Have you ever wondered how an actor achieves a physique worthy of the silver screen? One of the most impressive physiques in Hollywood can be found on Michael B. Jordan, named one of the most admired leading men in Hollywood and now starring in the popular film Sinners.
Jordan has been working towards achieving a cinematic physique for several years now, and with three – soon to be four – boxing films under his belt, he has demonstrated his dedication is not merely towards acting but towards achieving a physique worthy of the screen. Jordan’s transition from his lean role as Wallace in the popular series The Wire to his muscular physique as an action hero has been nothing short of phenomenal.
While he may look great in Sinners, we believe that his best appearance was during Creed III. The latest installment of this spin-off of the Rocky franchise has Jordan playing Adonis Creed, the son of boxing legend Apollo Creed. Adonis Creed has to fight through the rigors of boxing through sheer determination.
While it may seem like magic for those who have seen Creed or any of his other movies, such as Black Panther, it’s clear that this actor has put in the work. His physique is the result of hard work and determination.
While it may not be possible for anyone reading this article to achieve this level of perfection, it’s clear that if you want to get stronger, build muscle, or just want an example of an actor’s transformation, then it’s clear that Michael B. Jordan’s workout strategy is an example of how it’s possible. Here’s a look at what this actor did to get into top form for what may be his most challenging role yet.
Who is Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan is an American actor, producer, and director who is best known for achieving box office success.
Age: 38 years
Height: 6 ft 0 inches
Weight: Approximately 200 lbs
Acting Career: 1999 – Present
Michael Bakari Jordan is from Santa Ana, California. He grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Newark Arts High School. He is the son of Donna and Michael Jordan, not the famous basketball player. He also has two siblings, and one of the siblings played football at Howard University.
Michael B. Jordan’s career has been on a continuous rise since childhood, transforming from a young actor on television to one of the most recognizable names in the entertainment industry today.
His career in the entertainment world began in the late 1990s as a child model, representing several prominent brands, after which he transitioned to television and then to film. His first television roles were minor parts on popular television shows such as The Sopranos and Cosby, as well as a part in the Keanu Reeves sports drama Hardball in 2001.
Michael B. Jordan first came to the public’s attention with a powerful recurring role as Wallace on the critically acclaimed television series The Wire. Shortly after this, he took on the part of a troubled teenager on the popular daytime soap All My Children, replacing Chadwick Boseman in the role. His career continued to gain traction with powerful roles in the television series Friday Night Lights as quarterback Vince Howard and Alex on the family drama series Parenthood.
His breakthrough in film came in 2013 with a powerful portrayal of Oscar Grant in Ryan Coogler’s drama Fruitvale Station. Since then, he has been one of the busiest actors in Hollywood, starring in the Creed trilogy, Marvel’s blockbuster Black Panther as Erik Killmonger, and recent projects such as Sinners.
This actor has recently been named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2020. He resides in Los Angeles, where he continues to build on a career in television and film, in front of and behind the camera.
Michael B. Jordan’s Creed Nutrition Plan
Prior to his starring role as Adonis Creed, Michael B. Jordan was already known for his toned figure. However, it seems his training for the Creed franchise took his nutrition and training regimen to a different level. This is where his trainer, Corey Calliet, came in. The trainer helped Jordan stick to a rigorous training program, complete with multiple meals a day to assist with muscle development and training.
In a series of interviews for the first Creed film, Jordan mentioned his nutrition as part of the training process. Apparently, his meals consisted of numerous servings a day, with a focus on muscle development and training.
“Literally in the middle of takes, I would just be eating food. Chicken and rice and broccoli, a lot of it,” he told E! Online in 2015.
Apparently, Jordan’s nutrition consisted of chicken and turkey as the main source of his daily nutrition, along with rice and vegetables for vitamins and minerals. The focus was on developing muscle mass while ensuring Jordan had the fuel for rigorous training. For the sequels, Jordan’s muscle mass had obviously improved, with the actor reportedly weighing 185 pounds during filming. This is a common phenomenon for actors who star in physically demanding roles.
The plan might include:
* Multiple servings of lean protein
* Complex carbohydrates for training fuel
* Green vegetables for micronutrient needs
* Healthy fats in moderation
Jordan also reportedly allowed for a level of flexibility. Calliet has mentioned that one relaxed meal a week helped to ensure that the plan was sustainable, especially with long training sessions.
This is also a level of balance that is recommended by most health professionals. An accredited dietitian, Kate Save, points out that it is not about trying to get everything just right, as perfection is not always possible. In fact, she points out that it is about getting it right 90% of the time, leaving room for those foods that are considered ‘fun.’
The Jordan Creed transformation is, therefore, a reflection of what most fitness transformations require.
