1.5/5

Bro wisdom #5: don’t neglect the mind-muscle connection

“Your biceps can tell when you’re thinking about someone else…”

What the science says:
One of Arnie’s all-time favourite talking points, the original bro (Bro-G?) advocated for staying fully present throughout every rep, concentrating hard on the contracting muscles. He put it this way in a recent newsletter: “Have you ever tried to work out when you are distracted, and you pace around for too long between sets, and then when you lift the weight it feels heavier than usual? This is because your mind is not connected to your muscles.” Lifting, he goes on, should be “a form of meditation”.

Which all sounds very romantic – but so long as the bar is moving, does it really matter where your mind is?

“The mind-muscle connection is actually backed by multiple pieces of research,” explains Neudecker. In a study published in the European Journal Of Sport Science, participants who focused hard on their target muscle saw almost double the muscle growth during biceps curls as those who placed their attention elsewhere. Doing this, says Neudecker, can help “increase muscle activation and help us use our full range of motion”. It’s meathead mindfulness for the win.

Our Verdict: 4/5

Bro wisdom #6: bulk first, cut later

“It’s okay bro, I’m *chews noisily* bulking”

What the science says:
A favoured protocol of old-school lifters. The ‘bulking’ phase sees athletes eat surplus calories while training for muscle growth; in the ‘cutting’ phase, they switch to a calorie deficit, while grappling to keep those gains.

“For professional bodybuilders or athletes in weight classes, maybe there’s a justification for deliberately gaining and then losing large amounts of weight,” says Tracey. “But this doesn’t make sense for the average person. For a lot of people, it will mean you just end up gaining and losing the same 10lb (4.5kg) of fat each year, with minimal muscle growth to show for your efforts.”

Research suggests that overeating tends to result in weight gain around the abdomen, but weight isn’t as quickly lost from that area during dieting. Persistent yo-yoing could therefore make it more difficult to lose belly fat in the long run. So, should you stick to daily calorie targets with meticulous consistency? Also no.”It’s natural for your calorie intake to be higher at certain times of year,” says Tracey. “You may as well use these periods to power a concerted effort to gain muscle.” Don’t be afraid of weight gain to the point that you under-fuel muscle-building efforts, though. “What’s more intelligent than massive bulks and strict cuts is having a healthy, sustainable weight range to grow within.”

Our Verdict: 1/5

Bro wisdom #7: you need to shock your muscles

“That’s why I never follow a program – I’d lose the element of surprise”

What the science says:
It’s the subject of countless comedy Instagram Reels, but ask five gym-goers what ‘shocking the muscles’ means and you may well get five different answers. There’s no unified definition, but there are a couple of ways to interpret this idea.

Some people might see it as a directive to hop between workout programs – trialling one set of exercises one week, something entirely different the next. That’s unlikely to result in meaningful progress.

“In bodybuilding spaces, however, ‘shocking the muscle’ oftentimes means subjecting the muscle to a new stimulus to cause the muscle to grow bigger and stronger,” explains Neudecker. This doesn’t have to mean spinning the wheel every time you’re choosing an upper-body routine. It can simply mean the same boring-but-non-shocking stuff you’ve always done: incrementally exposing your muscles to bigger weights and more reps.

“The truth is you need to commit to a training routine for at least three weeks before making major adjustments,” says Neudecker. “This allows you to properly get the most out of a new program, and make measurable progress.”

Our Verdict: 3/5

Bro wisdom #8: you gotta chase the pump

“Arnie had it right – nothing feels better”

What the science says:
In recent years, ‘the pump’ – the feeling of engorged, swollen muscles one encounters when training with high reps and plenty of sets – has had mixed press. Many trainers have labelled it a vainglorious waste of time that does little more than temporarily swell the muscles up with blood.

Even if Arnie was pumping up for the pleasure alone, research shows that dropping the weight and upping the reps, especially after heavy lifting, can have serious muscle-building effects.

Research suggests that although a pump itself may not last, its effects can. One theory posits that the increased pressure on the cell membrane caused by the accumulation of blood in the muscle is perceived as a threat to cellular integrity. This triggers your body to reinforce the structure of the muscle, resulting in growth.

Or, to look at it another way: “It may be temporary, but a pump is one of the most fulfilling parts of training, and an insight into what your body could look like, permanently, if you keep up your efforts,” says Tracey. “This alone can lead to sustained levels of enthusiasm that keep you consistent in the long run, which is what really matters.”

Our Verdict: 4/5

Bro wisdom #9: you should hop on the creatine, bro

“I’m starting a petition to add it to the food pyramid”.

What the science says:
There was a time, not all that long ago, when training supps such as creatine were viewed as something almost akin to anabolic steroids.

Today, however, creatine is one of the most research-backed, benefit-stacked and widely used gym supps – not to mention one of the cheapest.

