Ladies, if there was one Hollywood physique you could obtain, whose would it be? I don’t know about you, but I think Scarlet Johansson has an incredible figure and strength. Have you seen her workout regimen for her Marvel Comic Universe (MCU) role as Black Widow? It’s hardcore.
However, you cannot become the Black Widow without hard work and dedication. Without an excellent nutrition and training plan, Johansson would not have looked as powerful in Avengers: Endgame as she did. Interestingly, she didn’t even step foot in a gym until her starting role in Iron Man 2. That means that her transformation into the butt-kicking Black Widow is fairly recent.
This means that you too can achieve her strength, endurance, and power by following the same program.
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About Johansson’s Training
Scarlett Johansson didn’t go it alone when she was readying for her role as Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, for the Avengers franchise. She met up with Personal Trainer Eric Johnson, the co-founder of Homage, a New York-based fitness group. Johnson and his brother have worked with celebrities like Ryan Gosling and Sebastian Stan, as well.
Johnson explains that Johansson trained mainly at Urban Body Fitness in Atlanta, Georgia, where much of the filming was done for MCU movies. Since starting her workouts, Johansson has overcome various milestones every 12 weeks, including accomplishing a 245-pound deadlift, single-leg pistol squats, push-ups with a 45-pound plate on her back, and much more. It’s impressive for someone who had never stepped foot in a gym until 2009.
Johansson also knows her programming works because she has used it multiple times, starting with Iron Man 2 and when prepping for Avengers: Age of Ultron. That said, she also knows the struggles of tackling fitness when you have a lot on your plate. “It’s hard to fit everything in when you try to balance motherhood, training, and work,” states Johansson during an interview. “That balance is a myth!”
Her schedule is crammed. She works out for 45-60 minutes, 4-5 days a week, starting at 6:00 in the morning, before her daughter wakes up.
The Black Widow Meal Plan
If there is one thing that any fitness trainer will tell you about getting in shape, it is that you need the right diet. Plus, you can never, ever outrun a crap diet. Therefore, if you want a body like Scarlett Johansson, you need to take nutrition seriously. Lacking focus on your nutrition will set you on an uphill battle while wearing roller skates, so take Johansson’s advice. Eat healthy, clean, and wholesome foods.
She also committed to a low/low/high carb-cycling program that included intermittent fasting, 12 hours, or longer.
Here is a look at her meal plan during training:
Low Carb Days
Total macronutrient breakdown: 115 grams protein, 75 grams carbohydrates, 50 grams fat
- Pre-workout breakfast: 2 whole organic eggs, 2 egg whites, ½ avocado, leafy greens
- Mid-morning snack: (usually eaten 20-40 minutes after her workout) 1 scoop plant protein powder, ½ banana, spinach, 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- Lunch: 4 ounces chicken or 200 grams minced turkey; green vegetables, salad, or stir fry; ½ avocado or 1 serving of nuts
- Dinner: 4 ounces salmon or fatty-fish of choice; green vegetables, salad, or stir fry
High Carb Days
Total macronutrient breakdown: 105 grams protein, 125 grams carbohydrates, 35 grams fat
- Pre-workout breakfast: 1 whole organic egg, 3 egg whites, fruit, ½ cup oatmeal, 1 slice of toast, 5 g coconut oil, and green veggies
- Mid-morning snack: Same as the smoothie mentioned above
- Lunch: 4 ounces chicken or 200 grams minced turkey; green vegetables, salad, or stir fry; 30 grams avocado or salad dressing; 100 grams white rice
- Dinner: 4 ounces chicken or fish; 100 grams white rice; green vegetables, salad, or stir fry
As you can see, Johansson did not shy away from any kinds of foods, minus ultra-processed and sugary items, which would counteract her efforts. Her meals are wholesome about both types of days, and the focus is on clean ingredients that can be done up a number of ways.
Avenger’s Training Program
Johansson said this about her training: “I do the same fitness routine as my big muscle-man trainer. A lot of it is endurance, stability, and strength training. I like to work up a sweat. I’ve tried Pilates and yoga and all that, and I like to dabble in different things, but I always come back to a good old-fashioned athletic, full-body workout.”
Most of her training days involve strength-training, Olympic lifts, plyometrics, kettlebell training, gymnastics, MMA-inspired movements, and yoga. Her favorite moves include compound lifts, like the military press, deadlifts, and pull-ups. Surprisingly, she hates traditional cardio, like jogging, so Johnson introduced her to battle ropes, kettlebells, and sprinting.
With that in mind, here is a 3-day Black Widow workout for you to try:
Day 1
Warm-Up:
- Jog for 5 minutes at a slow pace
- 3×5 pull-ups or assisted pull-ups
- 3×10 push-ups
- 3×15 bodyweight squats
Workout:
Complete the following as intervals for 5 cycles:
- 800-meter sprint
- 30 farmer walks or 15 forward lunges on each leg
- 15 clean and presses
- 20 front kicks on each leg
- 5 burpees
Day 2
Warm-Up:
- Jog for 5 minutes at a slow pace
- 3×5 bodyweight squats
- 3×10 reverse lunges
- 3×20 reverse crunches
Workout:
- 3×10 back squats
- 3×10 overhead presses
- 3×8-10 Romanian deadlifts
- 3×10 military press
- 3×60 seconds plank holds
After completing those rounds, do core work, like 15-25 leg raises, flutter kicks, and sit-ups.
Day 3
Warm-Up:
- Jog for 5 minutes at a slow pace
- 3×5 pull-ups or assisted pull-ups
- 3×10 push-ups
- 3×15 bodyweight squats
Workout:
- HIIT 15 minutes – 1-minute run, 1-minute walk
Afterwards, cycle through this:
- 3×15 box jumps
- 3×10 upright rows
- 3×15 push-ups or pull-ups
- 3x 60 seconds jump rope
- 3×5 burpees
You are welcome to break up these days with yoga or other restorative, low-impact exercises or take a rest day.
Get Black Widow Strong
Johansson has a killer body, and it is all thanks to full-body workouts that are challenging, as well as a full nutritional program. It took Black Widow a long time to build the level of fitness that she has today. You are fully capable of doing the same. Use the routine and diet as inspiration and become the superhero you’re meant to be!
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