Apr 10
21
Jamie Dornan Workout – Calvin Klein Model
Jamie Dornan displays the lean, toned model look
Who is Jamie Dornan?
The name Jamie Dornan may not ring any bells, but chances are you have seen him in his underwear. Yes, you read that right. Jamie Dornan has been the face, and body, of Calvin Klein campaigns for the last number of years. But it is his most recent CK ads with Eva Mendes that have brought him the most attention.
I think he has the kind of body that most women would find attractive. He is lean and toned, without being too big and bulky. This is a good look to have since it allows him to look good whether he is wearing jeans and a t-shirt or a tailored suit, unlike the bodybuilder type body which can look a bit cheesy in either. A lot of the reason this kind of physique doesn’t look overdone is down to having right amount of muscle for your frame, Jamie Dornan is 5’10” and weighs in at 160lbs. As you can see you don’t have to weigh 200lbs to look muscular.
Unfortunately this is something that is often overlooked by guys, particularly young guys, who are just starting to lift weights and want “huge muscles”. Having the right amount of muscle for your frame, and having low enough body fat is what will give the appearance or being really toned and defined.
Jamie Dornan’s Workout Routine
Being one of the top male models in the fashion industry means he needs to be in great shape all the time. He is in high demand which means he has to travel a lot for different jobs. This can make it tricky to fit in regular workouts, so he has to be creative.
When his on a shoot he says there is a lot of down time while lighting and cameras are being set up, so he uses this time to work on keeping his body in shape. Generally there won’t be weights available so he focuses on bodyweight exercises. He says he does lots of push up variations and abdominal work on a daily basis. Doing bodyweight circuits is actually a great way to condition the muscle, giving it a firmer appearance rather than always trying to get bigger, which can give the muscles a soft, puffy look.
Jamie earns his paycheck
The rare time he does get to spend in the gym he focuses on basic exercises
This is the workout he follows:
Dumbbell Bench Press – 3 – 4 sets, 10 – 12 reps using 20 kg (40 pounds) dumbbells.
This will target the chest and to a lesser extent the shoulders and triceps.
Military/Shoulder Press – 3 – 4 sets, 10 – 12 reps using 30 kg barbell.
This is another basic exercise that puts emphasis on the shoulders.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls – 3 – 4 sets, starts with 22kg for 10-12 reps and then 14 to 16kg for the rest of the sets.
Most people are familiar with this bicep targeting move.
Barbell Curls – 3 – 4 sets of 10 – 12 reps using 15 – 20 kg barbell.
This exercise is excellent for targeting the biceps and forearms.
He doesn’t target his legs directly with weights but trains them through cardio. This is actually a good thing, since too much emphasis on heavy squats can make the legs look unnatural and out of proportion to the upper body. Heavy squats are good when you are staring out as a way of stimulation muscle growth but should be eased away from once you have gained the appropriate amount of muscle for your frame, and replaced with non direct leg work to give a more athletic look like Jamie has.
For his cardio Jamie likes to run or swim
He has played rugby since his was 8 years old and had to run on a regular basis to increase endurance for his sport. He runs up to 15 miles per week. He has also started swimming to give his joints a rest from all the running he has done over the years.
What does Jamie eat to fuel his body?
Ok, that was Jamie Dornan in that clip but that doesn’t answer the question on how he fuels his body…I just thought it was funny 🙂
His diet isn’t particularly strict, but he does generally stick to lean proteins like chicken, salmon and shrimp and drinks tons of water to keep hydrated.
My thoughts on Jamie’s workout
Overall his workout is pretty decent and he is clearly getting results. But I think if Jamie made a few adjustments he could actually get even better results.
For the cardio I would actually focus a bit more on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). And reduce time spent on endurance cardio. This would allow him to burn fat without breaking down the muscle.
Jamie Dornan with Eva Mendes in Calvin Klien Ad
I think his resistance workout looks fine, if a bit unbalanced. I would suggest focusing more on strength, doing 3 – 5 reps with heavier weights. This rep range would allow him to get stronger without making the muscles too big. When you focus on getting stronger without building excess muscle the result is a much more dense, angular muscle, giving you excellent muscle tone. He could also workout less frequently doing this kind of work. If you want to add some size to your muscles then 3 – 4 sets of 10 – 12 reps is great, but when you already have the ideal amount of muscle you should focus more on strength.
Jamie Dornan proves you don’t have to live in the gym to have a lean, fit body. And you certainly don’t need to be beefed up to look good. The main thing is that he is consistent and finds ways to get in regular exercise, something we could all do.