“This naturally occurring substance, found in meat and fish, stands up as an effective muscle-builder and strength-booster,” says Tracey. It speeds up production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which powers your muscles, allowing you to push beyond your usual limits. A review by the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests it could help with injury prevention and post-exercise repair.

“Despite efforts by supps companies to market ‘new’ creatine products, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel,” Tracey says. “A 5g daily dose of widely available creatine monohydrate is just as effective as pricier equivalents.”

Our Verdict: 5/5

Bro wisdom #10: go heavy or go home

“Your mum called, she wants her dumbbells back”.

What the science says:
Well, that depends on your goal. A study in The Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research found that while muscle gain can be achieved across all rep ranges (that’s more about total volume – see Bro Wisdom #1), lifting heavier weights is better for boosting max strength.

The lower rep ranges – such as lifting a weight you can only shift for, say, five reps with good form – help to build what is called ‘relative strength’, which means getting strong without adding extra muscle, says Mitchell. “This is obviously something that athletes need to consider, as many will want to maintain or improve their power-to-weight ratio and will gain zero benefit from extra body mass.”

But there are diminishing returns. “Most would do well to not go lower than three or four reps in a set unless specifically training for a maximal lifting contest,” he says. “Going too heavy (two-rep max lifts or heavier) can often be overkill and lead to overtraining.” That’s just showing off, anyway.

Our Verdict: 3/5

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

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TO PLAY THE role of Kraven the Hunter, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass, Bullet Train) knew his on-screen physique was vital to playing Marvel’s trophy-hunting anti-hero in Sony’s sixth film based on the principle players of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery. “The costume is my stomach and my arms,” he said in an interview ahead of the movie’s release on December 12.

The bar for what a blockbuster superhero should look like was raised and set by Hugh Jackman in 2013’s The Wolverine. Jackman looked leaner, bigger, and more vascular than any leading man in the history of comic book films. Since then, other actors like Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Henry Cavill have all overhauled their bodies to raise the bar for what it takes to embody these larger than life figures – and now Taylor-Johnson takes his place as one of the most imposing physiques put to screen.

The man behind Jackman’s 2013 transformation is David Kingsbury, a UK-based trainer who has been instrumental in setting the modern standard of on-screen muscle. Kingsbury worked with Taylor-Johnson to help the 34-year-old actor prepare for Kraven the Hunter, a film in which the actor is more often shirtless (or at least, sleeveless and in an open vest) than not. It was a uniquely challenging prep that demanded hard workouts, flexible scheduling, and on-the-fly nutritional changes.

Men’s Health US caught up with Kingsbury to discuss the details of Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s beastly transformation—and the lessons you can take away for yourself.

MEN’S HEALTH: What was the main focus of transforming Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s body for the role in Kraven The Hunter?

DAVID KINGSBURY: We had a couple of months of prep time, and he needed to get a lot leaner than he was. He put in some good hard work before he started working with me to gain some muscle, but then we had to [lean him out] quickly to get him the definition he needed to look right on screen.

He also had some fairly heavy-duty stunt sequences early on, so we had to start prepping those as well. We had to get a bit more conditioning in for some sprint sequences and some hard sequences we did out on the snow in Iceland.

MH: What’s one unique challenge to working with actors?

DK: People think that actors have all the time in the world because they’re getting paid to get in shape. It’s really far from the truth. In fact, they have far less time than normal people to train… so much less time. But because there is less time to train, there is that ability to focus on narrowing down what’s going to be beneficial. I think [normal] people do too much most of the time.

MH: How did you structure ATJ’s schedule to be flexible during long and sporadic days on set?

DK: When we had more control of the schedule, we would do an upper-lower split four days per week. You’ve got a nice muscle training frequency of twice per week per muscle group, and you don’t have excessive volume so that [Aaron] is able to recover well, train again, and mix in those stunt rehearsals. We’d also do some conditioning work, like sprints on the track or some sled work.

Sometimes we would change the program to an upper-lower, push-pull-legs split. You don’t necessarily know when you’re going to have rest days, so you can’t design a perfect week of training. There is no week anymore, it’s just a rolling program. With the upper-lower, push-pull-legs split, you’re still training every muscle twice per week, but maybe over nine or 10 days. We’d shorten the sessions and split them out over five days versus four. We were still able to get the desired sets and reps done.

We followed a low-volume approach, meaning not too many working sets. But the working sets he did were taken relatively close to failure within six to 10 reps, so you’ve got those stimulating reps that support muscle growth. [See below for more details into Taylor-Johnson’s training.]

MH: What about his nutrition? Obviously, that plays a key role in getting a person lean.

