Last Updated On June 25, 2023
Did you know that Charlie Hunnam gained 20 pounds of muscle to play King Arthur in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword? It is easy to wonder how his workout routine and diet work to let him get that jacked.
If you want to create your own Charlie Hunnam workout routine, we lay out all the details in this article.
- Workout Summary - Quick Guide
- Charlie Hunnam's Workout Routine Explained
- Who Exactly Is Charlie Hunnam?
- Current Body Stats
- Charlie Hunnam Exercise and Workout Principles
- Accomplishments, Awards, and Nominations
- Charlie Hunnam Nutrition Program
- What Supplements Does Charlie Hunnam Take?
- Common Questions About Charlie Hunnam
- Conclusion
Workout Summary - Quick Guide
Main Workout Goal | Building Lean Muscle Mass and Strength |
Program Duration | 9 weeks |
Workout Days Per Week | 5 |
Time Per Workout | 60-90 minutes |
Equipment Required | Dumbbells |
Recommended Supplements | Whey Protein Multivitamins BCAA's |
Charlie Hunnam's Workout Routine Explained
British actor Charlie Hunnam is no stranger to the screen; from his first role in Byker Grove to Queer as Folk to Sons of Anarchy, Hunnam loves acting.
The parts he often plays tend to involve getting bulked up while staying lean, not often getting Hollywood shredded, but close.
While staying camera-ready and fit is part of his job, Charlie Hunnam has always enjoyed fitness, being an ex-rugby player.
Charlie Hunnam’s workout routine is simple, but that does not mean that it does not give you intense training sessions.
A typical workout session tends to focus on using bodyweight movements to work both bigger and smaller muscle groups across the body; this weekly routine also promotes flexibility and endurance.
While the Charlie Hunnam bodyweight workout often stays roughly the same, he does shake things up with jiu-jitsu, sword-fighting, boxing, or swimming, depending on what he needs for a role.
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Here’s an example of the Charlie Hunnam Workout Routine so you can train like this moviestar.
Monday: Full Body Workout
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Wide-grip pull-ups | 3 | 20 | 20-30 secs |
Dips | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Military push-ups | 3 | 25 | 20-30 Secs |
Chin-ups | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Decline push-ups | 3 | 25 | 20-30 Secs |
Focused ab exercises | 15 minutes | 1 | 20-30 Secs |
Tuesday: Full Body Workout
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Wide-grip pull-ups | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Dips | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Military push-ups | 3 | 25 | 20-30 Secs |
Chin-ups | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Decline push-ups | 3 | 25 | 20-30 Secs |
Focused ab exercises | 15 minutes | 1 | 20-30 Secs |
Wednesday: HIIT and Cardio
Exercises | Sets |
|---|---|
Running at 10 mph or faster | 15 minutes |
High-intensity elliptical | 15 minutes |
High-intensity interval training | 20 minutes |
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Thursday: Full Body Workout
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Squats | 3 | 10 | 20-30 Secs |
Wide push-ups | 3 | 25 | 20-30 Secs |
Standing dumbbell rows | 3 | 10 | 20-30 Secs |
Parallel dips | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Reverse-grip pull-ups | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Hanging knee raises | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Lying leg lifts | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Plank | 3 (2 minutes Each) | 1 | 20-30 Secs |
Friday: Full Body Workout
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Squats | 3 | 10 | 20-30 Secs |
Wide push-ups | 3 | 25 | 20-30 Secs |
Standing dumbbell rows | 3 | 10 | 20-30 Secs |
Parallel dips | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Reverse-grip pull-ups | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Hanging knee raises | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Lying leg lifts | 3 | 20 | 20-30 Secs |
Plank | 3 (2 minutes Each) | 1 | 20-30 Secs |
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Saturday: Rest
Exercises |
|---|
Walk, swim, run, or hike |
Sunday: Rest
Exercises |
|---|
Walk, swim, run, or hike |
As you can see, those Charlie Hunnam abs come at the cost of plenty of side crunches and pull-up bar ab exercises. Charlie also jumps rope when he needs to get his blood circulation up with a short cardio session.
Not all of these moves require a gym, but you will need to go to one if you do not own a pull-up bar (or you can try to make your own DIY freestanding pull up bar). It is important to remember that these intense moves are easier for Charlie as he does them regularly and has a good base level of fitness.
Take inspiration from the simplicity and intensity of the Charlie Hunnam workout routine and work your way up to it.
Who Exactly Is Charlie Hunnam?
Born in April 1980 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, the 42-year-old star loved playing rugby and honing his art and photography skills as a teen.
Charlie Hunnam landed his first role in Byker Grove at seventeen before going on to make his mark with roles in Queer as Folk, Sons of Anarchy, and King Arthur. Hunnam also had a brief modeling career in his late teens.[1]
After he studied performing arts and finished getting his degree in film theory and history, Charlie Hunnam moved to the US in 1999 and has split his time between London and Los Angeles ever since. While Hunnam is predominantly known for his acting roles, he has also dived into screenwriting in his free time.
