INSIDERINSIDER
Alexander Skarsgård in 'The Northman.'
Alexander Skarsgård in "The Northman."Aidan Monaghan / © 2022 Focus Features, LLC
  • Alexander Skarsg gained 20 pounds for The Northman.

  • His trainer told Insider that he worked out five to six times a week.

  • Magnus said that Skarsg ate a small amount of food in a small amount of calories.

Alexander Skarsg put on 20 pounds of muscle for his role in The Northman, which is set to hit theaters in April.

The trainer of the Swedish actor spoke with Insider about how he built his body for the role.

He trained with both heavy and light weights and wanted to eat in a slight calories surplus.

It was not the first time the two had worked together. He trained the actor for his role as Tarzan. The goal was slightly different for The Northman.

Magnus Lygdbäck with Alexander Skarsgård
Magnus Lygdbäck, left, with Skarsgård.Aidan Monaghan / © 2022 Focus Features, LLC

We wanted Alex to have a thicker look, a little more viking, and we needed him to move like a wolf.

The movie was put on hold when the coronaviruses hit, but it was trained by the man.

After a few months without a gym, he was able to train again from June to the end of August. When they finally started shooting, they were in even better shape.

Skarsgård trained five to six times a week

The main goal of Skarsg was to gain muscle.

We wanted him to have low body fat, but we didn't want him to be shredded like Tarzan.

He also took into account the age of the person. They did a lot of mobility work to keep him injury-free at 45.

A potential sixth session of active recovery or mobility is possible for Skarsg, as he trained five times a week.

Alexander Skarsgård working out.
Skarsgård working out.Aidan Monaghan / © 2022 Focus Features, LLC

Each training session included a high-intensity interval training and strength work.

Trainers recommend lifting weights in sets of eight to 12 reps. Lower and higher reps were used to keep him injury-free. If Skarsg arrived at the gym exhausted, he would be at risk of hurting himself, so they did lower weights or machine work.

Skarsgård's nutrition was key

Getting the nutrition on point was more important than training.

The goal was to eat at the sweet spot, which was slightly above maintenance calories. Three weeks before the shooting, Skarsg ate in a small deficit.

The quantities of his macros varied slightly over the course of his training. The actor kept his intake high to aid in recovery and muscle building.

Alexander Skarsgård in 'The Northman.'
Skarsgård in "The Northman."Aidan Monaghan / © 2022 Focus Features, LLC

People are encouraged to aim for 1 gram ofProtein per pound of body weight per day,constituting 30% of total food intake.

He ate a lot of eggs, fish, chicken, and beef to hit his target.

No food was off-limits, which is part of the nutrition philosophy.

I gave him a break on the weekends. He and Skarsg enjoyed a glass of wine.

To look like a viking, work hard and be patient

It takes a lot of hard work to get the viking look. They should not expect overnight results.

He said that it was a marathon, not a sprint. You have to get on top of training, nutrition, and recovery when you are in the gym.

People shouldn't be too hard on themselves as they work towards their goals.

He said that you could be working too hard and need a day off, or you could be faking it.

The original article can be found on Insider.

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