Conan the Barbarian, Drogo and Aquaman: how does Jason Momoa train?

An American actor from Hawaii, Jason Momoa is mostly known for his roles as muscular and large men. Conan the Barbarian, the leader of the Dothraki from “Game of Thrones”, the heir to the throne of Atlantis – all of them are characterized by outstanding physical data, impressive physique and extraordinary strength. Of course, to embody these images on the screen Momoa had to spend days on end in the gym. How the actor was preparing for one of the last roles and keeps the form now?

Momoa was not the first to play a superhero. Like Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, he had to work hard to get in shape. And it’s not just the relief – the filming process itself with chases, jumps and stunts requires a lot of physical ability.

Although before the actor has already had to flaunt on the screen pumped torso with all the possible cubes, for “Aquaman” required a much more rigorous preparation: loaded training plan and proper diet.

Minimal carbs and a daily pint of beer

Momoa’s eating plan wasn’t special or unique. He went, perhaps, on the most classic way, when it is necessary to gain mass and turn it into muscle: reduced the number of carbohydrates, refused from fatty and sweet foods, as well as fast food. In addition, the actor excluded from the diet of sweets, pastries, chips and other harmful snacks.

As his personal trainer Stuart Walton pointed out in an interview, the three key aspects of such a diet are nutrition, balance and enjoyment of food. So instead of completely redesigning the actor’s menu, Walton made it based on proper and healthy foods that Momoa had enjoyed before. In addition, to gain mass, the trainer strictly followed the ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, but did not increase the amount of the latter.

However, there was one serious exception to Aquaman’s diet – beer. Momoa – a big fan of this drink and completely refuse it could not even during the preparation for the role. Therefore, not a single training day was not without a daily pint of beer.

Non-classical bodybuilding

Jason Momoa more than once had to get in shape for the sake of roles – he can say with certainty which workouts are the most effective for him personally. Since working with personal trainer Eric Laquist, the actor has chosen the Accelerated Results 7 method, which in many ways departs from the canons of bodybuilding.

Instead of extreme loads, Momoa focuses on consistency and pace: he uses low weights and performs a small number of repetitions, while taking very short breaks between approaches or not resting at all. The advantages of a high tempo are that you can feel the burn faster and also reduce fatigue in the muscles and stress on the joints.

The seven in the name means that each exercise should be started with seven sets of seven repetitions with seven seconds of rest between them. During the next round, these numbers should be reduced to six, and by the third round – to five. The break between each round should be 1-2 minutes.

Momoa prefers to allocate a separate day for a particular muscle group, practicing five times a week. Two days are left free to rest and recover for the next sessions.

Alternatives to the gym

Despite his muscular physique on screen, Jason doesn’t always look superheroic in real life. Although he diligently prepares for filming, in normal life he prefers to avoid training in the gym. The actor has repeatedly admitted in interviews that such loads do not bring him pleasure and spend time on it unnecessarily, he is not used to.

Several times paparazzi managed to capture “Aquaman” is not in the best shape. However, Momoa himself, it seems, does not upset at all. Now at the age of 41, he looks great and maintains a trim athletic figure, although not with so many cubes of abs.

Although the actor does not like to train in the gym, he leads a fairly active lifestyle. Being from Hawaii, he is fond of paddleboarding and surfing – these sports help to develop not only bark muscles, but also a sense of balance.

Momoa also tries to do more yoga and stretching exercises – flexibility is necessary for filming action scenes. In addition, among Aquaman’s favorite activities include rock climbing and exercises with his own weight.