DK: He was consuming a large amount of calories due to his activity levels. We didn’t track calories. For his macros, it was a fairly even split of 33 per cent protein, carbs, and fats. Because I was working so closely with him, we based how much he ate on his activity levels for the day. A day where you’re sitting in a trailer for 12 hours versus a day where you’re doing eight hours worth of stunts looks vastly different in terms of how you supply the body with energy.

There was a big focus on nutrient-dense and easy-to-digest foods. We didn’t want him to eat anything that would slow him down, and because he was shirtless on a regular basis, you don’t want him to be bloated. His diet was based around eggs, steak, fish, chicken, potatoes, fruit and white rice and raw honey.

When you’re on set, you need to eat quickly to get the food in between takes. Even simple things like having his food pre-cut made it easier for him to eat.

MH: How was prepping ATJ for Kraven different from some of the other moves you’ve trained clients for?

DK: The difficulty with shoots like this is there’s a lot of shirtless scenes or the character is in costume with their arms and abs out… [you] have to maintain that level of leanness throughout the shoot. That’s really difficult. To peak for one day is simple. You feel terrible, do your day, and then it’s done. When you have to maintain a level of leanness for that period of time, you really have to consider the foods you’re eating more seriously.

Also, when you’re on a film set, you never know what’s happening day to day. The call times are sent out at 10 p.m. the night before, and you don’t even know if you have time for the gym the next day. You have to be flexible with the planning and adjust as you go.

MH: Speaking of peaking, what does go into prepping an actor’s body for those heroic, full-physique shots?

DK: There are moments in these films where you go, “wow, that person is a superhero,”—and for the audience, it’s their first time seeing that person shirtless. We work harder for those particular scenes. Typically, I’ll speak to the director to find out what the key scenes are.

Then, it’s a six- or seven-day process of slight over-hydration with a slight reduction in carbohydrates so the body is flushing out water. One to two days prior to the scene, there’s an increase in carbohydrates and a reduction in water intake. We’ll also pump up for the scene, potentially using additional carbohydrates and sodium.

MH: What do you do if the director pivots while you’re halfway through this process?

DK: That kind of thing can happen. I’ve been on shows where I’ve had to go, “No, we can’t shoot that scene today. We started water loading.” It’s my job to communicate so the actor doesn’t get left in the middle of not being in the right shape for the shoot on the right day. People don’t understand the process and how vastly different a person can look in a five-day window.

MH: What are three key points someone should focus on if they want to achieve their own version of an on-screen superhero physique?

DK: Number one is to focus on the quality of your training. Prioritise less volume per session for less muscle damage and improved recovery, so you’re able to train more frequently at a higher level. A lot of people train six days a week and do six, seven, even eight sets per muscle group per session, and that can be difficult to recover from. Try an upper-lower split, where you’re training every muscle twice per week, doing two to three working sets per exercise. There’s no excess there; just get those basics right.

Secondly, aim for progressive overload, which can be with the addition of more weight or more reps with the same load. You want to try and hit those targets on a regular basis. Muscle gain is a slow process and the best way of achieving it is progressive overload over time with repetitive movements.

Lastly, you can get in great shape with bad nutrition, but if you’re looking to get in shape and stay in shape, you need to do it with quality foods. You need to make sure that you’re getting micronutrients and fat-soluble vitamins. For longevity in this process, healthy whole foods are key.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Upper Body Workout for Kraven the Hunter

To help Taylor-Johnson build and maintain muscle, Kingsbury had the actor follow a high-frequency, low-volume program – not too dissimilar from how many bodybuilders and physique athletes train. The Kraven lead trained each muscle twice per week, performing two to three hard sets (about one rep short of failure) per exercise for about six to 10 reps. Each session, Taylor-Johnson’s focus was to do one more rep than he did last time to drive muscle growth.

You’ll notice a lot of machine movements listed in the workout below. “Machines make a lot of sense for people that are trying to build muscle,” Kingsbury explains (a sentiment we agree with here at MH). “You can push harder [with machines]. There’s less coordination required and more motor unit requirement.”

Directions: Kingsbury likes to utilise a rep range of six to 10 for building muscle and strength. He also emphasises progressive overload, which is when you gradually increase the weight, frequency, or number of reps you perform each week.

For each of the exercises below, select a weight that you can do for eight reps. After you warm-up, perform your first working set. Rest for two minutes and then perform another working set. (If you’re new to lifting weights or haven’t been in the gym for a few weeks, start with two sets.) You’ll likely get fewer reps than your first set. Write down how many reps you got and try to add one rep to each set the next time you do this workout. When you’re able to do 10 reps, add about five pounds and start the progression over.

To warm-up to your working sets, do 50 percent of your planned working weight for six to eight reps, rest for 45 seconds, and then perform four reps with 70 percent of your planned working weight. Follow this protocol for every exercise so your muscles are properly prepared for two to three hard working sets.

