Playing Wolverine for more than two decades required Hugh Jackman to build one of Hollywood’s most iconic physiques. But at 57, his training isn’t just about adding muscle.
In a recent Instagram post, the actor shared a leg session programmed by his coach Beth Lewis, combining strength, core work and balance with two unconventional lower-body exercises.
The first sees Jackman performing a maximum effort squat against the resistance of an isometric strap, hovering just above a stool.
‘When Beth decides it’s leg day, with a side of core and balance,’ he wrote on Instagram. ‘Thankfully, the stool was there to catch me. Safety first.’
The movements are interesting examples of how Jackman’s training has evolved beyond simply shifting heavy weights.
Hugh Jackman’s Leg Training
Isometric Squat Hold
For the first exercise, Jackman uses the ISO-Rack Strap from ZeroRM, with it anchored beneath his feet and running around his waist.
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He drops into a squat position and drives against the strap, creating tension without actually moving.
Men’s Health Fitness Director Andrew Tracey says that isometric holds done in this style are incredibly underrated, especially when paired with the second movement Jackman shared.
‘Often squat holds are performed in a similar style to a plank, simply holding the position for as long as possible until enough fatigue accumulates to make you break,’ he says. ‘This is fun, but probably isn’t going to result in meaningful adaptations beyond getting better at holding the pose.
‘By anchoring the strap below his feet and actively working against an immovable force, in the mid-point of a squat, Jackman is actively generating force throughout, recruiting huge amounts of muscle-fibres and hitting that fatigue point much, much earlier.’
Tracey also points out that creating this sort of force without any external load (or even movement) saves wear and tear on the joints, while also training the legs to produce peak force – a quality which can quickly decline with age.
Split Squat Jump
The second exercise is more dynamic, which Tracey says makes these a perfect pairing.
Holding a light dumbbell in each hand, Jackman drops down into a split squat position before exploding back up into standing position, then switching legs. Alternating in this fashion explosively for reps.
‘Going from a maximum effort isometric hold into a dynamic movement like split squat jumps is a classic combination,’ explains Tracey. ‘It’s a form of “contrast training“, leaning into an effect known as post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE): beginning with a maximal isometric contraction to prime the nervous system before an explosive movement.’
The benefits of this include greater muscle activation with relying on heavy, grinding weights.
‘Jackman also references balance, which he’ll need to stick the landing of those short pauses between each jump,’ adds Tracey. ‘These three (force production, dynamism and balance) are all commonly untrained strength qualities. They’re also all vital to maintain as we age, so it makes sense to pair these moves.
‘Plus, it looks fun – another under-rated training quality’.
Why Jackman’s Training Is Worth Paying Attention To
There’s an obvious temptation to judge a leg workout by how much weight is stacked on the bar. Jackman’s session is a reminder that there’s more to lower-body training than heavy squats and deadlifts.
Both movements introduce challenges beyond simply producing maximum force. The first asks Jackman to create and maintain tension in a fixed position; the second combines unilateral leg strength with speed, coordination and balance.
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