Chadwick Boseman’s “Black Panther” Workout and Diet Plan

When the blockbuster hit Black Panther hit theaters in 2018, it quickly became a global phenomenon.

Wakanda was the kingdom of our imaginations.

And King T’Challa—played by the legendary Chadwick Boseman—was the epic, futuristic, and dependable superhero we didn’t even know we needed.

Beyond the captivating storyline, something else stood out:

Chadwick Boseman’s insane physique as the Black Panther.

Follow along as we review how the legend pulled off this lean look through diet and exercise and how you can make the transition too!

Chadwick Boseman’s Transition to T’Challa (Black Panther)

When Boseman first took on the role of King T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War (2016), he was coming hot off the heels of playing funk powerhouse, James Brown, in Get on Up.

A huge difference in physique, as you can imagine.

After thumbing through any Black Panther comic he could find, Boseman and his trainer (Addison Henderson) knew what had to be done to embody T’Challa perfectly:

• Build lean mass to get the “superhero” physique
• Avoid gaining excess weight to bring his gains to light
• Improve cardio to outlast those brutal fight scenes

Boseman’s dedication to becoming the Black Panther meant a ton of time in the gym, sometimes longer than four hours a day!

Circuit training, bodyweight exercises, cardio.

Yet, if you’ve seen the movies, you know that there’s far more to Wakanda’s King than his impressive physique—how can anyone forget T’Challa’s insane fighting style?

Not surprisingly, a good portion of Boseman’s training was spent with Marrese Crump, a martial arts pro. This is where Boseman perfected his Muay Thai, Filipino martial arts, and Capoeira.

Chadwick Boseman Height, Weight, and Stats

Nothing impressed directors and producers more than Chadwick Boseman’s willingness to fully commit to any role he took.

His physique was always on the move.

As the legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson in 42, Boseman trained two or more times per day, emphasizing speed and the “lanky” frame of the average baseball player.

While reprising the role of James Brown in Get on Up, Boseman’s training focus became dancing up to eight hours a day and developing insane flexibility.

Black Panther was a bit of a different story:

He needed to adopt the physique of an epic Marvel superhero that could defend Wakanda from its enemies. As such, Boseman had to bulk up without gaining fat.

He stood at 6’0″ and weighed around 180 pounds while filming Black Panther…which happens to be very similar in stature and physique to Brad Pitt in Fight Club.

If you’ve seen the movies, it’s not hard to tell that Boseman was almost pure muscle.

Chadwick Boseman’s “Black Panther” Workout Routine

Like most other “superheroes” in the Marvel Universe, Chadwick Boseman kept his exact T’Challa training regiment on the DL.

But his personal trainer (Addison Henderson) has spilled the beans a bit.

Here’s a look at what two days of upper body training would look like as Chadwick Boseman was transitioning into King T’Challa.

Day 1: Chest & Biceps

Cardio

• Run one mile at 10mph (6-minute mile).
• Hop on the stair climber for 10 minutes.
• Practice sparring with mitt work for five, 5-minute rounds.

Circuit A – 3 Rounds

• Incline Dumbbell Press – 13 reps [1 minute rest]
• Incline Dumbbell Curl – 13 reps [1 minute rest]

Circuit B – 3 Rounds

• Flat Bench Dumbbell Chest Press – 13 reps [1 minute rest]
• Standing Two-Arm Hammer Curl – 10-13 reps [1 minute rest]

Circuit C – 3 Rounds

• Single Arm Decline Machine Press (each side) – 13 reps [1 minute rest]
• Prone Reverse Dumbbell Curl – 13 reps [1 minute rest]

Circuit D – 3 Rounds

• Cable Chest Fly – 13 reps [1 minute rest]
• Single Arm Dumbbell Concentration Curl – 13 reps [1 minute rest]

Burnout Circuit – 1 Round

• Chest Press Machine – 50 reps
• Seated Machine Preacher Curl – 50 reps

Day 2: Shoulders & Triceps

Cardio

• Run a mile at 10mph (6-minute mile).
• Hop on the stair climber for 10 minutes.
• Hit the heavy bag for 20 minutes.

