All set for release on 24 July, Southpaw will be a heart-crushing movie about blood, pain, grief, and a father’s struggle to connect with his daughter. It is also about Jake Gyllenhaal’s stunning new physique (which deserves a separate mention in the credits roll) that the 43-year-old actor acquired to play the role of Billy Hope, an undefeated boxing champion. Needless to say, Gyllenhaal had to beef-up from his leaner self, and gained about 15lb to fill the boxer’s shoes.
The director, Antoine Fuqua is responsible for Jake’s new physique. He told Deadline.com, “I had him training twice a day in the boxing ring, seven days a week.” In fact, at one point, it got a bit too real as Jake was exposed to real life fighters to really understand and grasp the nuances of his character. “He trained in New York at Church Gym. I had him sparring, really getting hit. I put him in situations where I wanted to see what he was made of. No one but fighters understand the sacrifice it takes to be a fighter,” said Fuqua.
At a recent appearance on The Ellen Show, Gyllenhaal revealed that he trained in boxing for four months, twice a day, in order to play a boxer convincingly, and have the right physique.
One of the aspects of his routine included jumping rope, and now the actor can do it at a blink-and-miss speed, as you will come to see in this video:
Other celebrities who have taken to the combat sport of boxing to get fit and fabulous include Gigi Hadid, Adriana Lima, Denise Richards and Mark Wahlberg.
Source: Deadline.com; Image Courtesy: Jake Gyllenhaal/Instagram
PS: Here’s the low-down on Exercise Programs For Weight Loss.
Also, head here to catch the latest in Fitness Trends.
Read More:
We’ve Got Channing Tatum’s Magic Mike XXL Diet & Fitness Routine
Prepare For Combat: Vin Diesel’s Fast & Furious (7) Workout Routine
Tom Cruise’s Buff Physique In The New Mission: Impossible 5 (Trailer)
