Michael B Jordan is one of the most recognized actors in Hollywood, thanks to a slew of successful movies that have grossed billions of dollars. Beloved for his work on highly lauded dramas “The Wire” and “Friday Night Lights,” his movie career got a big boost in 2013 with a powerful performance in “Fruitvale Station.” Following his role in Fruitvale Station, Jordan was named an “actor to watch” by People and Variety. Time magazine named him, along with Ryan Coogler, one of the 30 people under the age of 30 who are changing the world. His most notable role to date is his lauded portrayal of supervillain Erik Killmonger in Marvel’s “Black Panther.”
Michael B Jordan Workout
Although Jordan is now renowned for having a killer physique and the acting talent to match, working out and building muscles weren’t always second nature to him. “When we first started, he could barely bench 20 pounds, his legs were flailing everywhere,” Corey Calliet said in an interview with Looper. “He had nothing. He used to hate all this,” he added. But after being cast as Adonis Creed, he worked hard in the gym to get in shape for the role.
The most impressive aspect of Calliet’s work with Jordan is his ability to design the ideal workout plan for each role. When he played the son of a legendary boxer in “Creed,” he looked like a boxer in peak condition. When he played a villain in “Black Panther,” he appeared capable of taking on a hero. And in “Without Remorse,” Jordan moves and looks like a Navy SEAL. He might have hated the training, but he was able to build the body required to master his roles.
There is no easy way to gain that much muscle mass quickly, but the Hollywood trainer makes the task more attainable. He begins the workout session with high-intensity interval training to burn fat before focusing on the muscle groups that must be highlighted for each role. To properly portray a boxer, Jordan had to do 45-60 minutes daily of cardio and ab exercises like crunches, mountain climbers, leg raises, reverse crunches, and traditional sit-ups to strengthen his core and burn fat.
As for building muscle, Calliet focuses on supersets — a form of strength training in which you move quickly from one exercise to another without resting. He also pushed Jordan to do circuit training to increase endurance, strength, and muscle growth. If you want to try something new at the gym, circuit training might be for you. This type of exercise is becoming increasingly popular because it combines cardio and strength training for a quick and efficient workout.
Michael added high-intensity CrossFit training to prepare for “Without Remorse,” but the pair still used weight training to focus on areas of his body that needed more attention. All of that adds up to a lot of work, and Jordan had to frequently complete three training sessions daily. “We trained probably every morning,” Calliet told Men’s Health, “so in the morning we’d do the high-intensity interval training, and then in the middle of the day some gun training or any type of weapons training, and then late in the evening sometimes we’d do weight training, where I want to tire the body out and I just hone in on and focus on some small stuff that we might want to fix aesthetically.”
Michael B Jordan Total-Body HIIT Workout For Without Remorse
Michael B. Jordan’s workout plan comprises two daily workouts and weapons training. Anyone who thinks the actor has it easy is wrong. The sessions would only last 30 to 45 minutes, but they would be the worst. For 30 to 45 minutes nonstop, he must perform 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off of a high kettlebell swing, a dumbbell thruster or dumbbell row, double unders, and then mountain climbers or sit-ups.
- High Kettlebell Swing
- Dumbbell Thruster or Dumbbell Row
- Double Unders
- Mountain Climbers or Sit-Ups
Michael B Jordan Workout Routine
He lifts weights four times a week, focusing on one body part per day. 4-day workout splits are ideal for those who may have extra work pressure. Even so, many of the best bodybuilders in the world choose this type of split, despite having the time to go more frequently, because it helps them stay focused during their workout.
