As Hollywood heartthrobs go, Henry Cavill is definitely up there. Since his television breakthrough in the mid-2000s, the British actor’s body has gone through one hell of a transformation to be muscle-bound and fighting fit, ready to take on prestigious roles including The Man of Steel himself, Superman. Here, we reveal the A-lister’s fitness secrets…
Henry Cavill, the British actor beloved around the world for his impressive roster of roles has gained popularity as much for his titanic physique as for his A-grade acting.
Since his mid-2000s breakout in BBC and HBO’s The Tudors, where he played the wanton Charles Brandon, the actor has transformed a once-slim physique that was a likely result of an absence of creatine in Elizabethan England…
Now, the man has a hulking physique. Heavy with muscle that gives him his superman-silhouette, but also shredded enough to always hit our screens sans shirt, a rigorous doctrine lies behind the chiselled exterior.
Here we reveal the workout, diet, and lifestyle secrets behind Henry Cavill’s dream physique.
WATCH Henry Cavill working out on the set of Man of Steel below.
Henry Cavill’s Workout Routine
Cavill’s workout routine consists of weightlifting four days a week, focusing on a specific muscle group each day. His workout routine is split into two parts: upper body and lower body.
Where possible, Cavill’s weight training focuses on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once. He lifts heavy weights with low reps to build strength and increase muscle mass.
For upper body training, Cavill focuses on chest, shoulders, triceps, and biceps, and names these as some of his go-to exercises: bench press, incline bench press, push-ups, dumbbell flys, military press, lateral raises, bicep curls, and tricep pushdowns.
For lower body training, his choices are reduced but no less killer: he focuses on squats, deadlifts, leg presses, and calf raises.
On the fourth day, Cavill dedicates his workout to functional fitness training. This includes kettlebell swings, box jumps, battle ropes, and medicine ball throws. The star does this type of training to improve coordination, balance, and agility – all of which must come in handy on set…
Cavill also recognises that cardio is important for maintaining heart health and burning fat. Cavill’s cardio workout – which he does on an additional two days per week – is comprised entirely of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by periods of rest.
Henry Cavill’s Diet
Cavill’s nutritionist, Dave Rienzi, emphasises the importance of macronutrients in the actor’s diet.
Macronutrients are the foundation of any diet, providing the primary fuel sources for the body that are also essential for the growth, repair, and maintenance of the body’s tissues.
Eating a whopping 5,000 calories per day when preparing for a particularly jacked role, Cavill follows a high-protein diet to fuel his muscle growth and recovery.
He eats lean meats like chicken, turkey, and fish, along with complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, and quinoa. His diet also includes healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, and olive oil.
Cavill eats frequent, small meals throughout the day. Rienzi explains that eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day can help to keep the metabolism elevated, prevent excess fat gain and – perhaps most importantly – stave off hunger.
And here comes the sad part: Cavill avoids processed foods, sugary drinks, and alcohol. He also limits his intake of dairy products. Every aspect of his diet is closely monitored to avoid unintended fat gain… sounds like fun, eh?
Henry Cavill’s Healthy Lifestyle
There’s more to training than eating and lifting – every aspect of your life, including recovery, sleep, and hydration can be fine-tuned to get you that silver-screen shred.
Cavill understands the importance of sleep for recovery and overall health, aiming to get at least eight hours each night, and avoiding electronics and screens before bed to promote better sleep quality.
He also practices intermittent fasting to help him stay lean, fasting for 16 hours a day and limiting his eating to an eight-hour window. He also does the dreaded fasted cardio, which involves doing cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the morning to help burn fat more efficiently.
But the brutality is balanced by wellness: Cavill incorporates yoga and meditation into his routine to reduce stress and improve flexibility.
And to fuel it all: he stays hydrated. Rienzi recommends Cavill drinks around four litres of water per day. Essential for maintaining proper bodily functions, water also keeps your muscles hydrated and healthy.
All in all, it’s pretty comprehensive stuff. Between the sleep schedule, eating, lifting, and hydration, it’s hard to find a single aspect of the star’s life that isn’t tailored to getting as shredded as humanly possible.
Superman may be crippled by his one Achilles heel, the fabled kryptonite, but it seems that the man who embodies him shows no such weakness.