Hugh Jackman Workout Routine And Diet Plan

Over the past two decades, we have witnessed Hugh Jackman’s incredible transformations on both stage and screen.

However, few have caught the world’s attention like his portrayal of deadly super-mutant Wolverine, taking his body from a lean 170 pounds to the iconic, cut physique.

How does Hugh get ready for these roles? Also, how has he maintained a great physique for more than 20 years?

Today, I will take you through Hugh Jackman’s workout routine and diet plan, including his training fundamentals and his massive 8,000 calorie eating plan for the upcoming Deadpool 3. There are even some sample plans to help you get ripped like Weapon-X.

Let’s jump in.

Hugh Jackman Current Bio and Stats

Hugh Michael Jackman was born on October 12th, 1968 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Hugh took to acting during his younger years, starring in a production of My Fair Lady.

After high school, Hugh attended University of Technology, graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor of Communications.

Following this, Hugh returned to acting and pursued his passion for drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

It was here that Hugh was recognized for his talents, landing roles in ABC-TV prison drama Correlli (1995).

In the coming years, Hugh would make a name for himself performing in stage productions before being cast in X-Men (2000).

This role would introduce Hugh to resistance training, which would become a staple for his entire career. 

Since then, Hugh has become one of Hollywood’s biggest shapeshifters, transforming his body from the jacked Wolverine in the X-Men films to his leaner showman physique required for countless stage productions. 

• Age: 55 Years Old
• Height: 6’2” (188 cm)
• Weight: 181 lbs (82 kg)
• Birthday: 12th October, 1968
• Occupation: Actor, Producer
• Retired/Active: Active

Hugh Jackman Workout Fundamentals

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Hugh’s entry into playing Wolverine came from a rocky beginning. The director of X-Men suggested he only train for three weeks prior to his shirtless scenes in the film.

Little did Jackman and the director know that this would not be enough, resulting in all shirtless scene filming being pushed back. Hugh was sent back to the gym, giving way to the training methods we’re discussing today. 

Hugh’s routine consists of traditional bodybuilding and strength training movements to promote muscle growth, helping him bulk up from a slim 172 lbs to a ripped 195 lbs.

That initial run-in with a shirtless scene would be a mistake that he would not make twice. He would maintain his size for each subsequent film, looking more muscular and meaner with each appearance. 

His training is based on a six-day training split, with blocks focusing on volume with lighter weight and higher reps, progressively overloading toward heavier weight for lower reps.

This helped him build mass and improve strength. 

To give himself an even greater cut, Hugh would dehydrate himself for his shirtless scenes, giving him a more ripped look.

He would drink 10 liters in one day and then stop drinking water for the next 36 hours leading up to his shoot. 

Over the next day and a half, he would be constantly going to the bathroom until he was completely dehydrated, removing mass amounts of water weight.  

However, this is not recommended as it is dangerous. Even Hugh himself advises against this practice if you are training.  

Hugh Jackman Workout Routine

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Now that we have covered Hugh’s training fundamentals, it’s time to get into his workout routine.

This program is based on a five-day split workout routine, allowing back-to-back training days and two rest days on the weekend.

Hugh also adds 30 minutes of cardio into each session with a 10 minute warm-up which also contains dynamic stretching. There’s 20 minutes at the end to burn additional fat. 

Below, we have the exercises, sets, reps, and rest times, plus a weekly schedule to give you a solid routine right out of the gate.

Hugh Jackman Workout Split Weekly Schedule

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
Chest & Shoulders	Legs & Abs	Back & Biceps	Chest & Arms	Leg & Core	Rest	Rest

Chest & Shoulders (Duration 60 – 70 Minutes)

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Warm-Up (Cardio, Dynamic Stretches)	1	10 Mins	1-2 mins
Barbell Bench Press	4	10	45-60 secs
Dumbbell Shoulder Press	4	10	30-45 secs
Behind-The Neck-Press	3	10	30-45 secs
Cuban Press	3	10	30-45 secs
Tricep Dips	3	12	30-45 secs
Tricep Pushdown	3	8	30-45 secs
Lat Raise	3	8	30-45 secs
Front Raise	3	8	30-45 secs
Rear Shoulder Flys	3	8	30-45 secs
Overhead Press	3	8	30-45 secs
Steady State Cardio (Treadmill, Elliptical)	1	20 Mins	–

Legs & Abs (Duration 60-70 Mins)

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Warm-Up (Cardio, Dynamic Stretches)	1	10 Mins	1-2 mins
Back Squat	4	5	45-60 secs
Front Squat	4	10	30-45 secs
Leg Press	4	10	30-45 secs
Calf Raises	4	10	30-45 secs
Leg Raise	4	10	30-45 secs
Ab Wheels	4	10	30-45 secs
Knee Raises	4	10	30-45 secs
Decline Sit-Ups	4	10	30-45 secs
Steady State Cardio (Treadmill, Elliptical)	1	20 Mins	–

Back & Biceps (Duration 60-70 Mins)

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Warm-Up (Cardio, Dynamic Stretches)	1	10 Mins	1-2 mins
Weighted Pull-Up	4	5	45-60 secs
Dumbbell Rows	4	12	30-45 secs
Bodyweight Rows	4	10	30-45 secs
Incline Dumbbell Curls	4	10	30-45 secs
Zottman Bicep Curls	4	8	30-45 secs
Cross Body Curls	4	8	30-45 secs
Pronated Curls	4	8	30-45 secs
Steady State Cardio (Treadmill, Elliptical)	1	20 Mins	–

Chest & Arms (Duration 60-70 Mins)

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Warm-Up (Cardio, Dynamic Stretches)	1	10 Mins	1-2 mins
Incline Bench Press	4	5	45-60 secs
Dumbbell Press	4	12	30-45 secs
Cable Flys	4	8	30-45 secs
Narrow Grip Bench Press	4	8	30-45 secs
Tricep Pulldown	4	8	30-45 secs
Dips	4	8	30-45 secs
Diamond Grips	4	8	30-45 secs
Steady State Cardio (Treadmill, Elliptical)	1	20 Mins	–

Legs & Core (Duration 60-70 Mins)

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Warm-Up (Cardio, Dynamic Stretches)	1	10 Mins	1-2 mins
Deadlifts	4	5	45-60 secs
Romanian Deadlift	4	12	30-45 secs
Zercher Squats	4	10	30-45 secs
Bulgarian Split Squats	4	10	30-45 secs
Barbell Landmines	4	8	30-45 secs
Incline Sit-ups	4	10	30-45 secs
Steady State Cardio (Treadmill, Elliptical)	1	20 Mins	–

Hugh Jackman Dieting and Food Preferences

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Hugh attributes the success of his physique to his nutrition, with a strict ongoing approach to his dieting and food preferences. 

In years past, he would prepare for huge roles by consuming between 4,000-5,000 calories daily. This diet was made up of high-protein, nutrient-dense foods such as lean meat with complex carbs such as brown rice.

However, his latest diet for the upcoming film Deadpool 3 might be his most impressive to date. He is said to be eating 8,000 calories per day!

That’s a massive 689g of carbs, 609g of protein, and 295 g of fat. 

Fortunately for Hugh, he has his own personal chef to prepare his meals for him, leaving him with the task of getting it down.

What makes this more impressive is that Hugh eats all this while intermittent fasting.

This meant he would fast for 16 hours, and eat for eight hours.

Research indicates that exercise in a fasted state can improve fat oxidation, using fat for fuel and improving weight loss. 

Below, we have listed both diets to give you a better understanding of what it takes for Hugh to transform into Weapon-X.

Hugh Jackman Wolverine Diet and Food Preferences

Meal	Food
Meal 1	1 Cup Oatmeal, 2 Eggs, 1 Cup Blueberries
Meal 2	10 oz. Steak, Green Salad, 1 Cup Broccoli, Sweet Potato
Meal 3	6 oz. Chicken Breast, Green Salad, 1 Cup Brown Rice
Meal 4	Protein Shake, Mixed Nuts
Meal 5	6 Oz. Grilled Fish, Green Salad, 1 Cup Broccoli, Avocado
Meal 6	Mixed Nuts

Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Diet and Food Preferences

Meal	Food
Meal 1	11 oz. Steak, Rice Noodles, 0.5 Cups Carrot, Pepper Strips, Green Beans
Meal 2	16 oz. Chicken Breast, 2 Medium Sweet Potato, Asparagus, Avocado Oil
Meal 3	1 lbs Sea Bass, Stir Fried Vegetables, 1 Cup Brown Rice, Avocado Oil
Meal 4	11 oz. Steak, Rice Noodles, 0.5 Cups Carrot, Pepper Strips, Green Beans
Meal 5	16 oz. Salmon, 680g Potatoes, Hot Sauce, 1 Cup Broccoli, Avocado Oil

Hugh Jackman Wolverine Diet Plan

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Hugh Jackman’s dieting and food preferences are nothing short of incredible, with his dedication to eating high-quality, nutrient-dense food for an extended period of time.

