Following celebrity workout plans is a growing trend in gym users around the world. One of the most popular choices these days, particularly among men looking to achieve an action hero physique, is the Jason Statham workout routine.
It achieves it's status of being so different to 'the norm' by tearing up the old rule book calling for three sets of ten. Most of the exercises included are done for twenty or more repetitions and they are full body, strength based moves which are designed to condition rather than sculpt.
Before you begin with a tough workout like this, take some time to familiarize yourself with the exercises in the workout itself, because this will make it far easier for you when you begin your session. While actors in days gone by strived for maximum size, the target has changed significantly over the last decade or so and you'll notice that this plan is designed with functional fitness and strength in mind rather than purely aesthetic gains.
As a circuit, the workout itself consists of three very different stages which combine to form one 60-90 minute gym session, including:
Stage 1: 10 minute warm-up on any piece of cardiovascular equipment.
Stage 2: A 15 minute HIIT workout, again using cardiovascular equipment.
Stage 3: Full body resistance circuit.
Phase one is used as a warm-up phase to prepare your muscles for the both the HIIT session and the body weight circuit which lie immediately after it. With that fact in mind, be sure to choose a piece of cardiovascular kit which will allow you to warm up your entire body. A rowing machine or versaclimber would be an ideal choice. The second phases switches the approach from regular, steady state exercise to interval training.
Those familiar with HIIT will know the high/low protocol already, but those who have never tried it before might want to practice it first to gage what kind of levels they are capable of. A bike or an elliptical trainer are good choices for this phase as they allow for quick transitions. You do not want to choose a piece of gym equipment which takes a long time to transition between an easy and hard gear, for example a treadmill. Perform 15 minutes of HIIT with a '30 seconds high, two minutes moderate' protocol.
The third phase focuses on a combo of body weight exercises, power lifting techniques and crossfit moves which are rarely practised in popular health clubs and gyms. For that reason, take a few moments to iron out any kinks to your technique before you do the full workout. Pick 6 exercises from the list below to form a full body workout:
Reverse crunch x 20 reps - tilt the pelvis at the top of each rep to hit the lower abdomen.
Bench dips x 20 reps.
Weighted rope pull x 5
Climb x 5 reps - climb a 20 foot rope 5 times, beating your time on each rep if possible.
High Knee Skipping x 30 seconds
Pull-ups x 15 reps - grip as wide as possible so you can maximize the involvement of your lats.
Romanian deadlift x 20 reps - ensure correct form.
Front squat x 20 reps - using a barbell.
Barbell Bench Press x 20
Power clean x 20 reps - focus on explosive power.
Kettlebell Swing x 20
Each workout should be different, that is where the effectiveness of this workout comes from. Pick moves from the list above or create your own list. As long as the focus is on full body moves it doesn't really matter. After pushing through the 6 exercises one after the other with minimal rest, take a 5 minute break before returning for round two. Try to achieve 5 rounds overall in this stage.
As far as celebrity workouts go, the Jason Statham workout is both original and challenging. Those looking for fat loss will certainly enjoy the interval training aspects and the high intensity, while those looking for muscular gains will enjoy the focus on strength-based moves such as the power clean and deadlift.
It achieves it's status of being so different to 'the norm' by tearing up the old rule book calling for three sets of ten. Most of the exercises included are done for twenty or more repetitions and they are full body, strength based moves which are designed to condition rather than sculpt.
Before you begin with a tough workout like this, take some time to familiarize yourself with the exercises in the workout itself, because this will make it far easier for you when you begin your session. While actors in days gone by strived for maximum size, the target has changed significantly over the last decade or so and you'll notice that this plan is designed with functional fitness and strength in mind rather than purely aesthetic gains.
As a circuit, the workout itself consists of three very different stages which combine to form one 60-90 minute gym session, including:
Stage 1: 10 minute warm-up on any piece of cardiovascular equipment.
Stage 2: A 15 minute HIIT workout, again using cardiovascular equipment.
Stage 3: Full body resistance circuit.
Phase one is used as a warm-up phase to prepare your muscles for the both the HIIT session and the body weight circuit which lie immediately after it. With that fact in mind, be sure to choose a piece of cardiovascular kit which will allow you to warm up your entire body. A rowing machine or versaclimber would be an ideal choice. The second phases switches the approach from regular, steady state exercise to interval training.
Those familiar with HIIT will know the high/low protocol already, but those who have never tried it before might want to practice it first to gage what kind of levels they are capable of. A bike or an elliptical trainer are good choices for this phase as they allow for quick transitions. You do not want to choose a piece of gym equipment which takes a long time to transition between an easy and hard gear, for example a treadmill. Perform 15 minutes of HIIT with a '30 seconds high, two minutes moderate' protocol.
The third phase focuses on a combo of body weight exercises, power lifting techniques and crossfit moves which are rarely practised in popular health clubs and gyms. For that reason, take a few moments to iron out any kinks to your technique before you do the full workout. Pick 6 exercises from the list below to form a full body workout:
Reverse crunch x 20 reps - tilt the pelvis at the top of each rep to hit the lower abdomen.
Bench dips x 20 reps.
Weighted rope pull x 5
Climb x 5 reps - climb a 20 foot rope 5 times, beating your time on each rep if possible.
High Knee Skipping x 30 seconds
Pull-ups x 15 reps - grip as wide as possible so you can maximize the involvement of your lats.
Romanian deadlift x 20 reps - ensure correct form.
Front squat x 20 reps - using a barbell.
Barbell Bench Press x 20
Power clean x 20 reps - focus on explosive power.
Kettlebell Swing x 20
Each workout should be different, that is where the effectiveness of this workout comes from. Pick moves from the list above or create your own list. As long as the focus is on full body moves it doesn't really matter. After pushing through the 6 exercises one after the other with minimal rest, take a 5 minute break before returning for round two. Try to achieve 5 rounds overall in this stage.
As far as celebrity workouts go, the Jason Statham workout is both original and challenging. Those looking for fat loss will certainly enjoy the interval training aspects and the high intensity, while those looking for muscular gains will enjoy the focus on strength-based moves such as the power clean and deadlift.
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More tips: Russ Howe PTI is a hugely successful online personal trainer from the UK. You can pick up the full brutally intense routine he used for the jason statham workout via his website now.