Day One: Chest, Back, and Arms
- One-mile jog as a warm-up
- Incline Dumbbell press: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Dumbbell Fly: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Push-Up: 10 sets of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps
- Dumbbell Kickback: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Triceps Pushdown: 2 sets of 20 reps
- Bench Dip: 10 sets of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps
Day Two: Biceps, Triceps, and Lats
- One-mile jog as a warm-up
- One-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Neutral-Grip Pulldown: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Bent Over Row: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Dumbbell Curl (alternate arms): 3 sets of 12 reps
- Barbell Curl: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Hammer Curl: 3 sets of 12 reps
Day Three: Legs + Abs Circuit
- One-mile jog as a warm-up
- Dumbbell Lunge: 3 sets at 30 seconds per leg
- Single-Leg Hip Extension: 3 sets of 15 reps per leg
- Leg Curl: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Squat: 10 sets of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps
- Crunch With Swiss Ball: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Leg Raise: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Reverse Crunch with Resistance Band: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Toe Touch with Medicine Ball: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Sprinter Sit-Up: 3 sets of 25 reps
Day Four: Chest, Arms, and Abs
- One-mile jog as a warm-up
- Dumbbell Bench Press: 5 sets of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 reps
- Push-Up: 5 sets of 15 reps
- Dumbbell Fly: 5 sets of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 reps
- Push-Up: 5 sets of 10 reps
- Dumbbell Curl: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Dumbbell Kickback: 4 sets of 15 reps
- Bench Dip: 4 sets of 20 reps
- Crunch with Swiss Ball: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Leg Raise: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Reverse Crunch with Resistance Band: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Toe Touch with Medicine Ball: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Sprinter Sit-Up: 25 reps
Michael B Jordan Diet Plan
Diet, like training, is an essential part of Michael B. Jordan’s regimen. Eating the right foods in the exact amounts provides his muscles with the nutrients they need to recover from workouts and grow bigger and stronger. “If he doesn’t eat right, he won’t look the way he needs to look. I have him on a diet six days a week and on Sunday he can eat what he wants. It’s a reward, but it also helps your body – having a cheat day ramps up your metabolism,” says his dietician and personal trainer.
His diet isn’t focused on calorie counting; instead, he uses specific foods to elicit certain responses from his body. “If you eat all fish, fish is going to make you look really lean and get your skin looking really tight. There are certain carbohydrates, so slower carbohydrates or fast, that have certain amounts of glycogen in them and that’s going to help you to produce more sugar in the muscle and make it bigger,” he explained to Men’s Health.
When he did Creed, dieting was still relatively new, so his trainer wanted him to eat small meals every two and a half hours to increase protein synthesis, replace glycogen and drive down the catabolic hormone cortisol. Calliet tried to make him big for Black Panther, so he ate a lot more carbohydrates, and his food intake was higher. He went from eating six ounces of protein to eight or ten ounces. When he was cast in Creed 2, he was much bigger, so he ate more lean proteins and fewer carbohydrates.
Lean proteins play a vital role in Jordan’s diet plan because they contain amino, which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Studies show that a diet rich in amino acids promotes protein synthesis, lean muscle growth, and recovery. He also consumes whole grains to support healthy digestion, fresh vegetables for vital nutrients, and healthy fats to boost his energy, increase nutrient absorption, and regulate body temperature and appetite. Healthy fats include monounsaturated fats found in nuts, olive oil, and avocado, as well as polyunsaturated fat found in oily fish and seeds.
- Meal 1: 6 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 45 g carb (rice, oats, whole bread, etc).
- Meal 2: protein shake, 35 g carb (steel cut oats).
- Meal 3: 8 oz lean protein (chicken breast, tenderloin, t-bone, top sirloin, tri-tip, ground turkey, or fish), 65 g carb (rice, sweet potato), and 1 cup of green veggie.
- Meal 4: 8 oz lean protein (chicken breast, tenderloin, ground turkey, or fish), 35 g carb (rice, sweet potato).
- Meal 5: protein shake, 35 g carb (ex: steel cut oats).
- Meal 6: 8 oz lean protein (chicken breast, tenderloin, ground turkey, or fish), 1 cup of green veggie, 1 tsp oil (ex: olive oil, coconut oil, macadamia nut oil).
Michael B Jordan Supplements
A well-balanced diet can provide everything you need to stay strong and healthy, but supplements can fill in the gaps. They can maximize your gains by providing calories and essential nutrients or allowing you to exercise harder. Including the right products in your workout routine will help you recover faster, improve muscle repair, and prevent muscle mass breakdown, allowing you to perform at your peak.
Michael B Jordan drinks two protein shakes daily to promote muscle gain and improve performance and recovery. Besides the protein, he takes creatine to improve strength, increase lean muscle mass, and help the muscles recover more quickly during exercise. BCAAs are another top pick for him because they increase muscle growth, reduce soreness and fatigue, and support liver health. A pre-workout boosts blood flow, delivering more nutrients to muscles and helping them to handle the stress of an intense workout.
- Whey
- BCAAs
- L-Glutamine
- Creatine
- Pre-Workout
- Omega 3
- Multi-Vitamins