The trainer behind Chris Hemsworth’s shredded Thor body has shared the diet and workout secrets behind his own ripped physique, and the specific training method that will get you looking like a superhero.
Joseph Sakoda – also known as Da Rulk – has made it his life mission to transform the bodies of both the military forces and celebrities, as well as helping first responders to perform at their best in their critical jobs.
‘My specific style of training is called Raw Functional Training (RFT),’ Da Rulk told FEMAIL.
‘It is designed to focus on bodyweight movements to improve mobility and increase functional strength.’
The trainer behind Chris Hemsworth’s shredded Thor body has shared the diet and workout secrets behind his own ripped physique (Da Rulk pictured)
Joseph Sakoda – also known as Da Rulk – has made it his life mission to transform the bodies of both the military forces and celebrities (pictured training)
DA RULK’S SPECIFIC TRAINING METHOD
A typical raw functional training set includes an intense workout that requires no equipment.
You might find yourself doing everything from bear crawls forwards, backwards and sideways to ‘sit throughs’ where you slide each leg over the other while on all fours.
‘You will often find people who are doing Raw Functional Training crawling on all fours, like a bear or baby,’ Da Rulk said.
‘This is because crawling is a fundamental movement pattern.
‘Babies crawl to get strong enough to sit up, sit up to stand, stand to walk.’
Da Rulk – who is from California but lives in Sydney – is also a fan of ‘switches’, which are a dynamic body weight movement designed to improve the agility and speed of movement through rotational leg switches.
Every complex movement is stripped back to basics, worked on and then strategically progressed for fitness gains.
‘In my day to day job, you might find me training the elite military and firefighters, or I may be training athletes who are injured and on a recovery program or wanting to best prepare for an upcoming event,’ Da Rulk said.
‘I also help celebrities to prepare for upcoming films, my weekly schedule never looks the same.
‘It all comes down to who the client is, the style and intensity of the training will always change.’
Da Rulk likes to follow a style of training called Raw Functional Training, which relies on the human body to get stronger (side through move pictured)
Every complex movement is stripped back to basics, worked on and then strategically progressed for fitness gains (Da Rulk pictured working out)
DA RULK’S PERSONAL TRAINING
Both his clients and Da Rulk himself follow the Raw Functional Training approach to working out.
But the trainer said people of any fitness can see benefits from it.
‘I don’t really have a typical week of exercise because I am a lead trainer in my day-to-day work,’ Da Rulk explained.
‘But everything I do is a full body workout. The training is designed so that you engage multiple muscle groups, and you continue to burn calories long after the workout is complete.’
Weight loss and muscle tone aren’t the only benefits clients can enjoy either.
RFT significantly improves movement patterns, coordination, mobility, agility and balance.
‘It increases muscle strength, particularly in the core,’ Da Rulk said. ‘Functional training isn’t merely cosmetic, it changes how your body moves.’
Da Rulk (pictured with Chris Hemsworth) works with celebrities when they have upcoming roles, as well as military forces and firefighters
Da Rulk (pictured) starts every day with coffee and oatmeal, and then mainly follows a Paleo approach that eschews white carbs like rice and bread
DA RULK’S DAILY DIET
A body like Da Rulk’s doesn’t come without a lot of healthy calories, and the PT typically eats four meals a day in order to look and feel his best.
‘I love great food and don’t follow any specific rules,’ he said.
‘Balance is key. I generally avoid foods with high levels of carbohydrates like rice and bread, purely because of how I feel after I eat them.
‘My diet is more Paleo-based to be honest. Plenty of protein, leafy green vegetables and healthy fats.’
A typical day on the PT’s plate starts with oatmeal, which is ‘easy, filling and nutritious’.
‘I always have a coffee with my breakfast first thing in the morning,’ Da Rulk said.
‘For mid-morning snacks or brunch, I have a protein bar or a small salad.
‘Something fast and easy that I know will get me through to lunch.’
Lunch is more varied and depends on how much time Da Rulk has.
‘I like to fuel my body with healthy fats and proteins like grilled chicken or fish,’ he said.
‘Salads are also a fast and easy option to throw into the mix.’
Dinner is usually red meat, chicken or fish with salad or vegetables: ‘Something easy and fast to make is key here,’ he said.
Dinner is usually red meat, chicken or fish with salad or vegetables: ‘Something easy and fast to make is key here,’ Da Rulk (pictured) said
Some of Da Rulk’s clients – including Chris Hemsworth when training for the role of Thor – have had up to eight meals of 450 calories each a day while on his training program.
Lastly, Da Rulk shared the mantra he lives by, and that is that you always ‘can’ do more than you think you can:
‘I believe that everything starts with our mindset,’ he said.
‘A positive mind yields positive outcomes. It is humans who create boundaries, not situations. I believe that you must push past what you think is possible.’
For more information about Da Rulk, you can follow him on Instagram here.