Jai Courtney Workout: How Jai Got Swole for Terminator Genisys

Spartacus, A Good Day to Die Hard, Divergent, Insurgent, Terminator: Genisys and the upcoming Suicide Squad. These are just a few roles Australian-born actor Jai Courtney has taken on to establish himself as one of the new generation of actors required to be in top shape for the big screen.

In Terminator: Genisys, Courtney takes his physique to another level. Playing the ever so physical role of Kyle Reese, he had to turn his body into a realistic human resistance fighter. Not to mention the need to look good for several (ahem) naked scenes.

Below is a succinct synopsis of Courtney’s training principles and a program inspired by the actor’s practices to get you in awesome Terminator-fighting shape. You never know when you will need to save humanity and the world!

Jai Courtney's Workout Rules

Stay Athletic

As a youth and beyond, Courtney participated in swimming and plenty of Rugby. Always an advocate of staying athletic, he likes to rely on intense endeavors to stay fit and build a screen-worthy body. Jai says that getting outdoors and making your body move through natural movement is a lot better than sitting in the gym for long periods of time staring at yourself in the mirror.

Go Bodyweight

As a fan of athletics, it’s no surprise that Courtney favors bodyweight training to get in shape. Specifically, he likes to use the TRX Training System as well as dumbbells for short, convenient workouts. He’s not a fan of the mantra bigger is always better. Courtney plans on participating in Yoga or Pilates in the near future since everyone tells him how incredible they are.

Prep For Each Meal

When preparing for a demanding role, Courtney performs some sort of activity prior to each meal. He likes to do 50 push-ups, bodyweight squats, or crunches before each meal. This, he states, will force your body to use stored fat for fuel and set the stage for all day fat-burning.

Go Short and Long

It’s no secret that short, intense cardio training is all the rage right now, but Courtney likes to mix in both short and long duration cardio sessions. If you undergo too many short, intense sessions, you will quickly burn out and think about quitting. But low-impact, long-duration cardio is still a highly effective way to torch body fat.

Hurt

Another stark principle is to experience pain (the good kind) in every workout to induce muscle growth. He believes that if a workout stops hurting, stop doing it and find something else that does. Constantly changing up your training and finding new ways to challenge yourself are just a few ways to keep progressing.

Hit It and Quit It

A fan of the short and intense, Courtney is a big believer in quick, intensity-dense workouts. 30 minutes is the norm when it comes to combining athletic bodyweight training with little to no rest between exercises. He likes to feel spent after a half hour of intense training instead of performing traditional resistance training with rest periods.

Real Food

Finally, Courtney is a huge advocate of eating real, whole foods. He relegates supplements to just that – to supplement his regular food intake. Supplements, he says, should be in addition to real food, not replace it. He would much rather get the satisfaction and enjoyment from food than from a shake or other powder or pill.

The Sample Jai Courtney Workout

Below is an example of what a typical workout could be for Jai Courtney taking into consideration all the principles given above. Note: this is simply a suggested training routine as his training practices most likely evolve a bit with each new movie role’s demands.

Try the routine below for 6 weeks. Replace certain exercises as needed due to existing injuries or preference. After 6 weeks, reevaluate your progress and take a short break (3 to 5 days) from training. Also, be sure to include any athletic recreational activity you like 3 or 4 days per week such as swimming, running, biking or other sport.

Each day's workout is to be performed as a complex. Perform 10-20 reps of each exercise without rest between exercises. Rest 2 to 3 minutes after an entire complex is complete. Do 3-6 rounds of each complex.

Monday

Warm Up: 5-10 minute jog

Finish with 5-10 wind sprints of a short distance

Tuesday

Warm Up: 5-10 minute jog

Finish with 40 minutes of long, steady-state cardio of choice

Thursday

Warm Up: 5-10 minute jog

Finish with 5-10 wind sprints of a short distance

Friday

Warm Up: 5-10 Minute Jog

Finish with 40 minutes of long, steady-state cardio of choice