Incline Smith Machine Bench Press

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps

Machine Shoulder Press

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps

Chest-Supported Row

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps

Triceps Pushdown

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps

Single-Arm Machine Preacher Curl

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

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It’s perfectly normal for your motivation to ebb and flow. That’s not even considering how difficult it can be to stay on top of your fitness routine in the fast-paced world we live in today, with work, social, and personal responsibilities. There will be days when the energy left in your tank for gym sessions isn’t quite enough, after everything else in your already busy schedule.

We’ve all been there. There are some days that you’re so stoked to go to the gym you end up spending hours there. Other days, it feels like there is not even your best gym buddy or the perfect workout playlist that could prompt your brain to lug your lethargic body up and off the couch. Occasionally, this tiredness is a sign that you need to accept defeat and take a rest day. It might mean you’re struggling with something deeper. Or, it may just be plain old-fashioned apathy.

Exercise is a scientifically-proven mood booster, though. Small bouts of exercise have been shown to significantly increase dopamine levels. Dopamine is part of our bodies reward system, and is known as a feel good” hormone because it elicits feelings of pleasure.

The times you’re feeling low just may be the days you need to hit the gym the most. That’s why it’s important to keep some motivation-enhancing trick up your sleeves for those moments where you’re really just not feeling it. If the go-to caffeine and hype music just aren’t doing it for you, maybe some words of wisdom from the greats will.

“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion.”

“There is no magic pill”

– Arnold Schwarzenegger, seven-time Mr. Olympia

“I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.”

Kobe Bryant, 5-time NBA Championship winner

“In training, you listen to your body. In competition, you tell your body to shut up.”

– Rich Froning Jr., 4-time CrossFit Games champion

“You shall gain, but you shall pay with sweat, blood, and vomit.”

– Pavel Tsatsouline, chairman of StrongFirst and father of the modern kettlebell movement

“There’s no secret formula. I lift heavy, work hard, and aim to be the best.”

– Ronnie Coleman, eight-time Mr. Olympia

“If something stands between you and your success, move it. Never be denied.”

– Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, actor and pro wrestler

“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”

– Thomas Jefferson

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

– Jim Ryun, Olympic silver medalist and politician

“A champion is someone who gets up when they can’t.”

– Jack Dempsey, American boxer and heavyweight champion

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

– Fred DeVito, CoreBarreFit co-founder

“Keep working even when no one is watching.”

– Alex Morgan, football player and World Cup winner

“There comes a certain point in life when you have to stop blaming other people for how you feel or the misfortunes in your life. You can’t go through life obsessing about what might have been.”

– Hugh Jackman, actor and member of the 1000-pound lift club

“Success is usually the culmination of controlling failure.”

– Sylvester Stallone, actor

“Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.”

– LeBron James, four-time NBA Championship winner

“I will sacrifice whatever is necessary to be the best.”

– J.J. Watt, retired football legend

“Most people give up right before the big break comes — don’t let that person be you.”

– Michael Boyle, performance coach to the 2013 World Series Championship Red Sox and owner of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning

“I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve — not only to please the coach and the fans — but also to feel satisfied with myself.”

– Cristiano Ronaldo, football legend

“You’re going to have to let it hurt. Let it suck. The harder you work, the better you will look. Your appearance isn’t parallel to how heavy you lift, it’s parallel to how hard you work.”

– Joe Manganiello, actor and one of the 100 Fittest Men of All Time

“You have to push past your perceived limits, push past that point you thought was as far as you can go.”

– Drew Brees, retired NFL legend and 2010 Super Bowl MVP

“If you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre.”

– Ray Lewis, two-time Super Bowl Champion and NFL Hall of Famer

“You dream. You plan. You reach. There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits.”

– Michael Phelps, swimmer and 18-time Olympic gold medalist

“When you have a clear vision of your goal, it’s easier to take the first step toward it.”

– L.L. Cool J., rapper and actor

“We run for the people who think they cant.”

– Dick Hoyt, retired Lt. Colonel from the Air National Guard who pushed his quadriplegic son Rick through over 1,000 marathons, triathlons, and Ironman races.

“I was never a natural athlete, but I paid my dues in sweat and concentration, and took the time necessary to learn karate and became a world champion.”

– Chuck Norris, martial artist and actor

“Your health account, your bank account, they’re the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out. Exercise is king and nutrition is queen. Together you have a kingdom.”

– Jack LaLanne, bodybuilder known as the “Godfather of Fitness”

“To keep winning, I have to keep improving.”

– Craig Alexander, Ironman World Champion

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

– Michael Jordan, 6-time NBA Championship winner

“I know that if I set my mind to something, even if people are saying I can’t do it, I will achieve it.”

– David Beckham, retired football legend

“We must appreciate and never underestimate our own inner power.”

