Last updated on February 23rd, 2021 at 10:22 am

Idris Elba has officially portrayed a god from Norse mythology, and a Gunslinger.

I’d say he’s definitely pretty badass.

Not only that, but he does one hell of a job in the roles he has landed. When I found out he was going to be the Gunslinger of Stephen King’s Dark Tower (as an avid book reader, and having read all the books), I was stoked!

But, even having seen the movie (yikes) – I still am happy with him as the pick to be Roland, and even Matthew McConaughey as The Man in Black.

Let’s also not forget the fact that Idris has also landed some awesome gigs in Star Trek, Prometheus, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, and more!

That’s a ton of superhero and nerd movies!

Idris Elba Stats:

Height: 6’2

Weight: (approximate) 215 lbs.

Age: 44 years old

Elba stands there right around the same height as guys like Brad Pitt, and our triple Chris threat: Chris Pratt, Evans, and Hemsworth.  Hemsworth being Thor, an actor and superhero that Elba is definitely used to spending screen time with.

He’s shorter than our larger than life celebs and SuperHumans: Batista, The Mountain, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Momoa – but taller than guys like Mark Wahlberg, Matt Damon, Zac Efron, and Kit Harington.

But hey, don’t worry if you don’t size up with Elba – this workout, like the others, is going to be made to be utilized by any shape, and any size member of The SHJ Army!

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Idris Elba Diet and Nutrition

One of the biggest portions of Idris Elba’s nutrition and diet came directly from one large quote he gives us from an interview with Mens Health.

When asked how his diet changed for role training Elba states:

Quite specifically, actually. I discovered during the course of this show that I had huge allergies to a lot of foods that I was used to eating. And the problem was that I was asking my body to do massive amounts of shit that I never normally do, so my energy levels were really low, and I had to go on a nutrition [plan] to understand why. And it was because there were groups of foods that I ate every day – like wheat and corn and things like that – that were actually working against my metabolism. And so, that was one of the hardest things I went through because I love pasta, I love rice, I love beer – but I had to cut all of that out. And as soon as I did, I lost huge amounts of weight, but I also gained a lot of energy.

Food allergies is definitely something that is crucial to become aware of if you’re looking for a kryptonite.

Kryptonites are things that we immediately look for and seek to change for any member that enters The Superhero Academy, and I feel that everyone in the SHJ Army should be doing the same.

We see a lot of celebs opt for a sustainable approach like this.

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 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.

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Idris Elba Workout Routine Research

With some more digging I also was able to find some more about Elba’s workout routine in an interview he did with Men’s Fitness.

Something he has in common with guys like his co-star Matthew McConaughey and also Jason Momoa is the fact that he tries his best to get a workout routine in whenever he can.

Elba tells Men’s Fitness:

“I try to fit in workouts whenever I can.  That might mean 45 minutes of running in the morning, blasting out 100 pushups, or swimming, to which he says “works every muscle in your body.”

He also tells them about some of the kickboxing he does, stating:

“I’m not really allowed to do it while I’m working because it’s considered too dangerous,” he says. “Film producers get very nervous.”

Men’s Fitness proceeds to tell us: “Elba focuses on drills broken down into three-minute rounds where he works through high and low kicks, combos, and light sparring.”

While also making note to the fact that leg raises are his favorite ab workout.

So he definitely mixes a kind of Nightwing Path technique with that of a Fighter/Bodybuilding style as well.

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Idris Elba Workout Routine

Training Volume:

3-5 days a week

Explanation:

Elba tries to get a workout in as often as possible.  He likes utilizing all different techniques, so don’t be afraid to train more or less than what is given, and add in your own twists.

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Idris Elba Workout Day One: Calisthenics

Warm Up:

Stretch

Jog 800m

Workout:

**Feel free to break this up into smaller sets.**

100 Push-ups

100 Air Squats

100 Leg Raises

50 Pull Ups

50 Lunges

50 Dips

Cooldown:

Foam Roller

Idris Elba Workout Day Two: Elba’s Morning Run

Elba likes to utilize some morning running, often times upwards of 45+ minutes.

Utilize this day for a nice 30-60 minute jog.

Get out there and get some cardio in and use your fitness!

Idris Elba Workout Day Three: Full Body Fitness

Warm Up:

Stretch

20-30 min of pool laps

Workout:

3 Sets of Superset 1:

10 reps of Dumbbell Bench Press

25 reps of Dips

3 Sets of Superset 2:

10 reps of Arnold Presses

25 reps of Pike Push-Ups

3 Sets of Superset 3:

10 reps of Light Deadlifts

10 reps of Wide Pull-ups

3 Sets of Superset 4:

10 reps of Preacher Curls

15 reps of Tricep Overhead Extension

3 Sets of Superset 5:

15 reps of Sit Ups

25 reps of Leg Raises

Cooldown:

Foam Roller and 10-15 min of Yoga

Idris Elba Workout Day Four: Elba’s Morning Run

Elba likes to utilize some morning running, often times upwards of 45+ minutes.

Utilize this day for a nice 30-60 minute jog.

Get out there and get some cardio in and use your fitness!

Idris Elba Workout Day Five: Kickboxing Workout

Warm Up:

Jog 800m

3×10 Pull-Ups

3×15 Air Squats

3×20 Push Ups

Workout:

5 Sets of 3 Minute Rounds of:

High and Low Kicks, Light Sparring, and Combos

5 Rounds on the Speed Bag

5 Rounds of Shadow Boxing

Core:

3 Sets of 1 minute planks

5×25 Leg Raises

Cooldown:

Foam Roller and 15-30 minutes of Yoga

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