Scarlett Johansson Inspired Workout Routine: Train Like Black Widow

Josh England
Written By: Josh England
April 6th, 2018
Updated: June 13th, 2020
Scarlett Johansson Inspired Workout Routine: Train Like Black Widow
Work out like the The Avengers' Black Widow with this Scarlett Johansson inspired workout program. Read the article to learn about the workout program!
Workout Summary

Workout Description

It’s about to go down!

Thanos is on a quest to collect all 6 Infinity Stones for his Infinity Bracelet so he can impose his dominance on the entire universe.

Which, of course, will likely lead to intergalactic genocide.

But, the Earth’s heroes have one huge advantage. He’s coming to them.

So, while Marvel’s Gods, Avengers, and Guardians are all preparing to go to war, why not take the opportunity to get yourself physically ready to take on whatever life brings your way?

In this Avengers: Infinity War inspired workout, we’re breaking down ScarJo’s (Scarlett Johansson) portrayal of the strong and beautiful Natasha Romanoff (AKA Black Widow).

Editor's Note: Make sure you’re doing all the right things you need to be doing to lose body fat. For those looking for a more in-depth resource to teach them how to lose fat, we’ve created a FREE 5 day Fat Loss Email Course.

The course will teach you how your body loses fat, how to utilize workout plans on our website to maximize fat loss, how to eat for fat loss, how to supplement to lose body fat and how to track your progress.

Sign up below today to learn and ensure you get the most out of this workout program.


Need help losing fat? Take our FREE 5-part email Fat Loss Course!

Introduction to the Scarlett Johansson Inspired Workout

Scarlett Johansson entered Marvel’s superhero world as Black Widow back in 2010 in Iron Man 2.

And Avengers: Infinity War marks the 6th time she’ll be called upon to help save the day.

What has truly been remarkable about Scarlett’s portrayal of agent Romanoff is the consistent physique she’s brought to the silver screen each time.

Throughout each movie in the saga, Johansson possesses a lean muscular body with the strength to take on any and every bad guy who stands in her way, as well as the athleticism and flexibility to nail the impressive stunts asked of her.

With a little bit of digging around on the internet, we designed a program inspired by Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Black Widow using similar training principles she included in her own workouts.

Scarlett Johansson Is Consistent With Her Training

Scarlett Johansson has used a similar workout approach each time she has prepared to reprise her role as Natasha Romanoff.

Scarlett uses several different workout strategies within her own workout program. This includes traditional strength training, circuit training, mixed martial arts training, flexibility training and yoga.

My assumption would be that this diversity within her weekly workouts has led to her being able to nail each session consistently week in and week out.

Since her workouts day to day aren’t the same, she can get amped up for whichever style of training she is performing that day. This can make training fun and less repetitive.

And if you can consistently nail your workouts, you’ll be able to accomplish your own goals.

Scarlett Johansson Works with a Trainer

Scarlett Johansson has actually worked with two different personal trainers over the course of her career as Black Widow. And to no one’s surprise, they are both renown within the celebrity training circle.

One of the trainers Johansson worked with was none other than Duffy Gaver aka “The Trainer of the Super Heroes”. Gaver has trained so many legendary characters that are sure to provide a sense of nostalgia later in life. Some of which include Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Chris Pratt (Star Lord).

Duffy implements more of a bodybuilding approach to his clients, focusing on building their bodies to fit the shape of their superhero costumes.

Scarlett Johansson Inspired Workout Program

The other celebrity trainer Scarlett worked with was Bobby Storm, a 40 year training vet, who also has quite the client list. Storm takes a circuit style approach when training his clients to help accomplish more during the time he has with them.

The workout below will have a solid blend of the approaches both of these legendary trainers use with their clients.

Working with a personal trainer can be especially helpful for a number of reasons. They’re expert motivators. They’re subject metter experts, meaning you don’t have to put in the work learning what needs to be done. And they can help you master exercises you may not even realize you’re struggling on form with.

Scarlett Johansson Had a Powerful Incentive to Achieve Her Goal

Every time Scarlett suits up to play Black Widow, she’s suiting up in a very form fitting black spandex cat suit.

And as a part of a series that typically nets billions of dollars at the box office, she’s going to be seen by a lot of movie goers in that cat suit.

There’s no doubt that she wants to do the character proud (which she completely does and kills it), but knowing that her portrayal is iconic and immortalized with each addition to the series, her motivation to achieve her goals provides itself.

You can apply this same form of motivation to your own training sessions.

Whether you’re trying to get fit for summer vacation, have your eye on a particular wedding dress/bridesmaid’s dress, or simply want to move better and feel healthier, use it as motivation to come in and work your butt off each day.

