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Chris Evans Workout Routine & Diet to Build Muscles Like a Superhero
Chris Evans' workout routine for Captain America, focused on strength training, with minimal cardio. Discover his regimen here to build a superhero-like physique.
If you need a superhero-like body, then Chris Evans' workout routine and diet plan are essential. Captain America is ideally depicted as 6 feet 4 inches and 240 pounds according to the comics, and Chris Evans worked hard to showcase that image on the screen. Despite being shorter than the fictional depiction, the actor put in the effort to achieve the muscular stature required for the role. During his time as Captain America, he weighed approximately 194 pounds and maintained the superhero physique behind the suit.
He achieved it by consuming lean protein and healthy foods before hitting the gym to build serious muscle. His dedication to this routine helped him with the Avengers: Endgame. Last year, he even shed 15 pounds as he wrapped up his Marvel superhero role. Learn more about Chris Evans' inspired workout program to work out like the first Avenger, Captain America.
Who Is Chris Evans?
Chris Evans is a popular Hollywood actor. He started his acting journey with TV shows like Opposite Sex in 2000. After that, he starred in several teen movies before gaining attention for his role as the Human Torch in the Marvel Comics-based film Fantastic Four.
Later, Evans received widespread acclaim and awards for his portrayal of Captain America (Steve Rogers) in various Marvel Cinematic Universe films. This established him as one of the highest-paid actors globally. Besides superhero roles, he also starred in the mystery film Knives Out and the action-packed The Gray Man.
Profile & Stats
- Real name: Christopher Robert Evans
- Place of birth: Boston, U.S.
- Date of birth: June 13, 1981
- Age in 2023: 42
- Height: 6 feet (183 cm)
- Weight: 180 pounds (81 kg)
What Is Chris Evans' Workout Routine?
Chris Evans is known for his incredible fitness in Hollywood. To achieve his balanced physique, he followed a tough training routine. Chris Evans collaborated with celebrity trainer Simon Waterson, who played a crucial role in building his strength and preparing him for his Marvel films. Unlike many other superhero actors who prioritize volume training, Simon also added weight training and made him use heavy weights with lower rep ranges to stimulate Chris Evans's muscle growth (1). He also incorporated plyometric exercises like squat-to-box jumps, and gymnastics into his training days which are proven to improve physical fitness and performance (2).
Chris Evans' workout routine primarily focuses on the vanity muscles of the abs, chest, and arms, with occasional emphasis on training legs with high-intensity exercises. He trains rigorously for 5 days a week, 2 hours per day. If you want to achieve impressive results, try out this workout plan inspired by Chris Evans' fitness routine.
Monday: Back
- Weighted pull-ups - 4 sets of 4 to 6 repetitions
- 1-arm dumbbell row - 2 sets of 4 to 6 repetitions
- Seated cable row - 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions
- Lat pulldown - 3 sets of 8 to10 repetitions
- Cable crunches - 3 sets of 10 to12 repetitions
Tuesday: Chest
- Incline bench press - 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 repetitions
- Dumbbell bench press - 3 sets of 8 repetitions
- Cable crossover - 2 sets of 10 to12 repetitions
- Face pulls - 3 sets of 8 to10 repetitions
Wednesday: Rest
Rest, stretch, and do some optional cardio.
Thursday: Lower Body
- Deadlift - 3 sets of 4 to 6 repetitions
- Lunges - 2 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions per leg
- Leg press - 3 sets of 10 to12 repetitions
- Calf raises - 5 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions
- Hyperextension - 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
- Cable woodchoppers - 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions per side
Friday: Upper Body
- Weighted pull-ups - 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions
- Seated dumbbell press - 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions
- Rear delt raises - 2 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
- Cable crossover - 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
- Side delt raises - 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
- Barbell curl - 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions
- Overhead triceps rope extensions - 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions
Saturday: Rest & Recover
Yoga or light cardio
Sunday: Arms and Abs
- Planks - 3 sets, each lasting 30 seconds
- Bicycle crunches - 3 sets of 15 repetitions
- Lying floor leg raises - 3 sets of 15 repetitions
- Sit-ups - 3 sets of 15 repetitions
- Weighted crunches - 3 sets of 10 repetitions
- Dumbbell curls - 2 sets of 10 repetitions
- Overhead dumbbell extensions - 2 sets of 10 repetitions
- Barbell curls - 2 sets of 10 repetitions
- Skullcrushers - 2 sets of 10 repetitions
In these workouts, pick any one exercise for each muscle group – chest, shoulders, back, and legs. As a beginner, aim for at least 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Also, it's essential to give your body at least 1 day of rest between each full-body workout, so starting with three sessions per week is a good foundation. Don't worry about getting too complex; research proves that even fewer than 5 sets per exercise per week can still help you build muscle (3). So just get started and adjust as you go.
