Looking for an excuse to spend less time in the gym? We’ve found one for you.
Chris Hemsworth’s trainer Joseph Sakoda, nicknamed Da Rulk thanks to his insanely buff body, says we really don’t need to be sweating it out in the gym for hours at a time and lifting super heavy weights.
Instead, all we need is between five and 30 minutes and our own body weight.
Joseph, who trains actors like Chris and Josh Brolin (who plays Thanos in the Avengers film series), as well as police, fire and military service personnel, uses a method of exercise called raw functional training.
This way of training doesn’t focus on how many kilos you can squat or deadlift and instead focuses on mostly body weight movements, with exercises like bear crawls, push ups, burpees, lunges and mountain climbers featuring heavily.
“These are all body weight movements designed to help people be more functional,” Joseph told Good Health.
“I wanted to create a training program that didn’t require weights. It makes it easier, especially for people with busy schedules. You can do this in a hotel room, or in your living room while you’re watching your kids.”
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Chris Hemsworth and his trainer Joseph.
(Instagram)
He’s a total machine!
(Instagram)And the best part? You only need to add on between five and 30 minutes of Joseph’s body weight exercises into your routine, between one and three times a week, to get fit and lean fast.
“If you love Pilates or yoga or spin, keep doing that!” Joseph said.
“Just add this in one or two times a week.”
So, what would Joseph recommend if you’ve only got five minutes to spare for a workout?
“I would probably put together 3-5 movements in a sequences.
“Crawling is one. We do a move called the hostage. It’s almost like a pulling squat [where you’re squatting down low]. Then there’s a sit-through, which is focused on building shoulder stability.”
You can watch Joseph perform the “sit through” exercise in this Instagram clip below.
And yes, even Chris Hemsworth sticks to this sort of short, sharp and efficient exercise routine. So, if it’s good enough for Chris, it’s good enough for us!
“[Chris’] schedule is so crazy. He’s always moving around and he doesn’t have two hours to train,” Joseph said.
“My focus was to incorporate training into his day. So a 25-30 minute HIIT session gets the body moving.”
The duo focus on body weight movements that get the heart rate up and use Chris’ own body mass to build strength and condition his body.
Joseph is a celebrity trainer who specialises in body weight movements.
(Instagram)
Joseph is an ambassador for gaming headset brand Turtle Beach, which he says have the best sound for online games (ie. while you’re not exercising).
(Instagram)But while Joseph is all about smashing it in the gym, he says rest days are super important too.
“I’m a firm believer in rest days. Sometimes I think recovery is more important than the training itself,” he said.
WATCH BELOW: Chris Hemsworth bonds with his personal trainer Da Rulk. Story continues after video.
“People always say, ‘Be a beast, go after it!’. But if you train everyday, you’re more susceptible to injury and your form is compromised.
“I think that’s what people forget and you forget to stop. If you never allow your body to recovery, then it can be really unproductive.”
He added: “So let’s focus on recovery making sure we warn up and cool down properly.”
