Bodybuilding Tips: An Overview Of Jason Statham's Workout Strategy

By Russ Howe

While most movie star physiques are built purely with the actor's appearance on the big screen in mind, the Jason Statham workout offers a very different take. It is based upon creating a body which not only looks strong, but actually is strong.

It achieves it's status of being so different to 'the norm' by tearing up the old rule book calling for three sets of ten. Most of the exercises included are done for twenty or more repetitions and they are full body, strength based moves which are designed to condition rather than sculpt.

Exercises included in the session may be unfamiliar, as it borrows from various different styles including power lifting and crossfit, meaning gym regulars are often replaced with new and difficult variations to incorporate more explosive speed or power into the move. Functional fitness is certainly a key ingredient, with a large importance placed upon your core strength.

This circuit style workout is broken down into three different phases, consisting of:

Stage 1: 10 minute cardiovascular warm-up.

Stage 2: A 15 minute HIIT workout, again using cardiovascular equipment.

Stage 3: A full body resistance circuit lasting roughly 45 minutes.

Phase one is used as a warm-up phase to prepare your muscles for the both the HIIT session and the body weight circuit which lie immediately after it. With that fact in mind, be sure to choose a piece of cardiovascular kit which will allow you to warm up your entire body. A rowing machine or versaclimber would be an ideal choice. The second phases switches the approach from regular, steady state exercise to interval training.

The basis of HIIT is to keep switching between a moderate intensity and a very high intensity for a short burst of time. Phase two lasts for 15 minutes using this protocol and ideally you should wait until you are fully recovered from your last burst before you attempt the next burst. That makes the moderate intensity period different for everybody, but try to aim for 2 minutes and a 30 second burst.

High intensity interval training is well known for it's explosive and exhausting capabilities, so by the time you reach the final stage you may already be struggling. Take a few minutes to recover before you begin round three, which consists of six exercises in a circuit. Ensure you pick a good variety here, so as to achieve a full body focus:

Reverse crunch x 20 reps - tilt the pelvis at the top of each rep to hit the lower abdomen.

Bench dips x 20 reps.

Weighted rope pull x 5 reps - attach a 20 foot weight to a rope and pull it towards you.

Rope climb x 5

High Knee Skipping x 30 seconds

Pull-ups x 15 reps - grip as wide as possible so you can maximize the involvement of your lats.

Deadlift x 20

Front squat x 20 reps - using a barbell.

Incline bench press x 20 reps - on an incline bench with dumbbells or an Olympic barbell.

Dumbbell clean and press x 20 reps.

Kettlebell Swing x 20 reps - using a kettlebell or a weight.

Each workout should be different, that is where the effectiveness of this workout comes from. Pick moves from the list above or create your own list. As long as the focus is on full body moves it doesn't really matter. After pushing through the 6 exercises one after the other with minimal rest, take a 5 minute break before returning for round two. Try to achieve 5 rounds overall in this stage.

The Jason Statham workout principle is simple yet brutally effective: keep it simple and keep it high intensity. This ensures that you not only look muscular but you are actually strong, too. Furthermore, the focus on intensity will ensure maximum fat loss.

About the Author:

Today's writer: Russ Howe PTI is a hugely successful online personal trainer from the UK. You can learn the full body training routine he used for the jason statham workout via his blog today.

exercises to lose weight