Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve seen it. Hugh Jackman returns to his role as Wolverine in Deadpool 3. The star broke the news in a video with Ryan Reynolds, with the duo showing off their bromance and then their impressive weapons in an explainer video.
But how did the star get on and stay in shape to play Wolverine? I took a deep dive into Jackman’s workout routine to find out more.
Of course, Jackman played Wolverine over a period of 17 years, so it’s unlikely he followed the same workout routine for that long. That said, it seems that lifting weights and eating a balanced, high-protein diet are staples of Jackman’s program. As the Hollywood star proves, long-term results require long-term dedication, not fad diets or extreme workouts.
While Jackman has worked with several different personal trainers over the years, he worked with trainer David Kingsbury before his dramatic transformation in 2009. X-Men Originals: Wolverine. The star worked with Kingsbury for more than six months to develop her upper body for the role.
Kingsbury is a proponent of progressive overload, where you gradually increase the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions over time. Kingsley reportedly divided the actor’s training into a four-week schedule, increasing the weight for the first three weeks, then lowering and increasing the weight for the fourth. The lift was precise: Kingsley would calculate Jackman’s one rep max (the most he can lift for one rep) and go from there. You can read more about the process at kingsbury’s blog (opens in a new tab).
But how hard were the workouts themselves, to learn more I used an example workout posted on muscle and strength (opens in a new tab)grabbed some of the best adjustable dumbbells, and went to work. It’s worth noting that what works for Jackman may not be right for you and your body: Before adding weight or reps to a workout, it’s a good idea to check your form with a personal trainer to minimize the risk of injury.
What is Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Arm Workout?
Although this might not be the exact The training Jackman used, here’s what Muscle and Strength put together based on the Wolverine actor’s training principles:
Exercise 1
Bench press: 4 sets of 5 @60/65/75/75% 1RM, rest 60-90 seconds between sets
Exercise 2
Weighted Immersion: 3 sets of 10, following the 2-by-2 rule (if you can complete an additional two reps in two sets, the weight should be increased). Rest 60 to 90 seconds between each set.
superset 3
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 12 reps
dumbbell jumper: 3 sets of 10 reps
wire crossings: 3 sets of 10 reps
After completing one set of each exercise in succession, rest for 90 seconds before repeating.
superset 4
Hanging Leg Raises: 1 set of 12 reps, then 10 reps, 8 reps, and 6 reps
Weighted Crunch: 4 sets of 12
After completing a set of both exercises in succession, rest for 90 seconds before repeating.
I Tried Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Arm Workout – Here’s What Happened
I’ll be honest, this one filled me with dread. As a runner, I don’t spend a lot of time in the gym, and when I do, I almost never do workouts that just focus on my arms. That said, in the name of good journalism, I grabbed some dumbbells and got to work.
As a newbie to weightlifting, I didn’t know what my rep max would be, but I started with the dumbbells I would normally use for a chest press (two 6kg dumbbells) and built from there. I soon realized that since I was only doing five reps, I was able to do a lot more weight than normal, although my dumbbells were certainly much lighter than Hugh Jackman’s. Still, Wolverine wasn’t built in a day, was it?
When it comes to dips, I struggled to do 10 without any weights, so I opted to just do three sets of 10 bodyweight dips for the workout. As a reminder, if you’re new to a movement, it’s best to master your technique and have proper form before adding weight. My arms were tired, and then I was into my first superset, starting with incline dumbbell bench press. I soon realized that I had pushed myself a bit with the first few exercises, as by the cable crossovers in the first superset, my biceps were on fire.
Unlike Jackman, I didn’t stick to the suggested rest periods—I needed a lot more time to sit on an exercise mat and contemplate my career options. He was also training in a busier gym, so he often had to wait for people to finish their reps on various machines. We’re definitely not in Hollywood anymore.
While I have no doubt that Jackman did the leg raises hanging from a bar, I seem to lack the superhero grip strength needed to complete a rep, so I opted to do my leg raises using the Captains Chair machine instead. the gym. This made the movement a little easier, as I was able to put my weight on my elbows and focus on activating my abs to lift my legs, without rocking from the hips. Weighted crunches felt like a treat after focusing on my arms, and I will definitely be adding them to my crunches in the future.
Training left me with a Wolverine physique? Unfortunately. the human body doesn’t work that fast, but it made washing my hair the next day a challenge. The fact that Jackman kept up his strength-training regimen for 11 years is huge dedication, but also proof that results take hard work and dedication: Want arms like Wolverine? Consistency is really key if you want to beat Sabertooth.
Looking for more exercise inspiration? Read what happened when I tried Chris Hemsworth’s 250 rep dumbbell workout herewhen I tried Lily James’ 600 rep crunchesand when I did 50 oblique crunches a day for a week.
