You need only look at Chris Hemsworth to know that this is a man who dedicates a large part of his life to the pursuit of physical fitness. With his perpetually jacked bod – the kind that Hollywood is clambering after for its biggest action flicks – Hemsworth knows a thing or two about working out. And having launched Centr fit, he’s lifted the lid on his training secrets, showing his fans and fitness enthusiasts around the world just what it takes to get in Hemsworth-ready shape. Inspired by a challenge, fitness YouTuber Lucy Davis decided to train like Thor.
If you’re familiar with Davis, you’ll know that she’s no stranger to a gruelling workout. The YouTube star has previously undertaken Zac Efron’s Baywatch workout, which included a staggering number of reps, as well as The Rock’s 50-set back and biceps routine. For Hemsworth’s Thor workout, the first portion focuses on bodyweight exercises, starting with 3 sets of 15 pull-ups. As Davis explains, “I might end up dropping down, but I’m going to give it my best go.” She adds, “I can do 4 sets of 8, but 15 is another level.”
After completing the first set with good form, Davis admits she could cry with happiness. But of course, there are another two sets to go and on the second set, she manages just 10 pull-up reps before finishing with 5 chin-ups. She can only complete the third set by doing assisted reps.
The second exercise involves setups, performed for 3 sets of 20, which Davis completes with relative ease. Then comes 3 sets of 15 pushups. After the bodyweight exercises, Davis then has to test her explosiveness with 3 sets of 10 box jumps and 3 sets of 15 air squats. This chunk of the workout takes up more than 40 minutes, a staggering amount considering that Davis usually only trains for an hour at a time.
“It’s really high volume bodyweight stuff, we’ve not even started the weighted stuff yet,” says Davis. “It’s a whole other session, it’s like this is his warmup or something crazy.”
For the second half of the challenge, Davis is put through her paces with an “iron circuit training” which begins with 3 sets of 15 barbell squats. “I can’t remember the last time I did 15 barbell squats,” she says. “I don’t do 15, I do 15…I don’t really know what weight to go. My knee is not 100 per cent, so I’m not pushing it too far, just because the volume is so high.”
As her fatigue increases, Davis struggles on and moves onto 3 sets of 5 on the bench press. “I’m having a hard time today guys,” she says. “Don’t try this at home, I’m giving you a warning. I keep nearly crying!”
Rounding out the workout, Davis completes 3 sets of 8 standing military press, 3 sets of 5 deadlift, and 3 sets of 5 hammer curls, which blasts her arms with a final pump. In total, the session took 85 minutes to complete. “The sessions is good,” admits Davis, “but the two whole separate things, it’s new to me.”