300 Spartan Workout

Spartan 300 Muscle Building Workout Program Used by The Actors

Want Hollywood Muscle?

The film 300 was a  Colossal box office hit, grossing around $300 million. But it wasn't just the movie that was getting all the attention-there was just about as much talk about the actors' incredibly sculpted,muscular physiques as there was about the movie's story line, acting, special fx, or anything else. Ladies just wanted to stare and dream and guys wanted to know what they did to get in such fantastic muscular shape.

                                    
It's said that the guys whipped themselves into shape doing a training regimen that included 50 reps each of 6 different muscle building exercises with no rest between sets-for a whopping total of 300 reps. This grueling training routine is  known as the Spartan 300 Workout. But was this really the workout routine the guys followed in order to prepare for their roles? Yes and no.

It took some digging to get to the bottom of what really went on but what I discovered is that the 300 rep workout was only a small part of their training regimen. I can tell you thought that the guys did spend at least six hours every day in the gym.

First, you want to understand that the guys in the film were all in really good shape before they auditioned for the roles-casting directors aren't in the habit of picking dumpy out-of-shape guys for roles like this because they see their "potential."

The "300" actors' training routine lasted about four months and was developed by renowned trainer Mark Twight. Since he wanted the guys to actually look and act like real Spartan warriors, he incorporated techniques that would emphasize the fighter qualities rather than just building muscle. He didn't want the actors to look like pumped up bodybuilders. 

The actors trained in competitive group sessions that included a system of penalties and rewards. Physical training focused on developing athleticism, using a variety of ever-changing routines that combined compound movements, lifting and throwing and relied upon non-traditional equipment such as medicine balls and kettlebells rather than machines or even free weights. The same session was rarely repeated.

The point of the regimen was to improve all around fitness using a wide variety of movements that developed the ranges of motion required in real fighting. This was accomplished by submitting the body to ever-changing-and increasingly difficult-physical challenges. Preparation for the roles also included eight weeks of daily fight training.

No surprises here-their diet was very strict and focused on fueling the actors' bodies with plenty of lean proteins, limited carbs and only healthy, unsaturated fats. Anybody who fell of the "diet wagon" was admonished by his fellow actors-en masse-which was part of Twight's plan of having the guys train together as a cohesive group.

Now, back to the Spartan 300 Workout. What I uncovered was that this legendary training routine wasn't done daily, weekly or even monthly. Rather, it was presented as a challenge at the end of the four-month training regimen. From what I understand, only about one-half of the actors actually completed it successfully.

Here are the components of the Spartan 300 Workout Challenge followed by explanations of how they did the floor wipers and the clean and press:
                                                                    

    Pull-ups: 25 reps;

    Deadlifts with 135 pounds: 50 reps;

    Pushups: 50 reps

    24-inch box jumps: 50 reps;

    Floor wipers: 50 reps;

    Single-arm clean and press with 36 pound kettlebell: 50 reps;

    Pull-ups: 25 reps; 

Floor wipers: This exercise builds core strength and works the abs. Load a barbell with 135 pounds and lie on the floor. Press the barbell up, extending your arms all the way and holding in that position. Keeping your legs straight, touch your feet to the right side of the bar and then to the left side to complete one repetition.

Single-arm clean and press: If you're not familiar with them, a kettlebell looks like a cannonball with a handle. If you don't happen to have one hanging around, you can also use a 35-pound dumbbell. With your legs shoulder-width apart, set the kettlebell on the floor and grab it by the handle. Bring the weight up in front of your shoulder, elbow bent and pointed down. Press the kettlebell up towards the ceiling. Without pausing, bring it immediately back down to your shoulder and then lower it back to the starting position, with the weight on the floor-repeat (49 more times).

If you're looking to replicate that "300" Spartan look, you can take the basic elements of what these guys did and come up with your own routine and get the same basic results. Mix up your training and incorporate bodybuilding exercises, fighting exercises, dumbbells and even kettlebells.

