Callan Mulvey On Training For 300: Rise Of An Empire
The 300 movies are well-known for the characters having a certain physique; what kind of fitness program did you need to maintain to be 300-ready?In the lead-up to and throughout the shoot we were trained by the masterful Mark Twight and his team from Gym Jones. The training program was, ahh… intense, to say the least! He kicked our arses on a daily basis, but time was limited. It was also diverse, which was very cool in that it stopped it from getting monotonous. Before the cameras rolled, we were training six days a week, and once shooting began, we trained on non-shoot days.
The goal was to be able to move and fight like our characters would, and the aesthetic was just the end result. Our amazing fight coordinator Damon Caro and his guys then tailored our fight-training program and fighting style to our characters in a very specific way. For example, my character had bigger power moves, whilst Scyllias' son Calisto (Jack O'Connell) had more of a capoeira fighting style — fast, with almost a liquidity to him.
Before shooting began, we usually had two to three hours of stunt training in the morning, plus learning our fight sequences, followed by lunch in the van on the way to two hours of gym training in the afternoon.
How important was your eating plan to create the body for your role?
Extremely. Whilst what you do in the gym is critical, it's the other 22 hours that can undo all the hard work. So it was a strict diet of red meat, fish and chicken, with bell peppers or green beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You get over it really quickly.
Diets: love them or loathe them?
Diets suck. I love sugar. I love carbs. In my experience, being too extreme and denying yourself is setting yourself up to fail. I try to have a healthy balance. I don't deny myself when I really want something, but I don't go crazy and eat everything in sight when I do. I also don't run myself into the ground when I train, and I'll have a day off if I feel like it.
Was there any part of your fitness regime for 300: Rise of an Empire that you will adopt as part of your regular routine?
I am much more educated now about how to achieve the desired goal, and as I mentioned before, I'm not as extreme in my pendulum swings. I used to go from binging, eating whatever I wanted and not exercising at all, to straight into just salads, meat, no sauce or flavors, coupled with big gym sessions, and I would just burn out after a short time and end up back at square one. Now, I don't go as hard on either side.
If I really want something I shouldn't be eating, I have a little bit of it and don't deny myself. Then I find I can stay on track. In the gym, I have a stronger mentality now. As we all know, your mind is the first to give up. I've learned how to push through more than I used to. Also, one of the biggest lessons was warming up properly and being very aware of correct form. In all those months of training with Mark Twight, doing some really strenuous training, I never suffered a single injury or niggling pain. I had a head-on at 100 kilometers an hour (62 mph) years ago and my left leg got absolutely hammered. Mark not only managed to train around that and still get the desired overall result, but he actually improved my mobility and strength in my leg.
Callan Mulvey On His Off-Set Nutrition And Fitness Routines
My general maintenance program is more diet than exercise. I try to keep myself in pretty good shape so I can get to where I need to in a short amount of time. Generally, when I get a role, I have anything from a week to months before shooting begins. Apart from eating a fairly small serving of very bland grain-based cereal for breakfast, I eat very little carbs and I have almost no sugar. If I'm training for a role, then I'll step things up, according to the desired result. I'm sure there are more efficient methods and programs, but this is what works for me — and, most importantly, it is something I can maintain and do on my own. I'm also fortunate that my body responds pretty quickly. For now, anyways.
To gain muscle: heavy weights, low reps, no sugar and lots and lots of protein and vegetables. Depending on how I feel, I'll train five to six days a week, hitting a different area each day.
To strip down quickly: I fast from about 4 to 5 p.m., then first thing, do a really brisk walk on the treadmill for 45 to 60 minutes, keeping my heart rate at about 75%. Then a really small serving of grain, because I hate eating meat for breakfast. I'll then do some lighter weights in the afternoon. Then it's meat or chicken and broccoli or baby spinach leaves with balsamic vinegar for lunch and the same for dinner.
Has eating well and exercise always been a part of your life?
With regard to food, not at all! I love sugar and carbs and am the binging type. As you get closer to 40 it just sticks and is much harder to burn off. I don't let myself go as much as I used to. I never get to play the fat baker, so I have accepted that in my line of work I just have to watch what I eat, all the time, to stay in good shape.
I was very active when I was younger. I don't surf anywhere as much as I'd like to. I don't really do any fun types of exercise anymore. The fun things I like, like snowboarding and skateboarding, are too risky now. I can't be out of work with a broken anything. Plus, when you hit the deck, you don't bounce back like you did when you were a grommet. [Ed.'s note: This is a real term used to describe inexperienced surfers, snowboarders and skateboarders. Gnarly.]
Callan Mulvey On Playing The Part
What was your favorite part of getting ready to for your character?
I loved the fight training and working with our stuntmen, who I am in awe of, both in this movie and generally, really. They are so talented, disciplined and generous. I just love being around them. I learn so much. Stuntmen are amazing freaks of the highest order.
They transformed me from a pompous actor who couldn't swing a paper bag to save his life, into a head- and limb-removing Athenian soldier. No small feat!
How hard was it to maintain that physique for the entire length of shooting?
It wasn't pleasant, but that is the job and we're well compensated for it. It was just a matter of sticking to the diet and training on the days you weren't on set shooting. Maintenance is definitely easier.
How demanding is it on your body to go from one movie role to the next?
This is the biggest (if you could even call it "big"). I certainly put on a lot of muscle, but it wasn't too demanding. It wasn't like I went from skin and bone to Thor.
How is training for a particular movie different from what you’d do every day?
Training for a role is just more intense and goal-specific. Maintenance is just that: maintaining.
What would be your No. 1 tip for a regular dude who wants to look like your character?
It's 70% diet and 30% exercise.
Is there anything you refuse to do (fitness-wise) to get ready for a movie role?
Nothing I'll refuse, but I'm really not a fan of a cardio!
When playing a role like you did in 300: Rise of an Empire, did you find it more demanding physically or mentally?
Whilst the mental demands of figuring out how to play the character are always challenging, I found the physical demands harder.
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