Gallery: Hit Michael B. Jordan’s 40-Minute, ‘Creed II’ Dumbbell Workout for a Huge Upper-Body Pump (Men’s Health UK)
Michael B. Jordan was already in impressive shape for the 2015 Rocky spin-off Creed, but it was in the following years that he claimed his spot among Hollywood’s heavyweights. Working with trainer Corey Calliet, he went into beast mode for the role of Erik “Killmonger” Stevens in Black Panther, as well as packing on a reported 11kg of muscle for Creed II. While boxing and conditioning formed a key part of his training, weightlifting remained the pillar around which his body was built.
His routine will help you add visible mass to your arms, back and shoulders, without having to spend a whole afternoon going toe-to-toe with a bag. According to Calliet, the key is to ensure that you’re not just going through the motions, but “actually focusing on form and on squeezing the muscles”. Apply this principle to the workout below to ensure both your body and mind keep their guard up.
How it works: Choose a weight that challenges you (Jordan was benching 50kg dumbbells) and fight through the lactic burn. Do five rounds of each move, with minimal rest. Rest for two minutes between rounds.
1A: Dumbbell Push Press, 15 Reps
Bend your knees (A) and explode up, driving the weights above your head. Lock your arms out at the top (B). Lower under control and repeat.
1B: Incline Dumbbell Press, 20 Reps
Lie on an incline bench at 30° (it’s a smart investment), dumbbells above your shoulders . Lower to your chest, then press back up.
2A: Dumbbell Biceps Curl (10 Reps)
Hold two dumbbells at your sides. Curl both upward, until your thumbs are near your shoulders. Squeeze here for a count, then lower.
2B: Dumbbell Renegade Row,15 Reps Per Side
Drop into a plank on the dumbbells. Shift your weight onto your left hand and row the right dumbbell towards your hip (A). Pause, then lower the weight (B). Switch sides.
2C: Dumbbell Pull-Over, 20 Reps
Lie back on a bench or box and grip a single dumbbell at arm’s length above your chest, with both hands cradled under the top part of the weight (A). Lower it backward over the top of your head (B). When you feel a good stretch at the top of your chest, “pull” the weight back upward with your arms.
1 Mile Run, For Time
To build speed and stamina while stripping fat, run a mile as fast as possible at the start or end of your weight training. Drive your arms and keep your knees high. It’ll test your mental resolve as much as your heart and lungs.
“I feel fit as a fiddle,” he says in a new YouTube video. “I’m running miles in 7 and a half minutes most mornings, doing endless hours of cardio, boxing training, swimming, and then 2 hours of strength conditioning as well.”
In the video, Hall demonstrates the intense workout he’s been following to tone his shredded six-pack:
Sled push
Assault bike
Hammer slams
Snatch (50 kgs)
Bat slams
Ball slams
Viking press
Burpees
Kettlebell swings
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Hall performs each move for 1 minute, then recovers for another minute. “The idea is to give it as hard as you possibly can, so at the end of that minute you’re literally gasping for air… always keeping your heart rate above a certain pace,” he says.
Since dropping down to around 360 pounds, Hall says he’s plateaued lately. “At the beginning of my transition, I actually put weight on,” he says. “I’m slowly, slowly, slowly decreasing the weight, but honestly, what I think is happening is I’m putting muscle on, and losing fat, and my body weight is ever-so-slightly increasing.”
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