Last Updated On June 25, 2023
Jason Momoa is well known on the big and little screens. From Game of Thrones to the Aquaman movies, his charisma and physique have made plenty of us envious. If you want to train like Aquaman, though, you are going to have to know his secrets.
In this gym review, we look closely at how Momoa got ripped, shredded, and gained 25 pounds of muscle mass leading up to the Aquaman movies. We will also look at his diet and supplements and answer your questions.
Workout Summary (Quick Guide)
Main Workout Goal | Functional Strength and Conditioning |
Program Duration | 10 weeks |
Workout Days Per Week | 5 |
Time Per Workout | 60-90 minutes |
Equipment Required | Medicine Ball, Dumbbells, Kettlebell, Barbells |
Recommended Supplements | Multivitamins BCAA's Protein Shakes |
Jason Momoa's Workout Routine Explained
Jason Momoa is a finicky gym-goer at best. He is often plagued with boredom in the gym and from lifting weights over and over, so he chooses to also exercise in his outdoor home gym.
During his breaks from the racks and barbells, you can find him surfing, skateboarding, or even rock climbing. Don't let that fool you, though.
He puts in the exercise work and the hours under that squat rack. If you want to keep up, you will need to train following a weights regimen like the one we’ve outlined below, which was designed for him to put on the mass for the Aquaman role.
While he does get bored easily, his high-tempo exercise routines play right into his strengths, from arms and legs training to the next round of exercise, workout routine, and muscle training. Momoa's impressive physique you saw in the Justice League was thanks to a fast pace training regimen.
While he does enjoy his Guinness beer, he doesn't have the beer belly to prove it. Personal trainer Eric Laciste is fond of martial arts, but Momoa recently stated that to combat boredom, a crowded gym, workout plan and little rest aren't going to cut it.
Living for the outdoors, accelerated results and benefits from doing diamond push-ups in the sand or back squats on the beach are more his speed. One exercise out of the workout routines isn't going to make or break the week.
Your final round of exercises can be pull-ups, medicine ball work, bench press, or even incline dumbbell press as long as it is seen through and pushed hard.
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Accelerated Results 7 (AR-7) Routine
The Jason Momoa workout plan includes the AR-7 routine, which his personal trainer, Eric Laciste, developed. The key behind this workout is low exercise weight, low reps, and low rest. Simply stated, these workouts start with seven sets of seven reps with seven seconds of rest.
Once the first round is complete, you do it again with 6 sets of 6 reps, and 6 seconds of rest. Once again, with 5, then 4, and so on.
These workouts minimize fatigue and allow you to work out twice daily for better results. The exercise routine doesn't matter as much as the rest period, weight limit, and the number of sets. You can perform normal push-ups or plate push-ups, for example, but the results come in the constant movement.
Even though you rest less often, your fatigue doesn't diminish as much during the workout. The Jason Momoa workout split provides more exercise and less rest, and you can end up with a Jason Momoa physique.
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Monday: Chest
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Flat Bench Press | 7 | 7 | 7 seconds |
Incline Bench Press | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Incline Bench Dumbbell Press | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Plate Push-Up | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Chest Dips | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Related Article - Best Incline Bench Press Alternatives
Tuesday: Back
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Medium-Grip Pull-Up | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Reverse-Grip Chin-Up | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Close-Grip Pull-Up | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Seated Pulley Row | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Reverse-Grip BB Bent-Over Row | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Wednesday: Legs
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Bodyweight Squat | 5 | 5 | 5 Seconds |
Stiff-Legged Deadlift | 5 | 5 | 5 Seconds |
Barbell Back Squat | 5 | 5 | 5 Seconds |
Bodyweight Jump Squat | 5 | 5 | 5 Seconds |
Thursday: Core/HIIT
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Medicine Ball Slam | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Kettlebell Swing | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Burpee | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Leap Frog | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
40-Yard Sprint | 7 | 7 | 7 Seconds |
Related Article - Best Kettlebell Swing Alternatives
Friday: Shoulders & Arms
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Barbell Military Press | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Bodyweight Dip | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Diamond Push-Up | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Dumbbell Curls | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Dumbbell Triceps Extensions | 6 | 6 | 6 Seconds |
Related Article - Diamond Push-Up Benefits
Saturday & Sunday: Rest Days
Who Is Jason Momoa? (Beyond Aquaman)
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Momoa was an only child and was raised on the island. He attended the University of Hawaii and, at 19, decided to audition for the Baywatch Hawaii show filming nearby. He was cast in a role as Jason Loane from 1999 to 2001.
