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Following the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, Google searches for “Hugh Jackman workout” skyrocketed, and it’s no wonder. The Australian actor pushed his training to new limits while preparing for the film, and the results were clear to see. But a recent Instagram post from his trainer reveals his brawn wasn’t just for show.
“Where we started is completely different from how this Wolverine ended up,” coach Beth Lewis writes. “Not only did Hugh get jacked, he also got super strong, stayed healthy for performance and achieved a VO2 max of 59 mL/min/kg.”
In a video montage posted on Instagram Jackman hits Nordic curl eccentrics (a notoriously challenging hamstring exercise) and lifts what looks like 100kg on the bench press and 130kg (for reps) on the trap bar deadlift. There are also several explosive plyometric exercises in the routine that the actor used to promote power development.
His VO2 max of 59 mL/min/kg is seriously impressive too. For reference, fitness tracker supremos Garmin categorised a result of 55.4 mL/min/kg as “superior” and in the top five per cent of men aged 20 to 29. Jackman is 55 years old.
VO2 max is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen you can take in and use during intense exercise. The higher it is, the greater your capacity to provide your muscles with oxygen, giving them the fuel they need to contract and perform. A higher VO2 max has also been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke, according to Harvard Medical School.
“With this level of fitness, he actually will be doing this ‘til he’s 90! Nobody works harder or is more dedicated to his craft than this guy. All across the board, from the macros, the effort, the reps, to the success, I am so very proud of Hugh,” Lewis adds.
One of Jackman’s favourite heart rate-raising activities is using a rowing machine, and over the last seven-plus years he has consistently come back to the brutal 2km row test to check his fitness levels.
This test does exactly what the name suggests, challenging you to complete 2km on a rowing machine as quickly as possible. Jackman introduced us to the workout in 2017 when he posted on Facebook to say he had hit the seven-minute mark – a gold-standard among rowing fans. And before the release of Deadpool & Wolverine he shared an update on Instagram revealing he had shaved a few seconds off his time, taking it down to a blistering 6min 54.1 seconds.
How to improve your VO2 max
An impressive VO2 max is most commonly associated with endurance athletes who are able provide enough oxygen to their muscles to complete lengthy, sustained efforts.
Aerobic exercise (a rhythmic, repetitive, steady-state form of exercise) is the foundational way to improve this figure, but the intensity required will depend on your fitness level. People who are newer to exercise can likely make gains via activities like walking, while seasoned exercisers will need something more demanding like running, swimming or cycling.
Beyond this, a weekly regime that includes a mix of both steady-state exercise and high-intensity intervals is likely to be the most effective way to increase your VO2 max, as long as you are continually progressing your sessions and challenging yourself.
A 2013 meta-analysis published in the Plos One journal states: “Our analysis suggests that longer intervals combined with high intensity continuous training can generate marked increases in VO2max in almost all relatively young adults.”
