His fitness levels are well-known among the members of the Hollywood elite, and Henry Cavill is no exception. In his most iconic roles in Man of Steel, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., or Mission Impossible: Fallout, he has had to be fit. With the kind of projects that he has been getting lately, it’s no surprise that Cavill has been in great shape for a long period of time.
Martin Campbell, the director of Casino Royale, warned Henry that he was not physically strong enough to play James Bond. This, of course, may seem hard to believe. As Henry Cavill explained to Men’s Health UK, “I remember the director [of Casino Royale], Martin Campbell, saying to me: “‘Looking a little chubby there, Henry.” He also shared that “I didn’t know how to train or diet. And I’m glad Martin said something because I respond well to the truth. It helps me get better.”
Most people would imagine that for someone like Henry Cavill, playing Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher would come effortlessly to him. While most would believe that is true, but the actor had to step up his fitness game in order to look the part on Netflix’s original show.
Henry Cavill began his day with fasted Cardio
Every morning, Henry Cavill began his day with a 20 minute fasted cardio session. For those first 20 minutes of his workout, he kept his heart rate between 125 and 135 beats per minute.
Fasted cardio is a cardiovascular exercise that is performed on an empty stomach. For instance, after getting up in the morning, one could go for a 15-20 minute run at a moderate pace. It will assist you in losing weight and if you are practicing intermittent fasting, it may be able to help you stretch your fasting window for a period of time.
During the interview with Men’s Health UK, he revealed that he begins his day with a workout on an empty stomach. “It’s some of the best or most enjoyable cardio I’ve ever done,” he said. “It’s only 20 minutes, so it’s not massively exhausting. It’s not like doing HIIT [high-intensity interval training] which, psychologically, can be quite grueling. My heart rate’s at 125-135bpm, so it has a really good effect on fat-loss.”
Cavill did some weight lifting exercises
In a video published by Men’s Health, Dave Rienzi, Dwayne Johnson’s strength and conditioning coach, is seen training Henry Cavill for the Witcher. Rienzi explains how they built Cavill’s physique while describing the exercises they used to prepare him for the role.
Dave Rienzi and Henry Cavill discussed the necessity of conditioning the posterior chain, which was critical for Henry in order to pull off the acrobatics he accomplished in The Witcher. The duo then went on to discuss the many sets of motions that they do to strengthen the shoulders, biceps, core, and the complete posterior chain, among other things.
Also mentioned by Dave is that there are specific sets of exercises that they employ depending on whatever body area they’re exercising for the day, and that these exercises are not designed to be completed all at once as a single workout session. These include:
1. Romanian Deadlift – 3 Sets Of 10 Reps With 4 Second Negative And 2 Second Pause
2. Hyperextension On Glute Hams Machine – 3 Sets Of 10 Reps – 2 Second Hold At The Top
3. Oblique Static Hold – 3 Sets Of 30 Second Holds Per Side
4. 3-Way Shoulder Raise – 3 Sets Of 15 Reps From Each Position
5. Half-Iso Alternating Dumbbell Curl – 3 Sets Of 10 Reps Per Arm
Pushing to extremes
Actors and fitness models utilize this technique to look totally ripped in shirtless shots. They dehydrate themselves consistently over a period of time in order to get this look.
According to Cavill, “It makes your skin really thin, so it sits on the muscles” He shared this insight during an interview on The Graham Norton Show. “On the first day you’ll have a liter and a half, and the second day half a liter, and then the third day no water, and then you’ll shoot the fourth.” His other comments included his feeling of being the most miserable person on the earth, which reached a stage where he could physically smell water in the vicinity.
