Looking for a bodyweight workout? Chris Hemsworth has shared another sneak peek of what he gets up to on the road, or in this case, a boat. And it’s safe to say he’s getting his reps in.
Adding to his ever-growing collection of seriously sweaty high-rep workouts (one of our writers has barely recovered from his 70-rep bodyweight workout), Hemsworth offers up the chance to join the 200 Club. And he’s upped the stakes considerably (130 reps, to be precise). It’s a challenge I, as a fitness writer, couldn’t resist.
Plucked straight from his workout app, (read our Centr app review here) Hemsworth declares “If the sea sickness doesn’t get me. This bad boy certainly will. We call this the 200 Club. Good luck.” The beauty (and the beast) of the workout is you don’t need anything other than your body weight and one of the best yoga mats to plant down on.
But don’t let it fool you, there are only five exercises, but the absence of barbells or kettlebells won’t give you any respite. I recommend grabbing some of the best workout headphones to power up a playlist full of motivation — I certainly needed it.
As a calisthenics trainer, I constantly rave about the benefits of bodyweight training. It improves your functional performance and is highly effective and accessible for most people wanting to benefit from cardio and strength training in one sweaty session. Read on to find out what happened when I put Thor’s workout to the test.
What is the Chris Hemsworth’s 200-rep bodyweight workout?
Here it is. Get ready to fire up for a full-body burn:
Mountain climbers: 200 reps
Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, forming one straight line from head to toe. Tap your right knee towards your left elbow, then as replace your leg, drive your left knee to your right elbow. Once confident, increase your speed. Learn how to do mountain climbers properly.
Squats: 200 reps
Stand with your feet hip-width or shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outwards at 45 degrees. Push your hips back, bend your knees, then lower towards the ground (as if sitting on a chair) while keeping your chest up. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then push through your heels to stand and squeeze your glutes. Learn how to squat properly — Here’s the most common mistake.
Push-ups: 200 reps
Start in a high plank position with shoulders stacked over wrists. Bend through your elbows (keeping them tucked in) and begin to lower yourself towards the floor, leading with your chest at all times. Push through your hands to return to starting position. If your hips sag, protect your lower back by bringing your knees to the floor for support — this is how to do a push-up well.
Flutter kicks: 200 reps
Lie on the floor and raise your legs to 45 degrees. Engaging your core, lift your head and upper back off the floor, then your entire back (if you can) to create a V-shape with your body. Lower one leg towards the floor, then as you lift it, lower the other leg. Try not to touch the floor. Once comfortable, increase the speed into flutter kicks.
Sit through: 200 reps
Start on all fours with shoulders stacked over wrists and hips directly over knees. Tuck your toes, engage your core, then gently lift your knees about an inch off the floor. Raise your left arm and right leg, then rotate to your left and feed your right leg under and through your body (as if side-kicking someone next to you). Return to all fours and repeat on the other side.
I just tried Chris Hemsworth’s 200-rep bodyweight workout — here’s what happened
I tried this 200-rep bodyweight workout from the comfort of my living room where no one could bear witness to the workout unfolding. I aimed to complete all reps of one exercise before moving on to the next, but you could also break it down into bite-size 10s or 20s and rotate between the exercises to reduce the intensity and up your engagement.
There are only five exercises to contend with, but if you’re unfamiliar with them it’s better to take an option that best suits your fitness and ability level. For example, I recommend using your knees during push-ups if you begin to feel strain in your lower back — I took this option after 20 reps, as I struggle to maintain good form for high reps.
I completed all 200 reps in one go for the squats, flutter kicks, and mountain climbers, but alternated the push-ups and sit-throughs every 20 reps for 200, as I struggle with my left shoulder.
This workout plays the long game well. In the first few minutes, I felt deceivingly fine, but then the burn crept in, and the combination of sit-throughs and push-ups is brutal on the upper body. If you struggle with your lower back, you can perform the flutter kicks lying down or with your hands or elbows planted.
200 is a lot of reps, and as you fatigue, they understandably take longer to complete. I found the push-ups and sit-throughs slowed me down as I finished short of 40 minutes. But you could finish this in under 30, depending on your fitness. I added a gentle warm-up and cool-down on either side. You might also need to factor in a few quick breaks, which is worth considering if you’re short on time.
Overall, this bodyweight workout provides a challenging full-body burn, efficiently targeting your core, upper and lower body while also testing your cardio credentials. I recommend slotting it into a work lunch break or doing it outdoors with friends for added competition.
If you’re after more workout inspiration, find out what happened when our fitness editor tried this intense 6-minute ab workout and how I got on when I tried this super sweaty resistance band workout.
