If you are anything like me, the first thought that came to your mind after watching the first Captain America movie was – How long before scientists figure out a way to make the super-soldier serum and vita radiation machine?
I mean, if it took us less than a year to make a vaccine for arguably the deadliest virus the human race has seen in centuries. How hard could making a muscle-building serum be? Or wait, was the super-soldier serum a fancier form of testosterone and HGH (human growth hormone)? Was Captain American on juice? This will forever be a mystery, but I digress.
Captain America workout program is one of the best programs for a beginner or intermediate lifter. Unlike The Rock or Mark Wahlberg, Chris Evans is not a gym rat. If given a choice, he would rather spend time on the track than in the gym.
We are not sure, but his reluctance could have something to do with the fact that he needed to transform his physique for the role – something he had never done in the past.
Evans did not like the idea of following a strict diet plan. He later confessed that he did not enjoy the non-stop or heavy eating required to prepare for the role.
Current Stats
| Full Name: Christopher Robert Evans | ||
| Weight | Height | Age |
| 170 – 180lbs (77.11- 81.65kg) | 6’0″ (182.9cm) | 42 years |
| Date of Birth | Birthplace | Nationality |
| June 13, 1981 | Boston, MA | American |
Pre-Requisites For The Chris Evans Captain America Transformation Program
Find A Coach
Since this is a 12-week program, you cannot afford to waste time experimenting with different training and diet programs. On top of that, if you do not enjoy being in the gym (like Chris), a personal trainer can be the kick-in-the-butt you need.
Chris Evans Captain America workout program consists of using a heavier weight for lower reps. Beginners and intermediate lifters should not attempt it without the supervision of a coach.
Stay away from broscientists and find a trainer with a proven track record. Chris Evans roped in celebrity trainer Simon Waterson to help him with his transformation. Simon is known for his calculated approach toward fitness.
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Chris was so clueless about lifting weights that Waterson, in an interview, said, “Chris had done some weight training before, but as with a lot of guys it had been focused on the vanity muscles of the chest, arms and abs. These guys are always amazed when I point out that they have muscles on the backs of their bodies too.
But Chris was great to train. He understood the importance of a balanced physique. I had to work him hard but at a sensible pace – I couldn’t afford to have him sidelined for four weeks with an injury.”
Get Your Nutrition On Point
Most people underestimate the importance of nutrition in a transformation program. Contrary to popular opinion, nutrition is usually the main reason why people do not see results.
Evans feels that meeting the daily caloric intake goal can be exhausting, and on most days during the transformation, it felt like he was eating non-stop.
Chris Evans’ transformation program includes eating lean protein sources, whole grains and oats, fruits and veggies, healthy fats, and low-fat dairy. These food sources are not only satiating but are also micro and macro-nutrient-rich.
Train Heavy
You are not going to see meaningful progress if you stick with rookie weights. If you want to put on muscle mass, optimal muscle fiber recruitment in every set is non-negotiable.
Most Hollywood actors focus on volume training, but Simon had Chris perform lower rep ranges with heavier weight. The pecs in the vita radiation transformation scene of the original Captain America movie are a result of this type of training.
Although Steve Rogers does not wear shorts as much as Mitch (The Rock) in Baywatch, Waterson did not go easy on the leg training routine in the Captain American transformation program.
Most lifters make the mistake of ignoring legs because they want bigger arms. Ironically, pushing your lower body can transform your upper body faster because of a spike in growth hormone response.
Have A Tunnel Vision
Physique transformation is no easy feat. If you think you can carve the physique of your dreams within 12-weeks while managing ten other things, you are in for a rude shock.
In the case of Chris Evans, millions of dollars were riding on his transformation. Marvel obviously could not let an out-of-shape actor play Captain America. Chris delivered on the producers’ expectations by turning around his physique.
He is a part of 9 MCU films, and his physique keeps getting better with every movie. He got in his best shape while filming ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier.’ The scene where the Cap stops Bucky’s helicopter by holding onto a pipe is pretty dope if you ask us. It almost looked like a bodybuilding pose.
The helicopter scene also shows us that Cap is no different than any other lifter. Give a bodybuilder the faintest opportunity, and he will not miss the chance to flex and show off his gains.
Chris Evans Captain America Diet Program
For a successful transformation, you should start with a diet program. Most people make the mistake of relying too much on the training part of a physique transformation program.
Remember: In an effective transformation program, you usually eat seven times a day and train only once. If this does not tell you how important your diet program is, nothing will.
Waterson revealed the Captain America diet program in one of his interviews with Men’s Fitness. It looks something like this:
- Breakfast – Bowl of porridge with dark berries and walnuts.
- Morning snack – Whey-based protein shake and 5g branched-chain amino acid (BCAA).
- Pre-workout snack – Apple and almonds.
- Post-workout snack – Whey-based protein shake and 5g branched-chain amino acid (BCAA).
- Lunch – Chicken salad with brown basmati rice.
- Afternoon snack – Protein shake.
- Dinner – Lean protein (fish or chicken) with veggies.
- Before bedtime – Protein shake (primarily casein).
If you could not tell by the diet program, Chris Evans relies heavily on dietary supplements.
