Train Like Captain America

Follow Chris Evans' diet and workout regimen to get your body into fighting shape.

May 5, 2016

Chris Evans is back behind the star-spangled shield in Captain America: Civil War and once again, he turned to trainer Simon Waterson to get into peak super-soldier shape. Waterson, a former Royal Marine turned personal trainer who's also trained Daniel Craig for multiple Bond films, was given orders to "build Chris a strong, big and lean body that was realistic, functional and in proper proportion." To accomplish that, he put Evans onto a training plan based on high-weight/low-rep sets of classic compound lifts. "Ultimately it's about performance rather than just looking good," Waterson has said. "He has to be able to sprint, throw a shield, jump over a wall." Herewith, a sampling of Evans' workout, optimized to deliver full body results. Aim to do three set of 8 to 10 reps, with as much weight as you can lift.

Warm up with bodyweight exercises to fire up your muscles and get your heart rate going. Waterson had Evans doing squat-to-box jumps and burpees.

Weighted Dips

Place your hands on the edge of a bench, resting your feet on another bench in front of you. Support your weight on the heels of your hands. (You can start with just body weight or have a partner place a weight plate on your lap.) Bend your elbows and lower your butt, stopping when your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Press yourself back up to the starting position.

Incline Bench Press

Lie on an incline bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip, pulling your shoulder blades back and tucking your chin to your chest. Lower the bar to your chest, and then extend the elbows to return the bar to the starting position.

Barbell Squats

Rest the bar high on the back of your shoulders (not on your neck) holding the bar with an overhand grip with your hands and feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Keep your elbows pointed down and lower yourself into a squat. Hold for a count of one and push back up through your heels.

Barbell Lunges

Grip the bar using an overhand grip with your elbows bent to 90 degrees, with a barbell resting on the back of your shoulders. Inhale as you take a large step forward, keeping your knee over your front foot and not beyond it. Keep your back straight, your core engaged and be careful to maintain your balance. Return to the start position, exhaling as you do so.

Eat Like
a Hero

Add lean muscle without storing excess body fat by taking a page out of Chris Evan's meal plan created by Waterson. It focuses on plenty of protein and good carbs early in the day that trail off towards the afternoon.

Breakfast

Oatmeal with berries and walnuts

Pre-Workout Snack

Apple with almonds

Post-Workout Snack

Protein shake and 5mg branched-chain amino acids (to reduce muscle tissue breakdown and encourage growth)

Lunch

Chicken salad with brown basmati rice

Afternoon Snack

Protein shake

Dinner

Lean protein (fish, chicken or beef) with non-starchy vegetables.