Christian Bale’s Bulking Routine for Batman is a Godsend for People Cursed With ‘Forever Skinny’ Tag

Christian Bale is one of Hollywood’s most prominent method actors who goes to unreal lengths for his characters, the primary of which is drastic physical transformation. He has been able to gain and drop weight in the blink of an eye. From being on an apple a day and a cup of black coffee for The Machinist, where he was 53 kg, to bulking up immensely for his Batman role in less than six months and reaching a hunk of an 85 kg body, this is not everyone’s cup of tea.  

He is a man who has done it all and serves as a beacon of hope not just for the people of Gotham but for people who are cursed with the “forever skinny” tag. Let’s dive into Christian Bale’s bulking-up routine for Batman, which is a surefire way to get one jacked.

Christian Bale’s Batman Diet Is Everything One Needs To Bulk Up

Christian Bale’s notable physical transformations would put Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter to shame. He has been a wizard at being strip-like thin, jacking up, and obese all in a matter of months. However, it was his Batman role that sparked the most interest in the fitness community. One must remember that the movie prior to Batman by Bale was The Machinist, a role for which he became so thin that he could have made an X-ray machine obsolete.

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However, he went from that to having the Batman physique in a matter of five months, which made everyone wonder if he truly had a dungeon full of magical spells at his disposal. If not, then what is his diet and workout secret? While talking to SuperheroJacked, Bale opened up about how he struggled to get into a normal diet after The Machinist.

“I had about five months to reach what you see in Batman Begins. At the start, I was eating often and I was eating foods very high in calories because I lost 60lb. It took me a while to even be able to work out properly after The Machinist as well, so at first it was slow progress exercise wise.”

For this kind of body, one needs a significant calorie surplus (+500 kcal, approx). It helps the body gain muscle. One would also gain some fat, which can be adjusted by tweaking the diet later on (via. Men’s XP).

Also Read: “I’m back to being one part in a very big film”: Christian Bale Hated His 1 Movie Role After American Psycho That Threatened His Hollywood Career

For breakfast, one should ideally go for a 6–8 egg white omelet and oatmeal with blueberries, which would be protein-heavy. A glass of milk with protein powder and creatine monohydrate with a banana would also help build strength for the workout and throughout the day. For lunch, a simple fish or chicken and cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and onion on the side of a glass of milk would be a balanced meal. Almonds are great as pre-workout snacks to energize and curb cravings.

For post-workout snacks, whole milk with a scoop of protein powder makes sure one feels revitalized and gets the energy back after a workout. For dinner, fish or chicken with boiled veggies and almonds will keep it classic, simple, and nutritious. 

Christian Bale’s Workout Routine For Batman

While talking to SuperheroJacked, Christian Bale gave a lot of important insight into the workout plan he followed for his Batman role. 

“When I was able to workout again, I’d learnt a lot about training from American Psycho, Equilibrium and Reign of Fire. I learned a lot about bulking, cutting and nutrition, so that was something I brought into the Batman role. And my regime: I would do splits – every day focusing on a different muscle group.

I would do three sets of 10 to eight, depending on what I was working on. Usually, the last set was a little lower rep-wise because I’d want to be struggling, you know? Then I’d always shock my body with drop-sets and supersets.”

Also Read: “He was absolutely fantastic company”: Christian Bale Debunked Method Acting Rumor of Heath Ledger After Working Together in The Dark Knight

However, not everything went as planned and he put on more weight than Nolan was hoping for so he had to cut down and become more lean.

“Actually, I gained too much weight in the run up to Batman Begins. I wasn’t the size that Christopher Nolan wanted, so I had to cut down 20lb or so just before shooting – I was a lot beefier at first. That cutting down was achieved by going on a calorie deficit and running more and for longer. I cut a lot of the carbs out of my diet for those few weeks as well.”

Bale truly knows what he is doing and his dedication forms the most part of his physical transformation, besides his metabolism. 

Batman Begins is available to watch on Netflix and Prime Video.