With all the buzz surrounding Avengers: Infinity War, I thought I would do some research and find out what turns a superhero into a superhero. I wanted to know what it took to physically transform a normal — but stunning — man into a comic book character with unbelievable strength, agility, and just ALL THOSE MUSCLES. Okay, okay, I’m cool. It’s fine.
Thor, the God of Thunder, is portrayed by actor Chris Hemsworth. Born and raised down under in Australia, surfing was just one of the ways that Chris stayed in shape. The now 41-year-old’s body is ripped beyond belief. Now, there is no way ALL OF THAT came from surfing.
Don’t go claiming CGI just yet! As it turns out, consistent training and good nutrition are what gave Chris that Thor-worthy bod. But what exactly does this beautiful, fit human do (more importantly: eat!) to stay in bad guy-fighting shape?
Of course, there’s weightlifting to help bulk up, but flexibility is also a goal he keeps in mind. The most surprising thing I found was that Chris doesn’t work out for more than one hour. You’d think that a man like THAT would just live in the gym. He also switches it up. Last year, Hemsworth told Men’s Health “I’ll do a ton of boxing or Muay Thai workouts. I surf a ton and I do a lot of yoga, too.”
When it comes to bodybuilding and food, I always thought that eating a lot of meat was the way to add muscle mass. That’s not the case with this Australian. He started out with the typical high protein diet that included lean meats and then transitioned into being a vegan.
His trainer, Luke Zocchi, told Daily Mail Australia “…we tried to see if he could keep the muscle being vegan and it actually surprised me as well because we’re all in this mentality of ‘gotta eat animal protein, protein, protein’ but you can get a lot of protein just from beans.”
Why vegan? Well, Chris was actually inspired by his younger and equally as hunky brother, Liam, who had been a vegan for a few years now. The process was a bonding experience for the two (aww). His favorite foods ended up being beans and veggie burgers.
When Chris isn’t busy working out or filming, he’s at home with his wife and three kids which also makes him a full-time superhero.
Which Avenger should I stalk research next?
