Christian Bale proved that the impossible is possible. Lose weight quickly? Easily! Gain 30 kg. muscles in 6 weeks? Real too! From the article you will learn how an actor achieves such results.
Christian Bale's workouts will help you stay fit and attractive at any age! This actor captivated the whole world with his talent and excellent torso. Some of his most famous roles are the roles of Batman and the Machinist, in preparation for which he intensively transformed his body.
In the first case, since in the story the superhero is an ordinary person (not subjected to radiation, mutations, etc.), his important advantage is his pumped-up figure, which attracts the gaze of millions of women.
“How did Christian achieve this effect? - many men ask themselves. “I probably didn’t leave the gym for days and nights!” But if you remember that before auditioning for the film “Batman Begins” he weighed only 55 kilograms, it becomes obvious that Bale achieves magical results in a very short time.
“American Psycho” Christian Bale – training for the abs
Christian Bale's first serious role was in the film American Psycho. Initially, DiCaprio applied for it, but at the last moment he changed his mind.
Christian was faced with a serious task - to turn into an ideal man in appearance in just six months! And if changing your smile turned out to be a simple matter, dealing with your body was much more difficult.
Christian Bale started going to the gym, but after a while he quit. He himself explains this by saying that he simply did not know what to do there.
I'm English. We don't go to the gym. We're going to the pub!
The actor, famous today, also did not know about diets, and did not really want to be interested in this issue.
As a result, 6 weeks before the start of filming, a “supervisor” was assigned to Bale, who was officially called, of course, “trainer” and began transforming the actor’s body. It was he who forced the actor to exercise for 3 hours every day and follow a strict diet to improve muscle mass, which helped achieve the desired results - perfect abs and powerful biceps.
Are you planning to repeat a similar workout at home? Try starting with this one.
about the author
Christian Bale (b. 1974 in the UK) is a British-American film actor who has acted in various genres - from arthouse to Hollywood blockbusters. Known as a performer of roles in the trilogy about Bae, “The Machinist”, “American Psycho”, “Saving Dawn”, “Equilibrium”, “Terminator”, etc. He is a vegetarian (does not eat meat, but eats fish, milk and eggs).
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For filming, he often had to gain and then lose weight, and in a very short time. The transformations of his body cannot but surprise:
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- 2004, for the film “The Machinist” (the role of Trevor Reznik) - minus 28 kg in 4 months (from 83 to 55);
- 2004, for “Batman”, the first part of the trilogy (the main role of the superhero) - plus 45 kg in 5 months (from 55 to 100), but it was too much, and the actor had to lose 14 kg in 2 months (from 100 to 86);
- 2006, for the film “Saving Dawn” (the role of Dieter Dengler) - minus 24 kg (from 85 to 61);
- 2008, for “Batman. The Dark Knight" - plus 22 kg (from 61 to 83);
- 2010, for the film “The Fighter” (the role of Dicky Eklund) - minus 17 kg (from 83 to 66);
- 2012, for the film “The Dark Knight Rises” - plus 24 kg (from 66 to 90);
- 2013, for the crime thriller “From the Hell” - minus 24 kg (from 90 to 66);
- 2013, for the tragicomedy “American Hustle” (the role of Irving Rosenfeld) - plus 26 kg (from 66 to 92);
- 2017, for the film “The Prompter” (the role of Dick Cheyne) - plus 30 kg.
With such constant and rapid transformations of his body, Christian Bale endures endless filming, as he is one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. It is not surprising that everyone wants to know the secret of his diet, and he does not make it a secret, revealing it in interviews and numerous videos.
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Pump up your abs at home - Advanced
Circuit training - 3-4 circles
Exercise Sitap (Raising the torso from a lying position)
- 1 set of 25 reps
- Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight
Raising legs to arms from a lying position
- 1 set of 25 reps
- Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight
Exercise "Frog"
- 1 set of 25 reps
- Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight
Oblique (lateral) crunches on the floor
- 1 set of 25 reps
- Body Part: Press Equipment: No
Reverse crunches lying on the floor
- 1 set of 25 reps
- Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight
Russian crunches
- 1 set of 25 reps
- Body Part: Press Equipment: No
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True, the actor admits that he was very bored when he started working out in the gym. Thoughts about a waste of time were swirling in his head, but the desire to become a great actor still won, even though it meant turning off his brain during training.
Bottom line
The example of Christian Bale clearly proves the effectiveness of any diet compiled by professionals. The right combination of training and nutrition plan always gives results. Don't forget that Bale is not a fitness model or a bodybuilder. In addition to training and nutrition, he is extremely busy at work. Tight schedule and frequent lack of sleep. Despite this, we see how easy it is to lose or gain weight if you strictly follow the plan.
