Despite maintaining a fit and active lifestyle, David Corenswet still had to undergo a major transformation for his role in Superman. And his bulk-up from 195 lbs to 240 lbs in just five months was nowhere near a cakewalk for him.

Corenswet's 45-pound bulk-up was the result of a well-planned training routine along with a well-defined diet. While he consumed a high-calorie diet, his workout routine ensured that he built more muscle mass with it. So, here's a look at the specifications of his training regimen.

The Push-Pull-Legs Split That Built Superman'

An Instagram post from Men's Active revealed that Corenswet couldn't get into the Superman suit when he appeared for his first fit. However, his time with celebrity trainer Paolo Mascitti made his 45 lbs bulk-up possible in just 5 months.

A report from Generation Iron on June 10 revealed the specifications of the workout that Mascitti made Corenswet go through for his transformation. Here's how his routine was split:

Push Day

• Bench presses
• Inclined bench presses
• Shoulder press
• Cable flyes
• Lateral raises
• Triceps isolation exercises

Corenswet performed most of these for 4 sets of 10 reps. It promoted muscle growth.

Pull Day

• Pull-ups
• Lat pulldowns
• Barbell rows
• Seated cable rows
• Face pulls
• Bicep curls

The 32-year-old actor built the muscular V-shaped upper body for Superman with these exercises.

Leg Day

• Calf raises
• Back squats
• Romanian leg presses
• Leg presses
• Walking lunges
• Leg curls

Mascitti instructed Corenswet to focus on the progressive overload method, which involves adding more weight every day, reducing the resting time in between sets, adding more reps, and similar methods.

However, as director James Gunn mentioned, "the most recognisable body in comics" wasn't built by this workout regimen alone.

David Cornswet's recovery and diet for his Superman transformation

Just like bodybuilding and other pro-athletes, Corenswet also prioritized his recovery and diet for his Superman transformation. The aforementioned Instagram post from Men's Active also disclosed Corenswet's diet and recovery regimen.

It stated that the 32-year-old was consuming a 4,500-calorie diet during this phase. The foods that made up his diet are:

• Eggs
• Dairy
• Meat
• Fish
• Rice
• Oats
• Potatoes

However, he used a basic activity as his recovery method, which played a pivotal role in his 45 lbs bulk-up. And it's nothing other than sleep.

The post from Men's Active mentioned, "Corenswet trained for two and a half hours, went home, slept two more, then slept nine hours overnight. The size wasn’t forced in the gym. It was built in the hours after, when enough food and enough sleep let his body actually use the work."

Well, while multiple professional bodybuilders, including the bodybuilding and Hollywood star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, have stressed the importance of recovery, Corenswet's transformation stands as a glaring example of such advice.

How many hours are you sleeping per day? After knowing all this, will you add an hour or two to your routine?

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Written by

Souvik Roy

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi