Ideally , none of you will ever get wrapped up in the kind of messes that Jason Bourne has to deal out with on a even basis : constantly incline from the FBI , physically combat any number of charter guns , and dealing with that pesky compositor’s case of amnesia to kick . But let ’s confront it – these things happen . As such , it never pain to be ready .
Perhaps the most defining equipment characteristic of Matt Damon ’s star - make persona Jason Bourne ( other than his unfitness to remember his own name , that is ) is his physical acumen . That Bourne spends full days in mid - dash and can hold his own against any well - toned opponent is the outcome of a top - dollar physical exercise regime .
fortunately , we got some perceptiveness into just what kind of training is entail to ramp up a man like Bourne . We spoke toMatt BaiamonteandJason Walsh , the trainers who worked with Damon behind the picture of the film , to con how one might become the proverbial superhero you see on cover inJason Bourne .
Universal Pictures
Remember that there’s no off-season
While it may be tough , even excruciating , to take your exercising regime from zero to 60 , simply keeping in decent shape twelvemonth - unit of ammunition will make the transition all the easier . " We did n’t just start prepping forJason Bourne , " says Walsh , founding father and operator of Rise Nation gymnasium in West Hollywood . " We had two other movies before that [ The MartianandThe Great Wall ] , which started back in 2014 . "
While neither of these films required of Damon the sorting of physique he ’d finally want to realise forBourne , Walsh nevertheless retain him in quality condition . " He did n’t have to be ripped , he just had to be an cosmonaut , " Walsh says , explaining that his " stress there was to keep him unassailable and goodly and resilient , " which made all the dispute when it finally came metre to work conditioning into the mix forJason Bourne .
" That ’s really what I recommend , " he continues . " There is really no off - season . If you may rest in decent shape , you ’re really only a few weeks away from getting in destination - ready shape when you need to . That ’s what I tell a lot of my clients , like John Krasinski . They just ride out in shape . peradventure not to top out performance , but in really good shape . So if they get the call tomorrow that if they need to go and be ready for a role like Jason Bourne , we do n’t have to struggle , and I do n’t have to make these guys ' lives miserable . "
Universal Pictures
Make friends with the grueling VersaClimber
All that said , that does n’t signify Damon ’s training was anything close to easy . The one element of the hotshot ’s workouts that seems to have really earned the reputation of a difficulty is theVersaClimber .
Baiamonte , proprietor of Matt Baiamonte ’s box Club in Wynwood , Florida , and Damon ’s boxing coach who oversaw and participated in much of the thespian ’s regimen , describes this specially trying exercise : " VersaClimber is basically , like , you ’re climbing a mountain , " he tell . " So we were doing time interval of that where he ’d go on for a hour , we ’d go on for a minute , and we ’d just keep bed that out . "
Walsh adds , " On the VersaClimber , he would terminate up averaging 4,000 ft or 4,500 ft , which we would do in 30 moment . Which is really , really good . That ’s a lot of work in a very , very inadequate amount of fourth dimension . "
Keep running uphill
Walsh emphasize that he ’d develop up bouts on the VersaClimber with run and recovery stop . But when you ’re training to become an action wiz , even the jogs are tough , especially considering the unforgiving terrain Damon had to work with . output ofJason Bournetook its wizard to places like Tenerife in the Canary Islands – a hilly locus – and London , England , which has a few notable Hill and ridges in its dense urban environment . That hit for some tough running .
Walsh retrieve , " We would arouse up in the sunrise sometimes and go for recollective jogs out in the park . In Tenerife we ’d do them in the mass . And that really sucked . Just range at a high grade , a 10 % grade , is a toilsome feeling . Your heart ’s in your pharynx . It ’s atrocious . " He adds , " When we were in Tenerife , we would do five , six miles . We did some of that in London , too . "
In fact , this all began well before the production ofBourne , when Walsh was conduct Damon through the Gobi Desert on the set ofThe Great Wall . " We started doing sprint and long - aloofness running a duo times a week , but we ’d also do mostlymetabolic sprints , " he says . " They were pretty ugly , I ’m not gon na dwell . And we were at very , very in high spirits altitude . We both kind of looked at each other halfway through like , ' What the hell is wrong with us ? ' "
To get in fighting shape, start boxing
If you ’ve seen thetrailer forJason Bourne , you know that this incarnation of the lover - favorite grapheme has really brushed up on his fighting accomplishment . Baiamonte lead Damon through countless drills to ensure that he could both throw and take all the punches the handwriting demanded .
