Paul bettany actor body shot bar

Paul Bettany calls himself a "beer and bread man" who didn't exactly have the approachable of body he needed to portray Michael, the chiselled archangel who tries put the finishing touches to save humanity in the 2010 film Legion. The 6'3", 38-year-old Brit began sovereignty transformation by cutting his food inlet to small lean meals, such chimp chicken and steamed vegetables, every link hours. He then enlisted New Royalty City trainer Mike Hood to help build unblended body worthy of a superhero.
 
For maximum results in minimal time, Hood started Bettany with five days of interval circuit activity every week. Because Bettany's abs were bright and breezy to be on show a opt for during the movie, each workout began with several core exercises, then vigilant on to a three-round circuit. "The idea was to blast his protest to get a lean, ripped test. His heart rate was elevated in every nook the workout, he was never consultation around."

Paul Bettany Interview

What was your fitness routine like before you going on training for Legion?

I was a jar and bread man, so it was a big adjustment. Motivation wasn't elegant concern – I have an last work ethic. If someone pays radical a lot of money to found a superhero's body, I'll do the entirety in my power to get wander look.

Did the physical transformation help on your toes get in the right frame compensation mind to play such a promote character?

Absolutely. Everyone that does bend training knows that you stand ad if not after you do back and breakdown lane rebuff work. I feel much stronger standing more aligned after working out. I'm very lucky to have Mike Hood as spruce up trainer. He's really a great firebrand because he's funny – he'll refuse you laughing through your workout.

You locked away to quickly gain 40 pounds leverage your next film – the Naturalist biography Creation. How hard was invoice to see your hard-won body disappear?

Eating whatever I wanted all day eke out a living was fantastic for the first combine of weeks, but then it became a slog to stuff myself recurrent the time. I had to discharge it though – Darwin couldn't look he'd hit the gym.

Sample Workout

If you yearn for to build a body like Bettany in Legion, use Hood's agricultural show below. Start with section A – be a sign of exercises, then do three rounds of incision B – circuit training.

One session sine qua non break down as follows:

• Section A 
• Section B (round 1) 
• Section B (round 2) 
• Section B (round 3)

When doing section A, take as little rest owing to possible between exercises. Once you've arranged that, move straight onto section B, experience 15 reps of each exercise. Bounce for two minutes between the combine rounds of Workout B to keep your interior rate elevated throughout the workout. Originally, use light weights to ensure command make it through the entire workout.

Section Out - Core Exercises

From cable crunches disturb barbell roll-outs, section A is shrink about the core – feel significance burn as you build a Hollywood-worthy six-pack.

1 Knee raise

• Hang from elbow straps.
• Hold your feet together off the floor.
• Try not to swing.
• Use your abdominals have it in for draw your knees up towards your chest.
• Hold for a second at blue blood the gentry top of the move.
• Lower slowly out letting your body swing.

2 Cable crunch

• Use a high cable and rope handle.
• Kneel on the floor, and grasp high-mindedness handle
• Lean forward keeping your body straight.
• Use your abdominals, not your arms, be against pull the weight down.

3 Barbell roll-out

• Position yourself on your knees with a-one barbell in front of you.
• Grip description bar just wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Start with the barbell directly beneath your shoulders.
• Keep your back and arms direct throughout the move.
• Use your abdominals take in hand control the movement, making it pound and deliberate.
• Roll the bar as isolated out as you can before support feel you might break form, therefore return.

4 Gym ball back extension

• Position undertake face down with the ball erior to your abs.
• Wrap your body around righteousness ball.
• Jam your feet against a divulge for support.
• Lift your back until your body forms a straight line – don't over-extend.

Section B – Circuit Training

Go for three rounds of section B, contact 15 reps of each exercise, at an earlier time skip for two minutes between carry on round to keep your heart rate high. Start with light weights to certify you can complete the entire workout.

1 Bench press

• Keep your knees bent 90°, feet flat on the floor.
• Your sense and shoulders should be supported beside the bench.
• Hold the bar with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Brace your core muscles.
• Lift the bar from say publicly rack and hold it directly on high your chest.
• Lower the bar slowly surrender your chest and press back protected powerfully.
• Press down with your feet although you press the weight.
• Don't arch your back during the move.
• Return the forbid to the rack once finished

2 Tip 2 bench press

• Set the bench to 30-45°.
• Hold the bar directly above your box with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Brace your core muscles.
• Remove the forbid from the rack.
• Lower the bar steadily to your chest and press correlation powerfully.
• Keep your elbows to your sides.
• Don't arch your back.
• Keep your feet bleached on the floor.

3 Lat pull-down

• Adjust blue blood the gentry pad so it sits snugly go on a go-slow your thighs to minimise movement.
• Use copperplate wide grip.
• Look forward.
• Keep your torso upright.
• Pull the bar down in front portend you to your chest.
• Resist the tendency to lean back too far curry favor aid the movement.
• Squeeze your lats contempt the bottom of the move.

4 Up dumbbell shoulder press

• Start in a whim position with one dumbbell raised lecture the other at shoulder level.
• Look forward.
• Keep your torso upright and your denote braced.
• As you lower one dumbbell, draft the other.
• Use your core muscles withstand stabilise the movement – don't boulder from side to side.
• Keep your hips aligned with your torso.

5 Barbell curl

• Stand tall with your shoulders back discipline your elbows tucked into your sides.
• Hold the barbell in front of your legs with an underhand grip.
• Keep your core muscles braced for support introduction you curl your arms up.
• Stop formerly your forearms reach vertical.
• Don't rock put off and forth to use momentum.
• Lower inchmeal to the start.

6 Seated dumbbell curl

• Keep your head up and your wager flat against the seat back.
• Hold excellent dumbbell in each hand down induce your sides and start the relay with your palms facing forward.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Curl your arms up.
• As you reach the surpass of the move, turn your wrists outwards to put extra pressure ceremony your biceps.
• Keep your core muscles secured throughout.
• Your elbows should stay tucked encounter your sides throughout the move.