“I’m Batman”
I can’t even remember the number of times that I stood in front of a mirror and tried saying the dialogue with the same intensity. But to my dismay, I could never replicate the same aura as the “Batman” himself. Then I thought, I can’t be Batman, but what I can do is have a body like him and as it turns out, it is a dream of every Batman fan. And why not, just look at his body- WOW!
I went on the internet and came there a bucket full of articles, each with a different set of diet and workout routines, so which one do I follow? The same is the case with many of you, so I did the legwork for you. After skimming through 300+ YouTube videos, diet plans, and workout regimes, I finally cracked his routine. And since you’re already here, why waste another second on my rant, let’s skip to Christian Bale AKA Batman’s workout routine right away!
From Machinist To “Batman” Physique: Christian Bale’s Toughest Transformation
Machinist” and Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy release, Christian Bale has been crowned the king of transformations after all he did go from a skinny, 53 kg weighing Machinist to a muscular, bulky, 85 kg BATMAN, in under 6 months. In a fitness freak’s world, achieving the said results is far from true within 6 months, but Christian Bale showed the world that it is very possible. He is a madman when it comes to dedication to his roles.</
Christian Bale took unreal measures to achieve the goals his character demanded, from surviving on only a cup of black coffee and an apple to eating every unhealthy food and overeating to gain the bulks of Batman. However, as crazy as it sounds there is a lot of food science behind his diet plan and workout routine.
Christian Bale AKA The Batman or American Psycho’s Workout Routine
To bring you the most accurate Christian Bale workout routine and diet plan, we talked with different trainers (known for their “superhero workout routines) and concluded that it isn’t just 1 routine for 6 months but a mix of three versions. Below you’ll find each version:
Workout Version 1
Monday & Friday -Strength Training
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 4-6 reps each with 2 mins rest
- Pull-ups : 3 sets of 4-6 reps, again each with 2 mins rest
- Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 8-12 reps each with 60 seconds rest in between
- Standing Dumbbell Curls: 2 sets 6-8 reps with 90 seconds rest
- Bar Dips: 2 sets of 6-8 reps with 90 seconds rest
- You can add weight gradually to pull-ups and bar dips, as you gain strength and bulk
Wednesday & Saturday -Cardio and Abs
- High-Intensity Interval Training: Treadmill/ Stationary Bike/ Sprinting – 30 seconds hard / 30 seconds easy with 12 reps or 60 seconds hard / 60 seconds easy with 8 reps
- Low-Intensity Cardio – 15-30 minutes (pace equivalent to walking)
- Core Training
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Kneeling Abs Wheel Roll-outs: 2 sets of 8-12 reps,
- both with a 90-second rest between each rep.
Tuesday, Thursday, & Sunday – Rest Days
- The first version has 4 workout days and 3 days since it is HIIT (high-intensity interval training), so dedicate every alternate day for resting because those muscles need recovering as well.
