The movie “300” is probably the most testosterone-filled flick of all time. The movie based on the exploits of 300 Spartan warriors in the battle of Thermopylae also made Gerald Butler into a household name. After the film became one of the biggest hits of 2006, many guys searched the internet on information on the Gerald Butler workout curious on how they can transform their body into one which looked like that of a Spartan warrior.
In playing the role of King Leonidas, Butler had to prepare hard for the movie. He wasn’t really known for being a gym rat, so he enlisted the services of trainer Mark Twight to help him build a warrior’s body. Gerald trained six hours a day for four straight months, even lifting weights in between shoots. He worked out six days a week, usually taking a rest on Sundays.
So how did Butler achieve a body full of bulging muscles and six pack abs? Here’s how.
Below is Gerard Butler routine:
| Workout Options | Repetition |
|---|---|
300 Workout | |
| Pull Ups | 25 |
| Deadlifts (135-Pound) | 50 |
| Push Ups | 50 |
| Floor Wipers | 50 |
| Single Arm Clean | 50 |
| Single Arm Clean Press Using 36 Pound Kettlebells | 50 |
| Pull Ups | 25 |
Intermediate Workout | |
| Pull Ups | 25 |
| Dumbbell Deadlift | 50 |
| Push Ups | 50 |
| Body-Weight Jump Squat | 50 |
| V-Up | 50 |
| Dumbbell Push Press | 50 |
| Pull Ups | 25 |
Original ‘300’ Workout
The original ‘300’ workout was the same training program that the other cast members did to bulk up and look like real Spartan warriors. It should be noted that there is no rest period in between the exercises in this workout routine, which makes it very tough to complete.
It begins with 25 reps of pull-ups, before proceeding with deadlifts using 135-pound barbell. This exercise is quite taxing, as Butler and his peers had to do 50 repetitions.
After finishing the deadlifts, Butler had to get down on all fours and do 50 repetitions of push-ups. He was required to lower his body until his chest nearly touches the floor. Simply put, Butler was discouraged from ‘cheating’ in this exercise.
Butler then had to do 50 repetitions of floor wipers. In this routine, he had to hold up a 135 pound barbell above his chest then bring his feet up together to the left plate, down to the middle then up to the right plate. He would then have to put his feet down in the middle for one repetition.
Continuing with the workout, Butler had to do 50 repetitions of the single arm clean and press using 36 pound kettlebells. In this exercise, Butler stands shoulder width apart with the kettlebell between his feet. He then bends at the knees, grabbing the kettlebell with an overhand grip. Using force coming from the legs and hips, he has to bring the kettlebell up to his chest. Since there are 50 repetitions needed for this routine, Butler had to do 25 reps for each arm.
Finishing this set, Butler had to do 25 repetitions of the pull-ups.
Intermediate Workout
Butler also had to take on the intermediate workout to further improve his body. The intermediate workout consisted of seven exercises, the first of which is the pull-ups. This served as a warm-up, with Butler grabbing the pull-up bar with an overhand grip and hanging at arm’s length. He lifts his body so that his chest is close to the bar, pausing for a second or two, before lowering the body back to the original position. He had to complete 25 reps of this workout.
The intermediate workout, like the original 300 workout, required no rest period. Hence, Butler had to perform 50 repetitions of the dumbbell deadlift right after finishing 25 reps of the pull-ups.
After that, Butler had to get down on all fours and complete 50 reps of push-ups. Again, there was no rest in between the exercises so the star had to do 50 repetitions of body-weight jump squat after finishing the push-ups.
In doing body-weight jump squats, Butler places his fingers on the back of his head, pulling the elbows back so that it is parallel with the body. Dipping the knees, he then jumps as high as he cans. When he lands, he has to squat down again in preparation for another leap.
After completing 50 reps of body-weight jump squats, next up are 50 repetitions of the V-Up. In this workout, Butler lies face up on the floor. He then holds his arms straight, just above the top of the head. In one quick move, he tries to lift his torso and legs as if he was trying to touch his toes. He then lowers his body to go back to the original position.
Next up is dumbbell push press, which Butler has to do 50 times. The star then finishes the workout with another set of pull-ups, which he has to do 25 times.
Indeed, the Gerald Butler workout for “300” required a lot of energy and endurance as there was no rest period in between the exercises. But all the hard work paid off as Butler was very convincing in his portrayal of the courageous Spartan king.