SAM WORTHINGTON has never been the kind of actor to fetishise the gym. He doesn’t post shirtless mirror selfies – he doesn’t even have Instagram, actually – and has never been known to brag about his physique. Nevertheless, he put together a rig worthy of playing a marine turned fearsome Na’vi warrior in Avatar. More than a decade later, he did it again for The Way of Water, and now he’ll make it a trifecta in Fire & Ash.
Long before superhero transformations were measured in Instagram engagement, Worthington was quietly building a body fit for the rigours of Pandora. His philosophy is increasingly rare in Hollywood: train because the job demands it, not because people want to see you shirtless.
Around the time of the first Avatar, Worthington was coming off a run of physically intense roles. “I was doing five or six hours of training a day. I’d get up, train for two hours, eat, then have a short sleep. Then I’d get up, train again with heavy weights, eat and sleep again. By the time I finished I was a tank,” he told Men’s Health at the time.
As the years have passed, Worthington has softened his workout routine to be more functional than intense. Avatar: The Way of Water shifted the physical demands away from sheer muscle and toward breath control, coordination and stunt work. Worthington, like the rest of the core cast, underwent underwater training that required him to perform while holding his breath for extended periods.
When it comes to food, Worthington avoids the rigid diets that dominate transformation narratives. He’s never mentioned going on a strict meal plan for Avatar, but that’s telling in itself. His approach focused on eating enough to support long training days, prioritising protein for recovery and carbohydrates for fuel.
Underlying all of this is a broader lifestyle shift that has helped Worthington sustain his performance over the years. He’s spoken openly about sobriety and the stability it’s brought to his life. No doubt, being sober has helped Worthington maintain his place as James Cameron’s lead guy for more than 15 years.
Sam Worthington's Avatar workout
Worthington did this workout daily to prepare for the original Avatar. It works multiple muscle groups, from legs and arms to abs and shoulders.
- Crunches, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Lateral raises, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Barbell squats, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Hammer curls, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Russian twists, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Incline dumbbell bench press, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Hanging knee raises, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Tricep dips, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Seated dumbbell rows, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