Charlie Hunnam is the type of actor to take role preparation seriously - he even turned down the role of Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey[2]. He believed that the short few weeks between wrapping up filming the Sons of Anarchy movie and Fifty Shades was not enough to get into the role mentally.
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Current Body Stats
Charlie Hunnam’s shredded physique does tend to fluctuate based on what his role is at any time. However, these are the current stats we have for his shredded physique.
Stat | Measurement |
|---|---|
Height | 6’1” |
Weight | 195 lbs |
Age | 42 |
Biceps | 16 inches |
Waist | 34 inches |
Chest | 46 inches |
Charlie Hunnam Exercise and Workout Principles
For Charlie, only a few workout rules need to apply to his routine. He does not feel the need to have a trainer or do complex moves - just change up the rep numbers, stay consistent, and eat right. While the intensity and ratios change, the following rules apply.
Keep it Simple
A King Arthur workout is simple yet intense, leaving Charlie to get in and out of the gym in less than an hour.
Chase Endorphins
For Charlie Hunnam, weekly workouts are about chasing the mental rather than the physical aspect of training.
Respect Your Core
The core is a vital aspect of both Charlie’s career and full body routine - he makes sure to cycle through around 20 different ab exercises 3-4 times a week. This dedication to ab work keeps his core muscles strong while ensuring that his core adequately shows on camera.
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Fuel Up Right
Charlie Hunnam allows himself to indulge in good quality food that nourishes him, even when traveling. In fact, he makes sure to pack an egg salad sandwich for the road.
Accomplishments, Awards, and Nominations
Awards
Throughout his career, Charlie Hunnam has won multiple awards for his performances. Here are the awards he has won for his acting roles.
Awarding Body | Work | Award | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
National Board of Review | Nicholas Nickleby | Best Acting by an Ensemble | 2002 |
Huading Awards | Pacific Rim | Huading Award for Best Global Emerging Actor | 2013 |
CinemaCon | King Arthur: Legend of the Lost Sword | Male Star of the Year | 2017 |
Nominations
We cannot win them all, even if you are a badass star. Here are the Charlie Hunnam roles that missed out on during award season.
Work | Number of Nominations | Year |
|---|---|---|
Sons of Anarchy | 8 | 2011-2015 |
The Lost City of Z | 1 | 2017 |
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Charlie Hunnam Nutrition Program
What does Charlie eat in a day? We don’t know much about the Charlie Hunnam diet, but we do know that he makes sure to stock up on good food while avoiding processed foods and junk food. That being said, Charlie does not feel guilty about indulging in his weaknesses - chocolate and ice cream.
However, to eat those snacks, he needs to focus on eating natural protein, fruit, veggies, and complex carbs. Part of the reason Charlie has very little body fat is due to his dedication to fitness as well as his low carb-high protein-low fat diet.
Proper hydration is also a high priority for Hunnam, both in terms of fitness goals and maintaining his ripped body.
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Here are some general tips on Charlie Hunnam's diet, as well as an example of what he can eat in a day.
Breakfast
Mid-Morning Snack
Lunch
Dinner
What To Go For
What To Avoid
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What Supplements Does Charlie Hunnam Take?
While we do not know the exact brand of Charlie Hunnam’s supplements, we do know that he takes the following to fuel his strenuous workouts and weight training.
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Common Questions About Charlie Hunnam
For his role in Papillon, Charlie tried to get in the proper headspace, which included denying himself meals and living off of cigarettes and black coffee. By the time he was filming, Charlie had lost 35 lbs, getting down to 145 pounds or so.[5]
Charlie Hunnam is not vegan but makes sure to eat a diet that leaves him feeling good while promoting fat loss and enabling him to build muscle. Depending on his needs, his diet can bear similarities to ketogenic or keto meals and habits.
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Conclusion
In comparison to other celebrities we have covered, Charlie Hunnam’s workout rules, cardio routine, and diet are refreshingly simple. However, makes no mistake - Charlie Hunnam’s trademark workout program is a tough act to follow.
That being said, not all of us can pick up sword fighting or combat discipline and martial arts for hours every day.
We recommend taking inspiration from his principle to craft your own workout routine with the help of certified professional trainers and nutritionists. Charlie does not believe there is a secret to looking good and feeling healthy, just dedication, rest days, and eating well.
Whether you are training to reap the physical benefit or to avoid feeling slightly dark, consistency and dedication are key to seeing results.
References:
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0402271/
- https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/03/charlie-hunnam-fifty-shades-traumatic
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26403469
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/s12970-015-0112
- https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/movies/charlie-hunnam-shed-over-30-pounds-for-papillon
