How Hugh Jackman Got Ripped For Deadpool 3
Change is good, except when it comes to anyone who isn't Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine on the big screen because that's unfathomable. The Australian actor established himself as the quintessential embodiment of the cantankerous, clawed mutant, and he's back for another berserker barrage in "Deadpool 3" alongside Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth. For the longest time, a situation like this seemed impossible since Jackman confirmed then reaffirmed multiple times that he was done playing Wolvie after 2017's "Logan," which afforded the character a hero's death and fitting end to the story. However, with the multiverse mania sucking every comic book movie into its vortex and Reynolds twisting his arm for a comeback, Jackman agreed to reprise his role to the delight of many fans.
Returning to the part required Jackman to get into ridiculous shape once again. This meant eating, sleeping, training, and recovering right so that he could get the pythons for arms and washboard abs to rival his co-star. There was also the issue of the SAG-AFTRA strike that delayed the production of "Deadpool 3" for a few months, so Jackman needed to keep up his routine and physique until the cameras rolled once again. We're getting sweaty just thinking about it, so let's take a look at how Jackman got into the grizzly Wolverine shape for "Deadpool 3."
Hugh Jackman already knows Dwayne Johnson's tips
Having consistently played Wolverine for 17 years — 2000 to 2017, specifically — Hugh Jackman understands the rigorous preparation required to get ripped for the character. In fact, it should be — pardon the pun — muscle memory for the actor at this point. However, before appearing in James Mangold's "The Wolverine," which required a lot of shirtless screen time, Jackman reached out to the walking mountain of muscle known as Dwayne Johnson for advice on how to get bigger and better for his role. These tips have served him well for his "Deadpool 3" preparations, too.
Speaking to Access Hollywood in 2013, Jackman revealed how he was set to do "Les Misérables" and "The Wolverine" right afterward. However, he had one problem: He was supposed to drop weight for the musical then get in shape for the superhero flick, so he rang up The People's Champ. Jackman explained what Johnson told him, saying: "First of all, he said, 'When you're lean-ing down, still keep your strength. You can still go in and push weights, so that as soon as you start eating again you'll go back quickly.' But, he said, 'You gotta eat 6,000 calories a day, you've gotta train three hours.'"
Jackman added how these 6,000 calories consisted of him eating a lot of chicken and fish, as per the advice of Johnson who stayed in regular contact with him as he got into tremendous shape for "The Wolverine."
He isn't using steroids
In competitive sports, it's generally frowned upon to use steroids to accelerate the process toward a bigger physique. However, it isn't unusual or out of the norm for action or superhero stars to juice up with performance-enhancing drugs or anabolic steroids for a quick bulk-up. For Hugh Jackman, though, he insists his muscles are all obtained through the good old-fashioned way of hard work and dedication in the gym, as well as eating right and remaining healthy even when he isn't filming.
In 2023, CNN's Chris Wallace straight-up asked Jackman if he ever utilized steroids to prepare for his role as Wolverine throughout the years. "No, I love my job, and I love Wolverine," Jackman said. "I have got to be careful what I say here, but I had been told anecdotally what the side effects are of that. And I was like, 'I don't love it that much.' So no, I just did it the old-school way."
He added that he learned to not rush the process toward bulking up from his past experience as the character. Jackman revealed to Wallace that he had six months to prepare for his role in "Deadpool 3," and he wouldn't be doing anything else during that time except train and spend time with his family.
Hugh Jackman ate a lot to bulk up for Deadpool 3
While Dwayne Johnson advised Hugh Jackman to eat 6,000 calories a day for his preparation in 2013's "The Wolverine," the Australian actor stepped it up a notch for "Deadpool 3." Jackman shared a picture of his daily meals on his social media accounts in March 2023, showing off six portions that had been prepared by Chef Mario Spina totaling up to 8,000 calories a day of food. The tasty meals featured everything from chicken to sirloin steak and sizable side portions of rice and greens.
