The discipline: Muay Thai
Mixing traditional martial arts and kickboxing techniques, Muay Thai is one of Asia’s most popular sports, dating back to the 15 century before gradually being adopted by the Thai army. For his role as a young Thai boxing-club director in Bangkok in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives, the actor underwent intensive training. Muay Thai master Vohn Thonaphan coached Ryan Gosling before and while shooting the movie and described the actor as a “naturally athletic and fast learning student”. It’s a discipline that can at times be brutal, in which strength and intense concentration are imperative.
Photo: AFP
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The full workout
"Ryan would train between two to three hours a day, three to four days a week before shooting." As well as teaching the art of Thai boxing, Vohn Thonaphan helped Ryan Gosling to sculpt washboard abs by focusing on the upper body: chest and shoulders.
The exercises:
1 – Pull-ups (3 sets, 20 reps)
2 – Push-ups (3 sets, 20 reps)
3 - Knee strike bridges (3 sets, 20 reps)
4 - Crunches (3 sets, 20 reps)
5 – Scissor kicks (3 sets, 20 reps)
6 - To finish, a five minute Muay Thai combat session which uses the fists, feet, elbows and knees.
Photo: AFP
The diet
With intensive training comes a strict diet. Inspired by Thai cuisine, Ryan Gosling followed a healthy but unrestricting diet comprising fish, rice and vegetables in moderation, alongside the right balance between proteins, carbohydrates and good fats. According to Ryan Gosling, "Muscles are like pets: they don’t do anything useful but you have to feed them and take care of them, otherwise they’ll go away,” he was evidently determined to get the perfect body for the role.
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Photo: AFP
The extras
For maximum workout fuel, Ryan Gosling had a banana and one to two natural protein shakes on training days. Coach Vohn Thonaphan underlined the importance of 15 additional minutes of cardio – treadmill or cycling – during workouts for visible and permanent results. For his own sanity, though, he didn’t rule out having one cheat meal a week.
Photo: AFP