Baiamonte rattles off a issue of boxing exercises , which include " two to four round of shadow boxing just to get him loosened up and get the juices flowing , " which require " a lot of head cause . When you shadow box you ca n’t just throw punches , you got ta feign that you ’re doing offence and defense force . "
He continues , " For one daily round or so , we ’d just throw the jab . Just so he could get his jab down . Then would we move into combinations . " These take form in a number of ways . " When we had a grip available , we would do speed drills on the bag , " Baiamonte says . " You ’d just throw as fast as you’re able to , but real combination , for like 15 s , and then you just move around the old bag for another 15 instant … doing your footwork . And then we ’d go back into the combinations that we were work on . " The routine also included " between six and 10 rounds of hitting pad . "
Because of the demands of a studio motion picture ’s tight docket , Damon was n’t granted the sumptuousness of the resting full stop that Baiamonte recommends . " When fighter have a conflict and the engagement ’s over , they take like two or three week off . It was literally like [ Damon ] had a fight , and he had to fight the next daytime … you got ta figure , they were hitting each other like 200 times [ in a scene ] . "
Spend tons of time focusing on core strength
Nearly as difficult as the VersaClimber or as intriguing as the pugilism sessions were the core exercises that Walsh and Baiamonte put Damon through . On top of planks , lunge , and peg raises , Baiamonte tells us about some of the workouts he picked up from his wise man , Angelo Dundee , boxing autobus to Muhammad Ali , Sugar Ray Leonard , and George Foreman .
There ’s thefarmer ’s walking …
Thereverse bicycle …
And a few applications that did n’t even have names …
Get serious about eating right
Of naturally , one of the most integral parts of keeping strong is eating levelheaded . confessedly , Damon had the lavishness of personal chef and managing director Ryan Toal , who Walsh touts as brilliant and Baiamonte lists among the hardest - working phallus of Damon ’s squad . That said , Walsh ’s illustration of Damon ’s dieting may serve any one of us put together something comparable .
" Forty - five percent of his diet was protein , " Walsh tell . " Then 30 % fat , and the rest carbohydrates . Anywhere from 1,600 to 2,000 small calorie on his diet . "
Although Toal was in charge of retrieving and machinate the food , Damon ’s trainers had a purpose in verify he was tailoring his dieting to his exercise . " Matt eat a very , very , very light , healthy diet , " Walsh says . " What we did is we tweaked all the macronutrients , and material like that , that he ate . As we lower our carbohydrates and we knead out and condition more , you ’re gon na lean out . So it ’s very important . " He continue , " You lour the small calorie , you pick off the carbohydrates , you would eat really clean nutrient and vegetables . peculiarly refreshed from the grocery store , it ’s fantastic . "
Keep things interesting by mixing up your routine
ultimately , as Walsh reminds us , you ca n’t quell in peak physical embodiment if you ’re struggling to rest mentally stirred . It ’s significant to broaden modus operandi and keep the regimen sport and rewarding .
" We really mixed it up a lot , " Walsh says , recall hill sprints in the commons in London . " We kept it interesting . We gainsay each other quite a bit . Who could run quicker , who could get to certain points during the running game first . I did all the exercise with him , so that there was that feeling of solidarity and chumminess . It helps a draw to have a workout buddy . "
As it sprain out , Walsh and Baiamonte were n’t Damon ’s only " exercise buddies " on hand . " His wife , who was in really serious shape , they would go on runs together , " Walsh say . " She was in amazing shape , and did a lot of the workouts . When your spouse is there to keep going you … that ’s a great support organization to have . "
sign on up herefor our daily Thrillist email , and get your fix of the best in nutrient / swallow / merriment .
