Chris Pratt Inspired Workout: Train Like Guardians of the Galaxy’s Star Lord
The Avengers are set to go to war this May and it’ll be their toughest battle yet.
They’re going to have to stop Thanos and defeat him as he tries to collect the remaining Infinity Stones and execute his plan to destroy the entire universe.
Luckily, they’re not going to have to go it alone.
They’ll have the Guardians of the Galaxy on their side, which means we get to see Chris Pratt’s portrayal of Star Lord in theaters again very very soon.
And what better way to honor our universe’s heroes than a series of Avengers: Infinity War superhero inspired workout programs?
I can’t think of any.
So, let’s kick things off with the man himself: Peter Quill aka Star Lord.
Editor's Note: Make sure you’re doing all the right things you need to be doing to build lean muscle mass. For those looking for a more in-depth resource to teach them how to build muscle, we’ve created a FREE 5 day Muscle Building Email Course.
The course will teach you how your body builds muscle, how to utilize workout plans on our website to maximize muscle growth, how to eat to build muscle, how to supplement to build muscle and how to track your progress.
Sign up below today to learn and ensure you get the most out of this workout program.
Introduction to the Chris Pratt Inspired Workout
Chris Pratt skyrocketed to fame and has all but cemented his place as one of Hollywood’s most popular action stars.
But it wasn’t that long ago that Pratt was the thicc (two C’s) and loveable Andy Dwyer on the hit comedy series Parks and Rec. Believe it or not, Chris had to lose nearly 60lbs prior to playing Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1.
Luckily for Chris, that wasn’t the first major body transformation he completed for an acting role. He had to improve his athleticism and physique to look like professional baseball player Scott Hatteberg in Moneyball.
Subsequent movie roles forced Chris into a rollercoaster of weight gain and weight loss until ultimately he got the call from Marvel. Since that point, he’s remained consistently shredded as apparent in his roles as Star Lord and Owen, the badass velociraptor trainer in the Jurassic World series.
So, how did he do it?
From all the information we have access to about Chris Pratt, we can deduce the following principles about how Chris works out.
Chris Pratt Sets Goals with a Firm Deadline
Nothing will make you follow through with a goal quite like having to be in shape, or otherwise be replaced.
Chris’ goal was to look like a superhero. His deadline was set by Marvel and those in charge of the Guardians of the Galaxy project.
If Chris didn’t meet his goal by the deadline, he would’ve lost his job. That’s a powerful incentive.
And while you may not have that kind of a factor pushing you towards your goals, you can still apply Chris’ goal setting ability to your own fitness journey.
Chris Pratt Prioritizes Being Active Most Days
Whether he’s killing it in the gym with a traditional bodybuilding split, knocking out a WOD at his favorite Crossfit Box, doing P90x or Insanity in his own home, or simply getting out to train for an Iron Man – Chris remains active nearly every day of the week.
That’s something we should all strive to do.
Now, you’ll need to take your own capabilities into consideration to ensure you recover properly to grow lean muscle tissue. But just because you can’t hit the weights doesn’t mean you can’t get out and go for hike, walk, jog, or whatever you have the ability to do.
Chris Pratt Keeps His Nutrition Dialed In
In one of my personal favorite Chris Pratt Instagram miniseries, “What’s My Snack”, Chris shows off his meals while at home, on set, or on the go.
From seaweed avocado wraps to carrot cake muffins, Chris has his meals carefully planned out to fit all of his calorie, macronutrient, and micronutrient needs.
The man also cut alcohol out of his diet for 8 months while training for his Star Lord role. That takes a lot of will power to do, and as you can see, created the deficit he needed to lose fat.
Figure out how many calories you need to eat each day to accomplish your goals and aim to be consistent with your diet. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll be able to accomplish.
Chris Pratt Works with a Trainer
Marvel put Chris in touch with celebrity trainer and former Navy Seal, Duffy Gaver, to help him get in shape for the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
In the past, Duffy has helped Chris Hemsworth get ready for Thor, Liam Hemsworth train for various roles, and Scarlett Johansson prepare to play Black Widow.
Duffy is a no-nonsense kind of guy who likes to stick to the bodybuilding basics. That means hypertrophy rep ranges, calorie control, and eating micronutrient rich food sources.
Working with a trainer can be very beneficial, especially if you’re new to weight lifting or athletic training. They’re not only full of knowledge, but they are also excellent motivators.
I think Duffy’s track record speaks for itself.
Chris Pratt Inspired Workout Program
Below is a 12 week program inspired by Chris Pratt’s physique and is aimed to help you build lean muscle mass to look like the Guardians of the Galaxy star.
