When you see a picture of Chris Hemsworth — ripped, strong and imposing — it can be easy to think that the Avengers star has, on a physical level, got to where he is now due to his large bank balance and access to Hollywood's very best experts in health and fitness.
This rhetoric, you'll be glad to read, is old hat. All you have to do is take a few short scrolls through Chris Hemsworth's Instagram account to realise that, in fact, his hulked out physique and healthy habits are actually built around several surprisingly simple methods.
When you think about it, it's a no-brainer — Hemsworth's schedule has him travelling all around the world for packed filming schedules, promotional commitments and family ties, so his workouts and meal plans need to be built on simple foundations, especially when high-spec gyms may be scarce.
Lalaoo Resistance Training Straps Set
"To keep everything balanced, the TRX is also really good for hitting your shoulders in a different way. It's functional and light and easy to travel with." For a fraction of the price of a TRX, this suspension trainer will do just the trick.
MIGABRI Double Sided Fitness Core Sliders
Zocchi uses this ab 'sliders' to torch Hemsworth's six-pack for superhero results. They're light, compact, can be used on any surface and are friendly on your wallet, too.
AmazonBasics Battle Ropes
Bored of running or burpees? Battle ropes like these can help you melt flab like butter. No wonder Hemsworth has them set up at his home gym.
The same can be said for Hemsworth's time constraints. While certain leading men in Hollywood (we'll name no names) hit two to three-hour workouts on the daily, Hemsworth swears by short, sharp sessions that rarely tick over the 30 minute mark, all of which are programmed and designed by his trainer and friend Luke Zocchi.
All of which, we'll presume, is music to your ears if you're looking to make like the man himself. Talking to Men's Health UK, Zocchi — Hemsworth's personal trainer since 2012 and expert trainer on fitness app Centr — has revealed the stripped-back methods that the two use to burn fat and build muscle, wherever they are in the world.
It's all built around functional training, instead of the low-volume, high-weight approach Hemsworth used to pack on heavy-duty muscle in his twenties. "All we did was lift heavy and hit all your classic push-pull workouts of four sets of twelve," explains Zocchi.
"Over time, with Chris loving surfing and getting a little bit older, he was getting big and stiff. We are definitely still trying to put the size on, but trying to have more functional use for being strong. Now, we do a lot more functional and bodyweight stuff in the bulking phase to keep the muscle on."
But, what does this look like, especially when equipment is scarce? "Another thing that is handy to travel with is the TRX," explains Zocchi. "If there's no equipment, it can be hard to hit your back. With a TRX, you can do a lot of back exercises, but you can just do press-ups for your chest. To keep everything balanced, the TRX is also really good for hitting your shoulders in a different way. It's functional and light and easy to travel with.
Another travel essential, Zocchi explains, are floor sliders or 'ab sliders' — two dual-sided discs that can 'glide' across most surfaces including carpets and gym floors — that are ideal for smoking your abdominal muscles or switching-up your press-up routine.
In an ideal world, says Zocchi, you can take your gym with you. Think about packing "things that are small and that don’t weigh too much. Obviously you can’t travel with dumbbells, so that’s the beauty of evolving with functional and bodyweight training because you don’t need much."
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