Summary of Henry Cavill Explains His 'Witcher' Arm and Leg Workout | Train Like a Celebrity | Men's Health
Key Wellness and Fitness Strategies from Henry Cavill’s 'Witcher' Arm and Leg Workout:
- Training Focus:
- Emphasis on building strength and endurance to support stunt work and sword fighting.
- Importance of maintaining neurological capacity and injury prevention during long filming days.
- Workout Routine:
- Start each day with fasted cardio.
- Weight training sessions scheduled flexibly around filming commitments.
- Use of targeted movements incorporated into broader workout programs.
- Key Exercises and Techniques:
- Romanian Deadlift:
- Focus on strengthening the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, lower back).
- Technique involves a 4-second negative (lowering), 2-second pause at the bottom, then contracting glutes on the way up.
- Use of a hip circle above the knees to activate the glute medius and maintain muscle engagement.
- Maximizes time under tension without overstressing the nervous system.
- Hyperextensions on Glute Ham Machine:
- Isolation and contraction of glutes and lower back.
- Hold contractions for 2 seconds at the top of each rep.
- Hands placed behind the head to increase difficulty and engage erectors.
- Core Strengthening – Oblique Static Holds:
- Extend arms and hold core tight to activate transverse abdominals and obliques.
- Engage glutes during the hold.
- Moving arms inward/outward increases challenge.
- Builds endurance for repeated fight scenes and supports explosive movements.
- Shoulder Training for Sword Fighting:
- Combination of side lateral raises and front raises in one movement.
- Targets medial and anterior deltoids.
- Builds muscular endurance and strength to handle heavy swords and maintain control during fast, realistic fight choreography.
- Forearm and Bicep Training:
- Dumbbell Curls with alternating static holds.
- Prolonged tension to build forearm endurance.
- Critical for maintaining grip strength and control during prolonged sword work and horse riding.
- Romanian Deadlift:
- General Training Advice:
- Customize workouts based on individual fitness level, genetics, and caloric intake.
- Focus on making each workout the hardest you can do for yourself.
- Avoid comparing your progress or performance to others.
Presenters/Sources:
- Henry Cavill (Actor, The Witcher)
- Dave Rienzi (Trainer)
Notable Quotes
— 05:29 — « When you're film fighting, you are not going through for kill strikes. You're pulling the blow at the last second but you have to keep that speed up, between the striking moment and the stopping moment to make it look realistic. »
— 06:13 — « When you're into take 16 of the day and you're doing very complex movements with your wrists, your forearm does start to die and then you'll end up throwing swords across the room rather than making a swing. »
— 07:21 — « The most important thing to remember is that you are you. Everyone has a different genetic makeup, everyone is at a different stage of fitness or training or even has a different amount of calories going in. »
— 07:33 — « So you do you and just make sure each workout is the hardest that you can do it. Don't look at the person next to you, just work out whether you worked as hard as you could for that workout. »
Category
Wellness and Self-Improvement