Swimming With The Stars: Jason Statham Workout

What is the Jason Statham Workout? Well… it’s a term we made up to describe the method in which stars, specifically Jason, get these much coveted physical features:

Washboard Abs.     21 Inch Biceps.     Calves of Steel.

Ever wonder how celebrities get into that top physical condition? Loads of money for personal trainers and dedicated time could have a lot to do with it…

On top of spending lots of time at the gym, many celebrities make sure that their workout routines include a swimming circuit to get into film-ready shape. Why? Because they know that swimming is such a great workout.

Jason’s Story

The first celebrity swimmer in our spotlight is British actor Jason Statham, the star of films like:

The Transporter, The Italian Job, and Snatch.

Before Jason was an actor, he was an Olympic diver for the UK and participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jumping off high-dives and swimming endless laps in the pool created the base for this athlete’s physique that helped land his first big role in 2002’s The Transporter.

Jason Statham Workout

In addition to hitting the gym to get lean for the role, Jason spent plenty of time in the pool.

For example, he performed underwater SCUBA exercises. He also did a variety of general water exercises, which offer a full body resistance workout that is hard to match.
And, of course, there was a lot of swimming.
As you can see, it’s hard to argue with Jason’s results in the photos. Thus, we dub his method as: The Jason Statham Workout.

However, not everyone has the time or luxury of exercising in the pool as much as celebrities or professional athletes do.

So, it is inspiring to know that regular attendance at the gym can affect your time in the water, too.

So, What Can I Do?

The first answer is fairly obvious – go swimming as often as you can. There is no shortcut to fitness so putting time in the pool is mandatory if that is the body type you’re looking to achieve.

But here are a few supplemental exercises you can do out of the water to improve your lap time and turn some heads in the process. We’ve even included video links on how to do these exercises correctly, getting you the most from your workout.

One last thing to remember is that bigger muscles do not equal better swimming. In fact, larger muscles often hinder a swimmer due to decreased flexibility and heavier mass. For the purpose of swimming better, these exercises should be done with the focus of trying to increase muscle endurance, not size.

1. Lat pull downs  – To get those “water wings”, lat pull downs are an excellent exercise to do in the gym. Lat pull-downs will engage your Latissimus Dorsi, a muscle group in your back that is heavily used when swimming.
2. ¾ Sit-up – A strong abdominal core is essential to good balance in the water and achieving the most thrust for every stroke you pull. A 3/4 sit-up engages this muscle group and is an easy exercise to do anywhere.
3. Box jump – An often forgotten muscle group is the hamstrings. Strength in this muscle group will mean a stronger kick in the upward motion, resulting in a more efficient and fluid stroke. This exercise is another easy one to do, only requiring a solid object to jump on.

Seen Results?

So how about you?
Tell us your story about what has worked for you! Has your dedication at the gym improved your lap time and your physique simultaneously?