God of Thunder: How Chris Hemsworth Became Thor

Chris Hemsworth’s journey to becoming Thor wasn’t an easy one. The Australian actor almost gave up on his dream of being a famous actor after his first audition for the role of Thor. Here’s what he had to say about it:

 

“I didn’t really get in touch with my masculinity for a while, probably until my 20s. Then I started to come out of my shell and feel more comfortable in my skin.”

 

To get as strong as Thor and become famous as he has become in marvel, Hemsworth had to train hard to gain muscle mass. The main focus was to build his upper body and shoulders to have the physique to impress fans of the superhero epic.

The workout routine was intense, which is why Hemsworth called it “insane.” It involved a lot of heavy weight lifting, working with dumbbells and barbells, and mixed martial arts workouts. It’s no surprise that Hemsworth said he was regularly exhausted when filming wrapped up each day.

 

Hemsworth also had to keep his diet in check to better his shape in his role as Thor in marvel. This meant eating foods rich in protein so that his muscles could proliferate. Foods such as Salmon, chicken breasts, and egg whites were staples in his diet.

 

Chris Hemsworth Diet Plan

Chris Hemsworth Thor has undergone a rather significant diet plan change in preparation for varying roles. For instance, he starved himself in preparation for his role in The Heart of the Sea film as veteran Owe Chase. On the other side, he gained considerable muscle mass to play his role as the God of Thunder in Thor Ragnarok.

 

Hemsworth worked with celebrity trainers Luke Zocchi and Duffy Graver, who ensured he followed a strict nutrition plan to eat six meals per day at a regular interval of two to three hours. By six meals, it means a lot of calories that the actor would then convert into muscle in the gym. 

 

At some point, Chis Hemsworth embraced a rigorous vegan diet to match his Thor workout routine, which helped popularize the concept of “vegan bodybuilding.” But before that, the following were staples from his diet:

• Quinoa– is a gluten-free grain with all nine vital amino acids. It’s abundant in Fibre, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin E, making it a grain you should consume more.

• Bananas–   They have potassium and magnesium, which help regulate muscle contractions. Potassium also helps reduce cramps and fatigue and lower the risk of heart disease. Chris Hemsworth consumes them, and you should as well if you want to look like him.

• Oatmeal– Oatmeal is a good source of fiber and carbs to fuel your body throughout the day. Chris Hemsworth eats oatmeal daily to keep him full throughout the day.

• Ground Turkey is high in protein, iron, and zinc, which can help your muscles recover faster after a workout.

• Beans- Throughout Chris Hemsworth’s preparation for Thor, he ate beans as part of his diet. They’re good sources of vegetarian protein.

• Chicken breast–  It’s a lean protein that will help you lose fat and build muscle.

• Egg whites– This is what Chris eats for breakfast daily. They provide proteins that help muscle growth and tissue repair.

• Sweet potatoes– Sweet potatoes have fiber, which helps absorb protein and other macro and micronutrients. Carbohydrates, iron, calcium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and beta-carotene are also abundant.

• Fish- Chris Hemsworth’s staples of Salmon is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which helps build muscle tissues and reduce inflammation in the body, including your joints and muscles.

• Green Vegetables — Leafy greens are nutrient-dense yet low-calorie foods. They are chock-full of vitamins and minerals. A study indicated that consuming leafy greens regularly can improve muscle performance.

 

Chris Hemsworth Diet Schedule

When he’s training to become Thor, Chris eats six meals a day consisting of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. It helps him have enough energy throughout the day to complete the intense workouts required for this role. 

 

The six times per day are breakfast, brunch snack, lunch, dinner, and supper:

Morning

 4 Egg-whites, one cup of liquid eggs with spinach and 50g feta cheese, one banana, protein shake, fat-free milk, and orange juice

 

Brunch/Refreshment

protein shake, mixed nuts, yogurt, cottage cheese, turkey roll

 

Snacks 

Snacks include Beef jerky and more eggs.

 

Lunch

Lunch includes a large green salad with 3 chicken breasts,100g of brown rice, a cup of fat-free milk,1cup of Broccoli, 1 cup of kidney beans, and olive oil as dressing.

 

Dinner

He had grilled chicken breast or steak accompanied by green vegetables like broccoli or zucchini or 3 Salmon fillet with 100g of asparagus, 100g quinoa, a glass of fat-free milk, and yogurt. He also drank plenty of water throughout the day.

Supper

After a long day at the gym, Thor star Chris Hemsworth likes to relax with a hearty meal.

 

His go-to is two boiled eggs, proteins shake, two brown bread slices. Before he hits the sack, he makes sure to drink plenty of water and get enough sleep for the next day at the gym.

 

The Workout Plan Chris Hemsworth Used to Become Thor

Chris Hemsworth’s workout plan for getting in shape for Thor was highly intense. 

 

He not only had to bulk up to play the God of Thunder but also had to work out so that he could believably wear the famous Asgardian armor. 

