Brad Pitt’s shredded Fight Club physique had women going crazy for him. He’s been a model of dedication to diet, training and muscle. Daniel Craig’s ripped physique in Casino Royale is the result of his extensive karate background. He only needed 3 months to build the biceps and abs that made him famous.
1. Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt’s career began with a bit part as a cowboy hitchhiker in Ridley Scott’s road movie Thelma & Louise (1991). Then came a series of films that showcased his acting talent and his physique. He was just five-to-six percent body fat for his role as the frenetic oddball Jeffrey Goines in David Fincher’s thriller Seven (1995) and a natty CIA agent in 12 Monkeys (1995). This kind of shredded physique doesn’t just happen. It requires a dedicated training regimen.
Gaver trained Pitt to bulk up to mythical proportions for the role of Achilles in Wolfgang Petersen’s 300 (1997). They focused on building a strong back with dumbbell rows and pull-downs, rather than adding too much size to his chest. This gave Pitt a Roman-Greco physique with strong, powerful shoulders and arms. He also looked terrific in the apocalyptic World War Z (2013) and the biographical drama 12 Years A Slave (2014).
2. Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig is well-known for his starring roles as James Bond in the Casino Royale reboot, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. He brings a new sexiness to the role and is the most physically fit Bond actor to date, flexing muscles that make his predecessors look lackadaisical by comparison. Before his film career took off, Craig appeared in several stage plays and performed with the National Youth Theatre. He also toured with the NYT troupe to Valencia, Spain and Moscow, Russia.
To prepare for his roles, Craig would usually follow a routine of supersets on exercises like low cable chest fly, BOSU mountain climbers, TRX rows, standard pull-ups, pistol squats, and bodyweight dips. He would then finish with a conditioning circuit. These workouts got his heart rate up, drenched him in sweat, and built his lean yet muscular physique.
3. Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman has been a force to be reckoned with on the big screen since 2000, when he first appeared as Wolverine in X-Men. His ripped physique in the superhero franchise has redefined the look of male bodies on film. He continued to tackle physically demanding roles, including a sexy pirate in the children’s adventure Pan and a law-enforcement robot in Chappie. Jackman also trod the Broadway boards, starring as flamboyant entertainer Peter Allen in Viva Laughlin and a Chicago police officer in A Steady Rain.
He starred in the 2012 movie adaptation of the musical Les Miserables as Jean Valjean, a former convict on the run from relentless police officers. Although he wouldn’t admit it, Jackman likely used performance-enhancing drugs to bulk up for the role of Wolverine. These PEDs may help him deliver his best performances, but they come with risks like chronic pain and mood swings.
4. Marky Mark
Actors are known for their chiseled physiques, but some take it to the next level. Whether it’s for world-saving action roles or brutal bare-knuckle fights, these actors prove that you can’t fake muscles.
He may have started his career with a stint as a boy band member, but the lean muscled Mark Wahlberg is still going strong with horror movies like Boogie Nights and Ted. He also had a short-lived career as an underwear model and rapped with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
The “King of Atlantis” doesn’t settle for the same old gym workouts and prefers surfing, hill sprints, boxing, and brutal calisthenics. He’s not afraid to throw himself into a movie either, as his role as Aquaman shows. His ripped physique is proof that this man is dedicated to fitness. He’s a true inspiration.
5. Scott Adkins
Actors with great physiques tend to have good chests, arms and traps. They also have a chiseled neck and well-developed abs. The best lifts to build this type of body are the bench press for the chest, overhead presses for the shoulders and traps, biceps curls and skullcrusher for the triceps and chin-ups for the upper back and biceps.
Scott Adkins is a big action star who has been kicking ass in movies for years. He has a career of high-quality revenge and martial arts flicks that make good use of his awesome physique.
He was cast in Stallone’s testosterone packed movie The Expendables 2, where he played the right-hand man of Jean Claude Van Damme. Adkins has a real knowledge of martial arts with multiple black belts in taekwondo, judo, ninjitsu and kickboxing. That’s what makes him a badass on screen.