Learn How Thor's Chris Hemsworth Packed On 20 Pounds Of Muscle!

Thor's Thunderous Workout

The first blow has been struck in the cinematic battle of the superhero movies, as Marvel finally brought one of its biggest franchises to the screen in the shape of Thor. Sworn to defend the innocent, the Norse God of Thunder uses his mighty hammer in the service of his divine powers.

From the looks of his on-screen physique, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth lifted some heavy metal of his own before picking up his character's trademark hammer.

Well, yes and no.

Until this role came along, Hemsworth hoisted little more than his surfboard overhead. His workouts consisted of hitting the waves in Orange County or doing old-school rugby drills (suicides, stair climbs, etc.), boxing, and Muay Thai, a combat sport. There always has to be some scrapping. He is Australian after all.

Hemsworth's training was formerly designed to build speed, agility, and fitness, says his trainer, Steve Walsh, a fellow Limerick man and former professional rugby player. The implication--Hemsworth had enough muscle as it was, thank you.

Upon landing the role of a superhero, however, the former Aussie soap actor knew he'd have to bulk up, stat. Good luck packing on 20 pounds of muscle playing with battle ropes and running suicides, so he supplemented Walsh's efforts with hypertrophy-oriented workouts designed by celebrity trainer Duffy Gaver.

Gaver had previously helped Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and, er, Adam Sandler with their body sculpting. This task was no less daunting.

Gaining 20 pounds of lean mass is no easy feat, especially for an iron-game novice. Hemsworth followed a strict bodybuilding regimen while adopting a new diet to transform his physique into something superhero-worthy.

Here's how "Team Thor" dialed it all in:

Training

Hemsworth's Thor-inspired workouts had to be simple yet functional. The character doesn't just lift the sword; he needs to swing it too.

Hemsworth needed to keep practicing Muay Thai and boxing to prepare for those fight scenes and remain lean. But adding muscle required some serious, old-fashioned weight training.

Heavy compound exercises like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts are the bread and butter of all serious muscle-building programs, and Hemsworth's regimen was no exception.

(Four-On, One-off, Repeat)

Day 1: Chest/Shoulders/Boxing

• Bag: 5 sets of 3-minute rounds
• Focus Pads: 5 sets of 3-minute rounds on
• Skipping: 5 sets of 3-minute rounds

If you don't have access to boxing equipment do 30 minutes of HIIT cardio.

Day 2: Back/Arms/Boxing/Abs

Superset:

• Bag: 5 sets of 3-minute rounds
• Focus Pads: 5 sets of 3-minute rounds on
• Skipping: 5 sets of 3-minute rounds

If you don't have access to boxing equipment do 30 minutes of HIIT cardio.

Day 3: Surfing/Legs

This is a great workout--interval cardio as you paddle out for each wave, core stability as you attempt to stay on the board. Ever seen a fat surfer? Didn't think so.

If you don't have access to surfing equipment or surf worthy water do 30 minutes of HIIT cardio.

Superset:

Day 4: Core/Cardio

Nutrition

Fueling your body with the right nutrition is a key to any successful physique transformation. The most important macronutrient for muscle growth is protein, so step one was increasing Hemsworth's daily intake. Under Gaver's guidance, Hemsworth started eating more egg whites, chicken, fish, and steak.

This type of bulking diet requires choosing the right type of carbohydrate at the right time. For Hemsworth, this meant favoring fibrous carbs like broccoli and spinach while cutting back on starchy carbs like potatoes and white rice.

Supplementation

Hemsworth couldn't have developed his godlike physique without the aid of modern sport science--namely, protein supplementation. Fueling up on amino acids prior to a workout creates an anabolic environment for superheroes and mortals alike.

Postworkout, refueling with whey protein takes full advantage of that window of opportunity.

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