Last updated on December 26th, 2021 at 04:46 pm
Update Notes: We have now seen three to multiple different Henry Cavill workout routines here at SHJ – ranging from his insanely intense Man of Steel Workout to his Justice League bulk and even a 20 Minute Witcher Workout.
We’ve also taken a deeper look at his nutrition, with multiple articles researching different diets he has followed.
As I mention on all our celebrity workouts that are constantly updated with these superstar adaptations: none of these changes to his workout(s) and overall nutrition are uncommon among celebrities I have researched within our Workout Database.
I have now researched over 300 celebrities, athletes and the world’s top performers and even written my book Superhuman Secrets on my research, with dozens and dozens of case studies – and I can tell you that the top performers are constantly adapting – but they’re also aware that fitness does NOT have to suck.
You can find other articles on Henry Cavill’s workout and diet all over the site, but I’ve also updated this article to include it ALL below (yes, all three different routines are in this one stop shop, so just keep on scrollin’!).
You can use these links to jump to specific research and workouts throughout the article – and this article will continue to be updated as more information comes out about Henry Cavill and his training.
Table of Contents
Henry Cavill Stats:
Height: 6’1
Weight: (approximate) 170-185
Age: 37 years old
Henry Cavill is actually right at the average height amongst celeb males we’ve seen.
Right with all our “Chris” celebs that have played superheroes.
That average height falls in the range of 6’1-6’3 with celebs like Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Adam Driver, Stephen Amell, Clive Standen and so many more.
Guys around 5’10-6’0 are dudes like Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Jason Statham, but the ACTUAL shorter range is filled with guys like Mark Wahlberg, Zac Efron, Kit Harington, Tom Holland and more.
Even taller than them are guys like The Mountain, Joe Manganiello, Ben Affleck, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Winston Duke, Alexander Skarsgard and a few others.
But, don’t worry either way.
We write these routines to be utilized by any shape and size.
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Henry Cavill Diet and Nutrition
It was definitely time for him to put on some mass and start looking like Superman.
We’ll cover the full diet and workout regime in a bit, but first let’s take some quotes from Cavill and his trainers interview with Muscle and Fitness.
Few men, especially Hollywood leading men, appreciate being told to forget their nightlife and get to bed early, but Twight couldn’t have been more clear.
“It’s like, ‘Hey, guy, you want to be f—king Superman? Then do this one other thing, which might be the most important piece of it,’” Twight says. “If you don’t get the sleep, if you can’t recover, then we can’t continue with this training and we won’t achieve the objective.
When you’re training like an athlete and looking to gain weight and continue going at the intensity level and volume that Cavill was training at, it’s SO important to recognize your recovery and sleep patterns (directly related).
By the two-month mark, Cavill was training twice a day and shoveling 5,000 to 6,000 calories into his mouth, with no regard for the macronutrient profile. Cavill gained 20 pounds during this time, then saw his carbs limited and calorie count cut in half as the start date approached.
Cavill was not only restricting his carb intake but he was also training twice a day at a high intensity level. That being said, his body was able to burn through the carbs he was using as fuel, and then continue by burning through fat.
The frames of the movie say it all. Cavill weighs between 186–190 pounds with an average of 5–7% body fat for most of it, but got down to around 3–4% for his shirtless scenes.
Lower than 10% body fat is no joke, and Cavill was able to take that to the extreme.
So he utilized calorie counting, for the most part, like we do our Superhero Programs, while also restricting carbs and going from a really high surplus to then swapping to a large calorie deficit.
We see a lot of celebs opt for a sustainable approach when it’s time to hold their physiques for a longer duration.
That’s why our Academy Nutrition Classes (Monks, Minimalists, SuperHumans, Vikings, Spartans, Hunter Gatherers, Greek Gods, Samurais) revolve around helping you find the specific diet that is right FOR YOU.
Of course, there are a lot of reasons to HAVE the strict guidelines.
