{"id":185447,"date":"2025-08-29T20:13:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T20:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/185447\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T20:13:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T20:13:18","slug":"i-tried-chris-hemsworths-1000-rep-bodyweight-challenge-heres-what-it-does-to-your-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/185447\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I Tried Chris Hemsworth’s 1,000-Rep Bodyweight Challenge \u2013\u00a0Here’s What It Does to Your Body’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Unsurprisingly, maintaining a superhero physique<\/a> isn\u2019t easy \u2013 just ask Chris Hemsworth<\/a>. The Australian actor puts in serious hours in the gym<\/a> to look like Thor, but constant travel means he doesn\u2019t always have access to a weights room.<\/p>\n

His solution? Bodyweight workouts<\/a>. Hemsworth recently shared<\/a> a 1,000-rep, five-move session that requires zero equipment and can be done anywhere. So when I found myself gym-less but itching for a workout, I decided to give it a shot \u2013 although unlike Hemsworth, I wasn\u2019t knocking it out on a sun-soaked yacht. My living room had to do. <\/p>\n

The WorkoutIs it Worth Trying?<\/p>\n

If you like pain and suffering caused by simply using your own bodyweight<\/a>, then this is undoubtedly the workout for you. But a word of warning: don’t fall into the same trap I did and think this is going to be an easy session you’ll be able to rattle through. It isn’t, and you won’t.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Rather than completing the workout as part of a circuit<\/a>, I did the 200 reps required for each movement before moving onto the next exercise. Big mistake. That decision meant I needed to take a lot more rest in-between each set<\/a> in order to reduce the lactic acid in my working muscles, which invariably came back with a vengeance as soon as I tackled some more reps. <\/p>\n

I also wanted to challenge myself by completing Hemsworth’s workout as quickly as possible. This meant cycling through the mountain climbers at rapid speed in just three gigantic sets. What I failed to legislate for, though, is how much this would elevate my heart rate<\/a> and impact the rest of the exercises. Before I knew it I was on the back foot and fighting just to keep some semblance of pace up. <\/p>\n

The 200 push-ups took the most time out of all the exercises. Not only were my arms<\/a> tired from having to stabilise my body in the high plank position for the mountain climbers, but they were soon struggling just to bring my face away from the floor that soon started to seem like a more precarious opponent with each passing rep. 10 sets were required to stop it from feeling like my triceps<\/a> or pecs<\/a> were about to tear, while rest periods in-between became increasingly longer, too. <\/p>\n

Bodyweight squats also feel never-ending by the 147th rep. What started off fairly straightforwardly soon turned sour, as my legs<\/a> pushed the ground away with increasing lethargy. Mentally, it’s easy to buckle, but I just focused on maintaining strong form and slowing down the movement so that the fatigue would set in slightly slower. <\/p>\n

From thereon in the finish line came into view. The flutter kicks came and went without any issues and in minimal sets, while the kick-throughs \u2013 a difficult move to master, but actually quite enjoyable once you find your rhythm \u2013 required significantly more effort by recruiting muscles throughout the body. Not only did I find my arms were exhausted by this point simply staying upright, but my core<\/a> was on fire and moving my lead-like legs became increasingly challenging. <\/p>\n

Regardless, I got the workout done, finishing in just over 30 minutes with a serious pump and some heavy breathing. If I choose to tackle this Hemsworth session again, then I’d probably opt for 10 rounds of 20 reps of each movement, to break things up a bit more.<\/p>\n

How to Do the MovementsMountain Climber\"individual<\/p>\n

Assume a strong plank position, hands stacked directly below elbows and shoulders. Explosively bring on knee towards your chest and then back out, immediately repeat with the other leg. Keeping your back straight and hips low quickly alternate legs, aiming for a fast, controlled rhythm.<\/p>\n

Air Squat\"person<\/p>\n

Standing tall with your chest up, sink your hips back, squatting down until the crease of your hips drops below your knees. Drive back up explosively and repeat. Keep a controlled tempo and tight form, but move at a heart rate spiking clip \u2013 you\u2019ve got a ladder to climb.<\/p>\n

Push-up\"demonstration<\/p>\n

Drop into a strong plank position, with your core tight and hands stacked beneath your shoulders. Bend your elbows to slowly bring your chest to the floor. Keep your elbows close to your body as you push back up explosively, repeat.<\/p>\n

Flutter Kicks\"an<\/p>\n

Lie facedown on a bench with your hips on the edge. Extend your legs off the back of the bench, squeeze your glutes and raise your legs until they are level with your hips. Lift your left leg higher than your right leg, then lower your left leg as you lift your right leg. Make sure that you keep a controlled movement at all times.<\/p>\n

Kick-through \"ryan<\/p>\n

Crouch with your hands on the ground. Your heels should be raised, directly below your glutes, and your knees hovering above the floor. Raise your left foot and tense your abs, jumping your right foot to where your right hand is, lifting your right hand as you do so.<\/p>\n

In a fluid movement, kick your left leg through the gap between your right foot and left hand, extending your leg as far as you can. Hold the extended position for a beat before reversing the move in the same order. Then repeat on the other side. <\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men\u2019s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.<\/p>\n

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.<\/p>\n

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running \u2013 he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark\u2026<\/p>\n

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs<\/a> or on X @ryandabbs_<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n