In the end, his efforts bore fruit. He put on 5 kgs of quality muscle mass in a short period. Chris’ weight increased from 77kg to 82kg, while his body fat percentage dropped from 12.5% to 8%.
Chris Evans Captain America Workout Program
Since the Captain America workout program is a low-volume and high-intensity routine, you will mostly perform heavy sets of compound (multi-joint) lifts to build strength and muscle mass.
Other than the compound lifts, Evans also performed bodyweight and plyometric exercises like squat-to-box jump and gymnastics. Not only did these exercises help him build explosiveness, but they also improved his flexibility and functionality.
Evans maintained a high heart rate throughout the workout so that he was in an optimal fat-burning zone.
The Captain America workout program consists of five training days. While using monster weight, you can take a 2-3 minute rest between sets. On the other hand, while performing a higher number of reps, do not rest for more than 90 seconds between sets.
Cardio
Chris Evan has always had a lean physique because of which the Captain America workout program is light on cardio. If you have excess body fat you need to shed, add a 30-45 minute fasted low-intensity cardio session to your routine. Perform the LIIT cardio session every day for the entire 12-weeks.
Day 1: Lower Body
1. Squat – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
2. Deadlift – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
3. Jump Squat – 2 Sets 12 Reps – 90-second Rest
4. Box Jump – 2 Sets 10 Reps – 90-second Rest
5. Lying Leg Curl – 2 Sets 12 Reps – 90-second Rest
6. Standing Machine Calf Raise – 2 Sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
Chris Evans follows a five-day training split, where he trains his upper and lower body twice and arms and abs once a week. Since this is a 12-week training program, you have 24 upper and lower body and 12 arm and ab workouts, so make them count.
The first training day of the week starts with heavy compound exercises. After deadlift, you move on to plyometric exercises before finishing the workout with isolation lifts.
Day 2: Upper Body
1. Military Press – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
2. Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
3. Pull-Up – 3 Sets 12 Reps – 90-second Rest
4. Z-Press – 3 Sets 8 Reps – 90-second Rest
5. Push-Up – 3 Sets 12 Reps – 90-second Rest
6. Inverted Row – 3 Sets 12 Reps – 90-second Rest
Since you will be working with heavy weight on the first couple of exercises in every workout of the program, make sure you do not let your ego get the better of you. Perform the exercises with correct form and a full range of motion.
If you do not have access to adjustable safety pins at your gym, you could perform seated shoulder press instead of the Z-press. With each rep, pause at the top of the movement and squeeze the life out of your muscles.
Day 3: Rest and Recover
1. Yoga or Light Cardio
2. Balance Beam Exercises
3. Ribbon Twirling
In the Captain America training program, rest day does not translate to sitting on your ass the whole day. Chris Evans worked on his mobility on his off days as chasing supervillains can be a physically demanding job.
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Day 4: Lower Body
1. Trap Bar Deadlift – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
2. Front Squat – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
3. Leg Press – 3 Sets 12 Reps – 90-second Rest
4. Seated Leg Curl – 2 Sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
5. Jumping Lunge – 2 Sets 15 Reps (per leg) – 90-second Rest
6. Seated Calf Raise – 2 Sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
If you went all-in on day one, you should be sore on day four. In the second training session of the week, you will be training the target muscles from slightly different angles compared to the first workout.
Going through the motion for the sake of it will do you no good. A solid mind-muscle connection is needed to make the needle budge in the right direction. An inability to maintain a mind-muscle connection while performing the lifts means that you are going a little too heavy and need to lower the weight.
Day 5: Upper Body
1. Bent Over Row – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
2. Incline Bench Press – 3 Sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
3. Kneeling Shoulder Press – 3 sets 5 Reps – 2-3 Minute Rest
4. One-Arm Dumbbell Row – 3 sets 12 Reps – 90-second Rest
5. Dip – 3 sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
6. Chin-Up – 3 sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
Not carrying lifting accessories to the gym is a rookie mistake. Not only do training accessories like a weightlifting belt, wrist and knee wraps, and lifting straps reduce the chances of an injury, but they can also help take your gains to the next level.
Day 6: Rest and Recover
1. Yoga or light cardio
2. Balance beam exercises
3. Ribbon twirling
Day 7: Arms and Abs
1. Plank – 3 Sets 30 Seconds – 90-second Rest
2. Sit-Up – 3 Sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
3. Bicycle Crunch – 3 Sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
4. Lying Floor Leg Raise – 3 Sets 15 Reps – 90-second Rest
5. Weighted Crunch – 3 Sets 10 Reps – 90-second Rest
6. Dumbbell Curl – 2 Sets 10 Reps – 90-second Rest
7. Overhead Dumbbell Extension – 2 Sets 10 Reps – 90-second Rest
8. Barbell Curl – 2 Sets 10 Reps – 90-second Rest
9. Skullcrusher – 2 Sets 10 Reps – 90-second Rest
Arms and abs workout is the longest workout day of the program. Since both these are small muscle groups, your goal with this workout is to target muscle hypertrophy. You will be using moderate weight and focusing on contracting the muscles with every rep.
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Conclusion
If your goal is to look like Chris Evans in Captain America, you now have all the tools you need. Stop procrastinating, put the plan into action and reap the gains. We are looking forward to hearing your success stories.
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