Ever since he took his bow as Thor, God of Thunder, in 2011, Chris Hemsworth has been known to be in top form. But while the Australian actor is known for training hard in the gym, he recently revealed that his basic training doesn’t require a lot of equipment. As if to prove this point, Hemsworth shared a video of himself on Instagram completing the session aboard a boat.
The only tool the Marvel star uses is a medicine ball (although a couple of the best adjustable dumbbells (opens in a new tab) they are visible in the background, presumably for more boat strength training). However, if you don’t have a medicine ball, you can substitute a dumbbell, kettlebell, or even a full backpack for this accessible session.
In his Instagram video, which you can see below, hemsworth (opens in a new tab) shows eight abdominal workouts (opens in a new tab) and describes how to use them as part of effective basic training. To start, you need to perform 10 repetitions of each exercise in a circuit, resting as little as possible between them; this is a round.
Rest for 60 seconds at the end of each round to catch your breath and allow your abs to recover a bit, then it’s time to move on to the next one. The workout is complete when you’ve finished five rounds and performed each exercise 50 times (giving you an impressive 400 total reps for the session).
Below, he leaves his army of more than 56 million Instagram followers with some tips for tackling training, along with a few words of encouragement.
“Try it at your own pace, but keep pushing yourself! Keep going and don’t stop until you hit 50 reps! You did it!”
Watch Chris Hemsworth’s Eight-Move Basic Workout
With its high volume and minimal rest times, Hemsworth’s favorite job training (opens in a new tab) is an example of high-intensity interval training (or HIIT, as it’s commonly known). This training method has become increasingly popular over the past two decades thanks to its time-efficient exercise approach. It also tends to use minimal equipment, making it a great option for those who exercise at home.
But the benefits don’t begin or end with its practicality. HIIT has also been shown to have many health benefits. A review published in the british journal of sports medicine (opens in a new tab) concluded that HIIT is an effective way to improve VO2 max, decrease body fat percentage, and lower resting heart rate.
The Hemsworth session is also better than many ab workouts, as it works multiple muscles within the core, which is made up of several components, including the rectus abdominis (or ripped abs, as they’re colloquially known), the obliques, and the transversus abdominis. . These are responsible for bending, twisting, and stabilizing the midsection, respectively.
So moves like the butterfly crunches will work the rectus abdominis, the bicycle crunches will engage the obliques, and the transversus abdominis will engage during bird dogs, giving you a complete core workout.
To help with post-workout DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness), it’s important to get enough protein in your diet to promote recovery. the The best protein powders for weight loss. (opens in a new tab) help keep you topped up for lean muscle growth, especially if you use one of the The best blenders for protein shakes (opens in a new tab) to turn them into a tasty post-workout snack.