– Noah Galloway, former Army Ranger and 2014 Ultimate Men’s Health Guy

“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”

Muhammad Ali, boxing legend and civil rights icon

“If you take time to realize what your dream is and what you really want in life – no matter what it is, whether it’s sports or in other fields – you have to realize that there is always work to do, and you want to be the hardest working person in whatever you do, and you put yourself in a position to be successful. And you have to have a passion about what you do.”

Stephen Curry, 4-time NBA Championship winner

“You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Wayne Gretzky, 4-time Stanley Cup winner

“Enduring means accepting. Accepting things as they are and not as you would wish them to be, and then looking ahead, not behind.”

Rafael Nadal, tennis legend

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”

Babe Ruth, Hall of Fame MLB player

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

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The Aussie actor has made a career out of stacking on lean mutant muscle to play James ‘Logan’ Howlett/Wolverine, 11 times in total, over a staggering 25 years. Each time he’s spent months in the gym, not to mention eating his way through a battery hen farm’s worth of chickens.

“I’ve learned you can’t rush it. I’ve learned that it takes time,” Jackman said during an interview earlier this year, ahead of the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, with his best mate and fellow gym grinder, Ryan Reynolds. “So, we have six months from when I finish [Broadway’s The Music Man] to when I started filming. And I’m not doing any other work. I’m going to be with my family and train. That’s going to be my job for six months.”

Jackman added: “And apologies, chickens. Run a mile. Start running now because I’m coming for you.”

Over the years, the actor, who regularly swaps shiny shoes in Broadway shows for adamantium claws, has given us glimpses of his brutal training regimen, with stories of getting up at 3.45 am to eat egg-whites and mammoth training loads. In 2016, the 56-year-old actor joined the 1,000-pound powerlifting club. What’s that, you ask? It means Jackman could bench 107kg bench press, deadlift 186kg, and squat 156kg, which adds up to a thousand pounds (453kg) in a single day.

This year, ahead of Deadpool & Wolverine, Jackman upped his calorie intake to a monster 6,000 per day, enabling him to stack on a startling amount of size.

So, how does Jackman manage to achieve such jaw-dropping results? Here’s a look at his workout and diet routine.

@thehughjackman

Hugh Jackman’s workout routine

Hugh Jackman’s muscle-building regimen was overseen by trainer David Kingsbury, who followed the tenets of progressive overload, gradually increasing the amount of weight Jackman lifted. Working in 4-week blocks, the pair added weight for the first three weeks, and then reduced it in the fourth, when they upped the number of reps. Here’s the weekly split:

Day 1: Chest & Shoulders

• Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Behind-The-Neck Press: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Cuban Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Triceps Dips: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Triceps Pushdown: 3 sets of 12 reps
• Lat Raises: 3 sets of 8 reps
• Front Raises: 3 sets of 8 reps
• Rear Shoulder Flys: 3 sets of 8 reps
• Overhead Press: 3 sets of 8 reps

Day 2: Legs & abs

• Back Squat: 4 sets of 5 reps
• Front Squat: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Leg Press: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Calf Raise: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Leg Raises: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Ab Wheels: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Knee Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Decline Sit-Ups: 4 sets of 10 reps

Day 3: Back & biceps

• Weighted Pull-Up: 4 sets of 5 reps
• Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Bodyweight Rows: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Curls: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Zottman Bicep Curls: 4 sets of 8 reps
• Cross Body Curls: 4 sets of 8 reps
• Pronated Curls: 4 sets of 8 reps

Day 4: Chest & arms

• Incline Bench Press: 4 sets of 6 reps
• Dumbbell Press #1: 4 sets of 6 reps
• Dumbbell Press #2: 4 sets of 6 reps
• Dumbbell Press #3: 4 sets of 6 reps
• Cable Flys: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Narrow Grip Bench Press
• Triceps Pulldowns: 4 sets of 8 reps
• Dips: 4 sets of 8 reps
• Diamond Grips: 4 sets of 8 reps

Day 5: Core & legs

• Deadlifts: 4 sets of 5 reps
• Romanian Deadlifts: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Zercher Squats: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Incline Sit-Ups: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Landmines: 3 sets of 10 reps

Leg Day

• Back Squat: >85% 1RM  3 sets of 6 reps
• Leg Press: >85% 1RM 3 sets of 6 reps
• Bulgarian Split Squat: 60-80% 1RM 3 sets of 14 reps
• Dumbbell Lateral Lunge: 65-85% 1RM  3 sets of 10 reps
• Medicine Ball Slams: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Hanging Leg Raise: 3 sets of 10 reps

 

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Hugh Jackman’s cardio workout

Jackman isn’t just an iron junkie. He also nails his cardio. Jackman bookends his workouts with a 10-minute cardio warm-up and adds a 20-minute finisher. In the cutting phase of his Wolverine regime, Jackman used the rowing machine as his main form of cardio. In an Instagram post, he revealed that he regularly engages in pyramid training, with sets ranging from 400 metres to 2,000 metres.