Circuit A – 3 Rounds

• Arnold Press – 13 reps [1 minute rest]
• Overhead Tricep Extension – 13 reps [1 minute rest]

Circuit B – 3 Rounds

Circuit C – 3 Rounds

• One-Arm Cable Side Lateral Raise (each side) – 13 reps [1 minute rest]
• Cable Triceps Overhead Extension – 13 reps [1 minute rest]

Circuit D – 3 Rounds

• Incline Shoulder Rotation – 13 reps [1 minute rest]
• Machine Dip – 13 reps [1 minute rest]

Burnout Circuit – 1 Round

• Kettlebell Rear Row – 50 reps
• Dumbbell Standing Tricep Extension – 50 reps

What About the Rest?

Despite Henderson being tight-lipped about the rest of Boseman’s Black Panther routine, we can only assume that he trained back, legs, and abs quite similarly to the rest of his upper body:

• Four circuits (2 exercises each)
• 13 reps per set
• 1 minute of rest between sets
• Final burnout set with two exercises at 50 reps each.

You could easily stick to this pattern by pairing hamstrings and quads together on Day 3 and back and calves on Day 4. Opt for a separate day of ab work, and you’ve got a 5-day split.

The TNT Program by Athlean-X is a solid choice if you’re looking for a program to target those muscle groups that tend to be stubborn to growth.

Chadwick Boseman’s “Black Panther” Diet Plan

Chadwick Boseman was known for being “mostly vegan,” but based on his gains while training for Black Panther, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn he may have ditched veganism for a bit.

We’re not entirely sure what his daily meals looked like, but here’s what Boseman himself said about what was in his T’Challa diet:

• Green vegetables (spinach, broccoli, green beans, Brussel sprouts)
• Protein (chicken breast, turkey, whey supplements)
• Complex carbs (brown rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa)
• Fruits and vegetables
• Healthy fats (avocados, nuts)

The goal of the diet was to help add lean mass while keeping body fat stores low.

With that in mind, the number of calories you’re eating a day is crucial toward getting this physique. Try to stay 250-500 calories below your BMR to aid in positive weight control.

Macro-wise, here’s a decent split for ensuring muscle gain and fat loss:

• 40% protein
• 30% fat
• 30% carbs

It’s up to you when it comes to how many meals you eat per day.

Six meals a day could be a better idea if you notice that the 500-calorie deficit makes you feel unusually hungry, groggy, or tired during the day, reducing the time between each meal.

How to Go T’Challa Mode like Chadwick Boseman

1. Focus on Things Other Than Lifting Too

Many guys assume that packing on muscle mass will only happen if you’re lifting seriously heavy weights every day.

Yet, the Black Panther routine isn’t about bulking up—it’s about getting shredded too.

AKA: Body recomposition.

So, in addition to hitting the gym four or five days a week to lift, you need to do activities that help you burn calories and shred fat.

Find a cardio activity that you enjoy, like:

• Sparring, shadowboxing, hitting the bag, or MMA
• Using the treadmill, elliptical, upright bike, or stair climber
• Running (preferably long distance and quickly)
• Swimming, hiking, soccer, or dance

Remember: Boseman did at least 30 minutes of cardio along with every lifting session, so get ready to break a serious sweat at the gym and follow it up with resistance training.

2. Heavier Isn’t Always Better

There are some circumstances in the Marvel Universe where having size is more important than being lean.

For example: Lou Ferrigno as The Hulk.

But the end-goal lean physique needed to embody King T’Challa properly will likely leave you in the gym performing a routine outside of your “norm.”

Get rid of the mindset that you need to lift heavy for a few reps like a powerlifting routine.

Instead, get ready for sets of 13 reps (a solid middle ground between hypertrophy and endurance), short rest periods (1 minute, maximum), and grueling burn sets (50 reps each).

For regular sets, stick to about 70% of your 1RM to make the 13-rep goal.

3. Give Yourself Time to See Results

With 30+ minutes of cardio a day, 4-5 strength training sessions a week, and near-daily martial arts training, you’ll start to feel better and more fit within a few weeks on this routine.

Appearance-wise, it may take a little longer to see noticeable results.

You can (realistically) gain about 1-2 pounds of muscle per month as a complete newbie, but this progress can be slowed slightly due to the martial arts and cardio training you’ll be doing.

Remember: Boseman had an entire year to train for this role.

So stick to this routine—both diet and exercise—for at least eight weeks to give your body and muscles the time to adapt to your new training regimen.

8-12 weeks is usually the gold standard for seeing gains.

To maximize your results:

• Ensure you’re eating 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight
• Add 2.5-5 pounds to the bar every time you max out your rep goal
• Get 7-9 hours of sleep (reduces the risk of overeating and aids in muscle recovery)