Fit For A King

I caught the latest gladiator hack n' slash flick, 300, last weekend. Although it's received mixed reviews for a lack of depth and character development, it was perfect escapism for me. Give me swords, ninjas, and some macho glowering, and I'm there. Plus, it was an incredibly faithful interpretation of Frank Miller's graphic novel, but not so much so that it was conspicuous and awkward, like Sin City. Check out a great film-to-graphic novel comparison of the film here.

The other thing you notice when you watch this movie - the actors put in there gym time. I gather you become highly motivated when your costume is comprised of a cape, helmet, and leather thong.

When I did a search to find out how the actors got into such kickass shape, I found this great video and article from Men's Journal on precisely how Gerry Butler and crew got abs of Spartan steel. It seems that the trainers follow a Crossfit-type of workout philosophy, incorporating superintense 20 minute workouts that combine weights, interval sprints, and calisthenics, all with a "functional fitness" type attitude. This strategy clearly paired well with the actors, as they not only had to look coverboy fit, but also be able to weather the Sword, Shield, and Spear combat techniques they had to learn.

The upside, the training worked, as you can see from the multiple six packs visible in the film. The downside - overtraining. If you watch the video, you'll hear Gerry say that after going hardcore for six months, he completely stopped training for a year, clapping his hands together as if to say, "That's enough, where's the pub?"

Additionally, there's a series of video podcasts available on Itunes promoting the film. One of the podcasts specifically focusing on the actor's training, which I've uploaded to Youtube for your viewing pleasure below. Check out the pain: