

So going along with the work those clients have to put in at the gym, do you advise them to adhere to any dietary changes that are essential or critical to the process? It’s much more of a fun process as opposed to having to lose weight, but both destinations are rewarding when you get there. When you pack on size, you’re getting your testosterone going and you’re learning that’s a thing you can enjoy all on its own. Guys losing weight are doing a lot more cardio instead of following sharp movement patterns. That’s a real asset in convincing a person to stay the course versus someone who’s trying to lose weight, which is a far more monotonous process. Consistency with diet and sleeping habits is also key, and when you’re already skinny and trying to add muscle, you have the benefit of being able to see the change happening quickly. Gaining size is about having the dedication to show up for an hour or two in the morning, go down for a nap in the afternoon if you get the opportunity, and then showing up to do something else at the gym in the afternoon. Does a pure mass-building transformation vary greatly in its approach from one that involves significant weight loss?

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

So what is the secret ingredient within the training plans devised by a former Aussie-rules football player and Pilates specialist that has so many A-list stars booking trips to London to work with him? Higgins offered up some time out of his busy schedule to explain to us how his fitness practices help to get his clients into the best possible shape for their blockbuster roles. From his London-based gyms, the Australian transplant has also worked with the likes of Simu Liu and Kumail Nanjiani, both of whom were in prime shape for their Marvel films, Shang Chi and The Eternals, respectively. Jackson, Gal Gadot and Margot Robbie to strut superheroically across the screen. Higgins has been so successful over the last decade at conditioning actors for the big screen that he has even published a book- The Hollywood Body Plan-which serves up the core components of the strategies that have enabled stars like Samuel L. If you see a Hollywood actor chewing up the scenery with a jaw-dropping physique, there’s at least an outside chance that David Higgins played a role in helping them to build it.