“It’s all about evolution,” says Mike Ryan, another of Jackman’s longtime trainers. “From one workout to the next I’ll always have something new to add to the equation. Our sessions are based on established principles, but we’ll always try and bring new ideas to the table. And Hugh now looks the most ripped he’s been for any movie.”

It wasn’t always the case, says Ryan. “[Back in 1989], he was very, very skinny. We used to call him Chicken Legs.”

Safe to say, nobody is calling Jackman that today.

@thehughjackman//Instagram

Hugh Jackman’s training diet

Jackman is a macro fiend, hitting the same foods on repeat, as he knows they’re a reliable protein delivery system. In a photo he shared on social, Jackman revealed some of the meals he consumed as part of the bulking phase of his Wolverine transformation:

Black Sea Bass – In his bulking phase, Jackman consumed around 2,000 kcal worth of black sea bass. It’s a sound choice, low in calories and fat with a healthy dose of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. And bang for buck, bass is one of the best sources of lean protein around.

Chicken burgers – Jackman consumed at least two chicken burgers per day. That’s roughly 2,000 very tasty calories.

Grass-Fed sirloin steaks –Long a favourite of The Rock, you’re looking at 1100 calories and 25 grams of protein, per steak, plus a decent hit omega-3s.

Eggs – Jackman famously got up at 4am to eat egg-whites. You’re better off eating the whole thing for a nutrient payload. Getting jacked (or ‘jacked-manned’) is often called ‘yoked’, after all.

Muesli – At breakfast, Jackman also likes his muesli, a great source of antioxidants and soluble fibre.

Sweet Potato – The bodybuilder’s potato, this superfood gives you fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Chicken – Ask any body builder: poultry packs protein!

Brown Rice – Brown rice packs more fibre, vitamins, and minerals than its white cousin due to the presence of bran and germ. It’s also a nutrient powerhouse, stocking magnesium, potassium, iron, and B vitamins, and manganese, helpful for bone development and wound healing – useful when you’re spending your day hauling huge loads.

Spinach – An easy way to get some iron and folate-rich greens.

Avocado – Avo is a great source of omega-3s, as well as nutrients like beta-carotene, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium and potassium. Eat with impunity.

Related:

Hugh Jackman Shares His Daily Calories as He Bulks up to Play Wolverine Again

Jake Gyllenhaal’s complete training and diet regimen

The post Hugh Jackman’s complete workout and diet regimen appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Taylor-Johnson’s goals for the production were lofty. He set out to gain a serious amount muscle in six months. That’s the type of mission even a superhero wouldn’t scoff at – so the actor brought in experts to help him along the way. He tapped Nate Schmit to handle his diet, then brought in trainer David Kingsbury to help fine-tune his workouts to build up the Kraven physique. 

Men’s Health got an exclusive look at the details of the program directly from Taylor-Johnson and his team to learn more about what it took to build up the Kraven body ahead of the film’s release in Australia on December 12.

Sony Pictures

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven the Hunter nutrition

To eat like the world’s greatest hunter, Schmit built Taylor-Johnson’s diet around real food and stripped away the extras, like sugar. “The idea was, we have this monumental task of eating this much food – how can we do it, and keep you functional?” Schmit says. That meant getting protein from real sources in any way possible, from bone broth and gelatin gummies and marshmallows to steaks. Then, they added carbs for plenty of fuel to burn.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven the Hunter upper body workout

After the diet had run for three months, it was time to kick the training into gear. Taylor-Johnson began working with Kingsbury to refine the accumulated mass into the svelte, slightly-scary Kraven shred to drop body fat. “From my perspective, it was the perfect starting point because this person’s already got muscle mass,” the trainer says. “Building quality muscle takes months and years. Dropping body fat takes weeks.”

The post Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven the Hunter workout appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Fricker shared his disappointment on TikTok in a video where he gazes wistfully across an airplane aisle with his head in his hands. He captioned it “POV: Flying home from the Olympic trials when you didn’t make the team”. Sounds fairly simple, right? Well, that video has 4.6 million views and has received almost 2,000 comments of consolation.

@samfricker I’ll never give up, I love the sport and will continue to fight for my dream to win an Olympic Medal 🙌 #olympics ♬ Pink Skies – Zach Bryan

This is the norm for Fricker. The 22-year-old’s most viral TikTok has almost 60 million views and his videos regularly cross the ten million view mark. If social media followings were the only metric on which sports stardom was measured, you might assume that Fricker is Australia’s greatest athlete. His two million TikTok followers far outnumber those of basketball stars Josh Giddey (908,000), Patty Mills (335,000) and Ben Simmons (243,000), F1 driver Oscar Piastri (784,000), Olympic gold medallist Jess Fox (195,000) and tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios (207,000).