We’ve also seen a lot of celebs opt for specific restrictions.
For example: Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart incorporate 80/20 dieting with big weekly cheat meals, Hugh Jackman, Benedict Cumberbatch and Terry Crews utilize intermittent fasting(something I use daily as well), Mustafa Shakir and Madelaine Petsch are vegans, Brandon Routh and Frank Grillo opt for paleo, and tons of others utilize their own variations as well.
And, that’s just to name a few celebs from each, by the way.
You can check out our Nutrition Pillars for more information and articles on all of the above and more.
**Updated note: It’s been said that Cavill has used this intense bulk and cut/leaning phase for multiple roles now.**
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Henry Cavill Workout Routine Research
I’m going to be including some video footage of Cavill’s workout, as well as the quotes I’ve already utilized, but I also want to pack in any extra quotes that have come since I originally put this routine together for you.
The workout that I have below is a high intensity workout that Cavill utilized for his role as Superman.
He also chooses to maintain his physique and find a more sustainable approach as well sometimes.
A newer quote from Men’s Health tells us:
“Henry’s goals during The Man From UNCLE were to maintain weight, fix some mobility issues, develop some tolerance for higher workloads and to some extent injury-proof as much as possible,” says Michael Blevins, who drilled Cavill for Batman v Superman and picked up from Mark Twight towards the end of the former.
Don’t worry, they also share the maintenance day with us, which I’ll be utilizing to make version two for Cavill’s workout routine.
And Men’s Journal put together a compilation of Instagram posts from Cavill’s account that do a good job showing us some more information I’d love to share.
One thing that is immediately apparent is that Cavill grew a love for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which he trains under the Gracies gym.
We LOVE mixed martial arts styled training at SHJ, so incorporating this into our regime is definitely something we like to see.
He’s also been shown doing heavy hip thrusters, dumbbell goblet squats, olympic styled weightlifting, cable work, and so much more.
AND, he writes, during his Justice League training:
“1st week of training done. 7 days, 9 workouts and a whole lot of food!”
It’s important to realize that celebrities swap up their routine a lot when making their way through their career, so this update is going to try to give you both sides of that bill.
On top of that, it’s important to note that he ups the intensity a TON when he’s specifically doing a bulk into cut for an upcoming role.
Let’s do this.
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Henry Cavill Workout Routine
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Superman Routine Guidelines
- “Two-a-Days” 4 days per week (training twice a day)
- 8-10 hours of sleep for recovering and at least 1-2 days off days with no training
- If you’re increasing intensity you can also increase carb intake slightly for fuel
- Have fun, we’re not trying to kill ourselves…We’re just trying to train and feel like Superheroes.
The Morning Routine
Warm-up
Stretch
800 meter jog (Half a mile)
3×10 Pull-ups
3×20 Push-ups
3×10 Air-Squats
3×5 Burpees
Our morning routine is then going to consist of the Spartan 300 WOD. We will be doing different formats of it each morning for 4 days.
Here’s what the 300 WOD Formats will look like:
Henry Cavill Workout – Deadlift Day
Pull-Ups: 25 reps
Deadlift: 50 reps at 135
Push-Ups: 50 reps
Box Jumps: 50 reps (ideally done on a 24″ box)
Floor Wipers: 50 reps holding a 135 lb bar
Clean and Press (using a kettlebell or dumbbells): 50 reps, 25 per arm ideally with 36 lbs
Pull-Ups: 25 reps
Henry Cavill Workout – Bench Press Day
Kettle-bell Swings: 25 reps
Bench Press: 50 reps at 135
Push-Ups: 50 reps
Box Jumps: 50 reps (ideally done on a 24″ box)
Floor Wipers: 50 reps holding a 135 lb bar
Weighted Lunges: 50 reps
Kettlebell Swings: 25 reps
Henry Cavill Workout – Squat Day
Ball Slams: 25 reps (10-15 lb ball)
Squat: 50 reps at 135
Push-Ups: 50 reps
Box Jumps: 50 reps (ideally done on a 24″ box)
Floor Wipers: 50 reps holding a 135 lb bar
One-Arm Snatch (using dumbbell): 50 reps, 25 per arm ideally with 25 lbs
Ball Slams: 25 reps
Henry Cavill Workout – Press Day
Bar or Ring Rows: 25 reps
Overhead Presses: 50 reps at 115
Push-Ups: 50 reps
Box Jumps: 50 reps (ideally done on a 24″ box)
Floor Wipers: 50 reps holding a 135 lb bar
Light Front Squats: 50 reps at 45-65 lbs.
