Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-Founder
FACT CHECKED
Hugh Jackman's Wolverine stands out above the rest of the mutants that make up the X-Men. His attitude, claws, and brute strength make him a badass. What makes him a fan favorite is that Hugh Jackman has had an insane physique throughout his portrayal of the 3-bladed mutant, Wolverine. Hugh Jackman’s body is so jacked that many guys wonder how he trains and we have the answer.
This article is going to lay out what’s involved in Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine workout routine.
Plus, we’re going to lay out 2 entire Wolverine workout plans!
Training To Be Wolverine
Hugh Jackman first appeared on the big screen at about 32 years old in 2000 to bring Wolverine to the big screen in X-Men. He maintained his brutish, jacked body until this writing (2024) at 55!
This is crucial as this is what Wolverine is. Some of the original writers say that his creation was inspired by the likes of Conan the Barbarian. He has also been compared to The Hulk due to his outbursts of rage.
So, Conan the Barbarian and The Hulk – for Hugh Jackman to give an accurate representation, it's obvious he would need an above-average body. To do this, he was given a "celebrity trainer."
As ironic as it seems, many "celebrity trainers" provide questionable training at best. You would think that these "elite" trainers are the best, but unfortunately, this is not the case.
Questionable workouts, diet suggestions, and subpar exercise selection are commonplace in Hollywood.
We are happy to tell you this is not the case with Hugh Jackman's training, at least the bulk of it.
Searching through YouTube, we did find instances of Hugh Jackman performing things like lunges while alternating between a single dumbbell and bosu ball squats. Don’t do these.
Regardless, it does seem like the foundations of his training are solid.
While Hugh Jackman has had several trainers throughout the years, one of his primary trainers has been UK-based trainer David Kingsbury, who is out of the UK. In addition to training Hugh Jackman, he's also trained the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Chris Hemsworth.
These men have awesome physiques, so the Wolverine is in good hands.
What Does Hugh Jackman's Workout Consist Of?
If you have been a reader of SET FOR SET for any length of time, you would know that we push the idea of simplicity over complexity. Stick to the basics and build upon them over time.
Well, this is basically the same idea that has guided Hugh Jackman's workout program to transform his mutant physique. Hugh Jackman followed some basic training principles you have read about many times in our blogs to get jacked like Wolverine.
We can break these down into six main variables:
Before going further, we want to say that finding the exact workouts is relatively difficult. Therefore, this information is based on the cumulative information taken from several sources, including YouTube interviews with David Kingsbury, social media posts, and various excerpts around the web.
1. Exercise Selection
Hugh Jackman did not and does not use ultra-complex or trendy exercises. His training program uses your foundational compound movements. The 4 primary exercises that Hugh Jackman uses often are:
In addition, you can find him doing:
To really drive muscle growth, Hugh Jackman uses a good amount of accessory and isolation work, but again, he sticks to the basics. Some examples include:
See? Nothing fancy here, just what works.
In fact, there is a very good chance you have done every exercise that Hugh Jackman used to build his body for the Wolverine. There are no "secrets" in his training, just adherence and intensity.
2. Cardio
This may come as a surprise, as cardio doesn't necessarily go with bulking up. However, you must remember that Hugh Jackman would be required to put in long, physical days on set.
Playing the Wolverine is highly demanding, with numerous fight scenes, and Hugh couldn't pull off mutant power, huffing and puffing after a couple of sprints.
You can find evidence of him using a variety of methods using a variety of equipment, including:
Further, he would often use high-intensity training such as HITT.
3. Progressive Overload
Just like any effective program, the central tenant of the Wolverine's workout program is progressive overload.
Progressive overload is the central training principle that states that to continually progress, you must consistently place a greater load on the body over time. It simply means to do a bit more work every week.
This overloading continues to force muscle growth; over time, you'll eventually become a Wolverine.
Let's consider that Hugh Jackman has been training for the past 20 years. It’s been quite a long time since he started using progressive overload, which can explain how he has grown over the years!
4. Periodization
During our research, we were pleasantly surprised that Hugh Jackman's Wolverine workout program uses a training principle known as periodization.
Periodization is a tactic that requires a trainee to alter his training load and volume over time. Doing this will allow you to train and focus on different fitness variables during different time frames.
At the same time, it will alter the stressors placed on the body and can act as a sort of recovery.
For example, training using 90% of your 1RM is completely different than using 75% of your 1RM to failure. These different loads and volumes affect different physiological and metabolic systems; alternating them can help you feel fresh.
At the same time, it may keep your training a bit more interesting, which can help with adherence.
There are many ways to do this, but a basic idea could look like this.