Workout Version 2 -Day 1 – Back
- Wide Grip Lateral Pull Downs & Barbell Rows – 3 sets with 10 reps for each exercise
- Shrugs – 4 sets of 25 reps
- Wide Grip Pull Ups 3 sets of 10 reps
- Deadlifts – Begin under trainer supervision
Day 2 – Arms
- Dumbbell Curls
- Skull Crushers
- Hammer Curls
- Tricep Overhead Extensions
- Seated Concentration Curls
- Tricep Cable (Rope) Extensions
- 3 sets of 10 reps for each exercise
Day 3 – Shoulders
- Dumbbell Front Raises, Pull-Ups, & Dumbbell Lateral Raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Dumbbell Shrugs – 3 sets of 25 reps
- Presses – 10-8-5-5-3-Max
Day 4 – Legs
- Calf Raises – 3 sets of 25 reps
- Seated Leg Curls – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Weighted Lunges – 3 sets of 20 reps
- Weighted Step Ups – 3 sets of 20 reps
- Front Squats 3 sets of 10 reps
- Squats – 10-8-5-5-3-Max
Day 5 – Chest
- Dumbbell Chest Press, Cable Flyes, Decline Cable Flyes, & Incline Bench Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Weighted Push-Ups – 3 sets of 25 reps
- Barbell Bench Press – 10-8-5-5-3-Max
Cardio & Abs
- Cardio
- 20 Minute HIIT
- 90 Sec. Walk at a speed of 3 MPH
- 30 Sec. Sprint at a speed of 8-10 MPH
Abs – 3 sets of
- 50 Crunches
- 25 Leg Lifts
- 25 Flutter Kicks
- 15 Reverse Superman Hold
Monday
- Bench Press – 4 sets of 12,10,8,6 reps respectively
- Machine Chest Flyes & Standing Overhead Tricep Extension – 3 sets of 10 reps each
- Incline Dumbbell Press & Standing Overhead Tricep Extension – 3 sets of 10 reps each
- Push Ups – 3 sets of 25 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press & Tricep Cable Kickbacks – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Hex Press – 3 sets of 15 reps
Tuesday
- Deadlift – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps
- Lateral Pulldowns, Alternating Hammer Strength Rows, Wide Grip Pull Ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Cable Rows, Straight Arm Pulldowns, & Chin Ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Lateral Raises & Face Pull Ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
Wednesday – Rest Or Extra Cardio
Thursday
- Power Cleans – 4 sets of 12,10,8,6 reps
- Kettlebell Swings, Single Arm Deadlift w/ KB, Goblet Squats w/ KB – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Incline Machine Press, Preacher Curls, Push Ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Close Grip Bench, Alternating Dumbbell Curls – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Close Triangle Push Ups 3 sets of 20 reps
Friday
- Back Squats – 4 sets of 12,10,8,6 reps
- Hamstring Curls, Weighted Lunges, Weighted Glute Bridge – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Leg Press, Calf Raise on Leg Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Jump Rope 3 sets of 100 reps
- Front Squat, Cable Pullthroughs, Bulgarian Split Squat – 3 sets of 10 reps
Saturday
- Overhead Press – 4 sets of 12,10,8,6
- Snatch Grip High Pull, Single Arm DB Snatches, Clap Push Ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Arnold Press, Upright Rows w/ Bar, Shrugs w/ Bar – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Shoulder Front Raises w/ DB, Shoulder Lat Raises w/ DB – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Shrugs w/ DB – 3 sets of 25 reps
Sunday – Rest of Extra Cardio
Note – 5 minutes of Warm-up and 30 minutes of Cardio everyday
Follow The Batman’s Diet For A Transformation Like Him
Christian Bale aka Batman took six meals a day while he was bulking to achieve the said superhero’s body. His diet included the following:
- 1st Meal – 6 hardboiled eggs and 100 grams of oatmeal with raisins
- 2nd Meal – 1 scoop of peanut butter with 1 full can of tuna on whole wheat pita
- 3rd Meal – 8 ounces chicken breast, 1 serving of broccoli, 1.5 servings of angel hair pasta, 85 grams of brown rice
- 4th Meal – Protein shake with 1 banana and a protein bar
- 5th Meal – same as 3rd meal
- 6th Meal – 1 scoop of protein, 2 cod oil liver pills, 5 grams of creatine
FAQs on Christian Bale’s Workout
Q1. How do I train like Batman?
To train like Batman you need a complete workout focusing on your diet, strength training, strategic cardio days, and rest days. To begin you can follow the: –
- Pullups: 2 x 5 reps
- Bench press: 2 x 5 reps
- Dumbell curls: 2 x 10 reps
- Lateral raise: 2 x 10 reps
- Hanging leg raise: 2 x 10 reps
Q2. Does Batman have a high body fat?
Batman is believed to weigh roughly around 95 kilos and has approximately 7 to 8% of body fat.
Q3. Can I transform like Christian Bale?
Yes, anyone can transform like Christian Bale with the right diet and training. To find out more about his diet and workout routines, read the blog above and get ready to achieve that superhero body!
Wrapping Up
Christian Bale workout routine and diet plan is not every man’s cup of tea. The mixture of all his workout sessions is of high intensity and is best done under expert supervision. I hope this blog helps you transform. But always remember, it is good to push your limits only when you listen to what your body is saying.
