Get tough like Leonardo DiCaprio
By Gregory Joujon-Roche
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| Warner Bros. Pictures |
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In the new movie "The Departed," Leonardo DiCaprio plays the part of young undercover cop Billy Costigan, who is assigned to infiltrate the mob.
The look for DiCaprio's character is far from the perfectly chiseled body of a guy who trains daily at a fancy gym. It's more about the brute strength that comes from growing up on the tough streets of South Boston.
So my team at Holistic Fitness and I created a no-frills workout for him that is just as tough.
Want to pretend you're gearing up to fight the mob? Shake up your regular fitness routine by giving these moves a try. (Note: This workout is intended for people who regularly strength train. If you're a true couch potato, start slowly and work your way up to this challenge.)
On the first day, work on sheer strength with bench presses, straight bar curls and military presses. Don't worry about counting set and reps. The goal is to go heavy and feel the power.
On the second day, tone and condition with rear dips off the end of your bed or coffee table -- dozens of them -- to blast your triceps and upper back. Then do old-fashioned sit-ups and pull-ups -- as many as you can, and then a few more.
Repeat this cycle over the next two days, and then rest on the fifth day.
This workout is an example of how a specific fitness strategy can help actors physically feel like the characters they are portraying -- to get into their bodies.
And it can help motivate movie buffs at home, too! Just pick a character you admire physically and design a workout based on him or her. Would this character go to a gym or train outdoors? Do kick-boxing or yoga? Cycle or swim? Shoot hoops or hit tennis balls?
Playing the role of your favorite characters is a unique way to freshen up fitness. Who knows, you may even enjoy one of the new activities you try and decide to make it a regular part of your exercise routine.
