Written by Tyler DiGiovanni | BSBM
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-founder
FACT CHECKED
When you hear the name Tom Holland, you don't automatically think of "bodybuilder." If you're like most people, you think of Spiderman. And that's exactly the physique we're going to cover in this article.
While prepping for the role, Holland wanted to focus on what Spiderman is known for, mainly agility and flexibility rather than a bulky frame. That's not to say he didn't add some muscle mass for the role, but the goal was to add sustainable muscle mass.
The Tom Holland Workout
You may look at this workout and think to yourself, "There's gotta be more to it than this." Well, yes, there definitely is, but the following workout comes directly from Holland's trainer, George Ashwell. Rather than guessing what else he may or may not do, we decided to stick with what we know for sure. In an interview with Esquire.com Holland's trainer said:
"Because we weren’t aiming to bulk up too much we could do more muscle groups in one go. It’d be a whole body circuit split into perhaps a posterior chain legs exercise with a horizontal push and pull, (so chest and back) then anterior legs (like a squat) with a vertical push and pull."
Be prepared, this is a High Intensity Interval Training workout. You will need a set of dumbbells.
To follow in Spiderman's footsteps you will perform the workout with these simple goals in mind:
- Use as little/if any rest time between exercises
- Take a 60 second rest at the end of each full circuit
- Perform the whole circuit 4 times
| EXERCISE | REPS/DURATION |
| Bear Crawls | 60 seconds |
| Shoulder Taps | 20 reps per side |
| Dumbell Thrusters | 20 reps |
| Renegade Rows | 20 reps |
| Push Ups | 20-30 reps |
Repeat this workout 3-4 times a week, allowing yourself adequate time to recover between sessions.
5 Exercises For the Tom Holland Spiderman Workout
1. Bear Crawls - 60 seconds
How To Perform Bear Crawls
- Begin on all fours on a flat surface, with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Keep your back flat and head neutral.
- Tighten your ab muscles to stabilize your spine.
- Lift your knees off the ground, keeping your weight evenly distributed between your hands and feet.
- Alternately move your right hand and left foot, then your left hand and right foot forward, mimicking a bear's movement (hence the name. Get it?).
- Keep your back flat and hips in line with your body. Keep your knees close to the ground, and don't let your hips sway back and forth.
Learn everything you need to know about this exercise with our post Bear Crawls: Benefits, How To & Best Variations.
2. Shoulder Taps - 20 per side
How to Perform Shoulder Taps
- Start in a standard plank position with your arms straight, hands placed directly under your shoulders, and your feet hip-width apart.
- Tighten your core to keep your body in a straight line. Avoid letting your hips drop or rise too high.
- Lift your right hand and tap your left shoulder gently, then place your hand back down. Repeat the action with your left hand tapping your right shoulder.
- Keep your body as still as possible, minimizing rocking or shifting. Focus on maintaining balance and control with each tap.
3. Dumbbell Thrusters - 20 reps
How to Perform Dumbbell Thrusters
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with palms facing each other.
- Lower yourself into a squat position, keeping the dumbbells steady at your shoulders, back straight, and chest up.
- Explosively stand up from the squat, using the momentum to press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Bring the dumbbells back down to your shoulders carefully as you simultaneously descend into the squat position for the next repetition.
4. Renegade Rows - 20 per arm
How to Perform Renegade Rows
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Begin in a plank position with a dumbbell in each hand, placed directly under your shoulders. Your feet should be slightly wider than hip-width apart for better stability.
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Fire up your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
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Pull the dumbbell in your right hand towards your hip while stabilizing your body with your left hand. Keep your elbow close to your body and avoid rotating your hips or shoulders.
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Lower the dumbbell smoothly back to the starting position.
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Repeat the row with your left hand while keeping your right hand stable and your body balanced.
*Note: Hexagonal dumbbells are ideal for this
Want to know more about this exercise? Read our Renegade Row Complete Guide!
5. Pushups - 20-30 reps
How to Perform Pushups
- Position yourself on the floor with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Extend your legs behind you, balancing on your toes.
- Engage your core muscles to keep your body in a straight line from top to bottom.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the floor until your chest nearly touches it. Keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your body.
- Push through your hands, extending your elbows to return to the starting plank position.
- Ensure your body remains straight and rigid throughout the movement. Your head should be in line with your spine, looking slightly ahead rather than down.
*Note: I think we all know how to do a pushup, but for those unfamiliar follow the above steps. If you want to challenge yourself with more types of push up variations then go for it!
Wrap-Up
That's it. Seems easy enough, right? If you've ever done a HIIT workout, then you know this isn't a walk in the park by any means. Now that you have a blueprint, you can tailor this workout to accommodate any limitations you might have. Who knows, after a couple of months of doing this workout, you might be ready to wear that Spiderman costume.
Tyler DiGiovanni
Author