Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelIntermediate
- Program Duration12 weeks
- Days Per Week5
- Time Per Workout60-90 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar, Machines
- Target Gender Male
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
The Avengers are set to go to war this May and it’ll be their toughest battle yet.
They’re going to have to stop Thanos and defeat him as he tries to collect the remaining Infinity Stones and execute his plan to destroy the entire universe.
Luckily, they’re not going to have to go it alone.
They’ll have the Guardians of the Galaxy on their side, which means we get to see Chris Pratt’s portrayal of Star Lord in theaters again very very soon.
And what better way to honor our universe’s heroes than a series of Avengers: Infinity War superhero inspired workout programs?
I can’t think of any.
So, let’s kick things off with the man himself: Peter Quill aka Star Lord.
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Introduction to the Chris Pratt Inspired Workout
Chris Pratt skyrocketed to fame and has all but cemented his place as one of Hollywood’s most popular action stars.
But it wasn’t that long ago that Pratt was the thicc (two C’s) and loveable Andy Dwyer on the hit comedy series Parks and Rec. Believe it or not, Chris had to lose nearly 60lbs prior to playing Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1.
Luckily for Chris, that wasn’t the first major body transformation he completed for an acting role. He had to improve his athleticism and physique to look like professional baseball player Scott Hatteberg in Moneyball.
Subsequent movie roles forced Chris into a rollercoaster of weight gain and weight loss until ultimately he got the call from Marvel. Since that point, he’s remained consistently shredded as apparent in his roles as Star Lord and Owen, the badass velociraptor trainer in the Jurassic World series.
So, how did he do it?
From all the information we have access to about Chris Pratt, we can deduce the following principles about how Chris works out.
Chris Pratt Sets Goals with a Firm Deadline
Nothing will make you follow through with a goal quite like having to be in shape, or otherwise be replaced.
Chris’ goal was to look like a superhero. His deadline was set by Marvel and those in charge of the Guardians of the Galaxy project.
If Chris didn’t meet his goal by the deadline, he would’ve lost his job. That’s a powerful incentive.
And while you may not have that kind of a factor pushing you towards your goals, you can still apply Chris’ goal setting ability to your own fitness journey.
Chris Pratt Prioritizes Being Active Most Days
Whether he’s killing it in the gym with a traditional bodybuilding split, knocking out a WOD at his favorite Crossfit Box, doing P90x or Insanity in his own home, or simply getting out to train for an Iron Man – Chris remains active nearly every day of the week.
That’s something we should all strive to do.
Now, you’ll need to take your own capabilities into consideration to ensure you recover properly to grow lean muscle tissue. But just because you can’t hit the weights doesn’t mean you can’t get out and go for hike, walk, jog, or whatever you have the ability to do.
Chris Pratt Keeps His Nutrition Dialed In
In one of my personal favorite Chris Pratt Instagram miniseries, “What’s My Snack”, Chris shows off his meals while at home, on set, or on the go.
From seaweed avocado wraps to carrot cake muffins, Chris has his meals carefully planned out to fit all of his calorie, macronutrient, and micronutrient needs.
The man also cut alcohol out of his diet for 8 months while training for his Star Lord role. That takes a lot of will power to do, and as you can see, created the deficit he needed to lose fat.
Figure out how many calories you need to eat each day to accomplish your goals and aim to be consistent with your diet. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll be able to accomplish.
Chris Pratt Works with a Trainer
Marvel put Chris in touch with celebrity trainer and former Navy Seal, Duffy Gaver, to help him get in shape for the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
In the past, Duffy has helped Chris Hemsworth get ready for Thor, Liam Hemsworth train for various roles, and Scarlett Johansson prepare to play Black Widow.
Duffy is a no-nonsense kind of guy who likes to stick to the bodybuilding basics. That means hypertrophy rep ranges, calorie control, and eating micronutrient rich food sources.
Working with a trainer can be very beneficial, especially if you’re new to weight lifting or athletic training. They’re not only full of knowledge, but they are also excellent motivators.