Bar or Ring Rows: 25 reps
The Afternoon Routine
I bet you were getting sick of all those reps, especially after I already had you winded with the warm-up! Well now it’s time to start lifting heavy so get ready people!
Warm Up
Stretch
Foam Roller
Our Afternoon Routine will then consist of heavy lifting on specific days. I suggest trying to get a rest day in the middle of the week as well as the weekend to achieve full recovery.
Henry Cavill Workout – Deadlift Day
3×10 Dumbbell Rows
3×10 Wide Grip Pull-ups (Can be weighted)
Deadlift
Warm Up with 10 reps at 50%
5 reps at 65%
5 reps at 75%
5 reps at 85%
3 reps at 95%
1 rep at 110%
Henry Cavill Workout – Bench Press Day
3×10 Incline Press
3×10 Push-Ups (Can be weighted)
Chest Press
Warm Up with 10 reps at 50%
5 reps at 65%
5 reps at 75%
5 reps at 85%
3 reps at 95%
1 rep at 110%
Henry Cavill Workout – Squat Day
3×10 Front Squats
3×10 Lunges
Back Squat
Warm Up with 10 reps at 50%
5 reps at 65%
5 reps at 75%
5 reps at 85%
3 reps at 95%
1 rep at 110%
Henry Cavill Workout – Press Day
3×10 Pull-Ups (Can be weighted)
3×10 Power Cleans
Military Press
Warm Up with 10 reps at 50%
5 reps at 65%
5 reps at 75%
5 reps at 85%
3 reps at 95%
1 rep at 110%
Henry Cavill Workout Version Two
Training Volume:
5+ days per week
Explanation:
I’m going to be giving you Cavill’s maintenance workout, but I’m also going to be building a full week’s worth based on the new research that has come out, and also what Cavill shares himself doing on his own Instagram.
The core of this training will be a 3 day split, with 2 days of MMA added in on top of it (Cavill trains at Renzo Gracie Jiu Jitsu gyms). The addition of the maintenance day is if you want to add in an extra (light) day to your training to step it up a notch to a total of 6 days.
Want To Upgrade This Workout?
The Superhero Academy now comes with an Upgrade Your Workout Tool that allows Academy members to turn any SHJ workout into a 4-8 week fully planned regime detailing exact weights to lift and including reverse & tradition pyramid training, straight sets, super sets, progressive overload and more.
Henry Cavill Workout Day One: Pull Day
Warm Up:
Stretch
Jog 10-20 minutes
Workout:
Deadlift
5×10,8,5,5,5
Weighted Sled Rope Pulls
4×1 Full Length Pull
Wide Grip Lateral Pulldowns
4×12
Chin Ups
4×12
T-Bar Rows w/ Handle
4×12
Bent Over Barbell Row
4×12
Superset:
A. Straight Arm Pulldown (Cable)
3×10
B. Hammer Curls (Cable)
3×10
Henry Cavill Workout Day Three: Push Day
Warm Up:
Stretch
Jog 10-20 minutes
Workout:
Bench Press
5×10,8,5,5,5
Power Cleans
3×10
Overhead Tricep Cable Extensions
4×12
Overhead Press (Barbell or Standing DB)
4×12
Dips (can add weight)
4×12
Skull Crushers
4×12
Superset:
A. Incline Bench Press (Dumbbells)
3×10
B. Incline Dumbbell Flys
3×10
Henry Cavill Workout Day Three: Leg Day
Warm Up:
Stretch
Jog 10-20 minutes
Workout:
Back Squat
5×10,8,5,5,5
Weighted Barbell Glute Bridges
4×12
Cable Pull Throughs
4×12
Leg Press
4×12
Hamstring Curls
4×12
Leg Extension
4×12
Superset:
A. Goblet Squats w/ DB or KB
3×10
B. Weighted Lunges w/ DB or KB
3×10
Henry Cavill Workout MMA Days: 2+ Days per Week
Henry Cavill trains with the Gracies.
