Whether he’s donning a red cape as the Superman we didn’t deserve; suiting up in armour as Geralt of Rivia for Netflix’s The Witcher; or if we’re to believe the rumours, suiting up regularly as the next James Bond — you can be sure that Henry Cavill has endured an ungodly workout and diet plan for the sake of our entertainment.
“It is not supposed to be easy. And with that kind of mindset going into workouts and training, I think I would have benefited from that enormously,” the actor told bodybuilding.com (via Men’s Health) when prompted about what advice he’d give his younger self.
RELATED: Henry Cavill Is Born To Play 007, Says ‘Kingsman’ Director
“Do it your way. Get the right information, get the right knowledge from someone who knows their stuff. But also, do fitness your way — whatever you enjoy doing — and you’ll get the most out of it.”
Here’s how the real-life Man of Steel does it “his way.”
Jump To:
Henry Cavill’s Workout Routine
In preparation for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, strength coach Michael Blevins was enlisted to create an Olympic weightlifting-centric fitness regimen for Henry Cavill.
According to Muscle & Fitness, these complex yet massively effective movements built muscle, strength, and speed simultaneously — balancing performance with aesthetics.
Check out the sample workouts below.
Barbell (Heavy)
- Hang Clean & Jerk: work up to one max rep
- Clean Pull: 4 sets of 1 rep
- Power Clean: 4 sets of 1 rep
- Front Squat: 4 sets of 1 rep
- Push Press: 4 sets of 1 rep
- Split Jerk: 4 sets of 1 rep
- Front Squat: work up to one max rep
- Front Squat: 3 sets of 7 reps
- Back Squat: 3 sets of 13 reps
Blevins notes: “There’s a misconception that cardio will negatively impact muscle. A larger work capacity can allow you to train harder and longer. Building muscle without conditioning is akin to having an impressive engine without a gas tank — it’s worthless. This conditioning helped later when trimming fat.”
We’ll address this component shortly…
Bodybuilding (General)
For those of you more keen on additional exercises in between the more punishing sessions like the one outlined above, considering the following.
Monday
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Flat Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Weighted Pull-Ups: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Dumbbell Row: 4 sets of 12 reps
Tuesday
- Deadlift: 5 sets of 5 reps
- Front Squat: 5 sets of 8 reps
- Front lunges: 5 sets of 15 reps (each leg)
- Calf raises: 5 sets of 12 reps
Wednesday
[Rest day.]Thursday
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Cable Crossover: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Weighted Chin-Ups: until failure
- Cable Row: 4 sets of 12 reps
Friday
- Seated Dumbbell Press: 5 sets of 12 reps
- Side Lateral Raise: 5 sets of 12 reps
- Front Lateral Raises: 5 sets of 12 reps
- Bicep Curls (Any): 5 sets of 12 reps
- Tricep Extensions (Any): 5 sets of 12 reps
Weekend
[Maintenance, e.g. yoga, sauna, massages.]Sometimes, it’s hard to believe this is the same bloke who was once accused of being out of shape during his first screen test for 007 (which he eventually lost to Daniel Craig).
“It was his tough love way of saying, ‘Look, mate, you’re in a Bond screen test. Next time you come to a screen test, really focus hard on making sure you lean up if it’s for something like Bond,’” he recounted of an exchange with GoldenEye and Casino Royale director Martin Campbell.
“And I wasn’t by any means chubby, but I was probably overweight for taking my shirt off on camera.”
The Exercise You Need To Wield A Sword Like Geralt
Niche as it may be, for those of you interested, read on.
In the past, Henry Cavill has credited Alternating Dumbbell Curls from a static hold for his blade proficiency in Netflix’s The Witcher; adding muscular endurance in the forearm and conditioning the biceps to remain under tension for a longer period of time:
“That constant time under pressure, when you’re holding a sword, the first few takes are fine but when you’re into Take 16 of the day and you’re doing very complex movements with your wrists, your forearm does start to die and then you’ll end up throwing swords across the room rather than making a swing.
Core and shoulder strength with exercises like an Oblique Static Hold and 3-Way Shoulder Raise also don’t hurt when it comes to developing swordplay stamina.
Fun Forms of Cardio
Back onto the matter “doing fitness your own way” and improving your cardiovascular ability.
While we have no doubt that Henry Cavill has probably incorporated skipping, the ergo/rowing machine, or simply hit a bike/treadmill for some rudimentary cardio, we know for a fact he likes to train in certain ways.
As a child, he’d played field hockey for the 1st XI and rugby union for the 3rd XV — the latter having led him to meet future co-star Russell Crowe at the age of 16, when the latter was shooting Proof of Life on location at Stowe. But these days, like many leading men employed by Hollywood, it’s all about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Cavill began training under the one and only Roger Gracie back in 2016 at the legendary “gentle art” practitioner’s London academy.
“I do enjoy running to a degree. I definitely don’t run marathons, I’m not built for those and it’s not really my cup of tea,” explained Henry Cavill.
“I’ve done a little bit of boxing, mostly based upon stunt fights and stuff. But for me, the martial art that I do the most is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.”
He added: “When you’re doing jiu-jitsu, you can’t think about anything but jiu-jitsu. And when you have a stressful job and you’re travelling all the time and you brain is always working on other things apart from just relaxing, it’s nice to have something like jiu-jitsu because you have to focus fully on it otherwise someone chokes you out.”
Then there’s this salacious implication…
Henry Cavill’s Diet Plan
Suffice it to say, the bulking stage to transform himself from a lean Tudor noble (and streamlined Greek mythology hero) to Krypton’s last son was… significant.
For Man of Steel, Henry Cavill — who stands at just over 6ft, hovered around the 90kg mark, and known as “Fat Cavill” in a previous life — was consuming more than twice the calories of an average adult male.
“I’m on 5,000 calories a day,” he revealed to Total Film (via The Hollywood Reporter).
“You’ve got to eat protein first, then a little bit of carbs… you’ve got to keep your hunger levels going.”
Referring to the expertise of BarBend, higher-than-average amounts of dietary protein are recommended for such a bulk: approximately 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight daily.
Additional authorities note that bulking up for a “movie-worthy physique” also requires maintaining a daily caloric surplus of around 285 — 25% of the total caloric intake ideally coming from protein.
While sources have often championed the virtues of carbs, sweet treats, and so forth to hit the necessary surplus, it doesn’t seem to be such a temptation for Cavill.
Speaking to bodybuilding.com, when asked whether he’d rather spend the rest of his life without the gym or without dessert, the Man From U.N.C.L.E star hypothetically waved goodbye to cakes and pies.
Here’s an example of a clean bulking diet lifted from our other detailed manual on how Chris Hemsworth achieves his own superhero/living god body.
RELATED: Tom Hardy Says He Was Just “Really Overweight” For Bane Transformation
Daily Meals (Template)
Monday
8 AM: Green power shake with protein
10 AM: Bowl of yoghurt with mixed fresh berries, chia seeds, almonds, and honey
12 PM: [Workout]
1 PM: Post-workout shake consisting of vegetable protein, ice water, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and 1g of Vitamin C
2:30 PM: 8oz grilled chicken with crispy sweet potatoes and a rocket salad with seeds, nuts, and salted apple (lemon & olive oil dressing on the side)
5:30 PM: Two rice crackers with Vegemite, tuna, and cherry tomatoes
7 PM: 8oz white fish with grilled mushrooms and raw broccoli salad
