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, Machines
- Target Gender Male & Female
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
With Thor: Ragnarok set to hit theatres next month, one of the most common questions we keep getting is: “How can I look as jacked as Chris Hemsworth playing Thor?”
And no matter where you are in your fitness journey, this article will show you how to get closer to the muscular, yet chiseled physique Chris Hemsworth has when playing Thor.
When Chris originally accepted the role of Thor, he was a skinny Australian dude with a surfer type body. He was definitely “beach ready”, but nothing even remotely close to what you would call jacked.
His enormous size transformation is a result of hard work, sweat, lots of iron and eating like a ravenous animal.
If you are into getting big, let’s see what it’ll take to pack on muscle like Hemsworth, so you too can have arms worthy of wielding Mjolnir and battling the Incredible Hulk.
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The course will teach you how your body builds muscle, how to utilize workout plans on our website to maximize muscle growth, how to eat to build muscle, how to supplement to build muscle and how to track your progress.
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Introduction to the Thor Ragnarok Inspired Workout
Chris more than likely trains 5-6 days a week for 1-2 hours a day and his workouts are as intense as it gets.
If you want results, you need to put in an enormous amount of effort. Period.
As I already said, this workout is not for the weak willed, so there are couple of things to keep in mind before starting (no matter how experienced you are).
1. Start slow: Start slow and work yourself up to the full workout. There is no point in getting injured.
2. Take days off if you need to: This workout can put a huge amount of strain on your muscles. Good news is that you most likely have more time than Chris had (He had to get jacked in 6 months). Even if it takes you a little longer, it will still be extremely impressive.
3. Chris had a personal trainer: Thor’s workouts (which this workout is based loosely off of) were handcrafted by Duffy Gaver and Luke Zocchi (more recently), who both also kept Chris motivated when his spirits were low.
4. Chris most likely had no other distractions: His life revolved around executing his workouts (and possibly shooting another movie). Getting in the shape for Thor is part of his job as an actor.
Average people like us are usually constrained by other obligations: work, family, friends, and others. So, you may want to consider adapting this Thor Ragnarok inspired workout to better fit your schedule.
5. Chris had very powerful "why": Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Thor is now immortalized in several motion pictures for millions of people to see. This by itself can serve as an extremely potent source of motivation, don't you think?
If he bailed out or put in half-assed effort, he would go down in the cinematic history as a tiny Thor, get ridiculed on the internet, lose his face, never be hired as an actor again… maybe not as tragic, but you get my point - his career was depending on it.
Having a very strong “why” can fuel your motivation like nothing else. Make sure you know why you're embarking on this journey of making yourself huge, so you can bounce back from any setbacks that wait for you along the way.
The Thor Ragnarok Inspired Workout Program
OK, are you ready to put on some serious mass, whilst maintaining this lean and chiseled look? If yes, then let's dive deep into the nitty gritty of this Thor Ragnarok inspired workout program, so you too can get jacked enough to battle against the Incredible Hulk and Hela (the Queen of the Dead).
As mentioned, this isn't Chris Hemsworth's actual workout. It is a Thor inspired workout based on a combination of both of his trainers' workout philosophies.
Rest for 30-60 seconds after each exercise. Abs are meant to be performed as a circuit with no rest between exercises. Chris Hemsworth is also very active outside of the gym, including his days off. Be sure to incorporate some light active recovery work on your days off as well to maximize your results.
Chris Hemsworth Thor Workout Monday = Chest/Back/Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Barbell Bench Press | 5 | 12, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| 2. Dumbbell Fly | 4 | 12 |
| 3. Bent-over Row | 4 | 12 |
| 4. Hammer Strength Row | 4 | 12 |
| 5. Weighted Pullup | 5 | 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 |
| 6. Weighted Dip | 5 | 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 |
| 7a. Plank | 1-3 | 60 seconds |
| 7b. Cable Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 7c. Sit Up | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 7d. Reverse Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 7e. Hanging Leg Raise | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 7f. Oblique Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 each side |
For cardio, perform rounds of cardio boxing (15 total minutes on bag, 15 total minutes on pads, 15 total minutes of jump rope) or 45 minutes of cardio of choice.