It is important to note that this isn’t Chris Pratt’s actual workout program.
However, it was designed with careful attention to detail based on information we have on how Chris trains and how his trainer, Duffy Gaver, trains his clients.
The program consists of a 4 day bodybuilding split, a full body tabata training style day, and 2 active recovery days (if you’ll remember from the notes above, Chris likes to be active most days of the week).
The 4 day split utilizes hypertrophy rep ranges to provide the time under tension necessary to build muscle. Rest periods for this style of training should be limited to 30-60 seconds.
Weight selection will vary from person to person. So, it’s important that you select a weight you can perform the prescribed number of reps. By the end of each set, you should feel as though you only have one more rep left in the tank.
Be diverse in your cardio selection and the activities you select for your active recovery days. This will help keep your weeks interesting and your motivation high.
Chris Pratt Workout Day 1: Back, Biceps, & Abs
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pull Up | 5 | 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 |
| 2. Pull Down | 5 | 15, 12, 12, 10, 8 |
| 3. Hammer Strength Row | 4 | 12, 12, 10, 10 |
| 4. Heavy Dumbbell Row | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
| 5. Barbell Curl | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 6 |
| 6a. Hammer Curl | 3 | 12 |
| 6b. Reverse Curl | 3 | 12 |
| 7. Plank | 3 | 20 Secs |
| 8. Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 15 |
| 9. Sit Up | 3 | 20 |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 2: Chest & Triceps
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bench Press | 5 | 12, 10, 8, 6, 6 |
| 2. Incline Bench Press | 3 | 12 |
| 3. Hammer Strength Bench Press | 3 | 15 |
| 4. Cable Flys | 3 | 12 |
| 5. Dips | 3 | Failure |
| 6. Tricep Rope Pressdown | 3 | 12 |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 3: Legs & Core
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Barbell Back Squat | 6 | 15, 12, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| 2. Deadlift | 4 | 10, 8, 6, 6 |
| 3. Leg Press | 1 | 10* |
| 4. Bodyweight Walking Lunge | 3 | 15 Each |
| 5. Leg Curls | 3 | 20, 15, 12 |
| 6. Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 20 |
| 7. Plank | 3 | 20 Secs |
| 8. Bodyweight Glute Bridge | 3 | 20 |
| 9. Oblique Crunch | 3 | 15 Each |
*Drop sets to failure until only the sled is left.
Chris Pratt Workout Day 4: Active Recovery Day
On this day do something light that helps you remain active. This is the perfect opportunity to perform some form of cardio exercise. My recommendation would be doing something active outdoors such as a walk, jog, or bike ride.
Chris Pratt Workout Day 5: Shoulders & Triceps
Warm Up: SMR, Dynamic Stretching, 10 Mins Jog on Treadmill
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Military Press | 5 | 12, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| 2. Lateral Raise | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
| 3. Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 15 |
| 4. Front Raise | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| 5. Barbell Shrugs | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| 6. Overhead Extension | 3 | 12 |
| 7. Skull Crusher | 3 | 12 |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 6: Full Body Tabata
4 Mins total for each exercise. Perform them for 20 seconds nonstop, then rest for 10 seconds throughout the entire 4 mins.
| Exercise | Mins | On/Off |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Push Up | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
| 2. Pull Up | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
| 3. Air Squat | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
| 4. Bodyweight Lunge | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
| 5. Hyperextension | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
| 6. Crunch | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
| 7. Plank | 4 | 20/10 Secs |
Chris Pratt Workout Day 7: Active Recovery Day
On this day do something light that helps you remain active. This is the perfect opportunity to perform some form of cardio exercise. My recommendation would be doing something active outdoors such as a walk, jog, or bike ride.
Final Notes on the Chris Pratt Inspired Workout Program
The 12 week workout program listed above was inspired by Chris Pratt’s exercise habits.
If your goal is to look like Star Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy or Owen from Jurassic World, it is a solid workout to help you reach your goals.
However, working out is only a small piece of the fitness puzzle. Ensure you’re eating accordingly to your goals and consuming nutrient rich whole food sources such as: veggies, fruits, whole grains and oats, lean meats, healthy fats, and low fat dairy products.
To build muscle like Chris Pratt, you’re also going to need to make sure you get enough sleep each night. 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night should do the trick. This, paired with your active recovery days, will help your muscles repair and grow.
Be sure to check out Chris Pratt (and the rest of the Marvel crew) in Avengers: Infinity War on May 4th, 2018 and in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom on June 22nd, 2018.
If you have any questions regarding this Chris Pratt inspired workout routine (or have a future superhero/villain inspired workout program request), please leave us a comment in the comments section below!