British actor and martial artist Scott Adkins is a prominent action star in the modern film industry. In a recent Men’s Health YouTube video, Adkins shared the mixed martial arts (MMA) workout and strength training he utilized to prepare for the role of ‘Killa’ in John Wick: Chapter 4.
Scott Adkins first gained attention for his lead role as Yuri Boyka, a Russian mixed martial arts fighter in the second installment of the Undisputed film franchise. Although Adkins wasn’t a part of the first film and joined the crew as a co-lead, his impeccable athleticism and portrayal of the troubled fighter elevated him to become the main star later on. He delivered a ton of action-packed fight scenes with seamless acrobatic kicking sequences over the next two projects in Undisputed III: Redemption (2010) and Boyka: Undisputed (2017).
Having grown up with a passion for martial arts, Adkins boasts an extensive repertoire of disciplines, including Judo, Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Ninjutsu, and more, which he’s used successfully in plenty of entertainment projects.
Adkins’ athletic skills have helped him as a stuntman and choreographer as well. He played the role of Weapon XI/Deadpool exclusively for stunt scenes with superstar Ryan Reynolds for the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). In 2012, Adkins got tapped for an antagonistic role in The Expendables 2 alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Sylvester Stallone.
The 46-year-old leads a healthy lifestyle with a junk-free diet plan. He exercises daily and has evolved his training over the years to suit the needs of various characters and lifestyles. He believes in maintaining functional muscle and doesn’t necessarily focus on gaining muscle mass and size for appearances alone.
Adkins also starred in other blockbuster films like The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) and Doctor Strange (2016). He’s cemented his place as an elite action star with roles in Ninja (2009), Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019) alongside fellow icon Donnie Yen.
His latest appearance happened in the fourth part of the massively popular ‘John Wick‘ franchise led by A-list actor Keanu Reeves. He served as a villain against the main character and helped craft the fight scenes between the two.
Scott Adkins shares ‘Killa’ workout from ‘John Wick 4’
In a recent YouTube video, Scott Adkins shared the workout he used to get ready for the role of ‘Killa’ in John Wick: Chapter 4, which was released last month.
“You can’t be a good martial artist and not be fit,” he said. “The two go hand-in-hand. I love lifting weights and bodybuilding. The martial arts and the muscle building, they don’t really go hand-in-hand. The bigger your muscles get, the heavier you get, you’re less agile, it slows you down.
“So, whereas in the past, I used to train like a bodybuilder, now it’s important for me to be bulletproof against injuries; knees, elbows, shoulders.”
1. MMA & Taekwondo – 1 hour session
- Step-Through Side Kick
- Spinning Hook Kick
- 720º Spin Kick
Strength Training:
2. Split Squat – 5 sets of 5 reps on each leg
3. Kettlebell Pushup – 3-5 sets of 15-20 reps
4. Inverted Row – 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps
According to IMDb, John Wick: Chapter 4 stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, George Georgiou, and Scott Adkins. Chad Stahelski served as the director with Shay Hatten, Michael Finch, and Derek Kolstad in the writing department. It crossed nearly $74 million in its opening weekend in US & Canada and has reportedly amassed over $250 million gross worldwide.
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