I was wondering how long it takes celebrities to get big for their action roles. I remember a post about Daniel Craig but my question is about Edward Norton in American History X (great film). The is usually very thin but he is massive in the film. Any one know haw long it took him to get that big (I know that he had nutritionists, trainers etc.)
Thanks for any ideas.

I have no numbers to give you. But yeah, when you're a movie star who's handed a personal fitness chef and a trainer, and your 'job' is to get muscled up for a movie, its a lot easier than working a 40 hour week, juggling daily life, AND making your own meals and workout routine. and you don't have a trainer whipping you like a dog to keep motivated.

think about how much money he makes. You'd swear off twinkies for 3 months if it meant a couple million dollars, no?

Twinkies yes, brownies...NEVER!!

Actors do not live in the same reality that we do.

When they are not working and preparing for a role. They are actually NOT WORKING. All they have to do is get in shape and get ready for the next role.

I would be ridiculous if I had 6 months off between every job. So would you.

Yeah, but that they can't really train anymore than you or I. I mean you can only lift 1hr a day 4 days a week. That's only 4hrs. So it must be the professional assistance and effort they put in. Thus, we could all do it if we are willing to get the necissary knowledge and put in max effort during those 4 hrs.

Nah that's not really true. The one hour rule is a good benchmark for average joes. If you had 6 months to bulk up for a role, maybe the first two months would be training for only and hour at a time. By then your work capacity will be higher and you can train for longer peroids of time.

Or, like you said, they train for an hour, but they have the best conditions-- good motivation, intense training regimen, etc. But then their recovery is superior and is on par with professional athletes.

I train more than an hour. I train more than 4 days per week.

I know some people where training is their sport/job. (powerlifting, strongman, body building) You can train a LOT more when you do not have the mental stress of going to work every day.

I can assure you that crazy results in 6 months involves more then 4 hours of training. Not to mention excellent nutrition, meals prepared for them and everything.

Wouldn't that be overtraining (I'm talking about lifting only, not cardio etc)? I would train more than I do, as I've got plenty of time and no job stress.

Like I said in the Daniel Craig thread, people have low standards, that's all. I haven't seen the film but that guy in the picture looks about 180lbs with low body fat which sounds like your average gym rat to me. I'm gonna take a wild stab in the dark here and guess he has skinny legs too

It's only over-training if it's over-training. You know what I mean? There is no specific amount of work or days or sets that leads over-training. There are only workloads that lead to over-training during specific times for specific people.

It is not as easy to over-train as most people seem to think.

Considering Ed Norton is about 150lbs in the rest of his movies and he trained up to 180 (an estimate) and lean in this one. Doing that in about the 6 months is something that most people would find impressive.

30lbs of muscle in 6 months has been argued to be "impossible" by some on this forum.

People on this forum have also argued that 30lbs in a year is "impossible."

Regardless, gaining 30lbs of muscle between 6 months and a year is respectable.

That'd be the ones who can read but can't lift

Has that guy always been around the 150lb mark? If he'd ever been stronger then muscle memory could have helped him a lot

Here's an earlier pic


I'd agree. I only gained 15 lbs lean (half of what he did) in 6 months.

He certainly doesn't look like a pro bodybuilder or anything, but he looks a lot better than the average guy in any gym I've been in. Especially in leanness...most average gym rats don't have particularly low body fat in my experience


...I just looked him up and he once dated Salma Hayek, so he's OK in my book

Then it's time to add more exercises into the mix. If your recovery is already good, then it's time to up the volume and/or frequency. Like I said, the "hour" rule is a benchmark for most average people. G said it right-- it's harder to overtrain than you think. And even if you do overtrain...so what? Overtraining isn't a big deal unless you have to compete within your recovery period. It just makes you feel tired and ****ty for a little while. Then you go back to the chalk board and come back ready to go again.

Really?? On all the threads i've posted on this forum everyone recommends i do 3 FBW's a week with only basic compounds.... I do consider myself a relatively hardgainer (if there is such a thing)..

But i have ALL the time in the world... should i be doing more??