Stephen Amell, famed for his portrayal of Green Arrow, has garnered significant attention for his convincing embodiment of the character, both on and off the screen. His physique is a testament to his dedication to fitness and nutrition. This article delves into the specifics of Stephen Amell's diet and workout routine, providing insights into how he maintains his superhero-worthy physique.
Stephen Amell: More Than Just the Green Arrow
Stephen Amell is a Canadian actor who gained prominence for his role as Oliver Queen in the television series "Arrow". Born on May 8, 1981, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Amell's career began with a short role in "Queer as Folk." He later secured a recurring role in "Da Kink In My Hair" and "Heartland." His breakthrough came with "Arrow," where he portrayed the DC comic character Oliver Queen. Amell has also appeared in "The Flash," "Legends of Tomorrow," "Supergirl," and "Vixen," solidifying his presence in the Arrowverse franchise. Beyond acting, Amell showcased his athletic abilities on "American Ninja Warrior," demonstrating the physical prowess required for his role as Green Arrow. He even made guest appearances in WWE, displaying his passion for professional wrestling.
A Holistic Approach to Fitness
Amell approaches his fitness journey with a holistic mindset, focusing on mobility, functionality, and performance. By prioritizing these aspects, he not only builds a strong and functional physique but also enhances his overall athletic performance. Amell understands the significance of recovery in achieving optimal performance and preventing injuries.
The Green Arrow Workout Routine
Amell’s workout routine incorporates a variety of training modalities, ensuring that he constantly challenges his body and avoids plateaus. Amell’s workout routine follows a seven-day cycle, with each day dedicated to a specific focus. It’s important to note that Amell’s program changes regularly to keep things challenging and prevent stagnation.
Strength Training
His training consists of three full-body strength training days using a combination of kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, and bodyweight exercises. These strength training sessions are complemented by crucial active recovery days that include mixed martial arts, archery, and parkour activities.
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Amell typically dedicates three days per week for active recovery.
Amell’s training routine typically consists of three full body strength training sessions. These sessions are a combination of bodyweight, kettlebell and weight training exercises. He does not put a lot of emphasis on isolation and likes to perform compound movements for improving functional strength.
Active Recovery
His active recovery days involve engaging in activities like mixed martial arts, archery, parkour, and running. He puts more emphasis on kickboxing and jiu-jitsu in his MMA training as these are one of the most effective striking and grappling disciplines among all the purist martial arts. Along with this, Amell also does outdoor running, parkour and archery. Parkour consists of activities like running, jumping and climbing to get the necessary muscle stimulation.
Sample Workout
Ready to Transform?! You have 4 days of routines to follow, and then 1-2 days of long distance cardio (This should be done at a steady and comfortable pace). This routine can be made harder by wearing a weighted vest. You can also go through the movements one at a time for a total of 3 sets, they do not have to be done all at once in the specific order. A. B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C. A. B. C.
The Importance of Variety
The 39-year-old actor likes to add variety to his training routine by mixing up different exercises to keep things interesting in the gym. This kind of approach enables him to push his limits and get better with each passing day without getting stuck in a monotonous routine that may kill the interest in training.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
The Superhero Diet: Fueling the Physique
Stephen Amell’s physique is testimony to the fact that a physique has more to do with the kitchen and less to do with what you do in the rest of your time. Amell is extremely careful about what he puts in his body and follows a very strict clean diet. He avoids processed foods that are high in simple carbohydrates and sugars in favour of a diet that is high in lean protein and good fats. Amell firmly believes that eating sugar,salts and simple carbohydrates laden foods tend to satisfy the taste buds but that is just a short-term gratification that has other consequences. As a result, he has become very particular about the quality of food he consumes.
Amell’s diet is a typical blend of lean meats, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. These nutrients fuel his intense workouts and help maintain his muscular physique. He also pays close attention to his meal timings and hydration levels, ensuring he drinks ample amounts of water throughout the day.
