Henry Cavill’s DCEU Superman Workout Routine Is Even More Impressive 11 Years Later

Summary

• Henry Cavill’s dedication to portraying Superman involved both physical and emotional depth.
• Cavill’s commitment to his superhero physique through intense workouts and an increased calorie intake was a key factor in making his Superman portrayal convincing and impressive.
• The six-month training regimen Cavill underwent to prepare for his role as Superman in Man of Steel resulted in a muscular and powerful physique that set him apart from other actors who have played the iconic character.

The DCEU had a tumultuous run since 2013’s Man of Steel, but Henry Cavill’s commitment to the role of Superman only seems to age better with time. Before making his DCEU debut, Cavill had starred in only a handful of films, like the Greek mythological epic Immortals and the fantasy adventure Stardust. But Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and the subsequent DCEU movies turned him into a household name, winning over many a Superman fan. David Corenswet might be the new Man of Tomorrow in James Gunn’s Superman reboot, but audiences won’t forget Cavill’s performance anytime soon.

Apart from capturing the Kryptonian hero’s compassion and optimism, Cavill also explored the character’s occasionally reckless nature. This is what set him apart from other live-action Superman actors. Along with his dramatic prowess, Cavill also gave his all physically. Cavill’s intense workouts and attempts at bulking up made the DCEU Superman a real tour de force in the franchise’s action sequences, from his fast-paced duels with Zod and Batman to his one-man battle against the entire Justice League. After more than a decade, the British actor’s physical commitment to the part makes his take on Superman all the more convincing.

Henry Cavill’s Superman Movie Workout Routine Explained

A Lot Of Heavy Lifting And Increased Calories Led To Some Personal Best Records

Before bagging the lead role in Man of Steel, Henry Cavill presented a leaner body frame for Immortals. To portray the ancient Greek hero Theseus, the 6’1’’ actor weighed 170 pounds and was required to bulk up more to play Superman. Gym trainer Mark Twight, who previously worked with Zack Snyder on 300, was roped in as Cavill’s trainer. Before setting his diet and workout regimen, Twight made a non-negotiable agreement with Cavill to get a minimum of ten hours of sleep every night (via Muscle and Fitness). Deadlifts, front-and-back squats, and kettlebell swings were included in his daily workouts.

Mark Twight is also the founder of the Salt Lake City-based Gym Jones where he trained Cavill from
Man of Steel
to
Justice League
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A behind-the-scenes video from Flashback FilmMaking also revealed how Cavill would often do pull-ups and lift weights between takes (sometimes in his costume). To make his hand-to-hand combat seem more natural, Cavill also sparred with his gym trainer. Before filming commenced, Cavill increased his calorie count to 5,000-6,000 calories daily. Later, he cut this consumption by half and began taking light supplements like multivitamins and essential fatty acids. Cavill’s initial deadlift was less than 300 pounds, but he later achieved a record of 435. More notable highlights included a 245-pound push press and a 365-pound back squat.

What Henry Cavill Has Said About His DCEU Superman Movie Workout Routine

Cavill’s Workout Made Him Feel Literally Like Superman

Much like Christopher Reeve before him, Henry Cavill refused the cheat trick of using steroids to get in shape as Superman. Right from the beginning of his training, Cavill made it clear that he wanted to build his superhero body in the “old school way.” As he told USA Today, the actor felt that taking a shortcut like steroids or Human Growth Hormone (HGH) “is not what Superman represents.” Much like how Clark Kent discovers his Kryptonian powers, Muscle and Fitness covered a particular moment from his workout when Cavill felt that he had earned his right to play Superman.

This was when Cavill was finishing the final rep of his final set of front squats of the day. But the strain from the 305-pound barbell on his shoulders froze his legs. With his knees turning inward, Twight thought that Cavill was ready to give up and dump the bar off his shoulders. But somehow, Cavill regained his stance and finished the set. To put it in his words, “It wasn’t because of the number that I felt good. It’s because I pushed past what I thought was possible…I felt like I earned the right to try and represent Superman.”

How Long Did Henry Cavill Workout For His Superman Movie Role?

A Few Months And Sporadic Weekly Workouts Helped Cavill

While his workouts for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League coincided with his training for other projects like Netflix’s The Witcher, the most Superman-focused workouts were for Man of Steel. Cavill began working out before filming began, and Men’s Health reports that his grueling mass-building journey under Mark Twight lasted six months. Cavill dedicated numerous hours to five-day workouts. According to Muscle & Fitness, the days eventually began fluctuating. So, five days turned into two/three-day workouts as filming commenced. But considering Cavill had built a strong base already, the actor could still maintain his impressive, all-natural physique.

While many subtle details made Henry Cavill’s Superman perfect, Zack Snyder was keen on making his version of Superman muscular right from the start. So, Cavill doesn’t just look buff in costume but also when he’s Clark Kent. Much like his Spartan heroes in 300, Snyder was keen on featuring Cavill in shirtless scenes to represent his brute force. With Snyder shooting two such scenes over three weeks, Cavill was required to achieve and maintain the “peak form” of his upper body for these three weeks. The six-month training finally paid off with Cavil displaying impeccable form as DCEU’s Superman.

How Henry Cavill’s Superman Movie Workout Role Is Different To Other Actors

No Superman Has Looked This Buff

Henry Cavill’s DCEU Superman stands out for being the bulkiest on-screen version of the character. While it’s too soon to compare Cavill’s physical form with that of David Corenswet (who has currently been training in the gym and is still filming James Gunn’s Superman), the Man of Steel actor’s physical transformation and bulked-up body mass is greater than that of other live-action Superman actors like Brandon Routh in Superman Returns and Christopher Reeve in 1978’s Superman and its subsequent sequels. Routh’s retro-inspired version of the DC hero was leaner in physique also because Superman Returns directly followed Christopher Reeve’s movies.

Notably, Christopher Reeve had also built significant body muscle through a natural fitness regimen. But considering Reeve’s Superman debuted in the 1970s, achieving washboard abs and larger biceps wasn’t the norm for heroes back then. In a 1998 interview with Ability Magazine, the late Superman actor revealed that he increased his body weight by 30 lbs. Interestingly, Cavill’s weight gain was similar as he shifted from his Immortals physique of 170-175 lbs to 200-205 lbs in six months. But it’s Cavill’s shoulder-to-waist ratio and chest size that made him the strongest-looking Superman, a result of his grueling and consistent workouts.