Chris Hemsworth's coach shares how the 'Thor' actor labored out and ate to be sturdy and lean in 'Extraction 2'

• Chris Hemsworth needed to get leaner after “Thor” for “Extraction 2,” his coach mentioned.
• He did practical coaching in addition to boxing and pilates to create an athletic physique.
• This text is a part of “Stay Effectively,” a sequence exploring advanced males’s well being and wellness matters.

When Chris Hemsworth and his long-time coach, Luke Zocchi, began getting ready the actor for his position within the new motion film “Extraction 2,” Hemsworth had simply completed filming “Thor: Love and Thunder” — so he was “actually large,” Zocchi mentioned.

So when it got here to their subsequent mission, reworking Hemsworth from a Norse god to commando Tyler Rake, they actually did not want so as to add any extra muscle. As an alternative, they have been striving for a leaner, athletic physique, Zocchi instructed Insider.

Nonetheless, filming “Extraction 2” was bodily demanding and required hours of battle scenes, so Hemsworth centered on restoration greater than ever by coaching each different day whereas filming.

In addition to practical exercises, Hemsworth and Zocchi did pilates (typically joined by Chris’ brother, Liam), saunas, and ice baths, whereas additionally seeing a bodily therapist, Zocchi mentioned.

Hemsworth did practical, Crossfit-style exercises

Zocchi and Hemsworth grew to become associates as youngsters at college in Victoria, Australia, and he has been coaching the actor for a decade. Zocchi mentioned he thinks “Extraction 2” is the seventeenth movie they’ve labored on collectively.

The movie was shot in Prague over six months from the tip of 2021 and shut down at one level due to Covid restrictions (Zocchi obtained it himself at one level through the shoot).

To maintain match, they reworked the assembly heart within the metropolis’s 4 Seasons lodge into their non-public health club, the place they labored out each different day.

To create their very own health club, they introduced in as a lot gear as doable however needed to get inventive, Zocchi mentioned. For instance, as a substitute of utilizing a sled with a observe, they dragged a boxing bag throughout the ground with a rope (which ripped all of the health club mats).

Throughout the chilly Czechia winter, Hemsworth and Zocchi would play desk tennis to heat up earlier than exercises, he mentioned. He would then write up a exercise on a whiteboard for himself and Hemsworth to finish collectively, typically competitively.

The majority of every exercise was Crossfit-esque, practical, circuit-style coaching. For instance, they could do 50 chin-ups, 100 energy on the assault bike (as shortly as doable — Hemsworth did it in about six minutes), then 50 wall balls. The remaining intervals have been brief to maintain their coronary heart charges excessive, whereas boxing and kickboxing introduced some selection to the exercises, Zocchi mentioned.

This larger depth coaching was in stark distinction to the bodybuilding-style exercises Hemsworth had executed for “Thor,” the place the goal was to placed on as a lot muscle as doable by lifting heavy with longer relaxation intervals and following a physique half cut up coaching construction, that means they skilled a distinct physique half every day.

There was nonetheless power coaching for “Extraction 2,” however simply not as heavy because it was for “Thor,” and with extra body weight workouts like chin-ups and push-ups, Zocchi mentioned.

Hemsworth centered on restoration after grueling battle scenes

When Hemsworth wasn’t doing health club exercises, he, Zocchi, and his brother Liam did pilates utilizing his personal coaching app, Centr.

“Then we had a extremely good physio we labored with, however plenty of saunas and ice baths as effectively,” Zocchi mentioned. “We centered quite a bit on restoration — I used to be form of simply managing Chris to get him by way of that movie as a result of it was so bodily demanding for him.”

Because the shoot went on, Hemsworth’s physique was rising extra drained, so that they tapered down coaching and elevated restoration much more, Zocchi mentioned.

“He was simply exhausted from these battle scenes,” Zocchi mentioned. “He was principally combating the entire day for a bit of the film, in order that’s after we actually honed in on restoration.”

Hemsworth ate a wholesome however relaxed weight-reduction plan with loads of carbs

For “Thor,” Hemsworth aimed to eat 4,500 energy per day over 10 meals to assist him construct and keep muscle, however he ate quite a bit much less for “Extraction 2,” normally three meals per day. It was necessary that he stored his carb consumption excessive sufficient to gasoline all his exercise and provides him vitality. 

His weight-reduction plan was usually fairly relaxed, however Hemsworth chooses to eat nutritious meals, Zocchi mentioned. He wasn’t deliberately intermittent fasting, but when he wasn’t hungry very first thing within the morning, some days he did not eat till 11 a.m. or noon. Different occasions, nevertheless, the breakfast buffet referred to as.

“If we had a later begin, we’d get one thing on the lodge as a result of the breakfast was superb on the 4 Seasons,” Zocchi mentioned. “It was form of harmful at occasions.”

Even if you happen to practice the identical as Hemsworth, you will not look the identical

Zocchi is commonly requested what folks can do to appear to be Hemsworth or why he would not appear to be him in the event that they exercise the identical, however he mentioned genetics play a giant position in an individual’s look.

Hemsworth naturally holds plenty of muscle in his arms, for instance, Zocchi mentioned. A lot in order that for earlier tasks, they’ve resorted to solely biking on a stationary bike in a bid to lose some arm muscle.

“Even when Chris will get lean, he nonetheless appears fairly large since you simply see how a lot definition there may be in his arms and the way a lot muscle he naturally holds,” Zocchi mentioned.

“He is obtained actually good genetics. I hate him typically.”