Dietary Principles
The superhero diet doesn’t involve processed sugar, refined foods, dairy, gluten, or beer. For Amell, food is the body’s fuel, and removing unhealthy elements from it ensures a steady flow of good energy throughout the day.
- Protein: Protein is the main building block for muscle growth. Amell’s diet plan is designed to consume an adequate amount of protein relative to his body weight. A general guideline for muscle gain suggests that men consume about 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
- Healthy Fats: Amell’s nutrition plan comprises 20% healthy fats. These fats aid in maintaining testosterone levels, satisfying appetite, and protecting vital organs.
- Hydration: Amell ensures he stays well-hydrated throughout the day.
- No Alcohol: Amell’s no-alcohol rule is absolute.
Meal Structure
Typically, the 41-year-old star begins his day with a modest oatmeal and eggs breakfast. Lunch and dinner consist of high quality protein sources like fish and lean meats coupled with veggies or avocados.
Managing Cravings
Stephen Amell’s diet doesn’t include junk food. He manages his cravings by keeping his stomach full with healthy snacks and plenty of water.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Supplements
Food alone cannot build a physique like Amell’s. Supplements are necessary to fill in the nutritional gaps essential to maintain such a body.
- Whey Protein: Whey protein is a high-quality nutritional source that is easily digestible and aids in faster muscle growth.
- Omega 3: Omega 3 capsules help manage anxiety and stress.
- BCCAs: Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCCAs) are recommended as post-workout supplements. They enhance muscle repair and growth.
Staying Lean
Stephen Amell’s high protein and fat diet helps him stay lean by making his body fat adaptive.
Personal Life and Influences
Stephen Amell married Carolyn Lawrence in 2007. However, the couple divorced in 2010 and Amell married actress and model Cassandra Jean Whitehead in 2012. His wife is a fitness and nutrition enthusiast. She cooks healthy and tasteful foods for him that Amell really enjoys.
The Key to a Superhero Body
If you want to build a ripped superhero body (also see: Tom Holland Spiderman workout), then you need a solid foundation of muscle. Your goal is to become the Green Arrow. Stephen Amell sports a more than decent amount of muscle. The key to consistent muscle growth is progressive overload not gimmicky stuff like muscle confusion. The majority of your workout should mainly be comprised of heavy movements such as presses and rows. Having wide shoulders is especially important since it contributes to the coveted V-taper physique that all guys should aim after. If you’re a beginner, you’ll undoubtedly see results from training alone but to maximize your gains you need to make sure you’re taking in enough calories. If you start getting super fat, then start decreasing your calories by 100-200 per day. You need adequate protein to gain muscle. This is why it’s probably a good idea to get some fat in your diet.
Getting Started
No matter what your starting point, your end goal is to build a body akin to Stephen Amell. Getting a body like Stephen’s is a delicate art. It covers everything you need to know, A-Z to get in superhero shape with ease.
Amell's Philosophy
“I’m less worried about the way that I look, versus they way that I feel,” says Amell. “I set a precedent for myself, dietwise, on Arrow that was something I really couldn’t sustain. It’s not that I don’t have the discipline, it just wasn’t something I could sustain. In terms of his diet, Amell has learned that throwing down salt and sugar laden foods will only bring short-term gratification, so he focuses on quality in order to avoid inconvenient hunger pangs.
“I’m lucky enough that my wife is super into nutrition, and has forgotten more about it than I will ever know, but she cooks these wonderful meals, and what you theoretically sacrifice in flavor [by eating less salt and sugar], if you are eating really good whole foods, then you never run into [the situation] where you’ve eaten a meal and 20 minutes later you are hungry and you can’t figure out why,” says Amell.
“It’s your fuel. I try to stay away from gluten, dairy and processed sugars. I don’t do weights that often. I really enjoy running. I really enjoy doing body resistance stuff. I do a lot of chin ups and weird variations of pull-ups. Basically, Amell trains to be ready to go out and run, jump and kick-ass like he does as Oliver Queen.