“It [TikTok] has changed my life. I never thought that my social media content could go that far and reach that many people. I posted videos on YouTube for years and I got like ten views a day,” Fricker tells Men’s Health. “I think every athlete should do it because then you have the freedom to do what you want and share what you want and build a brand without being limited by things like the timing of big events.”

Fricker’s TikTok journey started when he was 17. His first video on the platform – posted in 2019 – is a simple clip of the diver showing off a new haircut with the song ‘Solo’ by Clean Bandit playing. It has less than 10,000 views and typifies most people’s initial TikTok experience, but it was only the start for Fricker. “My sister got me onto TikTok and I just started making a few funny videos, I didn’t think much of it,” he says. “It’s been an incredible rollercoaster since then that has grown into something that is bigger than I ever could have imagined.”

Fricker is now up for a TikTok award in the ‘Sport & Fitness Creator of the Year’ category, and he doesn’t understate how much the award would mean to him. “TikTok has changed my life and I love the platform so much, so winning a TikTok award would be something I’d be really proud of,” he says.

Having a supportive community that numbers in the millions has helped Fricker in some harder moments, like his recent Olympics near miss. “When I’m outside of comp, I feel extremely grateful to have these people that follow along who I can create content for and it does motivate me.”

These moments come part and parcel with being an elite athlete, according to Fricker. “To become an Olympian, there were so many failures I had to deal with along the way,” he says. “So many times you look in the mirror and you think can I do this?”

Fricker had that question answered earlier in his career, when he won a 2017 international youth diving meet in Dresden, Germany. He picks that victory out as the best moment in his career. “At my first international event, I didn’t do very well. I made the final but came last in it and I came away thinking it was impossible to get a medal at those events. I thought that everyone else was just that much better than me,” he explains.

“I came back years later and won a gold medal in Dresden and it was like a perspective shift,” Fricker continues. “That was one of the first times that I’d been completely smashed in the face and knocked down, so to come back and achieve something I thought was impossible showed me what I was capable of doing.”

Fricker still thinks back on his Dresden experience when coping with failure and has devised a system for overcoming setbacks. “I’ve learned to deal with those barriers by having a little system where I write things down, set new goals and sometimes go back to the drawing board when something doesn’t work out,” he says. “No matter how hard it is, you ride your plan and you start chipping away at it nearly immediately. After the Olympics that’s exactly what I did.”

Moving forward, Fricker’s goal isn’t simply to get back to the Olympics. He’s aiming higher. “My dream is to win an Olympic medal,” he says. “That’d be my last goal in diving that I haven’t achieved yet, having made the Olympics, won a Commonwealth medal and been an Australian champion.”

Fricker understands that to be an Olympic medallist, he’s going to need to work for it. While he’s battling through an injury at the moment – an issue with his lower back that he describes in his personal diagnosis as “either a disc or maybe a stress fracture” – he did give us an insight into his intense training routine.

“Training keeps my whole life centred. Everything else works around it,” Fricker says. “Typically I’ll train for two hours in the morning and three hours in the night for a total of 24 hours per week. In the mornings we’re always doing a lot of core work, a lot of body work, a lot of strength work. You’ve got to be strong in your legs and core because they’re what you use to control everything when you’re in the air. Then you need your upper body to take the impact.”

“We dive for nearly three hours of the night and I would do between 60 and 90 dives a day.” Fricker continues. “It’s not like running, but because you’re going up stairs for hours and hours, it’s like a really long period of cardio, which also helps me stay in shape.”

@samfricker #diving #olympics ♬ original sound – rapidsongs

Maintaining such an arduous regime is crucial for Fricker, as major events are dwindling for divers and performing well during what few opportunities remain is a necessity. Diving events will not be held at the 2026 Commonwealth Games as organisers have announced a shortened program due to Victoria pulling out from hosting duties. This leaves divers like Fricker with even less time in the spotlight and means that every major event counts that much more. But here again, he finds a benefit in social media.

“A lot of divers train in the quiet. They don’t get a lot of publicity unless there’s a big event like the Commonwealth Games, which can be a big payoff,” Fricker says. “Having those events taken away makes it tough for the younger athletes. I’m very grateful to have social media because it allows me to capitalise on every single day and reach an audience and stay in the spotlight without having to wait for those major events.”

The TikTok awards will take place on November 27th and will be streamed live on the @tiktok_australia TikTok account. A win would mean a lot to Fricker, but as he says, he doesn’t do it for the accolades. “I just like making videos,” he says. “It’s really humbling that so many people enjoy watching them.”