9 PM: Half a small papaya with yoghurt and berries; magnesium/zinc supplement
Tuesday (Mirrors Monday)
8 AM: Green power shake with protein
10 AM: Bowl of yoghurt with mixed fresh berries, chia seeds, almonds, and honey
12 PM: [Workout]
1 PM: Post-workout shake consisting of vegetable protein, ice water, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and 1g of Vitamin C
2:30 PM: 8oz grilled chicken with crispy sweet potatoes and a rocket salad with seeds, nuts, and salted apple (lemon & olive oil dressing on the side)
5:30 PM: Two rice crackers with Vegemite, tuna, and cherry tomatoes
7 PM: 8oz white fish with grilled mushrooms and raw broccoli salad
9 PM: Half a small papaya with yoghurt and berries; magnesium/zinc supplement
Tuesday (Alt)
8 AM: Green power shake with protein
10 AM: Three fried eggs on a slice of wholegrain toast with Vegemite and avocado
12 PM: [Workout]
1 PM: Post-workout shake consisting of vegetable protein, ice water, BCAAs and 1g of Vitamin C
2:30 PM: 8oz eye fillet (fillet mignon), grilled pumpkin salad with spinach, herbs, cucumber, and ½ cup of steamed rice
5:30 PM: Chicken & vegetable soup with barley
7 PM: 8oz white fish, leafy green salad with radicchio and balsamic dressing, side of roasted mixed cruciferous vegetables
9 PM: BCAAs with magnesium/zinc supplement
Wednesday
7 AM: Green power shake with protein
9 AM: Three scrambled eggs on a wrap with tomato salsa
11 AM: [Workout]
12 PM: Fresh tuna sashimi salad with bitter and leafy greens, avocado, walnuts, and ½ cup of sushi rice
3 PM: Homemade frozen green bar (blended mix of spinach, cooked + frozen cauliflower, chia seeds, dates, spirulina, bee pollen, banana, almond flour, pumpkin seeds, and cucumber)
6:30 PM: Grilled lamb chops, cauliflower mash, grilled zucchini, and roasted carrots
9 PM: Yoghurt with some honey and BCAAs with magnesium/zinc
Thursday
8 AM: Almond banana shake with flax oil, bee pollen, a pinch of sea salt, and vegetable protein
10 AM: Two fried eggs on a slice of spelt bread with warm spinach
12 PM: [Workout]
1 PM: Post-workout protein BCAAs shake
2 PM: 6oz grilled ribeye steak, grilled romaine and vegetable salad, with ½ cup of wild rice pilaf
4 PM: Beef jerky snack with nuts and dried fruit
7 PM: Steamed snapper fish with tomato, onion, roasted brussels sprouts, and small baked potato with Greek yoghurt
9 PM: BCAAs and magnesium/zinc supplement
Friday
8 AM: Raw cacao & frozen berry shake with coconut oil, chia seeds, dates, and vegetable protein
10 AM: Savoury porridge with olive oil, parmesan, and two poached eggs
12 PM: [Workout]
1 PM: Post-workout shake
2 PM: Sesame chicken salad with leafy greens, sprouts, pickles, and ½ cup of steamed rice
5 PM: Homemade frozen green bar
7 PM: 8oz grilled mahi-mahi, grilled asparagus, roasted tomato, and a non-dairy Caesar salad
9 PM: BCAAs with magnesium/zinc supplement
While you’re here, check out some of BH’s workout content as reviewed by celebrity trainer Jono Castano:
- Bicep Workouts & Exercises
- Shoulders Workouts & Exercises
- Trap Workouts & Exercises
- Rear Delt Workouts & Exercises
- Lat Workouts & Exercises
- Tricep Workouts & Exercises
- Chest Workouts & Exercises
- Oblique Workouts & Exercises
- Ab Workouts & Exercises
- Leg Workouts & Exercises
- How To Bench Press [101 Guide For Average Blokes]
Also read:
- The Workout That’ll Get You ‘Gladiator II’ Ripped Like Paul Mescal
- Jake Gyllenhaal’s Workout & Diet Plan To Get ‘Road House’ Ripped
- Joe Rogan’s Workout & Diet Plan Isn’t For The Faint-Hearted
- The Chris Hemsworth Workout & Diet Plan Is Inhuman
- How Jeremy Allen White Got Calvin Klein Model-Jacked
- How Hugh Jackman Trained Before Returning As Wolverine For ‘Deadpool 3’
- Daniel Craig’s Military-Inspired Workout For ‘No Time To Die’
- How Michael Jordan’s Personal Trainer Helped Him Achieve GOAT Status
- The Bruce Lee Workout That Made His Rig Famous
