While Henry Cavill’s body is synonymous with Superman, his preparation for his latest role has been equally gruelling. The British actor is about to star in Netflix’ new fantasy series The Witcher and if the footage that’s emerged is anything to go by, Cavill hasn’t taken his foot off the pedal in the gym.
Watch Cavill’s full workout above.
The 36-year-old hasn’t always had it easy. The actor recently opened up to Men’s Health, sharing that he was teased growing up for being “a chubby kid.”
But fast forward 20 years and Cavill has one of the most desired bodies in Hollywood after teaming up with Dave Rienzi, who is also Dwayne Johnson’s strength and conditioning coach. While Rienzi was there when Cavill became the Man of Steel, he’s stuck by his side ensuring the Brit was also physically ready for his lead role of Geralt in the upcoming series that’s been likened to Game of Thrones.
Catching up with Cavill and Rienzi in the weight room, the pair took MH through the actor’s workout routine for The Witcher. Cavill is a fan of fasted cardio – working out on an empty stomach – and heavy lifting, which appears to be the secret formula behind his impressive physique.
While Cavill and Rienzi share their favourite exercises, they stress that this is not their typical workout and instead each exercises is specific to different muscle groups.
“Those are moves that we put into workouts, depending on which muscle group or muscle groups we’re working that particular day,” he tells us. The duo also wanted to cover the whole body, from the posterior chain to core to biceps.
There’s no denying Cavill’s rig is out of this world, so he also makes the important point of noting that our bodies are all different and some will see results quicker than others.
“The most important thing to remember is that you are you,” he says. “Everyone has a different genetic makeup, everyone is at a different stage of fitness or training or even has a different amount of calories going in. So you do you, and just make sure that every workout is as hard as you can do it.”
Here are some of Cavill’s go-to movements, targeting both lower-body and upper-body muscles.
Romanian Deadlift with Hip Circle
- 3 sets of 10 reps
4 second negative, 2 second pause
Hyperextension on Glute Hams Machine
- 3 sets of 10 reps
2 second hold at the top
Oblique Static Hold
- 3 sets of 30 second holds per side
3-Way Shoulder Raise
- 3 sets of 15 reps from each position
Half-Iso Alternating Dumbbell Curl
- 3 sets of 10 reps per arm