Finding your motivation is the difference between achieving all of your goals and falling short.

Scarlett Johansson Black Widow Inspired Workout

Below is a 12 week workout program inspired by Scarlett Johansson’s physique to help you build a similar body as her portrayal of Black Widow.

It is important to note that this isn’t Scarlett Johansson’s actual workout program.

However, it was designed with careful attention to detail based on information we have on how Scarlett Johansson trains and how her trainers, Bobby Storm and Duffy Gaver, train their clients.

This program combines 2 full body strength training workouts with 2 full body circuit fat loss workouts as the primary training days. The full body strength workouts are all compound movements and should be performed utilizing the heaviest weight you can use while maintaining perfect form.

The full body fat loss circuits utilize a blend of compound and isolation movements, as well as some unique gym equipment, in a fast pace manner to get your heart rate up, blood pumping, and calories burning.

The other 3 days of the week are active recovery days. You won’t be hitting the gym. But you should still remain active either through recovery walks, yoga and mobility work, recreational sport, or whatever you prefer. The point of these days is to get light blood flow and burn calories without inhibiting your body’s ability to recover from your weight training sessions.

Rest periods on strength training days should fall within the 2-3 minute range in between all sets and exercises. Rest periods on fat loss circuit days should be kept to 30-60 seconds in between rounds and circuits.

Scarlett Johansson Workout Day 1: Full Body Strength Training

Exercise Sets Reps
1. Barbell Back Squat 5 8, 8, 8, 5, 3
2. Military Press 5 8, 8, 8, 5, 3
3. Barbell Lunge 3 12 Each
4. Chin Up 3 12, 10, 8
5. Dumbbell Row 3 12, 10, 8

Scarlett Johansson Workout Day 2: Full Body Fat Loss Circuit

Exercise Sets Reps
1. Treadmill Warm Up 1 15 Mins*
2a. Push Up 5 5
2b. Air Squat 5 8
2c. Pull Up 5 3
2d. Lateral Lunge 5 5 Each
2e. Bicep Curl 5 5
2f. Tricep Pushdown 5 5
3. Jump Rope 1 10 Mins**
4a. Medicine Ball Slams 5 5
4b. Wall Balls 5 5
4c. Medicine Ball Oblique Toss 5 5 Each
4d. Medicine Ball Front Squat 5 5
4e. Medicine Ball Chest Pass 5 5
5. LISS Cool Down 1 5 Mins***

*3 Min Walk, 10 Min Jog climbing speed every minute on the minute, 2 Min Walk
**Alternate jump rope style upon each failure (one leg, 2 leg, alternating leg, double hop)
*** Perform on elliptical or stationary bike.

Scarlett Johansson Workout Day 3: Active Recovery

On your active recovery days, take a break from hitting the weight room and find a way to remain active outside of the gym that is not too strenuous to promote recovery.

This is the perfect time to work on your mobility by performing yoga, SMR, or other forms of dynamic, active, or static stretching. Additionally, you can incorporate any extra cardio and/or core isolation work if you feel it is necessary.

For Scarlett’s active recovery days, she practiced MMA as understanding the combat sport was necessary for her to prepare for her role as Black Widow.

Scarlett Johansson Workout Day 4: Full Body Strength Training

Exercise Sets Reps
1. Trap Bar Deadlift 5 8, 8, 8, 5, 3
2. Barbell Bench Press 5 8, 8, 8, 5, 3
3. Bulgarian Split Squat 3 12 Each
4. Inverted Row 3 12
5. Hip Thrust 3 12, 10, 8

Scarlett Johansson Workout Day 5: Active Recovery

On your active recovery days, take a break from hitting the weight room and find a way to remain active outside of the gym that is not too strenuous to promote recovery.

This is the perfect time to work on your mobility by performing yoga, SMR, or other forms of dynamic, active, or static stretching. Additionally, you can incorporate any extra cardio and/or core isolation work if you feel it is necessary.

For Scarlett’s active recovery days, she practiced MMA as understanding the combat sport was necessary for her to prepare for her role as Black Widow.

Scarlett Johansson Workout Day 6: Full Body Fat Loss Circuit

Exercise Sets Reps
1. Treadmill Warm Up 1 15 Mins*
2a. Kettlebell Row 5 5 Each
2b. Kettlebell Swing 5 5
2c. Kettlebell Press 5 5 Each
2d. Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift 5 5
2e. Kettlebell Goblet Squat 5 5
3. Water Rowing Machine 1 10 Mins**
4a. Dumbbell Curl 5 5
4b. Dumbbell Squat 5 5
4c. Dumbbell Overhead Extension 5 5
4d. Dumbbell Squat 5 5
4e. Dumbbell Hammer Curl 5 5
4f. Dumbbell Squat 5 5
4g. Dumbbell Kickback 5 5
5. LISS Cool Down 1 5 Mins***

*3 Min Walk, 10 Min Jog climbing speed every minute on the minute, 2 Min Walk
**Perform as HIIT with moderate-high intervals for 25-30 Secs and moderate rest intervals for 10-15 Secs.
***Perform on elliptical or stationary bike.

