Get ULTRA RIPPED with the MAN OF STEEL Workout

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the movie premier of Man of Steel before the rest of the world. I was shocked to see how ripped Henry Cavill (Superman) got. After some research I discovered his secret for packing on massive muscle in such a short time. Let me share with you my findings.

First, let me state that Henry Cavill worked with a top fitness expert named Mark Twight.  He owns a gym called Gym Jones in Salt Lake City. Mr. Twight is the same person who worked with the cast of 300. Guys, if you haven’t seen this movie, ask your girlfriend/​wives, I guarantee you they remember this movie fondly. The movie 300 had more six packs in it than Animal House.

Ok, let’s go through Henry Cavill workout routine that got him huge for Man of Steel, then we will discuss his meal plan.

Tight Muscles from Work — Need Help on PFT

Here is a great email about how many people feel after a long day of work or sport practices and you have to also prepare for a fitness test in the military or special ops training in your near future.

Stew, I am a specialist in the Texas National Guard and I have an extremely hard time with my APFT. My civilian job involves constant lifting, pushing, pulling etc…of heavy objects, I can feel myself getting stronger but my pushup score is declining during tests. I have increased my workout to try to compensate but it doesn’t seem to be helping. When I perform pushups during the test it feels like I’m fighting my chest and shoulder muscles to move downward.  I’m wondering if the constant heavy workout is affecting my range of motion and making pushups harder for me? Have you ever heard/​encountered this? How can I get my APFT score back up?

ASVAB Test: Working Out Your Brain

Before military training comes the ASVAB test. The better prepared you are, the more opportunities you’re going to have. It’s that simple.
Some people naturally do well on tests. Others struggle. Not so much because they’re not capable of answering the questions, but because it may be hard to focus or they just get nervous at the thought of a written test.

Luckily, the same thing that help you prepare for physically for military training can help you prepare mentally for the ASVAB.

Overtraining? Pissed Off? Military and Personal Sports Training Gone Wrong

Are you getting ready for military bootcamp? Navy Seal Buds Training? Or an endurance event like the Marine Marathon or Ironman event? Or are you simply trying to stay in shape so when you strap on that Kevlar vest you know you’re ready for anything that comes your way?

In any case, guys that try too hard, too fast with their personal sports training programs can end up tired, fatigued, burnt out, and actually have trouble concentrating when it matters the most.

These are just some of the signs that you might be overtraining.

Speed Training Programs for a Better Personal Best

Sports training  involves various conditioning methods like a speed training program, endurance training, or strength training. Each
has a purpose based on the desired outcome.

You might have an upcoming sports event or want to stay fit for military, special ops, or Seal training. Or, you might be training for an event such as the Marine Marathon and you want to learn how to run faster.

Tactical Fitness and Special Ops Training

Hey Stew, I am working on a project and was curious what your opinion on today’s warrior and Special Ops fitness and which training disciplines best achieve this?

Great question!  Over the past decade Special Ops Fitness has morphed into a new fitness genre along with military, police, and fire fighter fitness called Tactical Fitness.  In fact, the National Strength and Conditioning Association has created the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Certification Program and hold some of the best conferences I have ever been to.  Speakers include those physiologists and athletic trainers who train active duty Special Ops Team such as Delta Force and SEAL Team Six.  But the real progress in training is in the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, FBI, Border Patrol, and other federal law enforcement programs.  Now many of our nation’s branches of service are hiring sports team trainers to run their indoctrination (boot camp), special operations maintenance and injury /​ rehabilitation programs for instance.

Marathon Training: What About Tempo Runs and Lactate-​​Thresholds?

There are several marathon training programs to help prepare you for race day. And, those workout plans will vary depending on your own personal goals. However, you will see some similarities. The kind of running that you will do may include: Tempo runs, Interval training, and Marathon Pace running.

No matter the pace, duration, or miles covered during each training day, every run should include a warm-​​up, a cool-​​down, and a good, healthy stretch to avoid muscle strains, tendinitis, joint pain or shin splints.

Questions /​ Answers on Fitness Basics — Things to Consider

Good questions with answers below…

(1) How long is a workout? Should it be a half-​​hour or a full hour?