How Did Chris Evans Lose Weight for Captain America?
If you're wondering how Chris Evans achieved the transformation from a muscular superhero to a thin man in "Captain America: The First Avenger," it wasn't just due to Chris Evans' workout and diet. Special effects played a significant role in making the toned actor appear skinny at the beginning of the story.
Evans expressed amazement at the process, with shape alterations to his jawline, a shrunk skeleton, and less broad shoulders. However, those rippling muscles on his Captain America alter-ego were real and not CGI. The actor did gain 15 pounds of muscle to portray the iconic character.
Chris Evans' Diet Plan
Chris Evans was honored with the 'Sexiest Man Alive' title by People magazine in 2022. Achieving this wouldn't have been possible without his dedicated diet and exercise routine.
His diet mainly focused on eating healthy foods like lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and good fats to build lean muscle. He stayed away from junk food and it paid off as he gained weight and reduced body fat from 12.5% to 8%. You can see the results in the Captain America films with his impressive abs and toned arms.
When he's not a superhero, Chris Evans has a leaner figure. He even lost weight for his role in Grey Man. But for Captain America, he had to eat a lot to build muscle, which was a challenge because he's not a fan of heavy eating.
During his Captain America days, Chris Evans followed a rigorous MCU diet, comprising 8 meals per day, totaling around 3000 calories. Here's a sneak peek of his daily meal plan.
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with walnuts and dark berries or pesto eggs
- Morning snack: Whey-based protein shake with 5g branched-chain amino acid
- Pre-workout snack: Mostly fruits and nuts like apples and almonds
- Post-workout snack: Protein smoothie with BCAA, whey protein, berries, banana, peanut butter
- Lunch: Grilled chicken or chicken salad with vegetable stir fry with brown basmati rice
- Afternoon snack: Protein shake
- Dinner: Lean protein with veggies and baked sweet potato
- Before bedtime: Protein shake with a scoop of protein powder (mostly casein-based)
To gain muscle, he needed to be on a calorie-surplus diet with more protein. This is proven to reduce fat mass and increase lean muscle mass instead (4).
By slowly increasing his calorie intake, he could manage weight gain in the long term. After loading up on those extra calories, he transforms them into pure muscle through a hardcore training routine. His high-protein intake comes from vegetables, fruits, complex carbs, and protein shakes.
Chris Evans’ Use of Protein Supplements
When getting ready for ‘The Winter Soldier,’ Chris Evans relied on supplements and protein shakes. Because of Chris Evans's training program, he had up to four protein shakes daily to help with muscle building and recovery. During intense workout days, he relied on the following supplements as his protein source and included them in his meal plan.
- Whey Protein
- Casein
- Glutamine
- BCAAs
- Omega fatty acids
In the mornings, he starts with whey protein shakes with approximately 30 g of the protein in the shake. Whey proteins are a great source of protein, packed with essential amino acids like leucine and cysteine, which aid in muscle growth (5).
He also used BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino-Acids) to reduce soreness and improve muscle repair, and sometimes glutamine to prevent muscle breakdown and boost his immune system (6), (7).
Additionally, he took omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids to support his joint function (8). These supplements could also support brain health, heart rate, lower inflammation, and offer protection against various chronic conditions (9), (10).
Before going to bed, he enjoys a protein shake with casein, which is a slow-release protein that is ideal for nighttime. Research suggests that consuming 40-48g of casein protein 30 minutes before bedtime can aid post-exercise recovery, improve protein metabolism, and boost exercise performance too (11).
Conclusion
Chris Evans' workout routine proves his dedication to achieving the incredible Captain America body. He followed a tough and well-planned fitness routine with the help of his personal trainer. Chris Evans prioritized building strength through exercises like lifts and gymnastics. He didn't overdo cardio training and reserved them for his rest days. His diet included healthy foods like fruits, veggies, and a lot of proteins. His protein-rich diet includes supplements and protein shakes. All that effort paid off because he transformed into a muscular superhero, just right for playing a superhero in the Marvel movies.
ALSO READ: Christian Bale’s Weight Loss And Gain Stories for Varied Movie Roles
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