Unpacking the New Superman’s Physique: Was David Corenswet’s 40lb Gain All Muscle?
The internet is abuzz with discussion about David Corenswet’s remarkable transformation for his role as the new Superman, with claims of him gaining 40 pounds in just nine months. While Corenswet states he achieved his physique naturally, without performance-enhancing drugs (“PEDs”), the rapid weight gain has sparked a lively debate among fans and fitness experts alike.
Jeff Cavaliere from ATHLEAN-X recently broke down Corenswet’s workout and nutrition plan, offering insights into what might have truly driven this dramatic change.
Corenswet’s Approach to Gaining Size
Before filming began, Corenswet received a directive from director James Gunn to “get a trainer” and “work on your shoulders and your vulnerability”. Seizing the opportunity during a strike, Corenswet decided to “get as big as I could within reason and healthfully,” fulfilling a long-held desire to put on size. Having been a “skinny guy” or “string bean” for most of his life, he was excited to have a reason to gain a “ton of weight”. His training philosophy was straightforward: “You eat a lot you lift heavy weights as intensely as you can basically”. He described his routine as thinking about what to eat, eating it, digesting it, going to the gym for two and a half hours a day, going home, sleeping, and repeating the cycle, marking it as a “level of intensity that I had never pushed myself to before”.
The Rigorous Training Regimen
Corenswet’s trainer, Paulo Midi, designed a demanding program:
– Frequency: Five to six days a week during pre-production, tapering to three to four sessions per week once shooting commenced.
– Duration: Each training session lasted approximately two hours or more.
– Split: A push-pull-legs (PPL) split was chosen, allowing for training six times a week without overtaxing recovery capabilities by focusing on common muscle functions. This meant training legs, pushing muscles, and pulling muscles twice a week.
– Key Goals: Progressive overload was paramount, with a focus on heavier lifting in the 6 to 12 reps per set range.
– Form & Technique: Corenswet emphasised full range of motion, slow negatives, and stretching—all deemed “key components of a good sound training plan”.
– Exercise Selection: The workouts focused on “big ones” like presses, pull-ups, pull-downs, and rows. Specific exercises included shoulder press, reverse fly, triceps pull-downs, high bar squats (with excellent form), and lying hamstring curls. He lifted heavy, often training to failure with a high level of effort.
– Core Work: Core and abdominal training wasn’t primarily for aesthetic reasons, as he was instructed to develop a “farm boy body” rather than a “ripped chiseled Superman”. Instead, core work was geared towards stunt readiness.
According to Jeff Cavaliere, from a training perspective, Corenswet was doing “all the things that he needs to do in order to build muscle”. Someone new to this level of intensity could expect “new gains to be had quite easily”.
The High-Calorie Nutrition Strategy
While the training was solid, Cavaliere believes nutrition was the primary driver of Corenswet’s significant physique change.
– Calorie Intake: His goal during peak bulk was an astonishing 4,500 to 6,000 calories per day. This was tapered down to 3,500 calories daily before filming.
– Weight Fluctuation: He reached up to 240 lbs during his bulk, then backed off to 228 lbs when filming started, losing 12 pounds.
– Macro Breakdown (Reported): 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 20% fat. However, Cavaliere notes that if Corenswet consumed one gram of protein per pound of body weight at 240 lbs, that would be 240 grams of protein (960 calories), which is closer to 15% of a 6,000-calorie diet, suggesting he might have consumed even more protein. Cavaliere suggests up to 1.2 grams per pound of body weight for muscle building.
– Sample Meals: Unsurprisingly, his diet included six egg whites, two whole eggs, 1.5-2 cups of oats, Greek yogurt, berries, almonds, and protein shakes for breakfast. Other meals featured “rice and chicken,” beef, fish, vegetables, protein smoothies, and yogurt snacks.
– “Cheat” Items: To reach such high calorie levels, Corenswet also incorporated “cheat” items like French toast, waffles, and cereal, which he called his “kryptonite”.
The “Big Bulk” and Its Implications
Cavaliere highlights just how aggressive Corenswet’s bulk truly was. A 6’4″, 240lb individual requires approximately 2,150 calories per day just for basic survival (Basal Metabolic Rate) and around 3,711 calories per day for total daily energy expenditure (TDE), accounting for his high activity level.
Consuming 4,500 to 6,000 calories per day meant a surplus of 1,200 to 2,500 extra calories daily above maintenance. This is significantly more than the typical 300-500 calorie surplus recommended for a steady bulk.
Evidence suggests this “aggressive bulk” led to considerable fat gain:
– Corenswet stated he “didn’t fit into any of my pants” and that he became a 2XL in a sweatshirt, which Cavaliere attributes to abdominal fat deposition from excessive calories.
– He also mentioned he “didn’t feel great when I underwent the transformation initially because my body hadn’t yet adjusted to all the extra weight he had gained,” which Cavaliere notes is common when carrying extra fat, not just muscle.
– His goal was to “gain essentially as much weight as I could”.
Cavaliere estimates that if Corenswet went from approximately 13% body fat to 22% body fat (around the time of his bulk peak), a 9% gain in body fat would account for 21 pounds of a 28-pound gain. This would leave only 7 pounds of muscle gain.
Was It “Natural”? The Expert Verdict
Despite the public’s scepticism, Cavaliere argues that gaining seven pounds of muscle in nine months is “not impossible”. He points to Corenswet’s favourable conditions: training hard for the first time, high intensity, focus on strength and progressive overload, guidance from a trainer, access to supplementation, and crucially, rest and recovery being part of his job.
Visually, Cavaliere notes that Corenswet’s traps appear “literally identical” in before-and-after comparisons, and while he did add size to his deltoids, he also accumulated “a lot of fat around his body”. He observes that photos strategically conceal Corenswet’s chest and abs, and points to visible fat gain in his face and neck. He also draws a parallel to Chris Pratt’s transformation, which involved a 60-pound difference, illustrating how drastic dietary changes can lead to significant body fat shifts.
Cavaliere even compares Corenswet’s physique (6’4″, 235-240 lbs) to a photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger at a similar height and weight, a known anabolic steroid user. He concludes, “I do not see a comparison between these two bodies,” suggesting that Corenswet’s gains do not appear to be of that magnitude.
Ultimately, while the debate continues, Cavaliere believes that whether or not Corenswet used performance enhancers, the transformation was largely driven by “pretty sound training principles” and, more significantly, an “aggressive bulk” that led to considerable weight gain, much of which was body fat. He advises against such an extreme bulk for general muscle building, stating that “you can build muscle and burn fat at the same time if you’re following a training program and a smart nutrition plan”.