Scarlett Johansson Workout Day 7: Active Recovery

On your active recovery days, take a break from hitting the weight room and find a way to remain active outside of the gym that is not too strenuous to promote recovery.

This is the perfect time to work on your mobility by performing yoga, SMR, or other forms of dynamic, active, or static stretching. Additionally, you can incorporate any extra cardio and/or core isolation work if you feel it is necessary.

For Scarlett’s active recovery days, she practiced MMA as understanding the combat sport was necessary for her to prepare for her role as Black Widow.

Final Notes on the Scarlett Johansson Black Widow Inspired Workout Program

The 12 week workout program listed above was inspired by Scarlett Johansson’s workout habits.

If your goal is to look like Black Widow, it is a great workout to help you reach your goals.

To get the most out of this workout program, make sure you are eating a diet that is aligned with your goals.

Start off by finding your calorie needs with our bmr calculator. Then, if your main goal is to achieve fat loss, subtract ~250 calories from that number and aim to eat that many calories daily from whole food sources: lean meats and fish, whole grains and oats, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and low fat dairy.

If you’d like to increase your body’s lean muscle, add 250 calories to your bmr and aim to eat that amount of calories each day.

Lastly, body recomposition has so much to do with adequate sleep and stress reduction. Ensure you’re getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night while performing these workouts to promote muscle recovery.

In terms of stress reduction, yoga on your active recovery is an excellent option. Other great options are meditating with apps such as headspace or calm. Just be sure to take some time out of your day to focus on your mental well-being. It’s more important than most will bother to give it credit for.

Be sure to check out Scarlett Johansson in Avengers: Infinity War in theaters on April 26th.

And if you have any questions regarding this Scarlett Johansson inspired workout program, please feel free to leave us a comment in the comment section below!

Enjoy this workout and want more free plans just like it? Make sure you subscribe to our content newsletter in the box below for free weekly workouts, tips, and tricks to help you reach your goals!

28 Comments
Allison
Posted on: Wed, 06/14/2023 - 23:32

Thanks for this awesome workout! I researched a number of superhero inspired workouts and loved your approach and research on this setup. Reminds me of how my Orange Theory classes are organized, and I'm excited to see my strength improve these next 12 weeks. First two days were stellar - thanks again!

Grace
Posted on: Sun, 12/25/2022 - 12:11

Hi! Thanks for this workout. Im new to using weights as I have only done bodyweight exercises at home. What will be the warmup recommendations for the strength/weight training sessions? Also, is it okay if I do boxing sessions for the Active Recovery days? Thanks in advance

M&S Team Badge
Roger
Posted on: Thu, 12/29/2022 - 10:17

Hi, Grace! Thanks for reading M&S! Here is a great warmup you can use while on this program.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/the-best-15-minute-warm-up

Also, the boxing sessions would be acceptable. Let us know your results on this one. Thanks!

Irène
Posted on: Mon, 07/18/2022 - 10:56

Hi!I already did the 6 week strength and reconditioning workout, then the 10 week muscle and strength fat loss workout and they were very fun. I saw this workout which seems to but a lot of fun too, but it seems that in my gym club there is no medicine ball or water ball, so I was wondering if you know exercises that can substitute the moves that requires the medicine and water ball?

Thank you so much for those workouts, very instructive and super fun!

Have a nice day!

Irène

M&S Team Badge
Roger
Posted on: Tue, 07/26/2022 - 19:50

Hi, Irene. That is a tough one. Surprised a gym doesn't have a med ball. You could do a variety of weighted ab exercises to substitute, such as weighted crunches and side bends. Just follow the same sets and reps you would with the med ball exercises.

kelly
Posted on: Thu, 06/02/2022 - 22:28

not sure what weight range to use in the fat loss circuits. the reps are pretty low, so is 15-25 lbs ok?

M&S Team Badge
Roger
Posted on: Wed, 06/08/2022 - 09:44

Hi, Kelly. That is entirely based on the individual. You shouldn't be straining super hard to achieve the rep, but you should feel like you've done serious work.

Christina
Posted on: Fri, 08/20/2021 - 12:44

This is an awesome routine! Did workout 6 today and I love it! I was wondering about the circuit, do I have to do all 5 sets of each exercise and then move on to the next exercise or 1 set of exercise a, one set of exercise b, .... and then begin all over again until I had 5 sets of each? Thanks for clarifying!

