“I’ve known Chris since we were 6,” Zocchi says. “We were friends all through high school. I used to do some amateur boxing. Chris would come down and watch me spar in the ring. I’d always say, ‘Jump in!’ And he’d quip, ‘I can’t get in there, I’d ruin my face!’ ” Smart move, because two decades (and $4 billion at the box office) later, Hemsworth’s megawatt mug is one of the most recognizable in the world.
But his latest project won’t be seen on the big screen—rather, a 6.5-inch one. It’s called Centr, and it’s touted as a personalized digital health and fitness program.
“I believe we all have untapped potential, and we all need support to achieve our goals,” Hemsworth says. “Centr puts the world’s best in the palm of your hand to help you develop a healthier body, a stronger mind, and a happier life.”
It’s not that tough of a sell: Who doesn’t want a Norse god–like physique?
“Even I want his triceps!” Zocchi says. But does it work?
While on vacation in the Philippines, YouTuber Erik Conover got so sick from food poisoning he landed in the hospital for a week and lost 15 pounds. He then downloaded Centr to get himself back in shape. A month into the program, Conover was so amazed with his results that he posted his progress on his YouTube channel. The video went viral (more than 5 million views) and somehow made its way to Hemsworth.
And because Hemsworth is a real-life superhero, he replied with his own video message: “Erik, what’s up mate? It’s Chris Hemsworth here. I saw your transformation, buddy. I’m in New York for a premiere and thought, ‘You know what? We should have a workout.’ ”
True to his word, Hemsworth and Conover teamed up on Day 60 for a “short but efficient” circuit that had the duo dripping in sweat. Motivated by his training sesh with Thor, Erik continued to mix up his routine with HIIT, kettlebells, and jump rope. By Day 90, Conover was at his heaviest—213 pounds of pure muscle.
“Chris is really passionate about fitness,” Zocchi says. “It’s not like he just does it for a job. He does get superfit for roles, but he really enjoys being healthy himself. So many people ask him, ‘How did you do this? How did you do that?’ I think he just wants to share the things he’s learned along the way.”
“The flip didn’t really switch until Chris landed the role of Thor. He’s usually a lean 200 pounds, but that was the heaviest I’ve ever seen him—over 220 pounds!
His diet consisted of protein shakes, BCAAs, and five to six meals of clean proteins, sweet potatoes, brown rice—the fun stuff.
On Endgame, he played around with being vegan. It was interesting to see if he could keep the size on without eating animal protein. He’d still have animal protein every second or third day, but the rest of the time he would eat mostly beans and lentils.
For Fat Thor [in Endgame], he had to wear a 60–pound rubbery fat suit. That took the pressure off me!”
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David James/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock / Shutterstock
Strong
“It was more military-style training—boxing, a ton of pushups and pullups, and body-weight training. He actually had to go straight into Avengers afterward. And since we were filming out in the Albuquerque desert, there were a lot of cold-night shoots. We kept dumbbells and a barbell in his trailer. We had to squeeze in workouts during breaks.”
“Chris needed to look leaner, so we incorporated more circuit-style training like dumbbell snatches and cleans, not crazy-heavy weight but constant movement and high rep ranges.”
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Courtesy of Centr / M+F Magazine
Hemsworthy Recipe: SESAME CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH BROCCOLINI
Ingredients:
1tbsp sesame oil
16oz chicken breast, diced
1garlic clove, grated
1tsp grated fresh ginger
1red onion, thinly sliced
1bunch broccolini, chopped
2medium carrots, thinly sliced on the bias
3tbsp soy sauce
(or tamari if gluten-free)
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Salt and pepper
1½oz bean shoots
Fresh cilantro leaves,
for garnish
1oz toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
2cups cooked brown rice
Directions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat and add sesame oil. Add chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add garlic, ginger, and onion and stir for another minute. Add broccolini, carrots, soy sauce, and lime juice. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide stir-fry between plates. Top with lime zest, bean shoots, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Serve with brown rice.
