Alexander Skarsgard’s Tarzan Inspired Workout Routine and Meal Plan
In more ways than one, Tarzan represents the quintessential, ultimate male physique. Surviving the harsh elements of the jungle turned him into a durable, athletic, and muscular fictional character. So it was inevitable that when Hollywood adapted Tarzan into a real-life action film in 2016, producers looked for and went with an actor who’d do justice to the iconic role. Enter: Alexander Skarsgard.
Growing up, Alexander Skarsgard considered Tarzan as the definitive superhero. Yes, the jungle dwelling fictional character wasn’t able to fly across cities while shooting laser beams from his eyes, nor is he a sage wizard with an undeniable boyish charisma. However, he has this raw strength and appeal about him that inspires people to hit the gym and achieve the prototypical physique.
It’s safe to say that Tarzan is one of those characters whose influence reaches far beyond the pages of books and the bright lights of films. His image has been the primary basis of titles like the 1999 Disney action platformer released on the PlayStation, as well as an online slots game simply called Tarzan which is currently featured on UK-based gaming site Slingo. But when it came down to the actual process of preparing for the role, Alexander Skarsgard didn’t rely on advanced CGI, artistic makeup, and precise lighting – he went with the old-fashioned hard work and diet route to achieve the perfect body seen in the aforementioned games and films.
Alexander Skarsgard went through a strict and arduous four-month training regimen and diet plan to get him in shape for Legend of Tarzan. His trainer and nutritionist, Magnus Lygdback, prepared everything from each one of his meals to his individual workouts to ensure Skarsgard’s incredible transformation.
The Workouts
In terms of his workouts, the Swedish actor focused his energy more on lifting weights and building muscle mass. Jeremiah Salas of Muscle and Fitness even wrote a detailed Tarzan workout program that highlights a one-week lean mass split complete with rotational exercises and abdominal flexion. It’s also worth noting that coming in, Skarsgard already had excellent cardio, which helped him through the whole process.
Nutrition
When it comes to food intake, Magnus Lygdback created a five-times a day meal plan for his client. Since he had to bulk up in less than three months, Alexander Skarsgard consumed 7,000 calories a day, consisting of a lot of steak and potatoes, as well as slow pressed fresh juices. Unilad’s Jennifer Browne featured a typical Tarzan meal plan. In the article, it showed that Skarsgard’s diet basically included proteins such as eggs, lamb, and chicken, quinoa- and kale-based salads, and a lot of herbs and spices to enhance the flavor profiles of each meal.
At the end of it all, like most things in life, it shows that there are no shortcuts. For Alexander Skarsgard, landing the role of Tarzan is just the first step on a long journey full of hard work, discipline, and above all else the willingness to go that extra mile.
