HOW I BUILT MY BODY

BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS

Some actors lament the hard work that goes into their on-screen physiques. Then there are those, like Tom Hopper, who love it

I’ve decided to try a Hyrox in December – so I’m definitely doing more running…’ Hopper jokes. Seemingly Hollywood fame doesn’t render one immune from the virality of the fitness race. ‘A lot of my cardio used to come from rowing, the ski-erg and cycling. A lot of short sprints. I’ve had to start incorporating longer running efforts into my training now.’ As he prepares for his latest role, alongside Chris Pratt as a Navy SEAL in Amazon’s The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, Hopper’s physical preparation has never been more front of mind. The key consideration this time around is how he approaches his training now that he’s hit the big four-zero.

‘Maybe it’s just time on the tyres,’ he says. ‘It’s made me realise that I’ve got to spend more time on recovery because I don’t bounce back as easily.’ Hopper has now shifted his focus from chasing heavyweight PBs to more volume and a more intelligent approach to movement. ‘You learn from injuries. I’ve been much more sensible in my training and I’ve taken a lot of pressure off trying to do big loads. Now it’s about volume and doing the right exercises that are giving me the most bang for my buck.’