Hugh Jackman’s Training Morning
Designed by Bearmore
Inspired by Hugh JackmanSome mornings, the gym gives you the quiet you can’t find anywhere else.
Meditate first, lift heavy, finish with cold exposure. A morning Burst inspired by Hugh Jackman's long-held practice: Transcendental Meditation as the anchor, a decent strength session, and a cold plunge to finish.
The runsheet
TM
Hugh has practised Transcendental Meditation for over twenty years, twice daily where life allows. A morning twenty-minute sit, eyes closed, with a mantra given by a teacher or chosen by you.
20 min activityBearmore’s thoughts on doing mantra before stretching
This works well because breathing awareness can help you find space while stretching.
Mobility warm-up
Hugh's trainers have spoken about how the warm-ups changed as he aged into the Wolverine role. Hips, shoulders, ankles, ten minutes. The cheapest insurance against the heavy work to come.
10 min activityBearmore’s thoughts on doing stretching before resistance training
This works well because flexibility and body awareness can help you move with better form and range of motion in strength training.
Heavy session
The Wolverine routines are public; what is portable is the discipline, not necessarily the volume. A decent strength session: three or four big lifts, sets that demand all of your attention.
30 min activityBearmore’s thoughts on doing resistance training before cold plunge
This can work, but it needs care because an icy dip right after lifts may affect hypertrophy by halting muscle inflammation; wait if size is the goal.
Cold exposure
Hugh's training bookends with cold exposure for recovery. Three minutes in cold water at the end of the strength session. Build up to it if you’re not already conditioned.
3 min activityTime well spent.
1h 48m that belonged to you — not the inbox, not anyone else.
The breakdown
Burst evaluation
Wellbeing focus
About this Burst
Hugh Jackman is an Australian actor, Tony Award and Emmy winner, best known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men films and his Broadway and West End musical work. He has practised Transcendental Meditation since around 1992 and trained for over twenty years with the same strength approach.