Last Updated On June 26, 2023
Kumail Nanjiani is best known for his comedy and HBO roles, including Silicon Valley and The Big Sick. What has everyone in an uproar now, though, is his chiseled frame and big muscles that he developed when cast as the role of Kingo in Marvel's The Eternals.
Now that he is a superhero, everyone wants to know how he got his new physique. Aside from dedication and the right diet, it was his workout routine that shocked us all. It's intense, seemingly never-ending, and hard to duplicate.
This article will look at Kumail Nanjiani's workout routine, diet, and supplements. We will cover his rise to fame and his personal life, and answer all your questions.
- Workout Summary - Quick Look
- Kumail Nanjiani's Workout Routine Explained
- Who Exactly Is Kumail Nanjiani? (Comedian, Actor, Screenwriter)
- Current Body Stats
- Kumail Nanjiani Training and Workout Principles
- Accomplishments, Awards and Nominations
- Kumail Nanjiani's Diet
- What Supplements Does Kumail Nanjiani Take?
- Kumail Nanjiani Workout Routine FAQs
- Conclusion
Workout Summary - Quick Look
Main Workout Goal | Building Lean Muscle Mass |
Program Duration | 8 weeks |
Workout Days Per Week | 6 |
Time Per Workout | 60-90 minutes |
Equipment Required | Barbells, Dumbbells, Hex Bar, T-Bar... |
Recommended Supplements | Multivitamins Protein Shakes Creatine |
Kumail Nanjiani's Workout Routine Explained
To get ready for his role as Kingo, Nanjiani worked out 5 to 6 days a week, often with double-set splits and two-a-day sessions.
During his transformation period, his training style (by Grant Roberts) included a lot of preacher curls, back squats, weighted lunges, lateral head tricep exercises and chin-ups. Using old-school techniques (and some massage therapy), Nanjiani could bulk up and build muscle relatively quickly.
Kumail Nanjiani's workout program reduced body fat to help with weight loss and focused on weight training that had specific target muscles. You can see that his split-day plan focuses on biceps and triceps, chest and abs, legs and calves, etc. With this weight training schedule, dumbbell or barbell curls, heavy foundational lifts, and full body movements transformed his body parts into the Bollywood movie star heartthrob he always wanted to be.
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Following Kumail Nanjiani's workout routine is tough. It requires dedication and motivation, but if you are ready to train like a superhero, build muscle mass and reach new fitness goals by following his exact workout routine, here's an example of the Kumail Nanjiani workout plan.
Monday: Back and Traps
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Up (Incline Walk On Treadmill) | 10-Minute | 1 | 60-90 secs |
Hex Bar Deadlift | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 secs |
Hex Bar Farmers Walk | 4 | 50 meters | 15-25 Secs |
Barbell Shrug | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Straight Arm Cable Pulldown | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Dumbbell Shrug | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
T-Bar Row | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
*Triset |
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Up (Incline Walk On Treadmill) | 10-Minute | 1 | 60-90 secs |
Triset:
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Hammer Strength [or Machine] Pulldown | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 secs |
Close Grip Cable Row | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Face Pull | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Related Article - Face Pull Alternatives
Tuesday: Chest and Abs
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Up (Incline Walk On Treadmill) | 10-Minute | 1 | 60-90 secs |
Bench Press | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 secs |
Incline Dumbbell Press | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Cable Chest Fly | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Dips | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
*Triset |
Triset:
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Incline Dumbbell Hex Press | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 secs |
Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Standing Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Wednesday: Legs and Calves
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Up (Incline Walk On Treadmill) | 10-Minute | 1 | 60-90 secs |
Back Squat | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 secs |
Walking Weighted Lunge (w/ DB or BB) | 4 | 50 meters | 15-25 Secs |
Hamstring Curl | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Leg Press | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
Calf Raise on Leg Press Machine | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
*Triset |
Triset:
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Goblet Squat | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 secs |
Cable Pull-through | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Box Jump | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Thursday: Shoulders and Abs
