Actor Hugh Jackman got himself into incredible shape for the role of Wolverine, undertaking an intensive six-week exercise and diet pan.

There was a military discipline to his approach, ensuring he hit every workout and meal.

Here’s a look at what his schedule involved.

Hugh Jackman Wolverine Diet

Jackman didn’t do anything revolutionary with his diet, but ate lean and consumed a huge amount of food (over 4,000 calories a day) during his bulking phase. A typical day is outlined below.

Breakfast: Eggs and oatmeal

Meal 2: Steak, sweet potato and broccoli

Meal 3: Chicken, brown rice and spinach

Meal 4: Fish, avocado and broccoli

Jackman also supplemented with a lot of creatine before workouts, as well as BCAAs such as Animal Nitro.

Hugh Jackman Wolverine Workout Plan

The actor’s programme was carefully calculated. His personal trainer told Bodybuilding.com: “I always encourage low, 1-5 rep heavy work to stimulate myofibril hypertrophy. Then after the heavy work is done we move onto the higher rep schemes to encourage sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. By increasing your strength with the low reps, you increase your capacity with the higher reps, so I always plan heavy sets of the compound movements. The combination of the two styles brings the best gains.”

He used a system of four-week blocks, increasing his 1-rep max between each block.

Hugh Jackman’s  typical load in each week of the block was as follows:

Week 1

Set 1: 5 reps 60% of W1RM

Set 2: 5 reps 65% of W1RM

Set 3: 5 reps 75% of W1RM

Set 4: 5 reps  75% of W1RM

Week 2

Set 1:  4 reps 65% of W1RM

Set 2: 4 reps 75% of W1RM

Set 3: 4 reps 85% of W1RM

Set 4: 4 reps 85% of W1RM

Week 3

Set 1: 3 reps, 70% of W1RM

Set 2: 3 reps, 80% of W1RM

Set 3: 3 reps, 90% of W1RM

Set 4: 3 reps, 90% of W1RM

Week 4

Set 1: 10 reps, 40% of W1RM

Set 2: 10 reps, 50% of W1RM

Set 3: 10 reps, 60% of W1RM

Set 4: 10 reps, 90% of W1RM

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