SPIDER-MAN: Brand New Day premiered last week, and everyone’s talking about how Tom Holland looks bigger than ever.
Holland’s Spider-Man has never been known as the brawniest superhero and typically boasts a wiry, lithe frame. Holland is five foot eight, after all, so it would be physically impossible for him to meet the hulking standards set by guys like Chris Hemsworth and the Rock. But now, he’s visibly carrying more size through his shoulders, arms and chest.
In the past, a CGI-assisted costume has done a lot of the heavy lifting for Holland. It seems he no longer wants (or needs) the help. Speaking to Men’s Health last year, Holland explained that his focus had shifted from looking lean to bulking up in order to fill out the suit.
“In these movies the suits are often padded,” Holland said. “Then they’ll add CGI to make the way the padding moves look more natural. I want to add enough muscle that the padding and CGI aren’t necessary.”
That mindset shift came somewhat unexpectedly. Holland was inspired after working with Christopher Nolan on his upcoming film, The Odyssey. Nolan’s preference for practical effects made Holland rethink how he approached his own preparation.
Instead of relying on the suit to create a heroic silhouette, Holland wanted to bring the mass himself. He told Men’s Health he’s been training assiduously, using a mix of bodyweight work, weighted vest training and traditional bodybuilding to add size without losing the athleticism that underpins the role. At the time, he estimated he still had around 4kg of muscle to gain.
It looks like Holland achieved his goals. There’s a noticeable difference in his size between The Odyssey and Brand New Day, which he filmed back to back.
Holland has never been short on fitness. His performances in high-rep bodyweight workouts and eye-watering scores on classic CrossFit sessions have already proven that. In the past, Holland has also shared the gruelling workouts he uses to stay in shape. This monster 1,500-rep bodyweight workout is evidence of his discipline.
Tom Holland's 'monster' bodyweight workout
For each exercise, work your way up through ascending reps over ten rounds. Once you’ve done 10 sets, work your way down in the same manner for another 10 rounds.
A. Pull-Up x 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
B. Dip x 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
C. Push-Up x 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 27, 24, 21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3
D. Sit-Up x 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 36, 32, 28, 24, 20, 16, 12, 8, 4
E. Air Squat x 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