Be sure to add plenty of exercises that build and strengthen your core. Set a goal for yourself to do your own version of the 300 rep workout, lowering the number of reps or swapping out some of the exercises.

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By Chad "Maximus" Hilliard
Certified: Fitness Trainer
MMA Strength & Conditioning Coach
Muay Thai Fitness Instructor
US Army Veteran   
193 S Acantilado dr.
St George Ut 84790
707-234-8388               

      

How to do a Liver Cleanse

How to Do a LIVER Cleanse 

to get more Growth Hormone production, more energy and better sleep.

    As the pituitary gland in the brain produces Growth Hormone it then travels to the liver to be converted into IGF-1 which stands for Insulin Like Growth Factor. This conversion process is only as good as your liver is clean. We only have 1 liver and it has a huge job!

    The older we get the more toxins accumulate in the liver and the less effective it is.

One of the worst toxins we have is from the pain reliever TYLENOL. Since it is metabolized in the liver there are leftover chemical deposits that the liver can not do anything with so its stays there and can build up over the years and cause liver damage.

    Other contaminates are prescription drugs, petro-chemicals from commercial cleaners, shampoos, deodorants, perfumes, colognes and the like.

    Alcohol, tobacco, also put tremendous stress on the liver.

    Even simply eating food requires the liver in the digestion process. A poor diet of fast foods, soda, high sugar intake, fatty greasy foods, can tax the liver even further. Add all of these together and the consider the amount of work the liver has to do just to keep us functioning on a daily basis. 

    Its no wonder most Americans suffer from low Growth Hormone symptoms ie insomnia, depression, anxiety, fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain etc. 

   On the emotional side of things the liver is in charge of maintaining our anger. If we find ourselves slipping into anger mode quite easily and often then we could have a compromised liver function.

Here are a few foods/spices that you can easily acquire at the grocery store

to add to your diet and help cleanse the liver.

1-Fresh Garlic

2-Tumeric add a 1/4 teaspoon to your smoothie or vitamix drinks

3-Fresh Beets (in a juicer)

4-Fresh Lemons

5-Green leafy ( bitters) vegetables ie Spinach, Cilantro, Kale

6-Olive Oil (use in cooking, or add 1 or 2 tblespoons to smoothie)

7-Juiced Carrots
8-Avoid Tylenol as it can be toxic to the liver over time

You can mix any or all of these veggies in your blender, juicer or vitamix according to your taste.

You can also get Liver Tablets and take 8-10 of these daily with meals

I use the brand "Universal Liver tabs" 

Another great way to detox the Liver is by fasting.

Simply abstain from food for 24 hours once a week or every other week. Drink plenty of water with lemon juice.

This will give the Liver a much needed rest so it can regenerate and cleanse itself.

Intermittent Fasting works wonders for the Liver.

This means abstaining from solid foods for a certain hours of the day for example when you have dinner in the evening, go to sleep, wake up and dont eat anything until around 2pm.

Then eat solid foods only from 2pm till 8pm, vegetable juices and herb teas (ie yerba mate and Brigham Tea) are good to consume in the morning when you arent eating. Resume the schedule the following day abstaining from food after 8pm until 2pm the next day. You can make adjustments to these times as you may not be able to go that long without eating.

  Start slow with 1 or 2 days a week on the intermittent fasting and have a 24 hr fast every other week or at least once a month, slowly add in an extra day of intermittent fasting during the week. If you are using the Intermittent Fasting more than 4 days a week you may need to load up on calories at the end of the week for example on Sat and Sun add in some more carbs and have 4 smaller meals a day plus a small snack or 2. 
 

  

Your liver will thank you!
By Chad Hilliard
Certified Fitness Trainer
MMA Strength Coach
Muay Thai Fitness Instructor
Owner 
Maximus MMA Fitness Training Center
St George, Ut