Chris Hemsworth Thor Workout Tuesday = Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Barbell Squat | 5 | 10, 8, 8, 6, 4 |
| 2. Stiff-Legged Deadlift | 4 | 12 |
| 3. Hamstring Curls | 3 | 20 |
| 4. Leg Extension | 3 | 20 |
| 5. Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 20 |
For cardio, Chris Hemsworth likes to surf. If you can't go surfing, perform cardio of choice.
Chris Hemsworth Thor Workout Wednesday = Abs & Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Weighted Chin Up | 5 | 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 |
| 2. Barbell Curls | 3 | 10 |
| 3. Hammer Curls | 3 | 10 |
| 4. Cable Tricep Extension | 3 | 10 |
| 5. Barbell French Press | 3 | 10 |
| 6a. Plank | 1-3 | 60 seconds |
| 6b. Cable Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6c. Sit Up | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6d. Reverse Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6e. Hanging Leg Raise | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6f. Oblique Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 each side |
For Cardio, perform HIIT circuits on the stationary bike (or preferred HIIT).
Chris Hemsworth Thor Workout Thursday = Chest/Shoulders/Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Barbell Bench Press | 5 | 12, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| 2. Dumbbell Fly | 4 | 12 |
| 3. Bent-over Row | 4 | 12 |
| 4. Bent-over Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 |
| 5. Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 5 | 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 |
| 6. Lateral Raise | 4 | 12 |
| 7. Front Raise | 4 | 12 |
For cardio, perform rounds of cardio boxing (15 total minutes on bag, 15 total minutes on pads, 15 total minutes of jump rope) or 45 minutes of cardio of choice.
Chris Hemsworth Thor Workout Friday = Legs & Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Barbell Squat | 5 | 10, 8, 8, 6, 4 |
| 2. Stiff-Legged Deadlift | 4 | 12 |
| 3. Hamstring Curls | 3 | 20 |
| 4. Leg Extension | 3 | 20 |
| 5. Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 20 |
| 6a. Plank | 1-3 | 60 seconds |
| 6b. Cable Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6c. Sit Up | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6d. Reverse Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6e. Hanging Leg Raise | 1-3 | 12-15 |
| 6f. Oblique Crunch | 1-3 | 12-15 each side |
For Cardio, perform HIIT circuits on the stationary bike (or preferred HIIT).
Chris Hemsworth Thor Inspired Diet
Here is a quick break down what you need to eat to become worthy of being called Thor:
Protein
- Whole eggs
- Chicken
- Fish
- Steak
- Plant-based protein powder
- Veal
- Rabbit
- Whey protein shakes
Carbs
- Broccoli, spinach, and other green vegetables
- Sweet potatoes
- Brown rice
- Steel-cut oatmeal
- Quinoa
- Berries
For carbs, the Thor diet centered around eating things that you find growing in the earth, not processed and put in a box.
Fats
- Grass fed butter
- Coconut oil
- Avocado
- Nuts
Chris's diet while preparing for the role of Thor is as strict as anyone trying to gain lean muscle mass should be. But exactly how many calories a day was he consuming to get himself from a relatively good looking beach boy to a god of thunder?
It was 3500 calories a day (minimum).
You should obviously also adjust this based on your personal weight and height. To find your daily calorie needs, use this bmr calculator. Then, to bulk like the Asgardian, add ~500 calories to that number to create a calorie surplus.
As you can see above, those calories are not coming from fast foods either. To keep your body performing at its best and fat at a minimum, get your calories from fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, proteins and carbs.
Mindset Like Thor: God of Thunder
So far we covered the training program and nutrition. What about the psychological aspect? Having a mindset to become Thor is all too important and you probably won't get too far if you don't get that on point.
Most likely, you don’t have a trainer to do this, so remember:
- It’s not going to be easy.
- You’re going to want to quit.
- There are no shortcuts.
- You will feel amazing when you look in the mirror and see the man you wanted to be.
All self-improvement begins in the mind. Listen to yourself making excuse, then stay strong & push through.
Final Notes on the Thor Ragnarok Inspired Workout Program
Perform this Thor Ragnarok inspired routine consistently and you’ll be looking swole like Chris Hemsworth in no time.
