Henry Cavill’s Justice League Workout: Actor Credits “Superman” Physique to Trainer Michael Blevins

Photo Credit: Jon Furniss / Corbis
Henry Cavill

Photo Credit: Jon Furniss / Corbis

Henry Cavill’s career has certainly taken off since being cast in 2013’s Superman reboot film, Man of Steel. The 33-year-old again donned the red cape for this year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Although Superman appeared to be killed off, audiences will see Henry Cavill in Justice League: Part One and Justice League: Part Two, scheduled for 2017 and 2019 respectively. Cavill certainly works hard to maintain his Superman body for every DC Extended Universe film.

And the Henry Cavill workout for Justice League: Part One is no exception; it’s literally out of this world. He is playing an alien superhero after all.

The Englishman credits his heroic physique to trainer Michael Blevins, and trainer Mark Twight, who is the founder of Gym Jones. Cavill just asks for advice from his trainers, and they tell him what will help him accomplish his goal. Twight, in particular, is the trainer behind Gerard Butler’s transformation for the movie 300.

Twight had no easy task of getting the actor to maintain the same body and fitness-training routine for the entire 120-day Man of Steel shoot. Cavill had a similar daily workout plan for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and now, for the Justice League films.

His exercise routine has a four-phase process, with preparation, muscle-bulking, learning out, and maintenance phases. Cavill’s bulking phase is made up of lots of Olympic weightlifting movements.

Henry Cavill’s Workout Plan and Fitness Training for Justice League

Blevins and Cavill worked to build a lean, muscular look for Superman with a CrossFit-style training program that featured timed workouts, Plyometrics, and gymnastic circuits. The bulking phase’s Olympic-style weightlifting included lifts that would build muscle, power, and strength.

Cavill also used a heavy barbell for bulking up, with exercises including a front-and-back squat combo, a split jerk, a push press, a front squat, a clean pull, power and hang clean lifts, and a jerk.

The CrossFit-style training included lifting 10,000 pounds as quickly as possible with deadlifts, presses, and squats. Other exercises included sprinting, kettlebell swings, and push presses with 50-pound dumbbells.

Conditioning was also very important in Cavill’s training routine. Blevins says that building muscle without conditioning is similar to having an impressive engine without a gas tank. The conditioning exercises were considered important to helping the Superman actor trim fat when necessary.

Henry Cavill trained for two-and-a-half hours per day, while pushing his body beyond normal limits. He did two months training alone, and another four months with Mark Twight.

Henry Cavill’s Justice League Diet

What about Henry Cavill’s diet for a muscular physique? Cavill ate between 3,500 and 5000 calories daily while training for the Superman role. That being said, the calories were far from empty. The calories focused on high-quality protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. Cavill ate six meals each day.

What did he eat in a day to keep his calories up?

His first meal might consist of protein powder, blueberries, slivered almonds, cold cereal, and low-fat milk.

Meal two is similar, with grapes, barley, sunflower seeds, protein powder, and cottage cheese.

Meal three is chicken breast, non- or low-fat cheese, vegetable soup, crackers, peanuts, and whole-wheat pitas.

Meal four is more protein powder, yogurt, barley, slivered almonds, tangerines, and a choice of flax, olive, hemp, or salmon oil.

Meal five is cauliflower, beef, rice, almonds, and fruit juice.

And finally, meal six is skinless turkey breast, chickpeas, mushrooms, lettuce, onions, cherry tomatoes, and almonds.

That is a lot of food for one day. However, Henry Cavill knows that it takes sacrifices and true commitment to take on the role of Superman, including an intense training regime and high-calorie diet. Do you have what it takes to be Superman?