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What #narctok won’t tell you about real narcissism

The post Sam Fricker on overcoming setbacks, his training routine and the power of TikTok appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

NEW EVIDENCE HAS shed light on the optimal amount of sets we need to be getting through in our workouts in order to build muscle.

Until this point, various studies have suggested that muscle gain will increase as volume increases, with different muscle groups requiring different amounts of sets for optimal muscle growth. However, it hasn’t been studied to the same extent as this particular piece of research.

In a YouTube video shared by Dr Mike Israetel, who holds PhD in Sport Physiology, and sport scientist PhD Dr Milo Wolf, the two experts discussed the findings of the study which was published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.

Focusing on the quadriceps and trained squats, leg presses and leg extensions, the study compared three training volumes:

• Group 1 (Low Volume): 22 sets of quad training per week, split evenly over 2 workouts.
• Group 2 (Medium Volume): 22 sets of quad training, adding 4 sets of weekly quad training every 2 weeks, resulting in 42 sets per week. This was 32 sets per week on average for the 12-week study.
• Group 3 (High Volume): 22 sets of quad training, adding 6 sets of weekly quad training every 2 weeks, resulting in 52 sets per week. This was 38 sets per week on average for the 12-week study.

The results found that the high volume group (52 sets per week, 38 on average) resulted in greater muscle thickness and size as well as an improvement in strength gains. The study concluded that progressively adding four or six sets per week every two weeks elicited greater lower body strength and size over the 12 weeks.

Does this mean we should be completing 52 sets per week? The experts said it’s unlikely. Linking this study back to our training, it’s suggested that we could increase hypertrophy and strength by completing more than 22 sets a week. This could be achieved by adding 4-6 sets per week. However, that’s not as simple as it may seem.

The study also mentioned that the limited certainty of the findings warrants caution due to the variation between results. For example, in the groups there were quite wide differences in results between participants. It’s also important to add that in this study, the participants were training extremely hard.

To put this into context, the high volume group completed 26 sets of quads with 2 minutes rest. The programme contained:

• 9 sets of squats
• 9 sets of leg press
• 8 sets of leg extension

It’s pretty brutal to say the least, not to mention how much time this would take. A 30-minute lunch break workout this ain’t.

MH says: Not everyone can add more volume to their training, especially to this degree and with every single muscle group. Doing so would likely sacrifice adequate recovery and therefore increase the risk of injury, so of course work within your limitations.

The key takeaway is that despite this study’s findings, you don’t have to work to such high levels as 52 sets per week. However, you could focus on increasing weekly volume from where you are now and ensure you are working close to failure at the end of those sets.

How many sets for building muscle?

As a rule of thumb work 0-5 reps from failure, with an amount of sets suitable for your experience level.

Referring to a more recent systematic review, it found:

• The best hypertrophy results came from 30-40 sets per muscle per week
• A minimum effective dose of 4 sets per muscle group per week
• Somewhere around 10-20 sets per week still delivered good hypertrophy results

If you want to absolutely maximise muscle growth: 30-40 sets would deliver the best results, but it’s important to note that above this point isn’t for everyone. 10-20 sets would be a more realistic goal.

This could look like:

• 3-6 sets close to failure for a particular muscle group per workout, working on the basis that you train 3 times a week.

You could start here and increase weekly sets gradually as you get stronger and more acclimatised to the amount of work. The most important variable is to train with intensity on a consistent basis.

Using the new research as well as taking an individualised approach to your programming will likely improve your muscle gains, without you needing to skip the stairs.

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

Related:

How long should I rest between sets to crush my workout goals?

Here’s What You Should Be Doing Between Sets To Maximise Your Gains

The post Research has unveiled how many sets you need to do to build muscle appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

This simple two-move chipper will leave your sleeves stretched, and your itch for a pump satisfied, all in less than 10 minutes.

Form check

Grab an empty Olympic barbell or pair of light dumbbells (8-12kg each, should do it) and get to work. Aim for 100 high-quality bicep curls, using a full range of motion and lowering the bar down over 3-4 seconds on every rep. When you hit failure and can’t perform another rep – or can no longer control the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift – put the bar down and perform 15 dips, hitting those triceps. Dips complete, take a breath, grab your bar and continue on from where you left off.

Keep going in this fashion until you hit 100 reps of curls, performing your dips each time you have to break.

100 x barbell curls (take each set to failure)

Stand tall, gripping your barbell at waist height, shoulder-width apart. With minimal momentum, curl the bar upwards towards your chin. Squeeze here and lower the weight slowly over 3-4 seconds. Repeat.

15 x dips (every time you break from curls)

Jump up on two parallel bars, your palms facing inwards and your arms locked out straight. Lean forwards and bend at the elbows, slowly lowering your body until you feel a deep stretch in your chest. Pause here before driving yourself back up to the top explosively.

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

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The post Want big guns? Try this 10-minute fat-arm finisher appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.