The recommended duration for this program is 12 weeks, but you can run it for up to 6 months at a time. Just listen to your body and take some time to deload as needed.
Thor: Ragnarok hits theaters on November 3, 2017. Be sure to check out the man who inspired this workout in action on the silver screen as he is pit against the Hulk in an intergalactic battle and tries to save Asgard, all while preventing Ragnarok from happening.
Extra Things You Should Keep in Mind:
If you are feeling sore, drained, and unmotivated, take a day off.
Listen to your body, it will tell you when you’ve crossed the line and you should take some time off from training.
Sleep 8-10 hours a night - if you're putting in all this work but neglecting sleep, you are doing it wrong!
Do you have what it takes to get a superhero physique like Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Thor?
Enjoy the workout and let us know your thoughts on the program in the comments below!
207 Comments
Would this be a good program to lean out to 10-12% body fat, have a good foundation, wanna increase strength and have a good ab routine going to get my six pack.
I'm not sure where you're starting at now, but this could definitely help you make progress towards those goals.
Could you offer an alternative for the Seated Leg Curl? I have a home gym and I have what I need for everything but that exercise.
If you have a band, you can do seated leg curls with a band and a bench. I can't share a direct link, but there are plenty of videos on YouTube that shows how to do this.
Besides that, any hamstring exercise you're not already doing will work for you.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/hamstrings
So it mentions 45 minutes of cardio of my choice. Personally with how little body fat I have is it necessary for me to do that much cardio? I'm trying to gain weight/ muscle. I find this would be counterproductive to my goal. I usually do about 15 minutes of cardio before I start my workout.
Do the 15 minutes after the workout instead, and you should be good to go, Jesse. As long as you're eating healthy, you shouldn't need too much more than that. Just don't skip it altogether because it is important for overall health and wellness. Thanks for reading M&S!
Do the 15 minutes after the workout instead, and you should be good to go, Jesse. As long as you're eating healthy, you shouldn't need too much more than that. Just don't skip it altogether because it is important for overall health and wellness. Thanks for reading M&S!
what is the %RM of the exercises?
I don't believe that was considered for this program, but if you need a starting point, 60% would be my recommendation. Hope this helps!
What does it mean when the workout plan says (7a-7b-7c) etc..
Those are circuits. You are supposed to perform those exercises in a row without a break until you finish the last one.
So, 7a, straight into 7b, straight into 7c, and so on until you reach the last one in the group.
I just wanted to know what would be the best rep set for me in case of pullups since I can only do 5 to 7 pullups in one set
Either go to failure, or use an assistant pull up machine to achieve the reps. You could also use a band on a pullup bar to help.
I work 24 hrs, 2 days off, work 24 hrs, 2 days off. Would this routine work with my schedule? Trying to put some muscle on. Thank you
What's good, Paul? Yes, you can make this work for you. It may not fall into a perfect seven day split, but you can train on your two days off with the "rest day" being your work shift. If at any point you feel like you need more rest, simply take an extra day off of training.
Hi, maybe I missed that...how much rest should I consider between sets? thanks
Hey Alberto - rest can be 1-2 minutes between sets.
Thus workout has helped me quite a bit. Got my arms to grow and inch and put on about 15 pounds after 2 months. I added an arm day to it and did a 6/day split with it.
Will always come back to this workout.
i was to have a good Physique and look cut
i’m pretty fit and do a lot of long distance running i want to put on some more muscle whilst staying lean is this a good workout for me
Hey a j b - yes, you can do this workout. If you want something with a little less volume, check out this one: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/phul-workout. Keep in mind that the biggest factor in gaining muscle is eating in a caloric surplus.
Sorry but this cannot be the workout for that superheroic physique. It is beginner to intermediate level workout. I tried this workout and I feel it is just an inspiration and not the exact workout which chris would have done.
My dude, it says "inspired" in the title and it says intermediate right there in the description of the workout. It's definitely not beginner. I don't know a single beginner able to do weighted pull ups. I'm sorry you're disappointed that a novelty workout isn't exactly what a paid celebrity does to look like the God of thunder.
When doing exercises the have pyramid sets like bench press or squats, is it the same weight for all sets out does the weight get heavier as the reps decrease for each set?
