Whether embodying the rippling King of Atlantis or “relaxing” by holding 100kg with his fingertips, Jason Momoa doesn’t do things by halves. His story is a salutary lesson in how to upsize your life. But first, he needs to get something off his chest
Jason Momoa doesn’t like going to the gym. In fact, he hates it. For a man whose major roles have been synonymous with brute strength and physicality, this may be somewhat surprising. As Conan the Barbarian, his two-handed broad sword and single-digit body fat did the talking. His perma-topless turn as Game of Thrones warlord Khal Drogo was all brawn and no brain. (He once extracted a human larynx with his bare hands rather than debate the limitations of his leadership.) But now, almost 10 years since he donned Conan’s loincloth, and as he prepares to be splashed across billboards and cinema screens in the title role of Aquaman, he admits he’s not that big on lifting weights.
“I just have a really hard time training for vanity,” he says. “These roles kill me because I’m not into that shit. Butit’s my job to become the character I’m playing. You want to look good, sure, but you have to do so much for the part that you get injured. You have to protect yourself. Train for function rather than how you look, man.”
He looks massive, regardless, sporting the sort of athletic heft usually found in the All Blacks back row. Yet, at 39, 6ft 3in, about 110kg and seemingly more suited to running through walls than climbing them, Momoa’s preferred methods of training are pinch holds and overhangs. You could say that he loves climbing. In fact, he says so himself at every opportunity.
“For Aquaman we incorporated things I love. I love rock climbing. When you’re training for a rock-climbing problem, you want to diet right and get in your best shape because it’s something you’re passionate about. It was something I could set a goal for. Not just, ‘Oh, let’s get a six-pack.’ We built a rock climbing gym on the Aquaman set in Australia. It kept my mind in a beautiful place.”
Rock-Solid Passion
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