- Week 1- Train Hypertrophy
- Week 2- Train Strength
- Week 3- Train Power
- Week 4- Train Hypertrophy
These "periods" could be months, weeks, or even days and use any combination of training variables.
Now, Hugh Jackman's training program would have him alter his loads every week. Further, it primarily alternated between strength training for three weeks and then hypertrophy for one week making up a 4-week block.
After 4 weeks, the weights would be increased, and the block would be repeated. To do this, it uses percent-based training, which we'll speak about below.
It is important to point out that this is primarily true for the primary exercise of each session. After this, the rest of the exercise simply used progressive overload to increase volume over time.
5. Percentage Based Training
Percentage-based training simply means you select loads using a percentage of your 1 rep max. For example, you may be prescribed 5 sets of 5 reps using 80% of your 1RM.
Technically, this requires you to know your 1 rep max or at least an estimate. The good thing is this is only true for your primary exercises.
If you don't know, you can simply run a testing week and find it. Remember that this doesn't need to be exact as long as you have a good idea.
This 1RM is then used to prescribe loads for the first 4-week block. After the 4th week, you would add 5-10lbs and then use this number for the second 4-week block.
But here's the thing. The smallest weight plate in many gyms is only 2.5kg (5lbs). This means your load will need to be a multiple of 5kg (two plates on a bar), such as 55kg or 70kg.
However, this won't always occur. For example, after doing calculations, you may need 57kg. For this, you will need access to smaller weight plates such as 1kg, 0.5kg, and even 0.25kg.
If you don't have these smaller plates, just round up.
6. Super Sets, Compound Sets And Giant Sets:
Another method of training that pops up in much of Wolverine’s training is the use of special sets such as supersets and:
- Tri Sets
- Compound Sets
- Giant Sets
When these are performed, Hugh generally moves from one exercise to the next quickly and then uses 60 seconds of rest between sets.
Many times people will use this style of training for the intensity factor or because they think they’re better for muscle growth. That’s an entirely different topic but Hugh uses these primarily for one reason – save time.
Hugh Jackman is a busy man and doesn’t always have hours to spend in the gym. Therefore, these special sets serve him a very practical purpose as it lets him get in his training in a time-efficient manner.
Now when it comes to benefits, this is ultimately they’re primary advantage as they allow a trainee to get in more work in a shorter amount of time (study).
Hugh Jackman's Workout Routine For Wolverine
So, we'll first review the progression used during the 4 weeks for your primary exercise. Each week, a specific number of reps were used for each set. However, the weight would ramp up for each set.
- Week 1: 5 Reps @ 60%, 65%, 75%, 75%
- Week 2: 4 Reps @ 65%, 75%, 80%, 80%
- Week 3: 3 Reps @ 70%, 80%, 90%, 90%
- Week 4: 10 Reps @ 40%, 50%, 60%, 60%
After the primary exercise, each exercise will have a typical rep scheme that uses basic progressive overload over time – you’ll slowly add weight when able to.
As we mentioned above, we are going to lay out 2 Wolverine training programs!
One uses a 5-day split while the other uses a 4-day split. Other than that, the same periodization, rep scheme, and progressive overload guidelines are the same.
5-Day "Wolverine" Workout Routine
This is an intense workout and requires plenty of calories.
- Session 1: Chest & Shoulders
- Session 2: Lower & Core
- Session 3: Back & Biceps
- Session 4: Chest & Arms
- Session 5: Core & Legs
Session 1 Chest & Shoulders:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Bench Press |
5/4/3/10 |
- |
|
Dumbbell Shoulder Press |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Behind-the-Neck Press |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Cuban Press |
3x10 |
60 sec |
|
Tricep Superset |
3 Sets |
60 sec |
|
Dips |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Tricep Pushdown |
12 Reps |
- |
|
Shoulder Giant-set |
3 Sets |
60 sec |
|
Lat Raises |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Front Raises |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Rear Shoulder Fly |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Overhead Press |
8 Reps |
- |
Session 2 Lower Body & Core:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Back Squat |
5/4/3/10 |
- |
|
Front Squat |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Leg Press |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Superset |
4 Sets |
60 sec |
|
Calf Raise |
12 Reps |
- |
|
Hanging Leg Raise |
12 Reps |
- |
|
Ab Wheel |
4x10 Reps |
60 sec |
|
Knee Raise |
4x10 Reps |
30 sec |
|
Decline Sit-Up |
4x10 Reps |
30 sec |
Session 3 Back & Biceps:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Weighted Pull-Up |
5/4/3/10 |
- |
|
Dumbbell Row |
4x12 |
60 sec |
|
Bodyweight Row |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Incline Dumbbell Curl |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Triset |
4 Sets |
60 sec |
|
Zottman Bicep Curl |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Cross Body Curls |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Pronated Curls |
8 Reps |
- |
Session 4 Chest & Arms:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Chest Superset |
4 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Decline Dumbbell Chest Press |
6 Reps |
- |
|
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press |
6 Reps |
- |
|
Flat Dumbbell Chest Press |
6 Reps |
- |
|
Cable Fly |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Narrow Grip Bench Press |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Tricep Tri-set |
4 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Cable Tricep Pushdown |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Dip |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Diamond Grip Pushup |
8 Reps |
- |
Session 5 Core & Legs:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Barbell Deadlift |
4x5 |
150 sec |
|
Romanian Deadlift |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Zercher Squat |
4x12 |
60 sec |
|
Incline Sit-Up |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Barbell Landmine |
3x10 |
60 sec |
4-Day "Wolverine" Workout Routine
This 4-day workout is a better option for lifters with less experience or those who simply don’t have the time. It is inspired by that of Wolverine’s but built for mutants in training. But make no mistake, it’s still brutal and effective.
