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Chris Hemsworth’s personal trainer has revealed how the Australian hunk and his wife, Elsa Pataky, have become super ripped by training ‘smart’ and avoiding endless hours at the gym.
Luke Zocchi, who lives near the Hemsworth clan in Byron Bay, helps the superstar couple work on their physiques for blockbuster roles.
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Luke said that weight lifting is key for those wanting to lose weight as well as build muscle.
Luke also shared that Elsa, 46, used the same program Chris followed for his new blockbuster, Thor: Love & Thunder, to get in shape for her role as the very ripped Captain J.J. Collins in Interceptor – which left her in ‘the best shape of her life.’
Speaking to FEMAIL, Elsa (pictured) said that it was a ‘challenge’ to get into shape for Interceptor but she was thrilled with the result
Luke Zocchi (right) who lives near the Hemsworth clan in Byron Bay, works with both Chris and his wife Elsa Pataky, and often helps with shift shape for their blockbuster roles. Pictured with Chris and fellow trainer Bobby Holland Hanton
Both Elsa and Chris used the Power program – designed by Luke – on Chris’ fitness app Centr.
‘Everyone thinks that you can only get these sorts of results from spending endless hours at the gym which is simply not the case,’ Chris told FEMAIL.
‘We have expertly crafted Centr Power to be a muscle-building program that delivers the best possible results while fitting into busy lifestyles and having the convenience to be done anywhere.
‘Centr Power shares the formula we have used to get me in my best shape for over 20 movies, including the Thor franchise.
Both Elsa and Chris used the Power programme – designed by Luke – on Chris’ fitness app Centr – which saw them train five days a week. Chris is pictured in Thor
Elsa, 46, used the same programme as Chris used for Thor to get in shape for her role in Interceptor – which left her in what she describes as ‘the best shape of her life’
‘It is built around the key principles of muscle-building and will have you working to your max no matter how long you’ve been lifting – now super-sized for even bigger results.’
Also speaking to FEMAIL, Elsa said that it was a ‘challenge’ to get into shape for Interceptor but she was thrilled with the result.
‘Getting in shape for Interceptor was challenging but I was determined,’ she said.
‘My key goal was to build muscle mass so I turned to the Centr Power program for my training and food guides.
‘I started at the Intermediate Level and then moved to the Advanced Level… and the result had me in some of the best shape of my life.’
Here Luke explains how he got the superstar couple fighting fit.
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Luke revealed that weight lifting is key for those hoping to lose weight as well as build muscle
Elsa is pictured at the premiere of Interceptor in May – which she described as ‘the best shape of her life’
Chris’ Thor routine
‘We would typically workout five times per week in Chris’s training for Thor,’ Luke explained.
‘Usually one hour or so per day give or take.
‘Chris and I are all about training smarter rather than spending countless hours in the gym. A standard week of training for Thor over a week would look like:
- Monday – Chest
- Tuesday – Back
- Wednesday – Legs
- Thursday – Shoulders
- Friday – Arms
‘The way we picked these exercises and structure is to follow a balance in building muscle throughout the whole body and by giving the muscle time to repair and grow before your next session to avoid injury.’
Luke said that Chris (pictured) would work out five times per week in Chris’s training for Thor
How to get Hemsworth arms
To build up your biceps to look similar to the God of Thunder, Luke recommends working on your upper body for the first four to six weeks you of a new training regime.
‘Keeping weights manageable for you and reps on the lower side of things,’ he says.
‘Then I would move to challenge yourself a little more and more each week – upping the intensity of the weights you are using and increasing reps from 6-8 to to 8-12.
‘I would focus on two sessions of “push” movements and two sessions of “pull” movements to make sure you are hitting all the different muscles you are targeting.
To build up your biceps to look similar to the God of Thunder – Luke recommends working on your upper body for the first four to six weeks you of a new training regime.
4,500 calories a day
Luke also revealed that Chris ate a whopping 4,500 calories a day while training for Thor, which was broken into 10 meals of 450 calories every two hours.
However, he warns that calorie intake comes down to an individual’s ‘natural size’ and ‘how much training they’re doing’.
‘When it comes to muscle-building you need to be in a calorie surplus so your body can rebuild your muscles after training,’ he said.
‘People are often shocked doing the Centr Power program at how much food we recommend.
‘Diets are so personal there isn’t really a one size fits all approach.
‘That said, the main rules I would stick to whether trying to build muscle or stay lean is to cut out all sugars and processed food and to eat as much wholefood as possible.
‘Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits and increase protein.
‘Find healthy food you enjoy eating and stick to those foods. Consistency is key when it comes to getting results.’
Focus on weight training
Luke said it’s best to focus on quality over quantity when building muscle or losing fat.
‘I would always recommend a minimum of three training sessions per week and ideally build to five or so,’ he said.
‘If you’re training smart and at the right intensity each session should be between 20-40 minutes for fat loss and 30-60 minutes for muscle gain.
‘I would recommend sticking to compound movements where you are recruiting more muscle which in turn is going to burn more calories.
‘And as your lean muscle mass increases so does your metabolic rate meaning you are burning more calories naturally – muscle burns close to double the calories as fat in a resting state so the math is easy.’
Fit: Elsa’s role in the action film Interceptor sees her playing no-nonsense army lieutenant JJ Collins, who must save the world when 16 nuclear missiles are launched in the United States. Elsa and Chris both like to do HIIT training because of its efficiency.
Try 60 per cent weight and 40 per cent cardio
To build muscle, Luke said to spent 60 per cent of your time weight training, and 40 per cent cardio.
‘As far as cardio, Elsa and Chris both like to do HIIT training because of its efficiency.
‘If you are training smart and efficiently you can get the same results from a 20 minute HIIT workout as you might spending hours and hours on a treadmill.’
Make sure to rest
Luke said that the importance of rest days couldn’t be underestimated.
‘Recovery is key – without proper recovery you risk injury and then all your efforts can be for nothing if you are wiped out from training for weeks or months at a time.
‘While not going too easy, listen to your body and take rest when you feel you need but I would always recommend at least two rest days per week.
‘On rest days we would always still move but take the pressure off.
‘Chris loves to surf with his kids, Elsa does a lot of yoga… it’s really up to the individual but make sure its more about fun and mental health rather than intense training on these days.’
How to try it yourself
Luke said people could easily tailor the Centr Power program to their needs.
‘The Centr Power program is based exactly on how we train Chris for Thor but broken down into Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced – with each level getting more challenging as the weeks progress.
‘The three-month Advanced program is almost exactly what Chris and I do in the lead up months prior to filming Thor.’
Members can select from beginner, intermediate or advanced based on their lifting experience and every week the program intensifies to build maximum strength and size.
From July 2022, the original in-gym Centr Power program now comes with an additional three-week phase to keep your muscle-building journey rolling – including tougher lifts, equipment alternatives plus low-impact modifications for functional exercises.
Luke also revealed that Chris ate a whopping 4,500 calories a day while training for Thor, which was broken into ten meals of 450 calories every two hours.
Elsa said that it was a ‘challenge’ to get into shape for her latest role (pictured working out at home)
