Tom Hardy is a charismatic actor who has also achieved impressive athletic results in preparation for his roles. What is Tom Hardy's training program, what turned an ordinary man into a muscular athlete and what to do to achieve the same figure? You will find the answer to these questions in this article.
Brief dossier:
Edward Thomas "Tom" Hardy - born 09/15/1977. in London, British film and theater actor, producer and screenwriter.
Height-175cm
Weight at peak fitness – 85 kg (in the film “The Dark Knight”); before the start of training – 70 kg.
Tom Hardy's training for the movie "Warrior"
In preparation for the role of professional fighter Tom Conlon, the actor, in whose life sports had not previously played a big role, faced a complex task: he had to not only build muscle mass, but also learn to move like an MMA pro. This was not easy, given that Tom was already over thirty by this time. Under the guidance of trainer Patrick Monroe, the actor began training.
Training program for the film “Warrior”:
The preparation consisted of the following components:
1.Martial arts classes: kickboxing, jiu-jitsu and Thai boxing. A choreographer participated in the work - the actor had to move believably in the frame, like a professional fighter.
2.Strength training with iron, in which the emphasis was on basic movements and complementary exercises with your own body weight.
Day 1 workout: bench press, dumbbell floor press, deadlift, pull-ups.
On day 2 - barbell squats, biceps curls with an EZ bar, hyperextension, lunges with a barbell, dips, leg raises to the bar and calf muscle training.
The 3-day workout included bent-over barbell rows, dumbbell front raises, barbell chin rows, and pull-ups.
4-day program: front squats, machine leg press, deadlift, close-grip bench press, dumbbell curls.
Tom Hardy performed the exercises in three sets of 6-10 repetitions (sometimes in basic exercises the number of repetitions was less). In addition to basic training, he pumped his neck on a wrestling bridge, performed special movements that developed core stabilizer muscles and abdominal exercises.
Nutrition while preparing for the role of a Warrior:
The diet was low-carbohydrate - for the role it was necessary to build high-quality muscles, without fat deposits. For 2.5 months, the actor's diet consisted mainly of chicken and broccoli; by the end of preparation for filming, he could no longer look at this food without shuddering. Hardy also used sports nutrition - protein shakes and BCAAs before and after training. In total, this amounted to about 3g of protein per kilogram of body weight (about 250g per day).
This role was difficult for Tom Hardy. During preparation and during filming, the actor received several injuries; he was exhausted by a monotonous diet and long training sessions (the duration of one training session reached 8 hours). But it was worth it - Tom built an athletic figure. He gained 12 kilograms of quality muscle (the actor’s weight on the set was 81 kg) and creates a vivid image of the fighter Tom Conlon.
***
In Warrior, Hardy's character, Tommy Conlon, a veteran who deserted the Iraq War, returns to his hometown and enters the Grand Prix for a multimillion-dollar fee.
As a child, Tommy did not lose a single fight on the wrestling mat, so he again begins to train with his father Paddy, an alcoholic in the end. Conlon needs the tournament to help the family of his deceased friend; but in the final he dramatically lost to his older brother Brendan, who was always overshadowed by his sporting successes.
Enough spoilers, though. We definitely recommend watching the film, especially if you are interested in mixed martial arts.
“This is the first really big MMA movie made by a big studio and done well,” says Anthony McGann, Tom’s boxing coach.
For the sake of the film, Hardy gained 12 kg, and quality ones at that. But iron and relief are not all that the actor created for the filming.
“Tom trained with a lot of UFC guys, spent months perfecting his form, and looked technically cool in the film. The guys taught him well. He sparred often and even injured his hand during one of the training sessions,” recalls McGann.
Preparing for the film “The Dark Knight Rises”
To convincingly play the role of the villain Bane, it was necessary to gain as much muscle mass as possible, and Tom succeeded - with the help of bodybuilding, he gained 15 kg of muscle for filming - his weight was 85 kg.