Between 2005 and 2009, he was cast on Stargate: Atlantis but made his name well known through HBO's Game of Thrones as Khal Drogo. This led to becoming a main staple in the DC universe as Aquaman.
As his list of accomplishments, nominations for awards and stardom grow, so do his interests. He now writes, directs, and plays bass guitar in addition to his acting chops and exercise days.
One of his most prominent features, though, is the facial scar running through his left eyebrow. This is the result of 140 stitches and minor reconstructive surgery after a broken beer bottle brawl in a Hollywood bar.
Jason Momoa married Lisa Bonet in 2017, whom he started seeing in 2005. They have a son and daughter together, but announced their split in January 2022.
The DC Universe franchise has given Momoa plenty of films and a lot of accolades, and to the adoration of many, it allows him to show off his hard-earned physique, muscle mass, and form.
He credits his appearance, muscle, and arms to quality genetics, which is apparent looking at other males in his family. However, his dedication to training, personal trainers and stardom are also given credit.
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Current Body Stats
Leading up to the filming of Aquaman, Jason Momoa’s body stats looked like this.
Stat | Measurement |
|---|---|
Height | 6”4’ |
Weight | 235 lbs |
Age | 43 |
Biceps | 18 inches |
Waist | 34 inches |
Chest | 50 inches |
Legs | 22 inches |
Jason Momoa’s Workout Principles
Jason Momoa is not a fan of the gym, as impossible as that may sound. He prefers to be outside as much as possible and gets his cardio and endurance workouts from surfing, skateboarding, and rock climbing.
Jason Momoa is also a fan of boxing, hill sprinting, and other outdoor activities. When it comes time to push weight, though, he gives it his all. Working with his personal trainer, Mark Twight, Momoa used a mix of full-body movements, reflex training, and isolation exercises.
He also combined that with drop sets (doing one less set each day) to tone and shred his muscles while maintaining an ideal diet to fuel his gains.
Accomplishments (Awards & Nominations)
As an actor for over 20 years, Momoa is no stranger to awards and nominations. He currently has eight total award nominations with only one win.
That win came from the CinemaCon Awards in 2011, where he was awarded Male Rising Star for his roles in Conan the Barbarian and Game of Thrones.[1]
Jason Momoa has two nominations from Game of Thrones (Best Ensemble and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. The Canadian Screen Awards nominated him for Best Actor for his role in Frontier, too.
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He also holds nominations for Aquaman for best kiss, Favorite Superhero, Favorite Movie Actor, and the Teen Choice Award for Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actor.
Jason Momoa's Diet
Jason Momoa has one vice, and that is beer. He drinks beer daily and counts the carbs and calories into his diet. While this probably won't work for most anyone else, he does make it work for him.
He also eats 4 meals per day with both a large lunch and a large dinner, instead of 6 smaller meals like bodybuilders follow. You will find that Momoa has a protein-rich diet containing a lot of chicken (about 8 full breasts per day).[2]
What To Go For
What To Avoid
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What Supplements Does Jason Momoa Take?
Another surprise to many is that Jason Momoa doesn't take many supplements. He does take a daily multivitamin, but on top of that, he only requires daily BCAA supplementation and his protein shakes.[3]
Beyond that, he only takes what is needed or prescribed by his trainer to bulk for a role or to lose weight fast for another.
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Jason Momoa's FAQs
Jason Momoa is tall and heavy, but even with that, he maintains around 10% body fat. He had to go through rigorous training for strength and power for his Aquaman roles, but still maintained the 10% body fat throughout.
There are four body types based on the number of vertebrae underdeveloped in relation to posture and muscle mass. The higher the number of underdeveloped vertebrae, the higher the body type number (BT1 through BT4). Jason Momoa has Body Type 1 (BT1).
Jason Momoa’s favorite beverage is beer. He actually alters his diet to account for the carbs and calories of his beer on a daily basis.
No, Jason Momoa eats dairy and animal protein and is not a vegetarian.
Leading up to filming, Jason Momoa worked out for a little over 2 hours per day for 6 days a week. When he is not getting ready for an acting role, he drops one day of workouts to do things outside or rest instead.
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Conclusion
Jason Momoa is a Hollywood icon and has the physique to take on the role of any superhero. The DC universe is well protected with Momoa running around.
Trying to imitate his workout routine is not an easy feat, but because of his love for the outdoors and cardio training, the internal gym sessions are a little lighter.
If you do plan to train like Momoa, we suggest you skip the beer and add in more carbohydrates in a more regular manner. You will also need to up your cardio game as well, or just go surfing for a few hours each day.
References:
1. https://cinemacon.com/press-release/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462824/
3. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/10/1389
