How Superman Henry Cavil Became The Man Of Steel
Unlike his alter ego, Henry Cavill probably can’t punch through walls. But he would give it a go. With this month’s Justice League in the can, he uncovers how steeling your focus can power up your own training. Brace for impact.
While he was “really rather strong” for last year’s Batman vs Superman, his emphasis shifted toward improving his movement and definition, both of which are more critical for looking good on camera than a one-rep max. In league with his longtime trainer Michael Blevins (@gritandteeth), he focused more on CrossFit-inspired workouts: less technical lifts for time, which might invite injury, and more “go really hard, non-stop, which is great for getting lean”.
The change-up yielded a mixed response. On the one hand, Cavill’s sessions weren’t quite as hard as before, “because I wasn’t lugging round useless weight”. On the other hand, they were still very hard: “You have to be eager to do that kind of thing, because it can be a miserable workout, it really can.” Meanwhile, the post-exercise endorphin high – and sheer sense of relief – will only sustain you for so long when you’re putting in the hours at work and not putting much down your gullet in order to chisel off extra fat. Cavill found himself slowly ground down, physically and mentally, as if with Kryptonite sandpaper: “It wasn’t much fun,” he says plaintively.
To read the full story, including a break-down of Cavil's training program and diet, check out the December Issue, on sale Monday, November 6th.