And he goes pretty hard for it!
He’s been posting training for a while now, and he’s definitely passionate about it. But, it’s not just for self defense that we have to think about this (although all SuperHumans should be able to defend themselves). It’s also a GREAT workout.
Just as Coach Derek inside The Academy.
So, you can also hit some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at a local gym, OR you can use some of the workouts we have created for MMA right here on the site.
Check out programs on the site from Coach Derek here: Moon Knight, Deathstroke, Daredevil.
For some Thai Boxing fun check out Anna Diop’s routine.
The Parkour Workout (Nightrunner) designed by Academy member Felix.
**And the Daredevil workout also has some beginner Parkour as well.**
Henry Cavill Maintenance Workout:
Warm Up:
Stretch
Treadmill Run:
Every 2 mins hop off the treadmill and perform 20 push-ups, before jumping back on. Be careful not to face-plant.
Workout:
Bulgarian Split Squat (Barbell)
3×10
Bodyweight Squats
3×10
Pull Ups
3×10
10 Minute Deadlift
Set the bar with 85% of you max lift. Perform one lift every 30 secs over 10 mins.
Reps: 20 or until failure. Rest 30 seconds.
Henry Cavill Witcher Workout Circuit
Training Volume:
One Circuit
(To Be Repeated)
You will need:
Barbell, Dumbbells and Assault Bike
Possible Substitutes:
All Dumbbells and Jump Rope (Double Unders) for Assault Bike
Upgrade This Workout:
The Superhero Academy now comes with an Upgrade Your Workout Tool that allows Academy members to turn any SHJ workout into a 4-8 week fully planned regime detailing exact weights to lift and including reverse & tradition pyramid training, straight sets, super sets, progressive overload and more.
HENRY CAVILL WITCHER CIRCUIT WORKOUT
Warm Up:
Steady 5min on a stationary bike, then perform 10m of each of the following before starting: Alternating kicks, high knees, butt kicks, bear crawl, walking lunges and dynamic lunges.
AMRAP ONE: 5 MINUTES
As Many Rounds As Possible
1A: 12 Calories on the Assault Bike
1B: 30M Weighted Carries [25 KG]
Rest for 3 Minutes
AMRAP TWO: 4 MINUTES
As Many Rounds As Possible
2A: 5 Clean and Press
2B: 30M Weighted Carries [20 KG]
Rest for 2 Minutes
AMRAP THREE: 3 MINUTES
As Many Rounds As Possible
3A: 10 Burpees
3B: 10 Walking Lunges
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Hey Mike, I was just wondering what scaling you’d recommend for this and if there are any changes you’d make if I was to use this for training for a CrossFit competition? Thanks
Hey Cian,
This routine is one of the more intense routines on the site, so I’d definitely scale around your own specific limits. If you’re training for a CrossFit competition I’m assuming you’re already in decent shape and have been training already, so you might not need to scale certain movements, but maybe just the volume of training.
That being said, if you’re REALLY looking for an edge, you might want to not scale at all, and possibly even add in a day or two of specifically focused circuit training based around your weaknesses (speaking from a training for the competition point of view).
Hope this helps a bit.
Chat soon,
Mike
What’s the core workout? It just says that the core workout could be done before or after the first two exercises. But no mention of the core workout. So what is the workout?