M&S Team Badge
Roger
Posted on: Tue, 09/07/2021 - 10:06

Hi, Christina! Perform one set of Exercise A, then Exercise, B, etc. until you complete them all. Then repeat until you did five sets of each. Hope this helps!

Hege
Posted on: Mon, 05/06/2019 - 05:32

Hi!
I wanna try this, but I was just wondering about the bmr calculator. Should I enter that I am working out alot (will be when I start this workout) or should I enter that I don't work out much (as I am not at the moment)? Hope my question makes sense!

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Mon, 05/06/2019 - 10:56

Hi Hege,

Enter the amount you are working out at the time you plan to consume the calories it provides.

Lisette Chiasson
Posted on: Tue, 04/23/2019 - 13:29

i'm trying to understand the circuit..do you have to do the whole thing in one round and then do it again for 5 rounds?? or you do first the warm up and then do the exercise that's number 2a, 2b, 2c etc in a circuit 5 times and then do the 10 min cardio( 3) one time, and do another circuit with the number 4a, 4b, 4c etc..5 times and finish with the cool down cardio?? there is like 2 mini cuircuit between the 10 min cardo??

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Wed, 04/24/2019 - 12:31

Hi Lisette,

The exercises in each circuit are the exercises with the corresponding number and letters. Workout 6, for example, has 2 circuits. You'd perform the warm up cardio, the circuit, the middle cardio, the next circuit, and finish off with the remaining cardio.

Hope this helps!

Lisette Chiasson
Posted on: Wed, 04/24/2019 - 12:35

thanks!!!

Christine
Posted on: Fri, 01/04/2019 - 02:29

Looks awesome I kind of want do this. Does anyone else want to complete 12 weeks of this?

Millie
Posted on: Tue, 02/26/2019 - 18:38

Hi Christine, Did you start this program?

Ketutar
Posted on: Wed, 12/12/2018 - 04:12

"Main Goal: Lose Fat"
SO, Black Widow's superpower is to be skinny? You lost me.

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Wed, 12/12/2018 - 09:54

Hi Ketutar,

Thank you for your feedback. This program can be used for either goal depending on the strategies you implement with your diet.

Thanks again,

Brytnei
Posted on: Tue, 08/07/2018 - 15:21

I’ve never done 5 sets of each exercise in a circuit before with a 10 minute row or jump rope in the middle of the whole thing. Any suggestions as to how and make this work? I figured I could do each workouts set and reps all at once before moving into the next exercise. Any advice would be appreciated.

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Wed, 08/08/2018 - 08:41

Hi Brytnei,

The row and jump row separate 2 different circuits. You should be performing one circuit in it's entirety, perform the row/jump rope in isolation, and then finish up with the second circuit.

Hope this helps!

Tara
Posted on: Sun, 07/08/2018 - 20:28

Hi,

I would like to try this program. However i can't do it on the weekends. Is there a way i can flex it to be monday through friday? Thanks!

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Mon, 07/09/2018 - 09:22

Hi Tara,

You can try to do the workout portions on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and save active recovery for Wednesday and the weekends. That'd probably be your best bet. Just be sure to pay attention to how your body feels after each session - especially if performing back to back sessions. If you feel like you need an extra days rest, feel free to take it.

Hope this helps!

Stephanie
Posted on: Mon, 06/18/2018 - 19:07

Are you just supposed to do this over and over for 12 weeks? What did I miss??

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Tue, 06/19/2018 - 08:35

Hi Stephanie,

Yes, that is correct. Other fitness platforms have promoted that you need to change your workouts up regularly to keep your body guessing. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. The more consistent your workouts are, the better you can track the weight you use and how each set feels, and the more you'll be able to improve during the duration of the program. In the end, it leads to better results.

Hope this helps!

Mary
Posted on: Thu, 05/31/2018 - 21:04

I've lifted weights for years. Last couple of years my. Skin has gotten thin n more loose. Is there a good work that might help tighten skin and maybe keep muscle pumped longer

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Fri, 06/01/2018 - 08:47

Hi Mary,

Unfortunately, I'm not aware of a solution to your question. I apologize I can't be of more help. Maybe someone else can come in and assist you in the future.

Thank you for reading and supporting Muscle & Strength!

Danielle
Posted on: Wed, 05/23/2018 - 19:07

I actually love this workout program, you guys should come up with more female superhero inspired workouts. (*^_^*)

M&S Team Badge
JoshEngland
Posted on: Tue, 05/29/2018 - 11:45

Hi Danielle,

Thank you! Glad you are enjoying the program! More women's inspired celebrity/superhero workouts to come! :)