 

In an interview with Men’s Health Magazine, Chris Hemsworth revealed that he does a combination of weight training and cardio exercises to achieve his body goals. He also uses a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program to train his muscles for shorter periods but at a higher intensity than cardio workouts.

 

This workout plan can also be applied to anyone who wants to fit more or gain muscle definition. Here are some of the exercises Chris Hemsworth implemented in his workout plan. 

 

Free Weights Exercises

Chris Hemsworth was a massive fan of lifting weights. He did exercises like deadlifts, squats, bench presses, pull-ups, bear crawl, and other compound movements that work large muscle groups like legs, chest, and back. These exercises work multiple muscles at once and help bulk you up pretty quickly.

 

He does one set at six to eight reps with a three-second pause at the top of each rep. He also works out his arms with dumbbell curls, triceps extensions, and abs using ab machines or variations of crunches.

 

High-Intensity Interval Training

After lifting in the gym, Chris would move on to a high-intensity training routine. This is where he would move from the gym to the track or treadmill to burn off any excess calories from his weight training session.

 

You start slow for a minute or two, then crank it up to a fast speed for 30 seconds, then back to slow for one minute, and so on for about thirty minutes

 

Circuit Training

Chris Hemsworth does circuit training, which is short bursts of exercise. Circuit training is a form of activity where you move from one exercise to another with little or no rest in between. 

 

Like Chris Hemsworth, you can use circuit training to develop cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and endurance while minimizing exercising time.

 

This type of training also increases your heart rate and boosts your metabolism, which helps burn calories even after your workout is over, making you lose weight faster.

Typically, Circuit Training workouts run anywhere from 10-50 minutes, depending on the intensity level and the number of repetitions you do for each exercise.

 

 To complete this workout, you need to have a set of dumbbells available. You can start with 5-10 pound dumbbells if you are beginning or returning after an extended absence from the gym.

 

Taking Rest

Working out every day can hurt your body. It can make it harder for you to get in shape because your muscles won’t have time to recover and repair themselves.

 

Take a break at least one day of rest after working out so your muscles can recover after exercising too much or too hard and grow stronger.

 

Chris Hemsworth’s Thor Workout Routine

Chris Hemsworth trainer Duffy Graver designed an intense workout plan routine for Chris Hemsworth so that the calories Chris was eating were consumed as a source of energy in his workouts. The workout program was as follows.

Day 1: Chest/Triceps/Abs

• Flat Barbell Bench Press 4 sets of 8-12 reps -30 second rest
• Incline Dumbbell Press 4 sets of 12-15 reps -30s rest
• Flat Dumbbell Flies 4 sets of 10-12 reps- 30seeconds rest
• Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets of 10-12 reps- 30s rest
• Standing Cable Flys 4 sets of 15-20 reps
• Triceps Push Downs 3 sets of 12-15 reps

 

Day 2: Back

• Back Squats 4 x 5-8 reps
• Deadlifts 3 -10 reps
• Hammer Strength High Row 3 reps 20
• Bent-over Barbell Row 4 x 5-8 reps
• Seated Cable Rows 3 x 6-10 reps
• Swiss Ball hyperextension 4-15 reps- 30-second rest

 

Day 3: Legs

• Standing Calf Raises 3sets 20 reps with 30-second rest
• Squat 7 -10 reps with 30 seconds rest
• Leg press – 10-12 reps
• Leg extension – 10-15 reps
• Leg curls – 10-15 reps
• Walking lunges – 15 steps on each side

 

Day 4: Shoulders

• barbell shrugs 3 sets of 10 reps (warm-up)
• dumbbell shoulder press 3 sets of 10 reps
• Standing one-arm cable lateral raises: 3 sets of 12-15 reps (each side)
• Military Press – 7 Sets 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 3 Reps – 30-second Rest
• Dumbbell Rear-Delt Fly – 3 Sets 15 Reps – 30-second Rest
• Arnold Press – 4 Sets 12 Reps – 30-second Rest

 

Day 5: Arms

• Barbell curls:
• Alternating dumbbell curls3 sets 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest
• Bicep curls three sets ten reps with 30-second rest
• Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension – 3 sets 10 reps- 30 
• Triceps Dips 2 sets x 15 reps- 30 seconds rest
• Triceps Rope Pushdown 2 sets x 15 reps 30 seconds rest
• Skull Crusher – 3 Sets 10 Reps – 30-second Rest

 

Ab Circuit X 3 Rounds

• Hanging Leg Raises 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Planks 60 seconds 
• Side planks 60 seconds 
• Toe- bar 10 reps

Conclusion

To summarize, Chris Hemsworth had to work hard to embody Thor’s physicality, personality, and attitude. Essentially, it took intense training, a very healthy diet, and total immersion into all things, Thor. So if you want to look more like a superhero, hit the gym and eat right. You do have what it takes.