Train Like: Joel Edgerton's Trainer Shares the ‘Intense Workouts’ That Turned Him into an MMA Warrior
If there’s one film we enjoy revisiting it’s 2011’s underrated MMA fight-em-up, Warrior. Bagging an Oscar nom for Nick Nolte and introducing the world to Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, there was a lot going on in this story of siblings sparring for top position in a global MMA championship.
There’s also a reason we’re still talking about the film a decade-plus after its release. In order to nail the reality of a pro fighter, Hardy, Edgerton and Frank Grillo were put through their paces by none other than Greg Jackson of the Jackson Wink MMA Academy, Albuquerque. Jackson has trained many of the best fighters in the world and when it came to whipping the likes of Joel Edgerton into shape, he didn’t pull any punches.
‘I was friends with the guys who founded Tapout clothing, and they put me in touch with Gavin O’Connor, the director,’ Jackson explains. ‘They asked me to be a consultant and help out with training the actors.’
Jackson says Hardy, Grillo and Edgerton were all very down to earth, but in training Edgerton, Jackson had a specific challenge. In full-bulk mode for Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, Hardy was huge. Edgerton less so. To convincingly fight this opponent, Edgerton would have to nail technique and mental toughness. For Jackson, this was not a problem.
‘Joel is very physically talented,’ Jackson says. ‘He in particular had a very good mental toughness. There’s this sprint we call the Hill of Tears – it makes you cry so much because it’s exhausting. He did that, up and down, and did extremely well. I was very impressed.’
Fighting Fit
With the script being re-written into filming, Jackson had a few weeks to work with Edgerton in New Mexico before flying out to Pennsylvania to continue training during production.
‘It was mostly structural stuff,’ Jackson explains. ‘Making sure the fight scenes were realistic.’ The key element was helping the actors look like they knew what they belonged in an octagon, both in terms of physicality, and how they moved.
‘You can edit reaction times, you can edit all kinds of things, but you can’t edit him to make him look like he knows what he’s doing,’ Jackson adds. ‘I wanted his movements to look organic.’
The only way around this was repetition, repetition, repetition.
Seconds Out
Every action sequence holds risk. Stand in the wrong place during an on-set explosion and you’re toast. The same applies to stepping into the ring with some of the best MMA fighters in the world. Real or not, these athletes come to win and when realism is the aim, accidents can happen. Edgerton understood this, and committed absolutely to honing his body and movements to accurately portray a pro, especially when it came to drilling fight choreography.
‘Joel is so serious about his craft and was completely committed to the role,’ Jackson says. ‘It wasn't like, "Okay, we'll learn a few fun moves. And then I'll get on my phone or you know, whatever". He was a workhorse. All day long he’d be studying and asking questions.’
He was also, it turns out, a glutton for punishment. ‘He would volunteer to do very intense workouts,’ Jackson recalls. ‘I was super, super impressed with his mentality.’ Jackson again praises Edgerton’s mental toughness and explains that despite the intensity of the training, their time together has led to a lasting friendship.
‘He's a big time movie star now,’ Jackson says, ‘but he still makes the time when he's in town to hang out. And he's just the sweetest guy ever. I can't I can't say enough good things about him. He's honestly also one of my favourite actors as well.’
The Workout
Think you’ve got what it takes to go toe to toe with Edgerton in the training department? Jackson’s Warrior workout says otherwise. With an emphasis on getting the lactic acid flowing as early as possible, Jackson explains that this routine is key for helping fighters get used to extreme discomfort.
‘When you do this your lactic acid shoots through the roof,’ Jackson laughs. ‘Your lungs are burning, but you still have to shadowbox and push your mentality. Fighters are used to being uncomfortable, being starved for oxygen, having your muscles not work and still having to commit.’
After an active warm-up (skipping works), complete as many rounds as possible of the below to start building your mental toughness, like Edgerton.
Not only is this a challenge for your head, it builds coordination, stamina and a thorough appreciation for being able to get your breath without wheezing.
Complete a five-minute round of shadowboxing.
Complete a second five-minute round, but this time add five burpees every 30 seconds. ‘The emphasis is on exploding and jumping as high as you can,’ Jackson warns. ‘When you land on that fifth one, do at least 15-more seconds of pretty intense shadowboxing.’
That’s one round. Back to the beginning you go, champ.
You Might Also Like