Many people say that with a staff of nutritionists it is very easy to get results. However, there is nothing fantastically difficult about planning a diet, counting calories and preparing food. This can be done by anyone by studying a little theoretical basis, or, as a last resort, by hiring experienced professionals.
"The Machinist" Christian Bale - weight loss secrets
Shortly after filming American Psycho, Christian Bale got a role in the film The Machinist. Here the main character was a man who had not slept or eaten for almost a year and looked the part. And although the actor flexed his muscles during the film’s auditions, a “walking skeleton” came to the set.
In 4 months, Christian lost almost 30 kilograms of weight!
This amazing transformation of Christian’s body will be remembered for a long time by all movie lovers.
Christian Bale admits that he did not have a training program to lose weight. The only sport he was involved in was various exercises on the treadmill, and he did them constantly while he had the strength.
Otherwise, the following 3 points helped him lose weight in such a short time:
- try not to eat
- get distracted
- spend more time alone.
The first point is already clear to everyone - the actor ate little and thus received a minimum of calories. And the body, in order to provide itself with the elements necessary for life, took them from muscles and fat.
Distraction helps in those moments when hunger strikes. “If you want to eat, read a book!” - this is exactly the principle that Bale adhered to for all 4 months.
As for the last point, you always want to eat in company. If you spend time alone, then you can control yourself better.
When it comes to cardio for weight loss, it can actually be an effective solution when trying to transform your body. We recommend training by heart rate and calculating your heart rate zones to determine the optimal fat-burning intensity.
Is it worth it?
Christian Bale lost weight for the role. He wanted to prove himself as a great actor, he wanted to feel what his character felt. But most of us are hardly famous actors, so it’s probably not worth making such sacrifices.
Of course, Christian gradually reduced the daily amount of calories, took a complex of vitamins and minerals, and drank a lot of water so that the body received at least the minimum of nutrients necessary for normal functioning. But such extreme weight loss is still very dangerous.
For girls, such a diet is especially dangerous: it can easily lead to weakness, fainting, menstrual irregularities, and problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
In addition, even the strongest and healthiest body will not withstand such torture: sooner or later you will have to switch to a more nutritious diet. And after completing the diet, weight will be gained at double speed, trying to fill the lack of nutrients as soon as possible and put them in reserve, which will cause an instant increase in body fat.
With constant food restriction, a person becomes nervous and irritable, which also adversely affects health.
Still, it’s better to lose weight correctly:
- adhere to a healthy diet,
- reduce the consumption of fatty, fried and sweet foods,
- Lead an active lifestyle and exercise regularly.
After filming The Machinist, Bale admitted that such strict restrictions were difficult for him, especially psychologically. For the actor it was worth it, because in this role he looked organic and natural.
But for an ordinary person who takes care of his health, such torture is completely unnecessary.
Cardio training for weight loss based on heart rate
Use the Karvonen method to determine your optimal heart rate zones for a given workout.
Treadmill training
- 10 minutes of warm-up easy running in the lower threshold of the second zone
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
5-8 laps
Treadmill workout
- 45-60 seconds of moderate at the upper limit of zone 2
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Walking on a treadmill
- 2 minutes easy on the lower threshold of the second zone
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Treadmill workout
- 20-30 minutes of walking at an average speed in the second zone
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
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The results were truly stunning - in the film “The Machinist” the actor amazed with his thinness. But we would not advise any of you to use such methods. Well-known nutritionists explained Christian Bale's approach to absolute indifference to his health, since such weight loss can cause serious problems with various organs. Moreover, there is even a risk of falling into a coma!
Day 3
Raising arms with dumbbells while lying on a bench (3x12) - warm-up.
The goal is to warm up the muscles of the upper body. The number of repetitions is at least 12!
Bench press on a machine (3x12).
The goal is to warm up the muscles of the upper body. The number of repetitions is at least 12!
(4x10, 8, 6).
The explosive nature of this exercise helps develop the functional abilities of white muscle fibers. As soon as you remove the bar from the rack, lower it to your chest and then straighten your arms explosively, lifting the bar as high as possible! The exercise is performed with a partner, who must hold the barbell as soon as the bar begins to descend and help return it to the starting position.
"Ricochets".
On the floor you need to mark (for example, draw with chalk) 2 squares of 30x30 cm. At the maximum speed of which you are capable, jump from one corner to another, constantly changing the direction of the jump. The exercise is performed for 2 minutes with a rest break of 30 seconds - a total of 30 minutes.
"Batman" Christian Bale - get pumped up in 6 weeks
Shortly after The Machinist, Bale again felt the need to bulk up for Batman Begins. And he had only 6 weeks for this task, which, to his credit, was enough for him.
First of all, the actor began to eat, and eat a lot. If recently he ate a couple of blades of grass a day, now he could easily eat a couple of pizzas and buckets of popcorn at one time.
