Warner BrothersWhen you are cast in the role of Tarzan two things are guaranteed – you are going to have to get up close and personal with some vines, and you best get working on a six pack.
Fortunately for Alexander Skarsgård he had Magnus Lygdback on hand to help sculpt his physique into that of the famed ‘Lord of the jungle’.
And to celebrate the release of The Legend Of Tarzan on blu-ray, Lygdback shared some of the exercises used to get the film’s leading man into shape.
Check it out:
So where better to start than with an old favourite…
The deadlift was a key component to Skarsgård’s sessions.
A compound exercise that works many of the body’s major muscle groups, deadlifts are ideal for not only increasing strength an stability, but for achieving the aesthetic results necessary for any would-be jungle men.
Lygdback incorporated three sets of 12 reps into Skarsgård’s training – but remember to focus on achieving proper form over adding huge weights to the barbell.
Next up for Skarsgård was a squat variation that comes with the added bonus of not needing the squat rack, so no need to awkwardly hover round corners waiting for others to finish their sets.
With your feet shoulder width apart, bring the plate overhead during ascent, and lower in a controlled fashion while descending into the squat.
Keep hold of the plate you were using, because it is time for some skate jumps.
As demonstrated by Lygdback this exercise will get the blood pumping and contribute to that classic lean Tarzan look.
Jump laterally from left to right pushing off through the ball of your standing foot, and during the jump bring the plate across your body so that it is on the side of the standing leg for three sets of 12 reps.
It comes as no surprise that Skarsgård needed to isolate his core, and Lygdback was ready with three sets of 12 jackknives to do just that.
In this sit-up variation you raise your legs to around a 45 degree angle at the same time as raising your torso, and to complete the rep bring your arms and reach out to touch your feet.
Keeping the heart rate up Skarsgård would also perform ‘side to side kickouts’.
To perform these start in a mountain climber position, but push your leg through at a near 90 degree angle to your body while raising the opposite arm above head height and leaning back to stretch.
Alternate between legs but do not sacrifice good form in favour of a higher speed.
So if you are looking to become a vine-swinging supremo, or just get a bit more cut, start incorporating these moves into your routines.
The results speak for themselves…
