How Gerard Butler’s Insane Training Nearly Ruined His Body

Gerard Butler’s training was taken to the extreme for 300, with six-hour-long workout sessions.

Getting into the groove for a role requires different things, and some stars are known for doing everything possible to get into character. Zoe Kravtiz studied cats for Catwoman, while Charlie Sheen didn’t sleep for two days for Ferris Bueller. It’s always different, and it usually pays off.

Comic book movies require a lot of prep, and we’ve seen MCU stars get ripped for roles. Prior to the MCU, 300 was a hit comic book adaptation that saw Gerard Butler get in crazy good shape. Little did people know that his training was almost too much to handle.

Let’s look at Gerard Butler and what he said about his preparation for the hit action film, 300.

Gerard Butler Has Had A Great Career

With an entertainment career spanning back to the 1990s, chances are, you’ve seen Gerard Butler in a number of different projects. It might have taken some time, but eventually, the actor would land the right roles that would highlight his abilities, which led to him becoming a popular mainstream actor.

After putting in some work during the 1990s, things really took off for the actor during the 2000s. Phantom of the Opera was a great way to be noticed by millions of movie fans, and this movie was instrumental in his name being recognized around the globe. From that point on, things were trending upward for the actor.

P.S. I Love You, Nim’s Island, RocknRolla, The Ugly Truth, and Law Abiding Citizen were all films that kept the ball rolling for Butler, and this does not even include is Olympus Has Fallen movies.

Clearly, things have worked out quite well for the actor in the movie business, and years back, he starred in an action movie that millions of movie fans simply had to see.

He Got Shredded For ‘300’

2007’s 300, which was based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel, was the right action film at the right time. People devoured this movie when it first came out, and the stunning visuals paired nicely with the interesting story that Miller had penned years before.

Led by Gerard Butler, 300 was a fun movie that made bank at the box office. While making the movie, Butler certainly had his reservations about the film’s success.

“There were times you would walk around in your red cape and little leather underpants and someone would point at nothing and say, ‘Look! A burning village!’ And I remember going, ‘Oh my God. This movie’s going to suck,'” he said.

Fortunately, the actor was wrong, and the film was a must-see.

Now, there were a number of standout elements from the film, and one thing that people immediately took notice of it was the fact that the primary cast of the movie was completely shredded. This was all thanks to intense physical preparation, which added to the visuals and vibe of the film.

Even though Gerard Butler looked phenomenal in the film, few people were actually aware of the price he had to pay in order to achieve his ideal physique.

Training For ‘300’ Nearly Ruined His Body

Honestly, it shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that Gerard Butler had a crazy time preparing to play King Leonidas, but it should be surprising to learn that the actor believed that the training for the film was genuinely ruining his body.

According to Butler, “That was the best shape I have ever been in my life. In some ways, I was ruining my body, but I was looking amazing doing it.”

As The Hollywood Reporter noted, the actor underwent insane preparation for the role, which required a ton of training. Butler “worked out six hours a day — two hours of CrossFit-style training, two hours bodybuilding and two hours on fight choreography,” which would be a taxing physical toll on anyone.

Now, for some, it may be easy to be on the outside looking in, and simply think that he shouldn’t be complaining because he’s making a ton of money for the work, but it’s genuinely unimaginable to most to be in gym for six hours each day while also taking on fight choreography.

A lot of people don’t even like doing their job for six hours, let alone having to hit the gym to be in ridiculous shape to simply look good on camera.

At the end of the day, Butler did get into fantastic shape for 300, and it paid off, as the film was a massive success that gave his career a jolt.