“Do you think he works out?” Hemsworth jokes, enthusiastically flicking through some of the shots we’ve just taken. Witty and self-deprecating, he’s quick to bat away compliments while dishing out plenty of his own to the crew. We’re only 10 minutes into the hike and the shoes have already been discarded. As Hemsworth performs in front of the camera, the jokes come thick and fast. He’s such a natural entertainer that despite the unspoilt views of this raw, jagged landscape, all eyes are locked on him as he effortlessly inhabits the lens, before scampering over loose rocks to see the result on the monitor.
“How’s the rig on him!” he says, admiring the state of his arms. It’s the kind of comment that, even in jest, would elicit an eye-roll if uttered by the wrong person. Somehow Hemsworth manages to deliver it without a trace of arrogance. He’s right. ‘The rig on him’ represents the best shape of his life. He’s proud of himself. He’s also kind of grateful for the solace and focus training has given him.
“This last six months, honestly, for keeping my head level and just staying balanced, I’d say exercise has been big for me.”
Fitness as a refuge from mental turmoil is a theme celebs often like to trot out. But judging by the current state of his physique, it’s been a particularly productive form of escape.
In his latest role, the thriller Most Dangerous Game, Hemsworth struggled to maintain size, slimming down due to an overload of incidental running on set. “I spent most of the project running around the streets and getting beaten up as well,” he says, as I realise a hike probably isn’t his preferred way to spend a day off. “But it was a great thing ’cause it just kept me moving. I was doing like, 10 kay a day or something at one point, which I’ve never done in my life.”
Hemsworth has since ditched the running due to the toll it took on his body. “I always hated long distance so I never did anything pretty much beyond that (10km).”
He’s only recently built the arms that have made global headlines. Indeed, pics of his enhanced guns momentarily knocked tales of Megxit and COVID-19 from the top of news feeds. To rebuild lost muscle, Hemsworth sought the help of Rise Movement’s Jason Walsh, completing gruelling hour-long sessions with workout partners ranging from Jared Leto to Jake Gyllenhaal.
“We do 60-minute workouts or more sometimes,” he says. “It’s just high intensity. A mixture of calisthenics, sled pulls, sled push and lots of free-weight stuff. But we don’t stop for the 60 minutes. You’re sweating and breathing hard, but also moving a lot of weight as well.”
In LA, Walsh puts him through brutal 60-minute, total-body sessions.
“There are few people who have the natural ability and the body that can absorb everything you throw at it,” says Walsh. As strong as he is though, Walsh believes Hemsworth reaches a higher plane when he’s locked in mentally.
“I can’t believe how well his body responds when he’s not going through stuff,” says Walsh. “I haven’t seen him this happy for a long time. We took advantage of that.” On top of their full-body work, Walsh also gives his charge iso sessions like this arm workout.
Do it three times a week to build sleeve-splitting guns:
For more of our chat with Liam pick up a copy of Men’s Health in store or online.
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