Robert Downey Jr’s Over 40 Ironman Avenger Workout

History repeats itself: For Iron Man 2, Robert Downey Jr. had to put on 25lbs of muscle after Sherlock
Holmes.

In a funny twist, he was in the exact same position for Avengers: He had to put on 25lbs after Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows.

His trainer, Brad Bose, Phd, told WebMD that he took Robert Downey Jr. back to a modified old-school workout, including.

His upper body workout included these big bang staples:

1.) Pullups
2.) Dips
3.) Bench Presses
4.) Body Rows
5.) Military Presses

Robert Downey Jr’s lower body workout included:

1.) Barbell Squats
2.) Lunges
3.) Leg presses

His workout included high intensity days that were 45 minutes, but also included bodybuilding type days that were a slower pace and were 70 minutes.

A lot of the high intensity circuit days included pushups and body rows on the War Machine, a suspension trainer similar to the TRX, but with a pulley at the top forcing you to stabilize rotationally.

Don’t Get Hurt

What’s really awesome though, is that Brad capped all of Robert Downey Jr’s workouts at 80% intensity.  He explained that the older you get, the more important it becomes to just not get hurt.

He told WebMD:

“After age 40, shoulder stabilization becomes important, and pull-ups and dips put an unusually large strain on the shoulder capsule,” Bose says. “Doing these to failure risks the shoulder capsule unnecessarily; therefore, we stay at 80% of max reps.”

This has always been a staple of the RKC system of training – we call it “keeping a couple reps in the bank”.

For a weight that you could do 10 reps of, you do 8 reps.

For a weight you could do 5 reps of, you do 3 or 4.

For a circuit you could do 6 times, you do 4 or 5 times.

There is a myth that everything you do has to be at 100% all of the time to get results, and nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, Robert Downey Jr’s 25 pounds of muscle proves it.  You can get great results at 80%.

How Do You Get Results If You Aren’t Giving 100%?

This is a totally amazing question, and I’m so glad you asked.

You get results in your body by getting results in strength or strength endurance.  If today you can squat 135 pounds, and next month you can squat 185 pounds, you will look better in a month.

It doesn’t matter if you were lifting at 100% or 80%.  If you actually made progress, it will be reflected in your body.

It’s about doing more.

More.  More.  More.

More sets.  More reps.  More weight.  Doing more than you’ve done before.  And here is a news flash: You don’t need to go to 100% intensity or to technical faiulre on an exercise to do more.

The goal is not to be sore, or to wear yourself out.

The goal is to improve.

Robert Downey Jr’s Actual Workout

(as told by his trainer, Brad Bose, to Men’s Fitness)

Upper Body:

Band Squat 4 x 8-12
Hamstring Curl 4 x 8-12
Leg Press 4 x 8-12
Suspension Trainer Lunge 4 x 8-12
Suspension Trainer Superman Squat 4 x 8-12
Romanian Deadlift 4 x 8-12
Sandbag Squat 4 x 8-12
Kettlebell Swing 3 x 40

Lower Body:

Weighted Pullup 3 x 8-12
Weighted Dip 3 x 8-12
Swiss Ball Bench Press 3 x 8-12
Low Row 3 x 8-12
Cntinuous Tension Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8-12
Bosu Ball Pushup 3 x 15-20
Suspension Trainer Row 3 x Failure
Suspension Trainer Row 3 x Failure
Lateral/Front Shoulder Raise 3 x 8-12
Sand Bag Power Throw 3 x 12-15