I think Duffy’s track record speaks for itself.
Chris Pratt Inspired Workout Program
Below is a 12 week program inspired by Chris Pratt’s physique and is aimed to help you build lean muscle mass to look like the Guardians of the Galaxy star.
It is important to note that this isn’t Chris Pratt’s actual workout program.
However, it was designed with careful attention to detail based on information we have on how Chris trains and how his trainer, Duffy Gaver, trains his clients.
The program consists of a 4 day bodybuilding split, a full body tabata training style day, and 2 active recovery days (if you’ll remember from the notes above, Chris likes to be active most days of the week).
The 4 day split utilizes hypertrophy rep ranges to provide the time under tension necessary to build muscle. Rest periods for this style of training should be limited to 30-60 seconds.
Weight selection will vary from person to person. So, it’s important that you select a weight you can perform the prescribed number of reps. By the end of each set, you should feel as though you only have one more rep left in the tank.
Be diverse in your cardio selection and the activities you select for your active recovery days. This will help keep your weeks interesting and your motivation high.
Chris Pratt Workout Day 1: Back, Biceps, & Abs
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
1. Pull Up | 5 | 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 |
2. Pull Down | 5 | 15, 12, 12, 10, 8 |
3. Hammer Strength Row | 4 | 12, 12, 10, 10 |
4. Heavy Dumbbell Row | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
5. Barbell Curl | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 6 |
6a. Hammer Curl | 3 | 12 |
6b. Reverse Curl | 3 | 12 |
7. Plank | 3 | 20 Secs |
8. Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 15 |
9. Sit Up | 3 | 20 |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 2: Chest & Triceps
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
1. Bench Press | 5 | 12, 10, 8, 6, 6 |
2. Incline Bench Press | 3 | 12 |
3. Hammer Strength Bench Press | 3 | 15 |
4. Cable Flys | 3 | 12 |
5. Dips | 3 | Failure |
6. Tricep Rope Pressdown | 3 | 12 |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 3: Legs & Core
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
1. Barbell Back Squat | 6 | 15, 12, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
2. Deadlift | 4 | 10, 8, 6, 6 |
3. Leg Press | 1 | 10* |
4. Bodyweight Walking Lunge | 3 | 15 Each |
5. Leg Curls | 3 | 20, 15, 12 |
6. Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 20 |
7. Plank | 3 | 20 Secs |
8. Bodyweight Glute Bridge | 3 | 20 |
9. Oblique Crunch | 3 | 15 Each |
*Drop sets to failure until only the sled is left.
Chris Pratt Workout Day 4: Active Recovery Day
On this day do something light that helps you remain active. This is the perfect opportunity to perform some form of cardio exercise. My recommendation would be doing something active outdoors such as a walk, jog, or bike ride.
Chris Pratt Workout Day 5: Shoulders & Triceps
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
1. Military Press | 5 | 12, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
2. Lateral Raise | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
3. Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 15 |
4. Front Raise | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
5. Barbell Shrugs | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
6. Overhead Extension | 3 | 12 |
7. Skull Crusher | 3 | 12 |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 6: Full Body Tabata
4 Mins total for each exercise. Perform them for 20 seconds nonstop, then rest for 10 seconds throughout the entire 4 mins.
Exercise | Mins | On/Off |
---|---|---|
1. Push Up | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
2. Pull Up | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
3. Air Squat | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
4. Bodyweight Lunge | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
5. Hyperextension | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
6. Crunch | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
7. Plank | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 7: Active Recovery Day
On this day do something light that helps you remain active. This is the perfect opportunity to perform some form of cardio exercise. My recommendation would be doing something active outdoors such as a walk, jog, or bike ride.
Final Notes on the Chris Pratt Inspired Workout Program
The 12 week workout program listed above was inspired by Chris Pratt’s exercise habits.
If your goal is to look like Star Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy or Owen from Jurassic World, it is a solid workout to help you reach your goals.
However, working out is only a small piece of the fitness puzzle. Ensure you’re eating accordingly to your goals and consuming nutrient rich whole food sources such as: veggies, fruits, whole grains and oats, lean meats, healthy fats, and low fat dairy products.
