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Hey it’s Chris. Some of the links on this page may be sponsored - it helps keep the blog going. Cool?
Oh one more thing, if you're a guy looking to get ripped 6-pack abs or a woman looking to get a lean toned stomach, I just put together a killer workout called the "Dirty Dozen" ab workout. Click here to get your free PDF copy..
Onto the article...Got what it takes to hang with “old school” action hero legends Stallone, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Li, et al?
English actor, martial artist, and former Olympic-class diver Jason Statham certainly does. Never one to back down from a challenge, Statham punishes himself with workouts so intense most publications are reluctant to publish them! Thus, it should not come as a surprise that the thirty-seven year old veteran of action and crime films like “Snatch” (2000) and “The Italian Job” (2003) enjoys doing most of his own fight scenes and stunts.
In the upcoming action/war thriller “The Expendables” (due for general release August 13, 2010), Statham portrays Lee Christmas, second in command to Sylvester Stallone’s character and an expert in close quarters knives’ combat. Based on official and “leaked” trailers, Jason is a worthy successor to the action genre superstars of the 1980s and early 1990s.
When “action” was done right, IMHO…
How does Jason get those Washboard Abs?
Jason Statham and trainer Logan Wood both like structured workouts based on well-defined themes. Have a look at one of Jason’s seven day plans:
Day 1: Progression to One Repetition Maximum (1RM): Deadlifts to build pure strength are preceded by a two-part warm-up consisting of rowing and a pyramid circuit (pushups, ring pull-ups, bodyweight squats).
Day 2: Functional Circuit. Full body workout targeting multiple muscle groups. Ten rounds of a five-part circuit (Front squat, pull-ups, push-ups, power cleans, “knees to elbows” pull-ups). Warm-up: Rowing followed by static hold circuit exercises.
Day 3: Interval Work using a Rower. Six intervals of 500 meters each. Warm-up: ten minutes of light rowing. Cool down: five-hundred meter kettlebell farmer’s walk.
Day 4: Set Work. Front squats for strengthening and total body conditioning. Five sets of five repetitions each; ninety seconds rest between series. Warm-up: light rowing followed by twenty repetitions of body weight squats. Cool down: Laddered pushup intervals with a partner or alone (200 push-ups total).
Day 5: Cumulative Movements: Metabolically demanding full body workout. Warm-up: Rowing as before; bear crawl and crab walk (five repetitions of fifteen meters each). Workout consists of eleven push, pull, ball and climbing exercises to be completed in the fastest time possible.
Day 6: Contextual Effort. Any activity or sport you enjoy or actively participate in. Jason’s goal on this particular week was endurance training, so he went on a long-distance mountain trail run.
Day 7: Rest!
Customized Fitness Advice from Someone Who Kicks some Serious A**!
Jason is not shy about what it takes to push your body to the max.
1. Attitude, Attitude, Attitude!
Your mind must be focused on the workout before you hit the gym. Statham is part of a growing chorus of fitness advocates and practitioners who support short, intense sessions (e.g. 40-45 minutes) of no-nonsense explosion. Keep your goals in mind. For Jason, resistance training is much more than bulging biceps and looking buff. He trains to run faster, jump higher, twist better, and punch harder.
2. Keep Working your Core.
Jason’s diving background makes him recommend sit-up variations like pikes, planks, and V-ups to anyone looking to strengthening their core muscles. Yes, that does include your lower and upper abdominals…
3. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to the Fore.
Not surprisingly, Statham is a big MMA fan, in particular the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) brand. Given his work background, combat training is important and useful: Shadow-boxing (back, shoulders), lunges and stretches (legs), boxing exercises (punching and kicking pads; heavy bag, speed bag).
4. Body Weight Explosions as Your Best Training Option.
Expensive gym memberships and home equipment are not prerequisites for achieving a great beach body. Jason loves plyometrics (i.e. jump training) to develop explosiveness and reflexes, and they require almost no equipment. Jumping rope, burpees, star jumps (i.e. crouch, jump up and spread your arms and legs into a star, then come back down into a crouch), pushups, and step-ups are popular and effective choices.
5. Impromptu Workouts on a Dime.
Even the busiest executives and business travelers should keep a 20-minute, non-equipment workout to remain sharp. Statham’s tends towards combat exercises (see 3. above), but you should orient it to your sport or primary movements.
P.S. Jason Statham’s ‘Complete’ one-week workout – a small sliver of his ever evolving fitness plan, was first published in the November 2009 issue of Men’s Health.