movie-inspired workouts
Movies can inspire you to get off the couch and get in shape — and so can movie-inspired workouts. When we see Hollywood’s elite shaping up to play underdog fighters, comic book heroes and mythological legends, we can’t help but be motivated to work on our own fitness levels. From Gerard Butler in 300 to Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman, here are our top movie-themed workouts and the actors and actresses who inspired them.

The 300 Challenge: Gerard Butler

Can you do 300 reps of these seven exercises? Take the 300 Challenge.
When Gerard Butler walked across the screen in the movie 300, all people could talk about was how ripped he was. Soon after, Spartan-style workouts were popping up everywhere. The idea with this workout is to do 300 total reps with only a short rest in between each set. Be mindful of the high rep count when selecting a weight. Wearing a loin cloth and yelling “This is Sparta!” after every set is optional.
  1. Pullups – 25 reps
  2. Deadlifts – 50 reps
  3. Pushups – 50 reps
  4. Box Jumps – 50 reps
  5. Burpees – 50 reps
  6. Squats – 50 reps
  7. Triceps Dips – 25 reps
This is one of our most challenging movie-inspired workouts. For instruction on how to perform some of these basic exercises, check out For Him: 10 Exercises To Get You Back In Shape and 15 At Home Exercises to Keep You On Track.

The Wonder Woman Ropes Workout: Gal Gadot

Get ready for an epic battle with the ropes. It will be no wonder how you got in great shape.
Wonder Woman has been inspiring women for generations so it is only fitting we create a workout in her honor. Recently, Gal Gadot brought new life and energy to the role and got the world buzzing about this bracelet-clad heroine again. Check out this epic battle rope workout, inspired by Wonder Woman’s golden lasso.
  1. Alternating Waves – Alternate moving your arms up and down as fast as you can.
  2. Double Arm Waves – Move your arms up and down together as fast as you can.
  3. Double Arm Slam – Lift the ropes together as high as you can and slam them down hard and fast.
  4. Single Arm Plank Waves – From a plank position, grab one rope with one hand while balancing on the other. Move your arm (holding the rope) up and down to make the rope move in a wave.
  5. Double Wave Squat – Lower your body into a squat while making double waves. Hold for a ten count, stand up straight to rest for 30 seconds, then repeat.

The Fight Club MMA Workout: Brad Pitt

Channel your alter ego and get motivated to crush this Fight Club-inspired MMA fitness routine.
If you need to get motivated to look totally shredded, watch the movie Fight Club. After it debuted, men everywhere wanted to get the kind of ripped physique Brad showed off as Tyler Durden. Check out this MMA-style workout, but remember, never talk about your Fight Club workout.
  1. Jump Rope Warmup – Three, 3-minute rounds
  2. Medicine Ball Twist – Sit on the ground with your knees bent to 90-degree angles in front of you. Grab a medicine ball. Lift your feet off the ground and engage your core. Twist from one side to the other touching the medicine ball on the ground.
  3. Fast Punches – Stand close to the heavy bag. Try to keep your elbows in close to your sides and throw as many punches as you can in 60 seconds. Repeat for 2-6 sets.
  4. Heavy Bag Punch Sit-Ups – Lie in front of a heavy bag with knees bent, feet on the floor under the bag and fists up. Engage your abs and raise up slowly. At the top, throw a jab with each arm, hitting the heavy bag. Slowly roll back down. Repeat for 3 sets of 20.
  5. Pull Ups – Grab the bar with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Take a “monkey” grip with your thumbs wrapped atop the bar along with your fingers. Pull yourself up. As you reach the bar, pull your elbows down and back to get more height over the bar.

The Rocky Cardio Workout: Sylvester Stallone

When it comes to movie-inspired workouts, this one will be fun whether or not you blast “Eye of the Tiger” the whole time you are doing it.
When Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky first came out in theaters, everyone wanted to train like a boxer. Decades and multiple sequels later and the world is still in love with Rocky-style training. One of our favorite movie-inspired workouts is our own take on a Rocky-themed cardio workout. Obviously, the best way to finish this workout off is to run up a big flight of stairs and hold your arms up in victory.
  1. Shadowbox to Warm Up – 5-10 mins
  2. Jump Rope – 4 sets of 50 jumps, as fast as you can, with 1 min. rest between sets
  3. Speed Bag Work – Hit the bag as many times as you can in 30 seconds. Repeat for eight rounds.
  4. Heavy Bag Training – Move around and punch the bag in a consistent rhythm for 3 minutes. Repeat for 3 to 8 rounds.
  5. Pushups – Do 3 sets of 20 pushups. Try mixing it up Rocky-style with one-handed and clap pushup variations.
  6. Beach Sprints – 50-yard sprints x10
When it comes to ideas for your own movie-inspired workouts, the fuel for inspiration is practically endless. The most important thing is to stay motivated and use any and all inspiration to help you achieve your goals.
BOGO Vitamin Shoppe
All readers are advised to consult their physician before beginning any exercise and nutrition program. BPI Sports and the contributors do not accept any responsibility for injury sustained as a result of following the advice or suggestions contained within the content.