Michael B. Jordan Workout Routine
Needless to say, Michael B. Jordan’s physique, coupled with his athleticism and charisma on the big screen, made the actor look like a force to be reckoned with in the Creed series. As anyone who has seen the films will attest, the actor did not just look the part; he moved like a real boxer. And while diet is certainly part of the reason for his impressive physique, his athleticism is clearly the product of an equally rigorous workout routine.
To help Michael B. Jordan take his physique to the next level, his trainer Corey Calliet developed a workout routine based more on the world of athletics rather than the world of the gym.
“The training was pulled from the fundamentals of athletic conditioning, as well as bodybuilding.”
As such, the actor’s workout routine consisted of a four-day workout routine that combined cardio with strength training. Not only did the actor’s workout routine help him build muscle, but it also helped him develop definition, stamina, and ensure each of his muscles was worked to the point where real growth was achieved.
As anyone inspired by Michael B. Jordan’s workout routine in the Creed series will attest, such a level of athleticism is clearly the product of a long and rigorous workout routine.
As indicated by the advice shared by the magazine “Muscle & Fitness,” a workout like the one above may begin with a moderate one-mile jog as a warm-up, followed by straight sets of strength training exercises. This means doing all the sets for a particular exercise before moving on to the next one, with minimal breaks in between.
A day’s workout may also involve “circuit training,” where a series of exercises are done one after the other for higher reps, followed by breaks and multiple rounds.
You may also come across rep schemes written as a countdown, for example, “10, 9, 8, etc.” This simply means doing 10 reps, followed by 9 reps, 8 reps, and so on.
Before attempting a celebrity-style workout, it’s worth remembering that film roles require intense workouts, and these may not be for everyone. If you have any health worries or limited training experience, it’s a good idea to seek advice from a qualified fitness expert or medical practitioner before attempting a rigorous fitness program.
Day One: Chest, Back, and Arms
The first day of training starts off with a one-mile jog, which helps warm up the muscles of the upper body in preparation for the upcoming exercises.
The training starts off with an incline dumbbell press, performed for 3 sets of 12 reps, followed by dumbbell flyes, again performed for 3 sets of 12 reps. Push-ups are performed in descending rep ranges: 10 sets total, starting off at 10 reps and decreasing by 1 rep per set until only 1 rep remains.
Isolation exercises for the triceps are performed next: 3 sets of 15 reps of dumbbell kickbacks, followed by 2 sets of 20 reps of triceps pushdowns. The training is completed by performing bench dips in 10 sets, again in descending rep ranges from 10 reps down to 1 rep.
Day Two: Biceps, Triceps, and Lats
Day two of training is dedicated to pulling movements of the upper back, along with arm training.
The training starts off by jogging a one-mile distance, followed by one-arm dumbbell rows performed for 3 sets of 12 reps. Next, neutral grip pulldowns are performed for 3 sets of 12 reps, followed by bent-over rows again performed for 3 sets of 12 reps.
The second half of the training is dedicated to biceps training: 3 sets of 12 reps of alternating dumbbell curls. Barbell curls and hammer curls are performed next: 3 sets of 12 reps each.
Day Three: Legs + Abs Circuit
As always, the session starts with a one-mile jog. The leg exercises begin with dumbbell lunges, which are done for 3 sets of 30 seconds per leg. Single-leg hip extensions are then done for 3 sets of 15 reps per leg, followed by leg curls, also done for 3 sets of 12 reps.
Next are the Romanian deadlifts, done for 3 sets of 12 reps. This is followed by squats using the 10-set descending ladder (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1).
The core exercises conclude the workout session. They include Swiss ball crunches, leg raises, reverse crunches using a resistance band, toe touches with a medicine ball, and sprinter sit-ups, each done for 3 sets of 25 reps.
Day Four: Chest, Arms, and Abs
The fourth day of the workout is dedicated to upper body pushing strength, with the core exercises being the same as the previous days.
After the usual one-mile jog, dumbbell bench presses are done in descending sets of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 reps for 5 sets. This is followed by push-ups done for 5 sets of 15 reps. The dumbbell flyes are then done in descending sets of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 reps for 5 sets.
Another set of push-ups is added to the workout. This is done in sets of 10 reps for 5 sets.
Next are the dumbbell curls, done for 4 sets of 12 reps. The dumbbell kickbacks are then done in 4 sets of 15 reps, followed by bench dips done in 4 sets of 20 reps.
Finally, the core exercises are the same as the previous days. They include Swiss ball crunches, leg raises, reverse crunches using a resistance band, toe touches with a medicine ball, and sprinter sit-ups, each done for 3 sets of 25 reps, except for the sprinter sit-ups, which are done for 25 reps.
