How Ben Affleck Got Jacked to Play Batman

The movie world is filled with superheroes, as an overcrowded cinema schedule packed with spandex-clad characters attests—but there’s only one Batman. The Caped Crusader is the subject of some of the most iconic films in the superhero canon, and taking up the cowl can be one of the most demanding roles in Hollywood.

The most recent iterations of the DC universe featured Ben Affleck as an older, battle-scarred version of the character. That meant that the actor needed to look and move like someone who hasn’t just trained to fill out the suit—he needed to look like he’d lived through a fair number of tough fights, too.

Affleck turned to L.A.-based coach Magnus Lygdback, creator of the Magnus Method, to build up the athletic, muscular frame necessary for this brutalist version of the Dark Knight in 2017’s Justice League. “Our goals to build Ben as Batman were to build, leg strength, stability,” Lygdback said when the Men’s Health team dropped by Ultra Body Fitness in L.A. to get a rundown of the workout. “You know Batman’s carrying around this heavy suit all day on set, so we needed Ben to have the support he needed to carry that suit.”

Another of Lygdback’s concerns was helping to create a realistic physical framework for Batman’s fighting prowess, since the character is essentially a super-skilled ninja with a utility belt. “Obviously there’s an element of martial arts in the movie that we also wanted to capture,” he said.

The trainer and his colleague Hunter Seagroves led us through one of the typical days of the Batman program, which focused on developing flexibility and leg strength. The super functional workout uses a few key multi-joint movements complemented with smart, martial arts-centric exercises to help you to get moving like the protector of Gotham. Since Affleck has since parted with the role, you could use it as prep for your own audition.

If you want to give the routine a try, Lygdback recommends working through it twice a week. Want more? Check out the back session the trainer designed for James McAvoy’s role in Glass to add an upper body element to your programming.

The Batman Workout

Dumbbell Front Squat

4 sets of 12 reps

Deadlift

4 sets of 8 reps

Drop Sit

4 sets of 10 reps on each side

Squat to Kick

4 sets of 10 reps on each side

Lateral Hollow Rock

3 sets of 60 seconds each

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