Jason Statham “The Expendables” Workout

One Push is All You’ll Need to Get Started!

At the risk of offending the easily offended, English tough guy Jason Statham (b. 1972) is one serious bad-ass…

Known for his collaborations with fellow Englishman Guy Ritchie (“Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels” (1998); “Snatch” (2000); “Revolver” (2005)), Statham has garnered rave reviews for his performance as Lee Christmas in “The Expendables” (2010).

Quite remarkable, considering the action movie and combat legends Statham shares the screen with: Sylvester Stallone, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, World Wrestling Entertainment legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, former NFLer Terry Crews and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) superstar Randy Couture.

Wow, what a cast!

Making Brash Physicality Respectable Again…

Recognized for being a passionate fitness fanatic (see my other Jason Statham Workout article), Jason Statham ramped it up even more for “Expendables”.  Jason and celebrity trainer Logan Hood put together a number of brutal workouts to ensure that he would not be out of place during the movie’s volcanic action scenes, especially when performing his own stunts.

Below is a sample week from Jason Statham’s “Expendables” preparation, courtesy of Men’s Fitness U.K.:

Monday – Short Circuit (30 Minutes)

1) 10 minutes: Rowing Machine.
2) Weighted-down Rope pull (i.e. attached to a weighted sled): 20 meter bear crawl.  Continue back and forth for 10 minutes.
3) 10 minutes: Rowing Machine.

Tuesday – Pushing Supersets (45-55 Minutes)

1) 5 minutes: Rowing Machine.
2) 5 minutes: Repeat 3 pull-ups, 5 push-ups, 7 squats until time limit or exhaustion.
3) Progressive snatch grip dead lift: Four sets of five repetitions; increase weight after each set.
4) Superset 1; 4 sets of 10 repetitions with 90 seconds rest between sets: Incline dumbbell press, standing military press, skullcrushers.
5) Superset 2; 4 sets of 10 repetitions with 90 seconds rest between sets: Narrow grip push-ups, lateral raises, triceps extensions.
6) Abdominal rollouts: 5 sets of 10.

Wednesday – Rest

Thursday – Pulling Supersets (45-55 Minutes)

1) 5 minutes: Rowing Machine.
2) 5 minutes: Repeat 3 pull-ups, 5 push-ups, 7 squats until time limit or exhaustion.
3) Progressive Bulgarian split squats: Three sets of five repetitions; increase weight after each set.
4) Superset 1; 4 sets of 10 repetitions with 90 seconds rest between sets: 1 10 meter rope climb (no feet), 10 dumbbell shrugs, 10 Ex-bar curls.
5) Superset 2; 4 sets of 10 repetitions with 90 seconds rest between sets: 10 pull-ups, 10 incline front raises, 10 hammer curls.
6) Hanging knee raises: 5 sets of 10.

Friday – Interval Training (55-60 Minutes)

1) Warm-up: Two 50 meter sprints.
2) Cardio complex (Complete five rounds, rest period is half the time it takes to complete the round):

– Suicide run (Run 10m then run back, 20m then run back, 30m then run back, 40m then run back, 50m then run back)
– 80m kettlebell farmer’s walk
– 80m one-arm kettlebell overhead carry (switch arms at 40m)
– 80m tire drag (SUV or small truck).

Weekend – Rest with some “Fun” Activities

Cannon’s Conclusion

Believe it or not, Jason Statham’s ‘Expendables’ workout week is achievable, though you probably won’t match his well-known intensity and volume.  We have deliberately left out Statham’s working poundage, so that you begin with a resistance that’s appropriate for you.  As always, form and technique are paramount, even if it means taking more time to achieve your fitness goals.

Thanks to Jason Statham’s knife-throwing skills and on-screen camaraderie with actor-director Stallone, “The Expendables” hit number one at the box office during its first weekend.  In interviews after the movie’s release, Stallone concedes that Jason is a worthy successor to his generation of action thriller superstars.

Shows how being healthy, being ripped, and being successful can all go hand-in-hand…

Sources:

http://www.mensfitness.co.uk/exercise/celebrity_bodies/5122/jason_stathams_expendables_workout.html (“Jason Statham’s Expendables workout”, Men’s Fitness).  18 Aug 10.
“Jason Statham – Action Teacher Sylvester Stallone.”, ed. www.contactmusic.com 10 Aug 10.  http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/action-teacher-sylvester-stallone_1157433 18 Aug 10.