Last updated on May 4th, 2022 at 11:53 am

Oscar Isaac is going to be our Moon Knight.

Our Moon Knight Workout Routine is one of our more popular character workouts among superheroes that have focused on MMA training, and now we get a chance to take a second look at him (this time in the form of researching Oscar Isaac’s routine).

Isaac is not only Moon Knight, though, he’s also been in a ton of other incredible roles that have surged requests for his training from The SHJ Army.

Isaac is most known for his role as Poe Dameron in the newest Star Wars Trilogy, and Apocalypse in X-Men: Apocalypse, but he’s also had great role in Ex Machina, Inside Llewyn Davis, A Most Violent Year, and soon to be Dune as well!

I personally also loved him in Triple Frontier with Charlie Hunnam and Ben Affleck as well!

Oscar Isaac Stats:

Height: 5’9

Weight: (approximate) 160 lbs.

Age: 41 years old

Oscar Isaac falls just below one of the shorter ranges we’ve seen among men, technically putting him in the shortest.

Which is ironic considering we don’t have many men fall into that category but now we’ve seen two in a row with Isaac and Lamorne Morris this week.

The 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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Oscar Isaac Diet and Nutrition

Oscar Isaac actually bulked up for his role in Ex Machina, which is the role that has the most talk in terms of his transformation and physique.

In an interview with Men’s Journal he tells them outside of his training it really was more or less just increasing his overall calorie intake on a daily basis to allow his body to build muscle.

Here Isaac talks about why his character, a genius in the movie, is so physical, and who they modeled this character after:

In Ex Machina you play Nathan, a genius scientist/inventor. But when we first meet him, he’s punching a bag and nursing “the mother of all hangovers.” Why is he so physical?

Alex [Garland, the writer-director], wanted him to be superior at every level to the protagonist, the young computer programmer Caleb [Domhnall Gleeson]. Financially, Nathan beats him. Intellectually he beats him. And physically he beats him. He’s this unstoppable force. So in the end, when the tables turn, it’s a lot more rewarding.

Did you model Nathan on anyone in particular?

When I started researching the role, one of the influences I really grabbed on to was [former chess champion] Bobby Fischer. He had a brilliant mind and a very dark, troubled soul, and I learned that when he was preparing for his big chess battles against [Boris Spassky in the early 1970s], he had an Olympic trainer. There are all these photographs of him training intensely, and you think, “Why would a guy playing chess need that?” I think there’s a real connection between physical discipline and mental discipline. And when you get into that world of “I want to win,” even if it’s just mentally, physicality is important.

He goes on to tell us a bunch about his training, which I’ll share below, and also the line about his calories which I made reference to before:

I basically did that and tried to eat clean, but more calories than I normally eat.

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, & Eat Fat, Lose Fat) 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, Tom Hopper, 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.

Curious what the Top Diets Among Celebrities actually are?  Check it out.

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Oscar Isaac Workout Routine Research

There was nothing super-secret about Oscar Isaac’s transformation for Ex Machina.

Simple hard work with his training and nutrition got him into killer shape.

In his interview with Men’s Journal that we started with above he also goes on to say:

What did you do physically to prepare for the role?

I work with a trainer named Josh Holland. We actually met when I was doing the film that Madonna directed, W.E., and he was her trainer. We tried to follow the regimen Nathan would follow, which was a bit of cardio, a lot of weight training, and hitting the punching bag. I basically did that and tried to eat clean, but more calories than I normally eat.

And that last sentence is exactly what I was referring to above with our nutrition section.

This whole quote actually tells us a ton of information.

He makes mention to the fact that they did throw in a bit of cardio, but mainly worked with weight training and hitting the punching bag.

Isaac’s scene in the movie actually revolved around him hitting the bag so it does make sense that they threw in some bag work to make sure it looked like he knew what he was doing.

From there Isaac finishes off the interview stating:

It was important that Nathan was a formidable-looking dude—stocky and square-shouldered, with an aggression to him. That’s why I really focused on the bag and the weights, things that require quite a bit of aggression. I think that shows through even when Nathan is seemingly being nice or friendly. There’s still this aggression underneath, and that comes from the physical preparation.

I personally think he did a great job making this character come to life.

So for this one we’ll be utilizing mainly weight training with a bit of cardio throw in; and if you’d like to work on some bag work as well you can absolutely do that.

Are you ready?

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Oscar Isaac Workout Routine

Training Volume:

4-5 days per week

Explanation:

Isaac’s training mainly consisted of weight training with a big of cardio mixed in and bag work to get him ready for his scene in Ex Machina [where he opens punching a bag].  For that reason we’ll be utilizing that same weight training to prepare us to get bulked up like Isaac.

Please note that as new information comes out for Isaac’s training as Moon Knight and/or Dune we will be adding to this routine.

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.

Oscar Isaac Workout: Sample Schedule

Monday: Chest and Triceps

Tuesday: Legs and Calves

Wednesday: Active Rest and/or Cardio

Thursday: Shoulders and Traps

Friday: Back and Biceps

Saturday: Active Rest Day

Sunday: Rest Day

Oscar Isaac Workout: Chest and Triceps

Warm Up:

10 Minute Jog

Workout:

Incline Bench Press

4×8

Close Grip Bench

4×8

Chest Flyes

4×10

Dumbbell Skull Crushers

4×10

Dips

4×12

Explosive Push Ups

4×12

Oscar Isaac Workout: Legs and Calves

Warm Up:

10 Minute Jog

Workout:

Back Squat

4×8

Leg Press

4×8

Front Squats

4×10

Straight Leg Deadlift with DBs

4×10

Weighted Step Ups

4×12

Glute Bridges with Barbell

4×12

Oscar Isaac Workout: Shoulders and Traps

Warm Up:

10 Minute Jog

Workout:

Overhead Press

4×8

Power Cleans

4×8

Lateral Raises

4×10

Upright Rows

4×10

Dumbbell Shrugs

4×12

Cable Front Raises

4×12

Oscar Isaac Workout: Back and Biceps

Warm Up:

10 Minute Jog

Workout:

Hex Bar Deadlift

4×8

Weighted Chin Ups

4×8

Wide Grip Cable Rows

4×10

Lateral Pulldowns

4×10

Straight Arm Pulldowns

4×12

Preacher Curls

4×12

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