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Up (Incline Walk On Treadmill) | 10-Minute | 1 | 60-90 secs |
Seated Dumbbell Press (or any form of Overhead Press) | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 secs |
W Press | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Lawnmower Row | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Behind-the-back Cable Lateral Raise | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
*Triset | 15-25 Secs | ||
Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 25 | 15-25 Secs |
Sit-up | 3 | 25 | 15-25 Secs |
Plank | 3 | 60 seconds | 15-30 Secs |
Triset:
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Dumbbell Front Raise | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 secs |
Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Rear Delt Raise | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Related Article - Best Rear Delt Dumbbell Exercises
Friday: Cardio
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Up (Incline Walk On Treadmill) | 10-Minute | 1 | 60-90 secs |
Back Squat | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 secs |
Walking Weighted Lunge (w/ DB or BB) | 4 | 50 meters | 15-25 Secs |
Hamstring Curl | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Leg Press | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
Calf Raise on Leg Press Machine | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
*Triset |
Triset:
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Goblet Squat | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 secs |
Cable Pull-through | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Box Jump | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Related Article - Box Jump Alternatives
Saturday: Biceps and Triceps
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Up (Incline Walk on Treadmill) | 10-Minute | 1 | 60-90 secs |
Preacher Curl | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 secs |
Reverse Grip Cable Pushdown | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curl | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Skull Crusher | 4 | 6-20 | 15-25 Secs |
Concentration Curl | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
Chin-up | 3 | 12 | 15-25 Secs |
*Triset |
Triset:
Exercises | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Overhead Cable Extension | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 secs |
Cable Hammer Curls (w/ Rope) | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Cable Triceps Kickbacks | 4 | to Failure | 20-35 Secs |
Sunday: Rest Day
Who Exactly Is Kumail Nanjiani? (Comedian, Actor, Screenwriter)
Kumail Ali Nanjiani is a Pakistani-American actor, comedian, and screenwriter. Born in 1978 in Karachi, Pakistan, Nanjiani achieved his A-levels before moving to the US when he turned 18.
He landed in Iowa, where he enrolled in Grinnell College and graduated in 2001 with a double major: computer science and philosophy. However, when he moved to Chicago and started performing at open mic nights, he started to find his calling.
By 2007 he was a staple on the Chicago nightclub comedy scene and wrote an original autobiographical one-man show. He took his show from Chicago to Los Angeles and New York. Once he moved to New York, acting gigs started pouring in.
He had regular roles on Michael & Michael Have Issues as well as The Colbert Report. These gigs led to a long-standing relationship and roles with HBO series and mini-series appearances. One of his most prominent was in Portlandia and on the TNT series Franklin & Bash.
During this time, he also hosted and contributed to various podcasts, including one called The Indoor Kids he co-hosted with Ali Baker and, later, his wife, Emily Gordon.[1]
Nanjiani and his wife co-wrote and starred in The Big Sick, which won him notoriety and a rising star nomination. He continued to host podcasts, star in smaller roles through various television series, and in 2019 got cast as Kingo in Marvel Studios Eternals.
When he shared pictures on social media of his transformation for the role, they went viral. His buff look and stone-carved body made splashes in and out of Hollywood.
Kumail currently holds 17 award nominations and 3 wins for his acting. He is also a devout ex-Muslim turned atheist and video game enthusiast.
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Current Body Stats
Leading up to the 2019 filming of Eternals, Nanjiani's body took a drastic transformation. His stats at the time of filming are as follows.
Stat | Measurement |
|---|---|
Height | 5’8” |
Weight | 159 lbs |
Age | 44 |
Biceps | 14 inches |
Waist | 32 inches |
Chest | 40 inches |
Legs | 16 Inches |
Kumail Nanjiani Training and Workout Principles
Nanjiani has a seemingly odd take on his fitness. No stranger to making changes for various roles, he works out 5 or 6 times per week. However, the Eternals casting kicked his workouts up a notch, and he began doing two-a-days and double bodybuilder sets.