Tom Hardy's training program for the role of Bane
The training was based on a 5x5 scheme - each approach almost to failure - fans of the iron game know that such a training regime in multi-joint exercises causes the growth of massive, dense muscles, which, although not very detailed, subsequently lends itself well to training for relief.
Many bodybuilding legends followed this method to gain weight quickly, and Tom Hardy used this system to build up the most powerful physique of his career.
The actor had to do only 4 main exercises: in 1 training session, deadlifts or squats were performed (for complete recovery, they alternated from training to training). Workout 2 consists of a bench press to develop the chest muscles and a standing military press for the deltoids. The training does not last long - 20-30 minutes.
Tom trained 3 times a week, very hard - and this training worked - during the preparation for the film he pumped up to a record size for himself. His arms and trapezius muscles look quite intimidating in the film.
Tom did not follow a special diet in preparation for the film - as is necessary for such training, he simply ate a lot of protein foods with a slight restriction of carbohydrates. And of course sports nutrition for weight gain.
Set of exercises
The training begins with a warm-up: it is necessary to warm up the muscles and rotate the joints. For example, you can hang on a horizontal bar and do pull-ups, straining all your muscles.
Barbell for strength exercises
Shrugs
Shrugs are basic exercises for pumping up the trapezius, deltoids and neck. Shrugs are suitable for pumping the upper, middle and lower trapezius. At the same time, classic shrugs and slope shrugs are intended for the upper part, lying shrugs for the middle part, and inside-out shrugs for the lower part.
Shrugs and numerous variations of this exercise are common among bodybuilders as a quick way to build muscle mass. Among the most effective types are:
- Shrugs on uneven bars . The exercise is performed on parallel bars with outstretched arms. The athlete must lift the body up without bending the elbow joints. At the end point, the position must be fixed for 10 seconds.
- Shrugs with a barbell . The exercise is performed with a shoulder-width grip. The chest must be straightened and the lower back slightly bent. The barbell is lifted with straightened arms. The maximum load should fall on the trapezoid.
- Shrugs with dumbbells . The exercise is performed with dumbbells weighing more than 10 kg. Without bending your elbows, you need to use your trapezius muscles to lift the dumbbells. A larger range of motion will allow you to work your muscles faster.
Chin pull
This is another effective exercise for pumping muscles. It can be performed using a barbell, dumbbell or in a machine.
If you train with a barbell, then perform deadlifts with a narrow grip: a small distance between your palms will allow you to better work your trapezius
Technique:
- Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grab the barbell with an overhand grip.
- Lift, sliding along the body, to the chin.
- Lock the position in the upper position.
- Gently lower your arms.
Military bench press
Athletes doing a standing barbell press
A standing barbell press is a basic exercise for the delta and the overall mass of the shoulder girdle.
Technique:
- Take the barbell with a shoulder-width grip and place it on your upper chest.
- Using deltoid force, begin to squeeze the barbell.
- Straighten your elbows and lock this position.
- Slowly lower the barbell.
You can watch Tom Hardy's training in this video :
Remember that the upper shoulder girdle is a connected structure, so perform other exercises to develop the muscles of the chest, arms and deltoids.
Warrior Nutrition
Like most diets designed to gain muscle mass, the actor’s diet was divided into 5-6 meals a day. In addition, Tom Hardy had to strictly adhere to a high-protein diet. In addition to protein shakes, Tom constantly fed his body with foods high in protein, as well as carbohydrates, but in fairly limited quantities. Perhaps the actor’s favorite dish at that time was chicken with rice. Tom Hardy also used BCAA as sports supplements, which he consumed both during the day and during training.
Photo: stills from the film “Warrior”.
#gaining muscle mass #cutting #Tom Hardy #transformation #workout #movie Warrior
Previous How to pump up huge arms
Next Schwarzenegger's idol was the Soviet weightlifter. The story of Yuri Vlasov
Leave a comment (Cancel)
Relief training
If the role in the film “Bronson” required a massive physique without the presence of relief, then the film “Warrior”, where Tom played a former soldier and mixed martial arts fighter, forced the actor to significantly dry out his body, presenting prominent muscles on the screen.
