It’s a rule of the universe at this point that when an actor lands a role in a superhero franchise, he gets shredded. Jason Momoa was no different, getting into amazing shape to play Aquaman in DC’s big screen universe. But he did take a slightly different route to his Atlantean physique, as YouTuber Will Tennyson notes when trying out Momoa’s Aquaman diet and training regime for himself.
While Momoa’s training for Aquaman might not look exactly like the kind of prep other actors take for similar roles, it sure helped the actor keep up the consistency required for those heroic gains.
Tennyson starts out with a pre-workout breakfast of peanut butter and honey on granary toast, watermelon, and blueberries. The fairly small meal is one area where Momoa’s regime differs; the actor himself has said he “genetically” puts on body fat quite easily, and so has to eat less and keep up the same level of activity when preparing for a role.
Momoa has also stated that he doesn’t touch a weight unless he’s being paid specifically to do so, so his superhero training has to be be fun, fast-paced and interesting. Tennyson opts for an accelerated results program, or “AR7,” a circuit-style workout that involves low reps, low weights and low rest times.
This workout consists of weighted dips, weighted pullups, pushups, and squats, starting off with 7 sets of 7 reps with a 7 second rest, followed by 6 sets of 6 reps with a 6 second rest, and then a final round of 5 sets of 5 reps with 5 seconds of rest, with a maximum of a 2 minute break between rounds.
“That was so hard,” he says after completing all 3 rounds. “Oh my god. That was like a hundred times harder than I thought it was going to be. When people say to make light weight feel heavy, I finally know what they mean… I can rip 70 pounds on the pullups, but I was just doing bodyweight at that point, it was so difficult with so much less rest time than I’m used to… My legs, oh my god.”
The second meal of the day consists of seared tuna, avocado, and spinach, with not a single carb to be seen… except for a can of Momoa’s beloved Guinness. Again, this is a bit of a departure from the regular superhero diet: Momoa won’t eat a carb all day long, if it means he’s then allowed to enjoy a can of his favorite stout.
Tennyson’s third, pre-cardio meal is 10 ounces of steak, with a generous portion of spinach sautéed in olive oil. That is followed by the afternoon’s cardio session, but Momoa doesn’t waste time on treadmills or ellipticals; he just goes bouldering every day, for at least 45 minutes.
“That was actually no joke,” Tennyson says after 45 minutes. “That’s incomparable to any other form of cardio I’ve ever done before. My back, my biceps, my triceps, my forearms are finished.” He also adds: “I had a hell of a good time,” and says that he’s interested in incorporating climbing into his workouts in the future.
The fourth and final meal of the day includes yet more sautéed spinach, half of an avocado, two baked chicken breasts, and another can of Guinness. Tennyson describes it as an “acquired taste.” And while it probably doesn’t need to be said, we definitely wouldn’t recommend switching out the carbs in your diet for beer on a regular basis.
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