It will use an Upper/Lower Split.
- Session 1: Upper
- Session 2: Lower
- Session 3: Upper
- Session 4: Lower
Session 1 Upper:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Bench Press |
5/4/3/10 |
- |
|
Weighted Dip |
4x6 |
90 sec |
|
T-Bar Row |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Triset |
3 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Dumbbell Overhead Press |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Close Grip Bench Press |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Lat Pulldown |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Arm Triset |
3 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Lateral Raise |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Tricep Pushdown |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Hammer Curls |
10 Reps |
- |
Session 2 Lower:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Squat |
5/4/3/10 |
- |
|
Trap Bar Deadlift |
4x6 |
90 sec |
|
Barbell Romanian Deadlift |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Giant Set |
3 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Walking Lunges |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Calf Raises |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Leg Curls |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Leg Extensions |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Ab Rollout |
4 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Hanging Knee Raises |
4 Rounds |
60 sec |
Session 3 Upper:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Weighted Chin-Ups |
5/4/3/10 |
- |
|
Incline Dumbbell Press |
4x6 |
90 sec |
|
Dumbbell Row |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Triset |
3 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Dumbbell Flat Press |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Dumbbell Row (Triset) |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Cuban Press |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Arm Triset |
3-4 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Reverse Fly |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Overhead Triceps Extension |
10 Reps |
- |
|
Spyder Curl |
10 Reps |
- |
Session 4 Lower:
|
Exercise |
Sets/Reps |
Rest |
|
Deadlift |
5/4/3/10 |
- |
|
Barbell Front Squat |
4x6 |
90 sec |
|
Bulgarian Split Squat |
4x10 |
60 sec |
|
Giant Set |
3 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Seated Calf Raise |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Single Leg Leg Press |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Lying Leg Curl |
8 Reps |
- |
|
Decline Crunch |
4 Rounds |
60 sec |
|
Wood Choppers |
3 Rounds |
60 sec |
Wolverine’s Diet To Bulk Up
Training like a mutant will only do so much if you’re not feeding your muscles. Hugh Jackman ate a lot to bulk up his roles (which wasn't easy according to him). Luckily, we have an interview where you can hear it straight from Wolverine’s mouth.
Depending on if he was bulking or cutting, Hugh Jackman would consume anywhere between 4,000-6,000 calories a day.These calories came from what can best be described as your classic bodybuilding clean diet.
A lot of chicken, steak and greens.
Hugh particularly mentions that much of his diet was “bland,” such as steamed chicken breast with no salt. Eating that clean and hitting that many calories is tough.
But Hugh Jackman made it even tougher as he followed intermittent fasting, specifically 16:8. This basically means he would fast for 16 hours, giving him an 8-hour feeding window where he would need to consume all his calories.
We can’t comment on why he would do this, especially for bulking, but it apparently worked!
Related: 7-Day Muscle-Building Diet Plan
Train Like Wolverine: Our Thoughts
Of all the celebrity workouts that hit the mainstream, we would say that this is definitely one of the best built on solid principles. If we were to critique it, the primary concern would be the total volume – it’s a lot. If you are a beginner lifter, we would advise you to knock off one or two sets from all the exercises apart from the first primary exercise.
The only reason it might not be for you is due to some variable you have no control over, such as training frequency. Other than that, this is one of the few celebrity training plans that we would give a blanket recommendation for most people. In other words, training just like Wolverine is 100% possible.
Not sure if this workout routine is right for you? Take our workout plan quiz to find a program that best suits you!
Garett Reid
Author