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Gerard Butler Workout Routine, Diet Plan & Supplements

Michael Garrico
Published by Michael Garrico | Co-Founder & Marketing Director
Last updated: June 10, 2023

In almost a decade as a fitness expert, I have tried countless workout routines with my clients, including celebrity workouts, because of the warranted assumption that those exercises might lead to the body those celebrities have sculpted.

Recently my clients have been asking to analyze the workout regimen of the actor Gerard Butler to determine whether his training would work well with our other fitness programs.

So I consulted with a few of my colleagues from TotalShape and the gym to come up with a Gerard Butler workout and diet plan, so read on.

Quick Summary

  • Gerard Butler's workout routines include barbell Romanian deadlift, cable overhead tricep extension, landmine torso rotation, and EZ-bar curls.
  • Multivitamins for men, and BCAAs are some of the supplements Gerard Butler eats.
  • Gerard Butler's diet entails; brown rice, complex carbs from vegetables, fish, chicken, avocados, healthy fats, and fruits.

Career Highlights and Stats

Gerard Butler starred in many successful movies, and while in his latest film, "Last Seen Alive," he may not look as trim as he did in the "300" and  "Law Abiding Citizen," he still has the stature of a rugged man.

Even in his early 50s, when building lean muscles may be challenging for older men due to low testosterone levels, he is still taking good care of his body by eating healthily, exercising regularly, and taking supplements [1].

 

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A post shared by Gerard Butler (@gerardbutler)

Butler's Current Statistics:

  • Age: 52 years old
  • Birthday: November 13, 1969
  • Height: 6 ft, 2 in (1.88 cm)
  • Weight: 255 lbs (102 kg)

Gerard Butler Full Body Workout Routine

Showing a good physique inside a gym

Gerard Butler works out his entire body every other day, according to his social media profiles.

His workout consists of paired exercises targeting different muscle groups consecutively with little to no rest in between, followed by intense workouts to maximize his body's fat-burning potential.

Here is a detailed look at Gerard Butler's Full Body Workout.

Gerard's full-body workout consists of two supersets performed consecutively, followed by a brief rest period. He performs his first superset three times to failure, taking a 60-second break between each pair.

It includes: 

  • Double Racked Kettlebell Front Squat
  • Three-Point Cable Row

Similarly, he performs his second superset three times with 60 seconds of rest between pairs, which includes: 

  • Barbell Romanian Deadlift
  • Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press

In addition, he performs a combination of three exercises done consecutively, usually with minimal rest in between, consisting of:

  • EZ-Bar Curl
  • Cable Overhead Tricep Extension
  • Landmine Torso Rotation

Finally, he completes his training workout with a Metabolic Finisher, which includes: 

  • Fan bike, which he performs for 15 seconds of all-out effort followed by 45 seconds of recovery, which he repeats five to six times.

His Workout Principles

Using supersets in Gerard's workout allows him to do twice as much while reducing recovery periods between exercises. This helps him increase the intensity of the movement by overworking a muscle, making it more effective.

"These days, when I train with Gerard, we're not really trying to bulk up for a particular role. More or less looking for body composition-type training, like maintaining lean muscles, sort of decreasing some body fat."

- Joe Dowdell, C.S.C.S., Fitness Trainer, New York 

Additionally, Gerard can gain muscle more efficiently by doing complete body training every other day as opposed to continuously exhausting his body.

Similar Article: P90X Program Review

Gerard Butler Nutrition and Diet

Top view of healthy meal

Gerard Butler's nutrition includes a strict diet of whole and organic foods, healthy oils, and moderate lean proteins to help him keep his weight in check.

According to some of his social media interviews, he hasn't had an alcoholic drink in over 12 years and avoids unhealthy fast foods like burgers and fries.

In the same interview, he clarifies that he consumes more complex carbs from vegetables, figs, and brown rice; healthy fats from cottage cheese and avocados; and protein from white meats like fish and chicken.

His Diet Principles

Gerard's diet is designed, as he claims in one of his interviews, to provide the conditions for him to succeed and be happy.

He began to change his source of nutrition after deciding to leave his job as a lawyer and pursue a career in the spotlight. He usually has to keep lean and have a six-pack abdomen for his film roles.

Therefore, he adheres to discipline when it comes to diet and opts for healthier options like complex carbs, veggies, and lean meats to support his intense training regimen and keep his toned, shredded physique.

He also practices eating until he’s about 80 percent full to keep his eating habits in check.

What Supplements Does He Take?

Creating a protein shake

Gerard drinks protein shakes before and after his workouts.

He prefers whey powder rather than other sources in his protein smoothies. He makes sure that it contains branched-chain amino acids for men (BCAA's) to promote faster muscle growth and recovery [2].

He also supplements his diet with multivitamins for men to obtain nutrients that he might be missing from his regular food intake.

FAQs

How did Gerard Butler Get Ripped for 300?

Gerard Butler got ripped for 300 by training five to six days a week with a combination of functional training, Olympic lifts, and metabolic body movements.

He utilized all types of equipment that can be used on either a big belly or skinny arms and did a lot of push-ups, box jumps, and pull-ups [3].

Is Gerard Butler's Body Still In Good Shape Today?

Gerard Butler’s body is still in good shape today because he has been consistently working out and taking supplements.

Taking a look at his photos from his upcoming action-packed film, Kandahar, he appears in great form and condition, with lean and toned muscles.

Can Butler's Full-Body Workouts Help You Maintain Lean Muscle Mass?

Gerard Butler's full-body workouts can help you in maintaining lean muscle mass because they work on toning group muscles in both the upper and lower parts of your body, including your core muscles.

However, no matter how hard you work out, it will be ineffective unless you combine it with a healthy diet and supplements to improve your physical performance.

My advice is to, like Gerard, supplement your workouts with a high-quality whey protein powder that is proven to be safe and will not cause an upset stomach. These products are the main staple for all bodybuilders for a reason, so make sure to invest in a good one.


References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4707424/
  2. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8161393/Gerard-Butler-stocks-protein-shakes-prepares-quarantine-amid-coronavirus-crisis.html
  3. https://www.insider.com/gerard-butler-says-the-300-training-was-ruining-his-body-2021-3
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