So I saw the film 300 yesterday. It’s a pretty entertaining film; I’ve always had a predilection for ancient Greek and Roman history – especially Sparta, Lacedaemonia, and the Pelopennesian Peninsula. Of course, people tended to snort derisively whenever I mentioned this, but when they see this film I’m sure their tone will change. If you want to see a film with a good bit of action and reasonable attempt at a plot, I’d heartily recommend it.
Now for the workout. Looking like the actors in 300 do (see below) takes a serious workout, and a buttload of determination to boot.
But how does your average workaday Joe Nopack (I’m speaking for other folk here, not myself… of course…) go about achieving a Spartan level of greatness and fitness. Well, Josh Hillis details the programme over at his blog, handily divided into part one and part two (the latter being slightly handier IMO). Some of the more salient points from the articles and comments:
- Exercises that work the whole body are better than single muscle-group exercises
- It’s a bloody hard workout
- It is claimed Gerard Butler et al achieved their look in two months, but this is unrealistic
- [importantly] You need to know what you are doing or you will injure yourself
My own personal routine doesn’t consist of anything near the level of action outlined by Hillis (or Mark Twight, the guy that runs the gym in SLC where the actors in 300 trained), but I may try bumping the level up a notch or two and taking a page from the workout they outlined.
And who knows, maybe this Hallowe’en I’ll go as a mighty Spartan warrior. Only six months to go…
Who said history was boring? No-one after watching 300 anyway!