He prefers to mix up his cardio and doesn't limit it to a certain time or distance (when running). While he does eat healthy, he also cheats a lot. For five days he will enjoy a low-carb diet rich in proteins and green veggies.[2]
However, on the weekends, he will binge food until he is stuffed full. While this is out of character for most gym enthusiasts, it seems to work for Kumail.
Accomplishments, Awards and Nominations
Nanjiani has a lot of nominations under his belt for his comedy and acting skills. Most of his nominations came from the co-written, semi-biographical The Big Sick. He also holds nods for Silicon Valley, The Twilight Zone, and Little America.
He has three wins in total so far, including the Kinbar Award for Storytelling, Best First Screenplay (both for The Big Sick), and the San Diego International Film Festival Auteur Award.[3]
Related Article - Hugh Jackman's Workout Routine
Kumail Nanjiani's Diet
As mentioned previously, Kumail Nanjiani's diet is somewhat out of sorts. With a low-carb week and a binge weekend, it can be hard to meal prep if you want to imitate him.
However, we suggest you skip the binge and follow the more traditional meal planning Nanjiani admits he used to follow.
Nanjiani stated on social media that he made the change to binge on weekends because he is “still trying to figure the food thing out” and he wasn’t “eating enough otherwise.” Because of the cheat meal binge weekend, he doesn’t have a cheat day.
Here’s an example of what Nanjiani ate during his training.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snack
Foods to Avoid
On a low-carb diet like Kumail's, you need to avoid sugars and starches like bread, pasta, and potatoes.
Rice is a starch, but you will need some carbs. However, meat proteins can also supplement the nutrition if you eat enough. Candy, cakes and non-natural fats should all be avoided.
What To Go For
What To Avoid
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What Supplements Does Kumail Nanjiani Take?
One thing Nanjiani was clear about was that he doesn't like to supplement a lot. In fact, he only takes a daily vitamin and a once per day whey protein in either shake or bar form. Some of the best trainers believe that following supplements aren't needed if you eat healthy and follow your workout plan.
However, many nutritionists paid to endorse supplements will argue. Kumail Nanjiani’s transformation may be proof, though, that supplements aren’t always needed.
As he is in the best shape of his life and working with one of the biggest studio production companies and filmmakers of the current era, He may be on to something.
Whether you want to be just any superhero or the South Asian superhero, supplements may be needed. Creatine and whey protein, as well as a daily multivitamin, are highly recommended.
Related Article - Jackie Chan's Diet Program And Exercise Routine
Kumail Nanjiani Workout Routine FAQs
Kumail Nanjiani hired personal trainer Grant Roberts to help with his transformation and worked out in Robert’s Beverly Hills gym, one of the most exclusive training facilities in the country, called Granite Gym (America’s most exclusive gym).[4]
Because of his age at the time (41), Robert's and Najiani worked on a safe yet effective workout routine that took about nine months for Kumail to fully transform into his role as Kingo.
According to Nanjiani's personal trainer, from the time they started working together until he left to film the Marvel movie Kumail put on about 25 pounds of muscle.
According to Kumail's social media posts and images, the bulk and fitness he gained for the Marvel movie, Eternals role in 2019 are still ongoing. While he doesn't train as hard today as he did for the film, he is still fit and in shape.
See Also - Bruce Lee's Daily Workout And Diet Plan
Conclusion
Training like a superhero requires a lot of changes. Your diet, exercise routine, and mental focus all need to level up. Kumail Nanjiani is proof that age is only a number, and even in your 40s, you can make drastic changes for the better.
Following this intense workout will require stamina, dedication, and drive. It also helps to have a trainer by your side. Without the push from a personal trainer, this workout routine is easy to quit, and hard to see quick results.
References:
1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5077137/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537084/
3. https://sdfilmfest.com/kumail-nanjiani-heather-graham-to-be-saluted-at-san-diego-film-festival/
4. http://www.granitegym.com/