Depends on your goals and current fitness level. 30 min is great for a beginner /​ maintenance plan or high intense workout. 60+ min is needed for longer events like marathons, triathlons, spec ops training, but fine for a body building workout. Like I said — all depends…

Mine are usually 2–3 hours long full of calisthenics, running, swimming mix in the summer and shorter with weights and light cardio in the winter — see how

The Mini Workout Plateau Buster– We Put it to the Test!

By Sergeant Michael Volkin (aka: The Volkinator) of Strength Stack 52

A typical gym workout lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour, and often includes significant weight-lifting. If exercises are performed incorrectly, the load on the muscles and stress on the joints of these repeated movements causes both short and long-​​term damage to your body.

Most people continue to work out despite a known injury, aching back, or sore muscles because of the improved appearance of their physique as a result of the working out. However, over time, the improved appearance becomes harder to maintain and a “plateau” eventually occurs.

A workout plateau is when someone continues to exercise and sees diminishing returns on the improvement of their physique.  In addition to these hardships, a gym workout causes a time constraint for many would-​​be gym goers. In addition to the 30 to 60 minute workout, the average gym member has to factor in the time for driving and parking.

Recently, several scientific studies – see Further Reading below – have been conducted which analyzes the optimal duration and intensity for a proper workout.  Some experts claim high intensity and fast workouts are the most beneficial, others claim slow meticulous movements with heavy loads is the easiest way to maintain a great physique and optimal health.

Warriors are Elite Athletes: Train Like One!

“The warfighter is an elite athlete, it is time that training approaches that are scientifically based are updated within the military to match the functional demands of modern warfare…”

This was the observation in an abstract published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health as they talked about strength training for the warfighter.

Military Fitness Training and tests like the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) or “PT Test” and the PFT (Physical Fitness Training) are going to make a leap into the 21^st century…finally! Beginning last year, studies in select areas began for the use of updated testing criteria through the Army Physical Readiness Test (APRT) and Army Combat Readiness Test (ACRT).

The idea behind these changes is that soldiers will be better prepared physically if they train how they fight.

Training for Military Fitness: Are You Ready for 8 Weeks of Hell?

Eight Weeks. Is that enough time to get your butt into shape?

That’s what a lot of people wonder after the nerves settle, the farewell and good luck parties are just a memory, and the trash talk has passed. They wake up and suddenly realize they are two days into their first week of military fitness training and the cold harsh reality is that it’s only just begun…and secretly they wonder what the hell they’ve gotten into.

Yep…it happens to the best of us.

You wonder if it’s all worth it. And, at the end of the day, when the dust has settled, the muscles have been stretched, the body re-​​hydrated and belly filled with more (quality) calories than you thought anyone could eat…you think, yeah, maybe this will work…but first you have to get through eight weeks of Hell.

Military Training Tip #154: Nobody Ever Drown in Sweat

You’ve seen the movies and military bootcamp training clips, right? A staff sergeant up in your face yelling and screaming for you to do more, push yourself harder and insulting your mama and her combat-​​boot wearing ways.

Most guys respond with an “I’ll show you, you S.O.B.” kind of attitude, fight back and kick it in gear building mental toughness and physical endurance.

For some, this works. For others it’s a recipe for disaster. They actually do push themselves beyond their physical limits and their body quits…way sooner than their mind, pride, ego and spirit do.

If you are entering military bootcamp training with a body that’s not fully conditioned, then you could be setting yourself up for a setback in training. And that sucks.

Military Bootcamp Training Begins with the ASVAB Test: How to get Mentally Sharp

Before you get the opportunity to do a single pushup or run a single mile in military bootcamp training, you have to pass the ASVAB test. This is the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test and is given at schools and processing stations across the country.

For some, the mental preparation is more of a workout than P.T. After all, you can’t really see you brain muscle grow when you do several repetitions of study, right? You just have to trust that memorizing all that stuff is going to matter at some point.

So how can you give yourself a mental advantage when you’re studying for the ASVAB test? Well, some studies would suggest that the right dietary supplements that include a dose of Ginseng may help.

