We talked toher trainer, Jason Walsh, to learn what goes into training to be a superhero.
First, what kind of time commitment are we looking at?
Nobody needs to lift weights for four hours, Walsh says.
So was she just sore all the time?
How do you handle the mental challenges of working so hard?
Mainly by having a trainer who you could trust to know exactly what youre capable of.
You have to push through at certain points.
Youre going to push through comfort zones.
I wasnt proving it to other people at the gym.
I [was there at the gym] for myself.
Walsh says avoiding injury is a huge priority, especially for celebrity clients.
[Sometimes] your brain is just screaming at you, your brain really holds you back.
Its weird to see people get emotional about overcoming their expectations.
So how do you work up to those big-ticket exercises?
You knew that, of course.
But sometimes its hard to see the path to your goal when it seems so far away.
I asked Walsh about how he works clients up to pull-ups, specifically.
Assisted pull-ups, with your feet touching the ground so they can support some of your weight.
(Lowering the handles on a suspension trainer can get you in a good position for this.)
Jumping pull-ups, where you use your feet to give yourself a boost as you begin the movement.
Negative pull-ups, jumping to the top of the movement and slowly lowering yourself down.
Okay, what about pushups with chains?
Its a similar story to get up topushups with 50 pounds of chains draped over your back.
Once youre doing full pushups on the ground, then its time to add weight.
Chains are actually easier, in a sense.
As you rise to the top, they get heavier.
(It grew out of her work with a standard gym item, theweighted sled.)
I think theres a lot to be said for making your own highlight reel.
What can you do that you never used to be able to do?
What should a normal person do if we dont have hours a day to train?
So how can you make the most of limited time?
Look for those multi-player, multi-joint exercises that incorporate every muscle in the body.
Youre squatting, youre deadlifting, hip thrusting, things like that.
Whats your best advice for beginners?
Being realistic, and being patient, and having, you know, the proper expectations.
… Its like, you brush your teeth.
To me its in that same category.
Im taking care of my body, I want to be healthy.
I want my body to function well.
Whats some common fitness advice thats terrible?
No days off, that kind of a mentality.