To build muscle like Chris Pratt, you’re also going to need to make sure you get enough sleep each night. 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night should do the trick. This, paired with your active recovery days, will help your muscles repair and grow.
Be sure to check out Chris Pratt (and the rest of the Marvel crew) in Avengers: Infinity War on May 4th, 2018 and in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom on June 22nd, 2018.
If you have any questions regarding this Chris Pratt inspired workout routine (or have a future superhero/villain inspired workout program request), please leave us a comment in the comments section below!
85 Comments
My gym is a bit of a drive for me so I work out before work in the mornings. Do you have to do recovery days in the middle ? or can you work out 5 days straight and take the recovery days on the weekend? Thanks
You can, Matt. Just be prepared to train with the DOMS that may come from the leg day. Keep your meals and sleep on point, especially on those weekends! Good luck, and thanks for visiting M&S.
Hi. With which exersice to replace the hammer strength bench perss (do not have it in my gym)? Seated machine press is good?
Nadav -
Seated machine press is fine.
Hi Josh,
Good day to you.
For abs, do we need to incorporate one full session for abs building to lose the sturborn belly fat? My physical build, OK for the rest of the body part. Just need to add slight bulkiness, but my main problem is still the belly sturborn part. Is this workout can help? Do you have any other suggestion?
Hi Daniel,
There really is no way to target specific fat loss. It, unfortunately, doesn't work that way. The midsection is also very much dependent on your genetics.
The best way to lose belly fat is to just be consistent both with working out and dieting. It takes time, but if you put in the effort, you'll see great results.
What about legs? Is one day of legs a week enough?
Hi Stephan,
Most people can see leg growth with just one training day dedicated per week. If you feel you need more, feel free to add an additional day.
Quick question. With some workouts I've done in the past, as the reps go down you increase the weight. Is it the case with this workout?
i.e 15 reps/25lbs, 12 reps/30lbs and so on. Or is it the same weight throughout the exercise?
p.s. Very muck looking forward to this workout.
Hi John,
As reps decrease, increase the weight used. Good luck!
I was wondering if there is gonna be a jason momoas aquaman workout coming out
Hi Erron,
You can find Jason's inspired workout here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-momoa-accelerated-resul...
Hi I'm wondering that if I do this constantly do I need rest days still, I'm 15 so my body is still developing so how many rest days would I take?
Hi William,
I wouldn't recommend this program for a 15 yr old. Give this article a read and try out one of the workouts within it: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/teenage-bodybuilding
Would this workout be beneficial for me? I'm currently 19 turning 20
Hi Keenan,
Not enough info to give an adequate answer to that question. If you are a beginner, I'd recommend starting with one of these: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/beginner
Hi. Currently skinny fat right now. Have a year of lifting experience with full body workouts. Can I go into a lean bulk phase with this workout?
Hi Raghu,
Sure, this program can be used to help accomplish those goals.
isn’t 8 weeks the maximum length to see muscle growth and results?
Hi Armando,
8 weeks is the recommended duration. You can perform the workout for as long as you like.
I love how this program hits the typical bro split, but stimulates the muscles again with the tabata bodyweight workout. My question is, will the shoulders and triceps be okay hitting upper body exercises the following day? Otherwise this workout seems like the best of both worlds for more frequency and pump style workouts in one. I have to admit, I do love a good bro split from the stand point of the pumps.
Hi Ryan,
It should be fine since the tabata is more of an unweighted cardio bout- but again, it'll depend on the individual and their work capacity.
Bro splits are definitely fun lol.
starting this training
Good luck!
In my 4th week of this program and feel great. I have noticed that some days I am stronger than others, and sometimes have to adjust the weight down from the last week to make the sets. Is this a reasonable approach? I don't feel it's about gains week over week but rather pushing through the entire routine at the best of your ability, for that particular day/week.
Hi PacNwTexan,
Absolutely! Progress isn't always linear and a lot of things can play a role in how much energy we have for any given workout.
