Building a Hot Physique: A Smouldering 300°C

By now, a good number of you have seen Zack Snyder's 300, and perhaps filled your blogs with reviews of the testosterone-packed hunk-and-blood flick. I never got to read Frank Miller's graphic novel, but I heard that the adaptation required further developing the role of Queen Gorgo.

I saw it two times just for the visual feast. The effects weren't groundbreaking, but they effectively evoked the comic-style atmosphere as originally intended. The plot was simple and serviceable to give way to the entire meat of the movie. And what meat!

Last week took me to the gym again after a long hiatus, and I found myself reprogramming my workout routine based on the hours of research and trial-and-error sessions. I have new strength and measurement targets, more realistic than before. Right now my muscles are deliciously sore again, and I can feel my midesection slowly narrowing from the lowered carbohydrate diet. After watching 300 and admiring the dozens of sweaty ripped physiques and six-packs, I wondered what kind of "Spartan workout" the actors had to endure.

A Men's Health article revealed an extremely taxing aerobic and anaerobic workout that pumped up the actors over the span of four months. It looks like a great workout given the results, but might not be a wise time investment for sarariman or proletariat, or for the faint of heart for that matter.

"Without resting between exercises, [lead actor Gerard] Butler performs 25 pullups, 50 deadlifts with 135 pounds, 50 pushups, 50 jumps on a 24-inch box, 50 floor wipers, 50 single-arm clean-and-presses using a 36-pound kettle bell, and 25 more pullups."

This, apart from the "tire flipping and gymnastics-style ring training" and the fight training. The Spartan workout will definitely get any ambitious male into shape, if it doesn't kill him first.

A friend of mine started his weight training crusade two months ago, and I was worried about his daily gym visits. That, apart from going about his normal life as a freelance money-making machine. I jokingly told him that his body's going to, with melodramatic flair, cry uncle sooner or later. And last week, it did. I told him to take a week off from gym--torn muscles, like broken relationships, need to heal. Thank goodness he's doing better now.

My target for achieving the physique I want is mid-next year, though inital improvements should be a little more obvious over the next few months. Hopefully I won't find reasons to delay what I've started, because there's the great pay-off at the end of it all. Gerard Butler sure had his--a box-office smashing movie, a memorable career highlight after a string of misfires and duds, and a body that makes mouths water.

Comments

Anonymous said…
great to see your blog's ALIVE again :p missed you!!!
Budjette said…
The Spartan diet includes eating apples for breakfast and lifting 100lbs shields... and walking about in a red cape in the gym. :)
sineasta said…
and so...

you're back

from outer space

i just walk in

to find you here...

how are you doing? :-)
Anonymous said…
Nida, Jheck... Heheheh. I've been straightening a few things out. No biggies. Salamat at bumibisita pa rin kayo. :-)

Budj...eating apples sa gitna ng bangkay ng kaaway! :)
sineasta said…
We describe 300 as a Bel Ami movie, if you know what I mean. Sana may XXX version. Hehehe...

But, yeah, the movie's gorgeous!
Anonymous said…
Jheck... Have you read about the Sacred Army of Thebes? If you haven't, check it out on Wikipedia. It's a very interesting piece of military history. :)
maria said…
OMG! You can't be trying to build a six pack... I haven't even gotten over you yet... Hay, wish ko lang, he he he...
sineasta said…
That's Sacred Band thingy is really interesting! Hmmm... I think naughty thoughts are going through my mind. Hahaha!
Anonymous said…
argh , there goes my resolution to build 8 packs.

guess i can forget it now ..
decorator said…
i think that "friend" sounded too familiar.


youre right! it got the better of me. im on a two week haiatus from the gym. damn, i have to get better soon. this pestering flu is ruining my 'money making machine' schedule!!!
Reno said…
I tried that Spartan workout from Men's Health. Not even the real one, just the downgraded workout for moderate fitness. It's a KILLER. :P

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