BUILDING THE NECESSARY muscle to fill out the iconic blue and red suit for James Gunn’s upcoming Superman: Legacy was always going to take more than some brisk calisthenics and the occasional strength session. David Corenswet has been determined to become the most jacked Superman ever, and the results are plain to see.
Our first official look at Corenswet in his Superman garms has arrived, and the American actor is looking noticeably more buff. Much of Corenswet’s transformation can be accredited to his trainer, Paolo Mascitti, who recently shared a picture of his beefed up client on Instagram. Captioning the post “@davidcorenswet worked his ass off, I can’t wait to share more of the training we did to prepare to play this iconic character, stay tuned for more,” it appears that more thirst traps are on the way.
INSTAGRAM | @davidcorenswet
Mascitti also recently explained the training regime Corenswet used to achieve his newly chiselled rig. “David had been working out intensively before I met him, but he’s naturally a very lean guy,” Mascitti said. “He’s 6’4” but we wanted to put more bulk on him. He probably went from 200lbs (90kg) to 240lbs (108kg).”
Adding that much bulk is no easy feat. Thankfully, Mascitti revealed some details on the workout routine and diet plan that made it possible. You’ll have to wait until July 11th 2025 to see the results in action – as the official release date of Superman: Legacy dictates – but you can see the framework below.
What is David Corenswet’s workout routine?
Corenswet’s training began five months before production on Superman: Legacy did. According to Mascitti, Corenswet’s transformation didn’t require daily training, but longer workouts were necessary. “He’s very busy right now so we’re only fitting in three or four sessions a week, but he’s still working out for two hours a day,” Mascitti said.
The standard three-day cycle of push, pull and legs was utilised by Mascitti and Corenswet, with a focus on compound movements. “We focus on moments like presses, pull ups, pull downs, rows” Mascitti said. “We switched a little bit after a while, but kept the focus on progressive overload to encourage muscle growth, keeping track of reps and weight and trying to advance each week.”
Everyone has their kryptonite in the gym – even Superman. Corenswet is as ardent a workout warrior as any, but his one weakness is walking lunges. “He isn’t the biggest fan of them, but he does it,” Mascitti said. “He’s great at squats, but he just doesn’t enjoy lunges.”
David Corenswet’s mass-building push day
Besides revealing his push, pull and legs rotation, Mascitti was tight-lipped about the specifics of Corenswet’s workouts. Although, he did explain a sample push day the actor used to build mass – and quickly.
- Incline dumbbell press – 4 sets, 10 reps
- Bench press and cable fly superset – 4 sets of each, 10 reps of each
- Seated overhead shoulder press and lat raises superset – 4 sets of each, 10 reps of each
- Reverse tricep extensions and bicep curl superset – 4 sets of each, 10 reps of each
INSTAGRAM | @davidcorenswet
What is David Corenswet’s diet plan?
Like his workload in the weight room, Corenswet’s Superman diet plan was similarly monstrous. Mascitti didn’t go into too much detail, but he did stress the importance of being in a caloric surplus, with Corenswet forcing down 6,000 calories a day. “He was on around 6,000 calories a day and his diet was strict, but not as strict as I would have liked,” Mascitti said. “I’d ask him about his diet and he’d be eating cereal! He’d ask ‘What’s wrong with cereal!?’ But that’s why he’s the perfect Superman, he has a realistic expectation of himself and the role.”
Audiences can see if Corenswet truly is the “perfect Superman” when Superman: Legacy releases in cinemas on July 11th, 2025.
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