Below, we have provided sample Hugh Jackman diet plans for both his 4,000 cal diet and his 8,000 calorie diet to build that superhuman physique.  

Meal 1

• 1 Cup Oats (Banana, Blueberries, Cinnamon)
• 2x Egg Omelet, Cheese, Spinach, Spring Onion, Tomato

Meal 2

• Grilled Steak with Salt and Pepper
• Sweet Potato + 1 Cup Broccoli
• Green Salad (Baby Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onion, Corn, Green Pepper, Olive Oil)

Meal 3

• Chicken Quesadilla (Black Beans, Chopped Onions, Red Pepper, Tomato, Corn, Cheese)
• Protein Shake

Meal 4

• 2x Scoop Protein Smoothie (Almond Milk, Banana, Peanut Butter, Honey, Blueberries)
• Mix Nuts

Meal 5

• Lemon and Herb Baked Salmon
• 1 Cup Brown Rice
• Green Salad (Baby Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onion, Corn, Green Pepper, Olive Oil)

Meal 6

• 1 Scoop Protein Shake
• Banana
• Mixed Nuts
• Protein Yogurt

Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Wolverine Diet

Meal 1

• 11 oz. Steak
• Stir Fried Noodles (Red Pepper, Carrot, Green Beans, Baby Corn)
• 1 Cup Broccoli

Meal 2

• 3 x Portuguese Chicken Wraps
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Green Salad (Rocket, Baby Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onion, Olive Oil)

Meal 3

• 16 oz. Grilled Salmon with Lime and Paprika
• Steamed Mixed Vegetables
• 1 Cup Brown Rice

Meal 4

• 2x Scoop Protein Shake (Peanut Butter, Banana, Berry Medley, Protein Yogurt)
• Mixed Nuts

Meal 5

• 11 oz. Steak
• Mushrooms
• Baked Potato
• 1 Cup Broccoli

Meal 6

• 2x Scoop Protein Shake
• Banana
• Protein Yogurt
• Mixed Nuts

Hugh is a big believer in correct nutrition, carefully tracking his calorie and macro nutrient intake with every role.

If you are thinking of trying either of Hugh’s diet plans, we strongly recommend you do the same. 

This will help you provide your body with the correct amount of carbs for energy, protein for muscle growth, and fat for absorbing essential minerals. 

To do this, use our advanced calorie and macronutrient calculator.

Simply punch in your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level to receive an accurate calorie and macro target to help you build a super mutant body. 

Hugh Jackman Supplement Preferences

Hugh Jackman’s dieting and food preferences are what help him to achieve his incredible body, but he knows that there is always room to improve and bridge those nutritional gaps.

Below we have Hugh Jackman’s supplement preferences to help you boost your protein intake and performance in the gym.

Supplement	Purpose
Whey Protein	Builds muscle and improves recovery
Pre-Workout	Increase energy and improve performance
Creatine	Replenishes energy and boosts performance
BCAAs	Stimulate building of protein in muscle and the reduction of muscle breakdown; however, research suggests this is unwarranted
L-Carnitine	Improves performance

Final Thoughts

Hugh Jackman’s ability to transform his body from a dancing showman into a super mutant is a testament to his work ethic and healthy lifestyle.

A true performer, he is always ready to do what he must to succeed in his action-packed roles on screen and stage.

That includes doubling his calories and dehydrating himself. 

If you are considering trying the Hugh Jackman workout routine and diet plan, track your nutrition, follow the workout routine, and make it a part of your lifestyle.

Most importantly, don’t try any of Jackman’s more extreme tactics. Stay hydrated, always.

Do this and you will pack on serious mass and create a shredded physique.

So, are you thinking of trying Hugh’s diet plan? What part of his training appeals to you?

Let us know in the comments. 

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