Just be consistent over time and you'll get there.
Best of luck!
Josh, today I finished Killmonger workout, I lost 3% of body fat to stuck in 29%, my goal is too keep losing body fat, do you recommend this workout or Deadpool workout?
Hi Armando,
I believe I answered your question on the deadpool workout. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out,
Josh what training you would recommend after completion of this one? One that would work the same muscle group ?
Hi Krzysztof,
It depends on your goals and the style of workouts you enjoy doing. If you like these celeb themed workouts, you could try either the Thor workout, Venom workout, Deadpool, or Killmonger. I'll link them below:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/thor-ragnarok-chris-hemsworth...
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/michael-b-jordan-workout-program
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/ryan-reynolds-deadpool-inspir...
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/tom-hardy-venom-workout
Hope this helps!
How should I figure out how much weight to use.
Hi Drew,
Pick a weight you think you can use for the prescribed reps. If too heavy, move down. If too light, move up. You should finish each set feeling as though you have 1-2 reps left in the tank. A good rule of thumb is 75-85% of your working max for the prescribed rep ranges.
Hope this helps!
I intend to lose body fat, but slowly, is this training a good one to follow? Is it even possible to have some lean muscle gains with a right diet, even when focused in losing fat?
Hi Lucas,
If you're a true beginner, yes. If not, not really - they are conflicting goals that require different variables to accomplish.
If you're just starting out in the gym, I'd recommend one of these: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/beginner
What’s the meal plan for this type of workout?
Hi Roberto,
Pretty hard to recommend specific meal plans. I'd recommend starting here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-calculator
Then go here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-calculate-perfect-macros
And finish up here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-create-a-bodybuilding-...
Is it one exercise at a time or go down the list n back to the top
Hi Michael,
One exercise at a time.
Hope this helps!
Hey Josh, do you think that this workout could be used for people beginning, but at a lower weight?
Hi Daniel,
I wouldn't recommend this particular workout for beginners.
Try one of these: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/beginner
Hope this helps!
Is it ok to take a mini break in this routine? I just started the 4th week and for some reason had to drop the weight on some of the exercises to finish the reps. To be honest everything except my pecs and my right calf are aching and not just the day after, I have been in pain for several days now. I am loathe to start workout 2 when my triceps are still in pain and my biceps (a tertiary muscle in use) are in agony, I could still complete the workout , but would have to again decrease the weight.
Hi Dannyboy,
Yes, take a week. No point in trying to go if you're not completely recovered.
This workout is a bit more on the intermediate-advance side of our workouts. If you're truly struggling, it might be worth lookin into a different program that has slightly less volume.
Hope this helps!
Thanks, I took 5 days off and modified the workout slightly so I workout every other day, I find that as I near 45 years of age I need the extra rest days to allow time for my muscles to recover. I also do a limited range of motion deadlift as I have a history of back injuries and my back was in agony the morning after, and for a couple of days after that, doing the normal deadlift. It is only a couple of inches higher up my legs, but waking up pain-free the next day is great.
Does the pull ups reps of 15 12 10 10 8 is it preformed just as that or 5 times through?
Hi Jim,
Perform each rep count as an individual set and then move on to the next exercise. Do not perform 25 sets of pull ups :)
Hope this helps!
I will be starting this workout next week, could you tell me what does "Drop sets to failure until only the sled is left" actually mean?
Hi Dannyboy,
Awesome! Hope you enjoy!
Add the desired amount of weight to the leg press sled. After each time you hit failure, remove a plate from each side and go to failure again. Continue until there is no weight on the sled and perform reps to failure with just the sled.
Hope this helps!
It does help thank you, I started the workout today and after the first 2 exercises, I thought I was going to die.
just a quick one though, my gym has the "multi-gym" type leg press where you use a pin to select weight. If I go down 1 weight at a time I will be looking at about 12-14 sets, is this right?
Hi Danny,
If that's the case, you may want to make greater drops. When I've done this in the past, it usually ends up being 6ish sets.
Hope this helps!