Thanks to hunky superheroes in films like Thor, Green Lantern, and Captain America, women have a lot to look forward to at the theaters. However, those superhero six packs don’t come easily. According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, getting the body of Thor or Green Lantern requires daily personal training, customized meals, and an almost superhuman will and determination.   

To train for the role of Thor, a movie that hit theaters April 21, Chris Hemsworth endured six months of heavy weight training, kettle ball workouts, and mixed martial arts moves. Trainer Mike Knight also worked cardio into the mix, which gets the heart rate up while training muscles. The result?

Reynolds’ training regime was no less grueling. The actor trained for seven months to shape up for his role in Green Lantern (June 17), training that included 800-pound leg presses, lifting 10-foot pipes filled with water, and dragging tires from place to place, not to mention the twists, crunches, and Bosu ball exercises that helped Reynolds develop those killer abs. Was it worth it? You decide.

Trainers insist that these superhero results would not be possible without the help of a clean, healthy diet.

“It’s 80% diet,” says Knight. “You’ve got to eat clean.”

Reynolds’ trainer, Bobby Strom, agrees.

“Grilled salmon, asparagus, zucchini, peppers--vegetables are always good because they're low in calories and they're good carbs."

The whole point of the grueling workouts and strict diets, says Strom, is to develop a unique look that will wow theater goers and inspire them to improve their own physiques.  

"These people are bigger than life, and you want someone you can aspire to be. The audience wants to go, 'Whoa. Wow.' And they want to see a difference from the last time they saw that actor...when Ryan does something else, we'll make his body different again. This will be known as his Green Lantern physique."

I, for one, will always remember the Green Lantern and Thor physiques!

Tags: ryan reynolds, green lantern, chris hemsworth, thor, captain america, superhero abs, bobby strom, mike knight
Categories: Hotties