By no means was Jackman in bad shape beforehand, though, as the actor revealed on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." He had been performing on the Broadway show "The Music Man," and his trainer made him wear a heart-rate monitor to see how many calories he was burning during his performance. "I burned 1,500 calories in the show, eight times a week," Jackman said. "So [the trainer] goes, 'Oh, you gotta eat.' So I was eating 4,500 calories a day, it was not pretty. Now I'm just eating and training." At that stage, Jackman was ramping up to get to 6,000 calories a day before he eventually moved up to 8,000.
He's working to the core
Apart from eating the right number of calories to burn off later, Hugh Jackman hit the gym in a big way for "Deadpool 3." In March 2023, the actor posted an Instagram video of him doing planking exercises while his trainer Beth Lewis spotted him to make sure he didn't hurt himself in the process. This wasn't an ordinary planking routine, though, as Jackman had a weight on his back and a slider around his feet to make the exercise even more challenging.
According to Men's Health, planking is excellent for developing abdominal muscles and working the shoulders and hips. The addition of the weight on his back pushed Jackman to strengthen his core while the sliders forced him to focus on stability and maintain a straight back throughout the routine.
By the end of the video, the actor looked out of breath and pushed to his very limit. However, Lewis urged him to do one more set of planking, which brought a smile to his face ... although we wouldn't be surprised if he was weeping on the inside.
Hugh Jackman takes cardio very seriously
On screen, Wolverine doesn't get much of a break between the mayhem and action. He usually leaps from one fight to the next, as the villains hardly ever provide even a brief respite for the hero and his pals. Taking into account how manic the previous "Deadpool" films have been and the fact "Deadpool 3" is a multiversal adventure across space and time, Hugh Jackman wasn't able to ask for a Samuel L. Jackson-esque deal where his character is allergic to running.
In fact, as part of his #becomingwolverineagain series on Instagram, Jackman shared a video of himself on the treadmill while his trainer Beth Lewis watched his progress. The actor wasn't going for a leisurely stroll or light jog here, though, as the pace increased and he went knees to the chest by the end of the footage.
As a feisty and fearsome character, Wolverine often runs through forests or passages as he aims to maim his enemies with his claws, refusing to wait until they come to him. Expectedly, Jackman needed to put in the cardio work here so he didn't blow up the moment he stepped out in an action sequence.
Working on the power of the punch
In Marvel Comics, Deadpool and Wolverine possess a love-hate relationship. While they are both heroes and do what's right at the end of the day, Wade Wilson's motormouth and constant quipping annoys Logan. Consequently, it's not unusual to see Wolvie pop a claw or aim a punch at the Merc with a Mouth's head on their adventures. Considering how many jokes Wade makes at Wolverine's expense in previous films, it won't be too surprising if the ol' Canucklehead inflicts a little violent retribution on his frienemisis in "Deadpool 3."
In order to pack a powerful punch, though, it's necessary to have a decent wind-up so that when the swing comes in, it delivers full impact and force. Fortunately, Hugh Jackman prepared in the right way by spending a decent amount of time on the rowing machine, as per a video he posted on his Instagram account. Under the supervision of his trainer Beth Lewis, Jackman pushed his own limits and time to work the muscles of his arms and legs. Inevitably, this means that when he springs on or lunges at Deadpool in the movie, he'll be able to dish out serious damage to Wade. However, since both mutants have healing factors, any possible skirmish will leave no lasting damage or scars for either of them in the long run.
He avoids the temptation of sweet treats
Life is a constant string of endless sorrow and disappointment; however, it's made much more tolerable by sweet treats and delicious pastries. These tasty gifts from the baking gods make any day bearable as they tickle the taste buds with powerful angelic healing qualities. Unfortunately, Hugh Jackman is unable to eat his problems away when he feels like it, especially if he's in Wolverine mode, though that doesn't mean he closes his eyes to the temptation around him.
In June 2023, Jackman posted a picture on his Instagram account, showing off the freshly baked goods and mouth-watering toppings, such as chocolate fudge and vanilla sprinkles, in his home's kitchen. Next to these heavenly delights was a plate of half-eaten healthy food. Jackman captioned the photo with the following message: "The awesome smells of our home bakery versus my will to stay on track."
Jackman is well known to have a sweet tooth, being a lover of chocolate and other tasty indulgences. However, he appears to be disciplined enough to stick to the plan when it comes to getting his body into superhero shape.