Stress and Recovery — The Cortisol Connection

Is Cortisol bad? Is it only related to stress and gaining weight? In this article we’re going to discuss why athletes and trained soldiers have and need higher cortisol. We’ll also talk about the role of recovery supplements.

So what are recovery supplements and why are they needed for physical and emotional stress? For most people, when you mention the word “cortisol” they think about stress and gaining weight. This is because main stream media often links the two. This leads everyone to believe that cortisol and stress are bad and should be avoided. But is that really true? And…is avoiding stress even possible for someone that actually gets out of bed in the morning?

Stress is not all bad. It’s unmanaged stress that causes all sorts of problems.

Adding Flex to your Gym Military Training Program

Most gym training programs look like this: pre-​​workout drink, a little bit of a warm up on the bike or treadmill, hit the weights, work up a sweat, and then head home for a post-​​workout meal including protein, glutamine, BCAA, and the best dietary supplements to enhance the work you just put in.

You feel good, your muscles are pumped and all in all it’s a good day at the “office”, right?

Wrong!

What’s missing from this otherwise normal military gym training routine is stretching. Face it, we all have an urge to just skip this part of the workout. After an intense workout, slowing down to stretch can seem a little anti-​​climactic.

But your flexibility has more benefits than the low amount of exertion suggests.

Can You Stand the Heat of the Crucible?

The Crucible….Marine Hell week, it’s THE final test for new recruits to prove themselves. It’s where future Marines really are separated from the men. Where the most capable and prepared are strengthened by fire, withstanding grueling conditions a Marine will face at some point in their military career.

This is where the rubber of your military training hits the road.

It’s no small coincidence that the Crucible is named after a vessel that is made of “refractory” material, capable of withstanding high temperatures. So what’s refractory?

“Material that is not deformed or damaged by high temperatures.”

You are that material. And withstanding the heat and challenge of the crucible without being damaged requires you to be Marine Tough.

Need Help Passing Fitness Test in Two Weeks

Here is a very common email received from a young man seeking to join a local police academy.  He has to pass his PFT in two weeks:

Stew, I have about two weeks until I need to pass my fitness test that will allow me to join the County Police Academy.  I need to increase my bench press by 40 lbs  and drop my 1.5 mile run time by two minutes.  What plan do you have or advice do you have for me?

Wow, I have to be honest, I am not sure there is ANY program out there that will allow for that kind of progress on what I am assuming reaching the minimum standards at best.  So you are likely not at all ready to push yourself at these levels yet.  Simply put — you need more time.  Depending on your current fitness level you might be able to get those goals in two months.

Navy Seal Training: You Think You’re Ready – But are You?

Training to be a Navy Seal is a group project – your mind, your body, and your nutritional foundation all need to work together. And, that preparation begins a long time before you enter military bootcamp. To be successful, I would argue that your training begins the moment you decide to be more than “average”.

Face it, to do what a Navy Seal does in the line of duty requires physical and mental toughness that goes way beyond an average workout, an average level of intelligence, and an average nutrition and dietary routine.

Older vs. Younger Athletic Performance — Who is Best?

This week, a random group of questions crossed my inbox from our Allies from across the pond and I thought it would make a good discussion on the Fitness Blog.  I look forward to hearing people’s experiences with this topic on both sides:  the Young vs the Old.  Here is the first question /​ topic:

1) At what age does the average man reach his full physical strength and fitness like agility,speed,stamina, strength etc? You can give me a range of age.

There is some research out there on this topic as well as evidence that men peak later in life physically than one might think.  Just look at the ages of the fastest times in marathons, triathlons, Olympic weight lifting etc…for the fastest times and strongest lifters.

Workout Habits into the New Year

Here is an email from a veteran who has gotten out of Army shape after he retired a few years ago and now he wants to get back to where he used to be this year.

Stew, Love your work.  I retired after 22 years in 2010 and have gained about 10 lbs a year since then.  I need to get moving more but do not want to just jump back into what I used to do with this extra weight.  What do you recommend as I want to be Army Strong in 2013! ~ John

John, your issue is not much different than many others.  As we age, we continue to eat the same way we did in our 20’s and do much less activity.  But you are right, start off easy and lay off the hard impact exercises like running and rucking until you drop these extra 20–30 lbs.