The new Spider-Man tom Holland focuses on speed and balance
Meet the new Spider-Man, Tom Holland: A strong and ripped body that is just as fit as it is functional.
We usually equate superheroes with size and mass, but there’s always an exception to the rule. Here’s where Spider-Man somersaults into the picture. The lanky, young hero is not only strong but also agile and flexible. True to his name, Spidey can climb walls and backflip through the air with ease. The upcoming star of Spiderman: Homecoming, 20-year-old Tom Holland does just that.
Unlike other superhero movie stars who took on heavy weight-training routines to pack on larger-than-life muscles, Tom Holland focuses on speed and balance. He has a background in gymnastics which made him an even more perfect fit for the role.
His training routine is anything but boring. Tom practices gymnastic stunts, parkour, rock climbing, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, and other fun outdoor activities as well as lots of boxing.
I know what you’re thinking. That doesn’t seem like a program at all! It’s just a random set of activities. But each of these contributes to Tom Holland’s transformation into the ultimate Spider-Man in their own unique ways.
Gymnastics, the base of all sports, allows an athlete to maintain strength, balance, and flexibility. Not to mention being able to pull off all those crazy super stunts as Spider-Man.
Tom posts countless videos of insane gymnastics stunts on his Instagram account. Many fans speculate that his gymnastic ability was one of the major factors that landed him the iconic role as the new Spider-Man.
Parkour, on the other hand, is the sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment. It involves running, jumping, and climbing to get around obstacles — again all in a day’s work when you’re playing Spider-Man. Ditto with rock climbing which is an excellent practice for crawling up walls and buildings throughout the city.
Skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing all help develop core strength, balance, and endurance. While they all take place in different settings, all three sports force you to stabilize your body while maneuvering in a very unsteady environment. This helps Spidey develop focus and coordination as well as a rock solid core.
Boxing, a two-for-one strength and cardio workout, burns and firms the whole body. In addition to boosting strength and cardio, boxing improves balance, coordination, and agility. While Tom was already naturally lean, boxing is incredible for burning fat and building muscle tone.
His ripped physique today can be accredited to his mix of training disciplines. Each complements the other and helps create a new breed of superhero — one that focuses on function rather than on form.
On top of his training routine, Tom Holland also uses EMS, or Electronic Muscle Stimulation, which is a form of physical therapy that sends low-level electrical currents through your body to stimulate muscles. “I do it on top of my gymnastics training, and it’s a lot of good fun. It’s basically this electronic suit that’s put on while you work out, and it seems to be working out really well,” Holland claims.
When asked how EMS feels, Holland said “It is 20 minutes of absolute hell.” You’re strapped to a suit that covers all of the major muscle groups and a machine sends pulses that contract your muscles 80 times per second.
“You then go through a 25-minute workout where you follow the onscreen avatar leading you through motions. There is a trainer there making sure that you’re following the moves correctly. Once the client becomes competent with the suit, their routines are advanced.”
Due to the high intensity nature of EMS training, it is recommended that clients do it no more than once per week. Tom Holland saw tremendous gains through this form of training. It helped him look extra fit in the Spider-Man suit.
However, it’s important to take note that EMS is not a miracle treatment. In order to see significant changes in your body, you need to stick it out for at least 12 weeks. Holland reiterates that while EMS has helped improve his fitness, it’s not a miracle fix and it still takes lots of work.
Tom Holland reminds us not to be limited by the usual workout routines. There’s a whole world of incredible activities, sports and new technology to explore. In the end, it all boils down to your unique goal.
When you’re training to be the wall-crawling Spider-Man, you definitely have to think and work outside the box. That’s exactly what Holland did with his gravity-defying cross-training. The result? A strong and ripped body that is just as fit as it is functional.
Not all of us may be training for a superhero movie role, but we can all take a thing or two from Tom Holland’s routine. Go outside and try new sports. Incorporate more core work and balance in to your routine. Take up gymnastics. The possibilities are endless.
The whole world will be watching as Spider-Man: Homecoming comes out this week. Armed with his strong training, I’m confident that Tom Holland will deliver.
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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.