Training for filming included not only strength training, but also daily training in various types of martial arts - boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai. The diet also had to be changed significantly, giving up empty calories and fast carbohydrates.
Tom Hardy in the movie "Warrior"
Drug addict
Despite his addiction, the guy had an interest in performing arts from an early age. While still at school, he played in children's theater; at 18, on his mother's advice, he entered the Richmond School of Acting, from which he was expelled, after which he entered the London School of Drama, where he studied the craft with a teacher who once taught Anthony Hopkins. His classmate was Michael Fassbender.
At the age of 21, the guy became the winner of the TV show “The Big Breakfast's Find Me-98” and won a contract with a modeling agency.
Tom Hardy on The Big Breakfast
At the end of the 90s, he received his first role - he played the frail private John Janovec in the TV series Band of Brothers (2001). “Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” is how Hardy, who had never played in front of cameras before (except for TV shows), described the experience. He appeared in two episodes and spoke only 12 lines throughout the series.
Then there were several more major projects, even if Hardy’s heroes had few lines. This is the Oscar-winning “Black Hawk Down” by Ridley Scott with Josh Hartnett, “Day of Reckoning” with Paul Bettany and Willem Dafoe, and in the 2002 military drama “Simon” the actor still had one of the key roles.
The actor's next significant work was the science-fiction thriller Star Trek Into Darkness, where he played the clone of the captain of the Enterprise spaceship, Reman Praetor.
All this time, Tom Hardy did not stop using drugs. According to the actor himself, during the 15 years of his addiction he experienced a lot, including homosexual relationships. Shortly after finishing work on Star Trek, he overindulged in cocaine and had a seizure.
“I woke up in a pool of blood and vomit and realized it was time to call it quits.” I was disgusted with myself. This served as a lesson for me - I was reborn.
The actor went to a rehabilitation center and has not had a break since then. He completely transferred the released energy into professional activities, and very soon achieved unprecedented success. When asked about his rapid growth, the actor modestly jokes that he just wanted his father to be proud of him, and acting was the only thing he was good at.
Childhood and family
It would seem that in such an atmosphere the boy should have grown up to be the pride and support of his parents, but life decided otherwise. “I was a naughty child. No, not even like that – terribly naughty,” the actor recalled. He was embarrassed by his parents, exemplary representatives of the middle class. As a sociable teenager, he made friends not only with classmates, but also with boys from less prosperous families.
Building muscle mass from Hardy
Before filming the film “Bronson,” the actor increased his muscle mass by 22 kg. We managed to achieve results in a few months. The film was released in 2008. At that time, the actor was 30 years old. Gaining muscle mass took a lot of effort for Hardy. The actor did not adhere to special dietary complexes; he ate everything, even fast food. The basis of nutrition was rice and chicken. I stuck to the basic set of exercises. The main rule is to train regularly.
Edward Thomas Hardy
First steps to success
In 2004, he appeared in the thriller Layer Cake with Daniel Craig, and in 2005 he played one of the key characters in the TV series The Virgin Queen. His hero was a real-life statesman - Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, associate and lover of Queen Elizabeth I. In the same year, he appeared in another historical costume film - the film “Marie Antoinette” with Kirsten Dunst.
Many critics call Tom Hardy's breakthrough work the role of Stuart Shorter from the drama Stuart: A Past Life (2007). This film is based on the book of the same name, written by a friend of the real Stuart Shorter, a marginalized drug addict and alcoholic who fought for the rights of the homeless. The film was not initially intended to be released on big screens, so few Russian viewers saw Hardy as Shorter and Benedict Cumberbatch as his friend and author of the book, and that’s a shame.
Soon Tom Hardy appeared in the gangster comedy RocknRolla Man directed by Guy Ritchie. The actor played the role of a homosexual bandit, a member of the criminal group “Wild Gang,” whose leader was played by Gerard Butler. It is with him that Tom's hero falls in love.