Hey Ray - great question. As the reps decrease, the weight will increase.
If he is increasing the weight, then he was warming up with those 12 reps if he is only resting between 1 and 2 minutes.
Hello,
I am 25yr old, 225lbs, 66.25in, Daily calorie requirement: 2567cal/day - was wondering if it was okay for me to stick to this program, or should I lose more weight before starting? Also, would you refer me to a nutrition plan or template that I could stick to please, thanks a lot for this great advice!
Hey Freddy - you can try out this workout for a few weeks and see how your body reacts to it. If you're too sore or not seeing results, you can switch programs. We don't have a specific diet plan that goes along with this. Since you already have your caloric requirements, check out this guide on determining your macros: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/determine-daily-calorie-macro...
Is it really the same sets and reps for 12 weeks?
Hey Shane - yes it is.
Why aren’t there any incline workouts for chest?
Hi! I'm about to start this workout plan today after finishing a 10 week, general body muscle program so I'm sure my body is fixed enough for this plan and I also keep a healthy diet, so I'm sure that will help too. But I'm wondering, I really want to build my abs but I still have some fat around my stomach area, how do I know when I have lost enough fat to actually build abs? And will this workout help build abs?
Hey Christian - seeing your abs all depends on your body fat % and genetics. This workout trains abs 3x per week which is plenty.
Hi!! I finished this workout already. I was wondering do you have a workout that workouts body parts twice a week that is mixed with pull ups dips that will guarantee muscle growth? I could stick to it for some time? Thanks in advance!!
Hey Jordan - check out this one: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/upper-lower-4-day-gym-bodybui...
Thanks!! Do you have anything that is of 6 days per week?
Hey Jordan - something like this? https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/6-day-powerbuilding-split-mea...
Hello!! Is there anything to do to fix an uneven chest? I have been working on my chest and my left pec is growing way more than my right do you have any tips to fix that? The weird thing is that the chest that is not growing is my dominant hand. Is there anything I could do?
Hey Ernesto - Check out this article on unilateral training: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/unilateral-training-muscle-st...
Should I do this workout for muscle imbalance even tho im working on another one already?
Ernesto - stick to the workout you're currently working on. Once you finish that, you can reassess your imbalance and choose a workout accordingly.
Im half way done with this workout routine. I have not seen the changes that i was expected but its fine. Should I do this exercise again or not? If not do you have any workout plan that I can stick to it for my whole life that i would hit at least twice a week every muscle group? I would really appreciate!
Hey Felipe - What does your diet look like? Your diet plays a large part in the results that you see from any program.
My diet is the following: I hit 2900 calories per day sometimes more. My macros are always around 180 grams of protein 250 grams of carbs and around 110 grams of fat regularly. I weight 140 and im 5'10. I Workout 6 times per week.
Hey Felipe - sounds solid! Have you used our BMR calculator (https://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-calculator) to see what your caloric needs are? You can adjust the number by adding 250-500 calories if you want to gain and subtracting 250-500 calories if you want to lose weight.
Thanks!! Yes, I have seen the bmr calculator and it says 2900 so when I add 250 it gives me 3212 I often meet my macros and calories. What could be the issue?
There are a lot of things that can affect your results like lack of sleep and stress. I would recommend sticking with the program and seeing where it takes you. Once you complete the program, you can re-address your goals (ie. lose fat, gain muscle), and then choose a program to help you reach those goals.
I've been doing this for 4-5 weeks and feel I've seen a small increase in Muscle. I'm doing at least 1,000 - 1,400 Calories per each work out also (Which is anywhere between 2,500 - 4,500 active total a day)
I feel I'm not eating enough calories though and I'm also running as the cardio as I have a half marathon for Charity in November.
Hey Luke - check out our BMR calculator to help you find a starting point for your caloric needs: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-calculator
After how many weeks should i start noticing changes in my body? Is it enough to work arms only one time a week? Could I do arms on saturday??
Hey Rod - that's a hard question to answer as there are so many variables. 1 week is definitely too soon, give it 2-3 weeks and you should start seeing gains. Consistency is the key for any workout, so stick with it!