Gerard Butler
What He Did: Worked out intensely for four months, getting in sick, warrior shape, completely transforming his body and mind.
Why He Did It: For his role as King Leonidas in 300.
What He Ate: Butler watched what he ate, making sure to fuel up every couple of hours
His Workout: The 300-rep Spartan workout: 25 pull ups, 50 dead lifts with 135 pounds, 50 push-ups, 50 jumps on a 24-inch box, 50 floor wipers, 50 single-arm clean-and-presses using a 36-pound kettlebell and 25 more pull-ups (with no rest in between). For dessert, he’d engage in intense exercises like tire flipping and gymnastics-style ring training.
Plus: This routine is efficient but tough to keep up—after filming, Bulter went cold turkey on exercising and lost all the muscle. Now he just tries to keep things balanced with healthy eating and workouts that aren’t just fit for a king.
Gerard Says: “That was a great thing, to put on that cape and put on that helmet and not have to think, 'Shit, I should have trained more.' Instead, I was standing there feeling like a lion.”
Difficulty Level: 9
