Captain America, aka Steve Rogers, is a super soldier who has undergone both a genetic serum enhancement and a rigorous physical regime to reach the peak of his power and strength. Portrayed by Chris Evans in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the captain possesses a body admired by men and women alike. If you’d like to build a marvellous physique, follow our Captain America workout plan below.

Nutrition

To pack on lean muscle as you’re losing fat, you’ll need to tailor down your intake of refined carbohydrates. Get rid of white rice, white bread and other similar foods as your body quickly breaks these down, spiking your insulin – any excess is stored as fat. Complex carbohydrates like brown rice and wholegrains release glucose far slower, ensuring your body will use it as needed.

Protein is the main macronutrient you’ll need. Up your intake and aim for around 2g per kg of bodyweight. Healthy sources of protein include chicken, fish, nuts, tofu and even whey protein shakes.

Captain America’s Exercises

To pack on mass as if you’ve just had an injection of the super soldier serum, you’ll need to engage in heavy compound lifting to cause maximum central nervous system response. Heavier lifts for lower reps that recruit the most muscles provide the greatest hormone release – which generates testosterone and helps your body’s natural anabolic process.

With that in mind, here are the lifts you should be performing along with a brief explanation of each:

Deadlift: The deadlift is the ‘king’ of mass building exercises. It recruits your lower body, back, forearms and more as you pull a barbell from the floor. It’s a relatively simple lift but offers a lot of return. Aim to lift around 60-70% of your max for 3 sets of 6 reps.

Bench Press: One of the most common lifts you’ll see often in the gym, the ‘cap’ should be able to bench press with ease. A chest-busting beast of an exercise, you’ll need to get yourself under a barbell and press heavier weights to get the maximum returns. 3 sets of 6 reps at 70% max is recommended.

Barbell Squat: A lower body exercise that builds your quads, hamstrings and calves all at once, you’ll need to be squatting to build true lower body power. You can vary squats in a number of ways, from front squats and goblet squats to the insanely tough Zerchers. Again, 3 sets of 6 reps at 70% max will be sufficient.

Overhead Press: The other compound lifts above build your chest, back and lower body – but you’ll need something to build impressive shoulders so you can raise your shield to fend off foes. The overhead press is a simplistic movement that builds mass in your deltoids and arms. You’ll have to reduce the weight a bit for these as they’re tough – so aim for 3 sets of 6 reps at 60% max.

By devising a workout routine that uses these key lifts as well as eating correctly and getting plenty of rest, you’ll be on your way to building a physique even Tony Stark would have to admire…begrudgingly, of course.