He allows himself cheat meals
Despite the physical preparation and strict dieting regime, Hugh Jackman is no monster — he allows himself to indulge in weekly cheat meals to ensure he also feeds the cravings of his soul. In early July 2023, he shared a carousel of images on his Instagram account, with the first picture boasting a visibly happy Jackman before he tucked into a meal at the Waffle House in Norwich, England. The subsequent photos showed off exactly what Jackman enjoyed: a thick milkshake, a savory waffle with one half covered in creamy mushroom sauce and the other in beef Bolognese, as well as a sweet waffle topped with sliced bananas, chocolate flakes, and a rich toffee sauce.
A week later, Jackman shared another set of images to let his fans witness his latest cheat meal. This time, though, the food appeared slightly healthier than the previous week's indulgence. One of the plates featured meat, pizza, greens, potatoes, and cauliflower, while the other consisted of a variety of cheeses and crackers. For dessert, Jackman enjoyed an array of creamy treats.
Understanding the importance of sleep and recovery
When getting into shape, many people focus on eating a healthy diet and the number of hours grinding in the gym. However, there are another two important factors that shouldn't be forgotten or neglected: sleep and recovery. In March 2023, Hugh Jackman posted an Instagram video of himself taking a glorious dip and swim in the ocean with a caption reading: "Sleep. Train. Eat. Recover. Repeat."
It appears as if he followed his own advice, as he continued to regularly post pictures not only of his intense workouts in the gym and his high-protein meals, but also of his leisurely strolls in the park, trips to the theater to take in Broadway shows, and rounds of table tennis in his spare time. Jackman also found himself with a lot of extra time on his hands during the four-month SAG-AFTRA strike that halted the production of "Deadpool 3." In this time, he maintained his strict routine and impressive physique, but managed to give himself some much-needed rest and relaxation away from the set.
After the strike ended and the unions gave the green light for actors and writers to go back to work, Jackman and his collaborators didn't waste any time in leaping back into the production for "Deadpool 3," as it kicked off again right before Thanksgiving.
Forget the claws: It's all about the gun show
When it comes to comic book movies, one of the most hotly debated topics among fans is who has the biggest arms — or "guns," so to speak. It's about seeing which actor has muscles for their muscles, and could make Hulk Hogan in his prime turn green with envy. In his past appearances as Wolverine, Hugh Jackman never ignored the importance of working on his arms, especially since the character pops his claws often and there's always a flex associated with the action.
For "Deadpool 3," he not only lifted — he lifted heavy. Sharing a video of his workout on Instagram, Jackman showed off his veiny and sculpted arms as he utilized a trap bar to give his back a workout to the tune of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck." According to Men's Health, the trap bar is great for overall posture and allows for broader working of other parts of the body.
As one of the two major stars in "Deadpool 3," Jackman is undoubtedly working hard to compete with his co-star Ryan Reynolds, who has also shared pictures of his journey in the gym. On his Instagram account, Reynolds credited personal trainer Don Saladino for getting him into prime shape to play the Merc with the Mouth. Saladino has worked with Jackman before, as well as other Hollywood stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal and Sebastian Stan.
Hugh Jackman might be using cryotherapy for Deadpool 3
Due to the excessive demands and stress that Hugh Jackman puts on his body for his physical roles, he suffers an abundance of aches and pains all for the sake of believability in his performances. In 2017, he tried cryotherapy as a solution to heal his body. Posting a video on his Instagram account Jackman showed himself dancing in the chamber and said the temperature conditions were -211 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cryotherapy has become a popular treatment for people trying to heal their aches and pains — especially athletes who push their bodies to the limit on a routine basis. According to WebMD, by stepping into the extreme cold conditions of a cryotherapy chamber for a short period of time, it's possible to reduce swelling and pain. It works much in the same way as someone applying an ice pack to a swollen joint or body part to reduce inflammation.
While not FDA-approved, there are many sports stars who swear by its pain-management benefits. We don't know if Jackman still undergoes cryotherapy treatment, but it's likely that if it worked for him in the past, he would explore it once again for a physically demanding role like Wolverine in "Deadpool 3." That said, he probably wishes that he could make matters easier and use Logan's healing factor in the real world.