Photo Credit: Splash News
Suicide Squad, one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters is set to drop this week; and in it, actor Jai Courtney will be showing off one of the biggest on-screen bodies of the summer.
To get ready for his Captain Boomerang role, the Australian had to put on muscle and shed fat with an intense workout and diet routine, and the result is a ripped 230-pound (questionable, but reported) frame that should leave audiences impressed…if you’re into that at sort of thing (I am).
Jai Courtney’s workout and diet regimen for Suicide Squad required him to build lean mass and stimulate growth by performing heavy Olympic lifting techniques like squats, deadlifts and bench press, while incorporating them into a heavy circuit workout.
His hard training, fat loss and muscle gain were all fueled by a nutritional regimen that is essential for the kind of body Jai Courtney constructed to play Captain Boomerang.
Jai Courtney shows off his muscles & big biceps during filming of “Suicide Squad” Credit: S Fernandez / Splash News
How Did Jai Courtney Bulk Up For Captain Boomerang Role?
Jai Courtney has been fit and athletic for his entire life. As a child he played rugby, cricket and soccer and has continued to be active throughout his adult life. Because he already had a muscular frame—which is due to his lifestyle and genetics—it wasn’t too difficult for him to bulk up for his role. That said, he was coming off his role in Terminator, when he had to shed weight down to 190 pounds, meaning bulking up to 230 wouldn’t happen overnight.
A photo posted by Jai Courtney (@jaicourtney) on
Courtney trained for a little over two months to get in shape for suicide squad, working out with co-stars Will Smith, Joel Kinnaman and Jay Hernandez, as well as training on his own with a trainer.
The goal was to add about 20 pounds of muscle and get down to 8% body fat, which is virtually impossible in that time period without steroids. So if you don’t get the exact same results as Jai—an experienced, fit individual—don’t be too concerned.
Jai Courtney’s Muscle Building, Fat Burning Diet
Here is what Courtney’s diet looked like throughout his training. Please note how much he ate, because this is important when determining your own diet.
Jai Courtney is already a big, lean, fit person who can burn a lot of calories and has a high resting metabolic rate. It’s unlikely you’ll need the same amount of food, so make adjustments based on your caloric requirements (which you can find here).
Wake up
- 450 ml of water to start the day hydrated
- 2 scoops whey protein shake (in addition to the 450 ml of water)
- Tablespoon of almond butter
- Piece of fruit
Post-workout Breakfast (Jai Courtney would train about an hour after his wake up meal)
- Six eggs
- 1 grilled chicken breast
- 1 cup of oatmeal
Mid-morning meal
- 2 scoops of protein powder
- 1 tablespoon of almond butter
Lunch
- 225-330 g of lean meat like chicken breast, fish, turkey breast, sirloin, game meat
- 1-2 cups of green veggies
Mid-Afternoon Snack
- 2 scoops protein powder
Dinner/Evening
- 300 g of lean meat (a different type than lunch)
- 1-2 cups of green veggies
*Carbohydrates were introduced based on progress, how he was feeling.
Captain Boomerang Heavy Circuit Workout Routine
Monday
Complete this circuit five times
- Bench press warm up
- Heavy bench press: 5 reps
- Double-unders: 50 reps
- Cable Tricep extension: 20 reps
- 35 m sprint: 5 reps
- V-sit crunch – 50 reps
Tuesday
Complete this circuit 10 times
- Back squat warm up
- Heavy back squat: 3 reps
- Bicep curl: 20 reps
- Box jump: 15 reps
- Row: 150m
- Crunches: 20 reps
Wednesday
Complete this circuit five times
- Lat pull-down: 10 reps
- Press-up: 20 reps
- Dumbbell lateral raise: 10 reps
- Weighted Russian twists: 50 reps
Friday
Not a circuit.
- Deadlift pyramid: 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 2; then back down: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15
- Cable fly pyramid: same rep ranged as the deadlift
- 10 sets of 100 m sprints
Saturday
Pick a body part you’d like to improve and stick to a compound lift that works that muscle group. After a warm-up, perform 10 sets of 10 reps at your working weight.
Source:
Snape, J., “Suicide Squad Goals: Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang Workout,” Coach Magazine web site, August 4, 2016; http://www.coachmag.co.uk/celebrity-workouts/5643/suicide-squad-goals-jai-courtney-s-captain-boomerang-workout, last accessed August 4, 2016.