Superhero buff or not, there’s a good chance you’ve managed to sneak a peek at Chris Evans as Captain America by now. You’ve had a few movies to do it. If you haven’t seen them, now is a good time to turn on the TV. But we won’t tell if you just want to go to Google to see how insanely ripped Chris Evans is for these movies.
Evans had tons of time and a big budget to get gloriously jacked to play Captain America. That’s time you probably won’t have if you have, um, a real job, for example. Don’t sweat it. You can still make the most of Evans’ routine to get swoll and look sharp without a shirt.
Here’s Chris Evans talking about his workout for his Captain America role
So Like Chris Evans Said – Work the Weights
You want huge arms that make you look like you can lift a tractor trailer. You desire oversized pectoral muscles that make you bulge out of those skinny tank tops you’ve been dreaming of wearing since 1989. You’re not going to get either of those things without doing some serious lifting.
According to Evans, his Captain America workout routine was quite focused, targeting two muscle groups per day and working them to shreds. So fatigued was Evans at the end of those workouts that he likely wouldn’t hit those muscle groups again for the better part of a week.
During his training, Evans said it was all about free weights and bodyweight exercises. To keep his body guessing and target different parts of muscle groups, he routinely changed his grip and positioning instead of going from machine to machine.
Oh, and don’t forget about your core muscles and abs. Unfortunately for you, Evans worked those out every single day as part of his cool down. You might have to work up to that, so consider adding those crunches and core workouts every other day at first. Otherwise you might not be able to sit up in bed first in the morning.
Not sure what exercises to do? Here’s a simple guide from Nerd Fitness to help you get started.
Skip the Cardio
During the preparation phase for the Captain America movies, Evans skipped his cardio routine completely. Why? Because cardio, done properly, is generally going to help you slim down. That’s not exactly what you’re looking to do when you play a monster-sized dude that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger feel like a puny beauty queen.
Now, this is tough advice to pass on to the average man because cardiovascular exercise like running and swimming is really great for your heart and body. If you really want to get big though, skipping the cardio workout can help you along. After all, you don’t really want to lose weight!
If you want to keep your cardio going, a little high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be very effective. Evans added a little of that to his routine eventually, but only as a warmup.
Try Gymnastics
Weight training can get boring in a hurry even if you love the results. Even Evans, who was getting paid a whole lot more to work out than you will be, got bored. So he did some gymnastics.
Gymnastics works because at its core, the exercise you’re doing are bodyweight-based lifting routines. Classes at your gym are an ideal way to get started with gymnastics.
Change Your Diet
What, you didn’t think we’d do a fitness article without talking about food, did you? No, you can’t get off that easy!
When you’re bulking up, the goal of about 2-grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day is revered as the golden ratio. That’s what Evans did.
What did Evans eat? Lots of chicken, nuts, Greek Yogurt and plenty of protein powder. According to Evans, lots and lots and lots of protein powder. He also mixed in healthy foods like dark greens, salad and assortment of healthy fruits and vegetables to create a sustainable high protein diet.
Beware though, this protein-rich diet can result in a lot of eating, so if you’re not actually hitting it extra hard at the gym, you could be consuming too much. Pay attention to your body and make sure you’re gaining good weight!
Get a Trainer
If you really want to take your workout to the next level, having somebody that knows what they’re doing by your side can be a big help. Sure, your meathead buddy might be able to shout slogans at you, but a real trainer can help you reach your goals faster and more efficiently.
Even if you don’t pay a trainer for months and months, hiring one for a few sessions is a great way to get your new routine off the ground. Best of all, they can point you toward exercises that will really work and give you the proper technique so you don’t get hurt when you do them on your own.
Ready to get big? We thought so. While it’s going to take some serious work – in the gym and in the kitchen – there’s no reason to think you can’t get in shape and stay that way. You might not be Captain America, but you could definitely be the buff dude in the office.
Over 50? Check out Jason Statham’s workout plan so you can put those youngsters to shame when you rip your shirt off like the Hulk this summer.
Chris Evans Header Image source and usage licence
