In an interview, actor Chris Evans says that for filming the role of Captain America, he had to train hard and eat – in three months he was able to gain almost 10 kg of muscle mass, while simultaneously reducing the level of subcutaneous fat from 12% to 8%.
With a height of 184 cm at peak shape, Chris weighed almost 100 kg – while the normal weight for him varies between 70-75 kg. What did his body look like before starting strength training, what program did he train to gain mass – and what was his diet?
How did Chris Evans get pumped up?
According to Chris Evans, by nature he has a rather thin physique – that is, he is a typical ectomorph. He first started physical training at the age of 14-15, combining active sports and bodyweight exercises.
The first big role of the actor was the character of the captain of the football team in the teenage comedy “Not for Children”, which was released in 2001, when Chris Evans was twenty years old. Three years later, his career took off when he starred in the thriller Cell, opposite Kim Basinger and Jason State.
In 2005, Chris tried on the image of Captain America for the first time in the movie Fantastic Four. The experience proved to be successful, and the actor became a key figure in the Marvel Avengers franchise.
- height: 184 cm
- weight: 70-75 kg
Weight program
Chris Evans notes that for the filming of the first part of Captain America, he had to train and eat hard. The key to the technical side of training is variability. “I never thought there were so many ways to get to the limit,” the actor shares.
To prepare for the role, he played sports every day for at least two hours. In his opinion, the program for which you are engaged is not so important as the regularity and quality of training – “If you give your best, sooner or later the result will be obtained”.
Chris Evans: training methodology
“Apparently, my body is not designed for the size required for Captain America,” says Chris. – After a month and a half of training, something began to click in the right shoulder, and the left chest began to hurt. But we always found ways to keep working on the muscles, bypassing the weak points. ”
In all three months of preparation for the role, Evans did not do a single cardio workout: no jogging, no rowing, no stationary bike – nothing. “If I do cardio, I’ll just evaporate,” explains the actor. “I’m pretty skinny and I just need to gain weight. Besides, I didn’t count calories – I just needed to get as big as possible. ”
Another important point of the training was that the actor did not need to develop leg muscles. The workout was focused on working out the chest, biceps, triceps, traps and upper back. “My chest was constantly hurting, my triceps were killing me altogether. But I have always loved to do the shoulders, ”admits Evans.
Chris Evans – Nutrition and Diet
At the time of preparation for filming, Chris Evans ate on the principle of “eat as much as you like – and then just as much.” “I’m just a fan of raw vegetables,” the actor admits. – the stomach starts to work like a clock. In addition, heat treatment destroys useful substances in products. If I just need to have a snack, there is nothing better than vegetables. ”
“I eat a lot of chicken, turkey and fish. If you need a homeric portion of protein, choose a turkey, it contains up to 25.7% protein with a minimum of fat. ” Regarding sports nutrition and other dietary supplements, the actor notes that he took protein shakes, protein bars and BCAA amino acids.
Muscle Growth Menu
The nutrition program was divided into 7 meals. The day began with the usual oatmeal, chicken breasts and rice at lunchtime, protein shakes, nuts and fruits for an afternoon snack. Before dinner, which consisted of lean fish, chicken, meat and vegetables, Chris drank a multifunctional cocktail that combines protein, fat and carbohydrates in optimal proportions.
As a result, Chris consumed about 200 g of carbohydrates per day with the help of the program for recruiting lean muscle mass. The daily protein intake was measured in about the same amount. Before the start of training, Chris Evans weighed about 80 kg, and by the time of filming his weight was already 90 kg, and at the same time the actor significantly reduced the percentage of subcutaneous fat.