This feature of the body, it is worth noting, surprised Bale. He was sure that after a long fast, he simply would not be able to eat in usual quantities. However, the appetite turned out to be quite good.
Nutrition experts say this reaction is completely natural. When a person restricts himself in food, he stops producing certain hormones. Accordingly, control over the feeling of hunger is lost and a person may no longer be full within half an hour to an hour after a heavy meal.
During the process of gaining weight, Bale had health problems - he called an ambulance more than once and suffered from abdominal pain. The situation was aggravated by the fact that he spent his free time in the gym. The actor admits that in those days he lifted the barbell so countless times that he himself was scared to think about it.
However, as a result, Christian Bale's main goal - to pump up in 6 weeks - was fulfilled. We present a weight training program that the actor could follow.
Basic principles of the diet
Christian Bale has two diets. He uses one for weight loss, the other for weight gain.
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Low calorie
One of the toughest food systems that exists.
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- The daily calorie intake is reduced to 250 kcal and does not exceed 400 kcal.
- A monotonous menu that does not change from day to day until the desired results are achieved.
- Products: black coffee without sugar, apples, canned tuna in its own juice (without added oil), clean drinking water.
- It is mandatory to take a carefully selected vitamin and mineral complex.
- Plus the diet includes daily intense training.
- No strength exercises, only cardio, stretching, isometric gymnastics, aerobics, long-distance running.
Doctors warn that the diet, if followed for a long time, is dangerous to health and can lead to exhaustion, anorexia, mental disorders and other complications. These are not empty words: while on such a diet, the actor repeatedly lost consciousness during filming, forgot his role, and could not concentrate on the game. There were situations when he had to rest in order to recover to continue working. However, day after day he still ate only tuna with apples and exercised regularly.
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High calorie
The complete opposite of the low-calorie diet is Christian Bale's high-carbohydrate diet, which he uses when the director urgently requires him to gain weight for a new role.
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- The daily calorie intake increases to 2500-3000 kcal.
- The menu is varied and relatively balanced: the emphasis is on proteins (for building muscle mass, at least 250 g per day) and carbohydrates (for energy, 300 g per day).
- Main products: eggs, fish, milk as sources of proteins; cereals, pasta, fruits and vegetables as carbohydrates.
- To gain weight for the last film, he even allowed himself fast food.
- Meals - every 2-3 hours.
- Regular intense training complements the diet.
- Strength exercises are added to cardio loads to build muscle mass, and preference is given to working with hardware.
Training program
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Not a single day of rest. After a day of cardio exercise, repeat the entire scheme from the very beginning.
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The undoubted advantage of both diets is their effectiveness. The actor showed by his own example how you can lose 30 kg in just 4 months, and then get it back just as quickly. But at the same time, we must not forget about their obvious drawback - a health hazard. You need to understand that a star of such magnitude can afford personal nutritionists, trainers and doctors who regularly monitor his health and help him rehabilitate after such a “roller coaster” with weight.
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Christian Bale's body transformations: “The Machinist, 2004” (55 kg); "Batman, 2005" (86 kg); “American Hustle, 2013” (92 kg)
Many Bale fans have tried his weight loss diet. In most cases, such attempts ended in failure. The rest were hospitalized with stomach and mental disorders. Without constant supervision from specialists, it is categorically not recommended to practice such a system of nutrition and training on your own.
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The price of body transformation from Bale
Of course, Christian Bale is a role model for many. However, we would not recommend that you suddenly lose or gain weight, as the famous actor did. Such changes in the body can cause serious illnesses. And if Christian did this for the sake of his career and under the supervision of specialists, then you probably have time to wait a month, regardless of whether you dream of losing weight or are thinking about how to build muscle for a beginner.
Your task is to set a goal for yourself, to realize that you are ready to work for your own body. Then, using Bale's training, you can quickly get in shape, and then continue to work on yourself to improve your results. Remember, a pumped up muscular body, six-pack abs and hundreds of fans are not a dream, this is your goal!
Sports nutrition will help speed up the process of your transformation - protein, creatine, gainer, arginine, BCAA, amino acids. These supplements are specially designed for athletes and fitness-active people of different fitness levels. Such drugs are completely safe, and their effectiveness has already been proven.
Disclaimer
Hollywood stars make a living not only by their good acting, but also by their appearance, so going to the fitness center or following a diet is not just a wish with a hobby, it is a real paid job. This makes it much easier to stick to a strict training and nutrition plan. In addition, stars hire real professionals, such as nutritionists, trainers, etc., which gives a complex positive effect. Doctors monitor your health, and nutritionists and trainers guarantee an improvement in your figure.
Copying the methods of celebrities is not the best tactic for achieving the desired physique, because you will not have identical conditions, not to mention expensive products prepared by personal chefs. In our case, this is just a beautiful example of the combination of an ideal diet and an excellent training plan.
