Being a founding member of DC Comics' Justice League is a pretty elite club that is led by the such iconic superhero powerhouses as Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman.
Cyborg, part man and part machine, is one of those elite members, and Ray Fisher is the first actor with the opportunity to bring the character to the big screen, beginning with the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
While Cyborg's alter-ego Victor Stone's superhuman abilities come from advanced technology that replaces the majority of his body, the character's background is that of an elite football player and it certainly doesn't hurt if the actor looks like he could be a superhero without armor.
The Ray Fisher workout and diet routine below is part of the reason, along with tremendous acting skills and a background in theater, he was able to land the coveted role.
Ray Fisher Headshot and Cyborg from DC Comics - Photo Credit - imgur
The Ray Fisher Cyborg Workout
Fisher's role as Muhammad Ali in the play Fetch Clay, Make Man at the True Colors Theatre is one of the main reasons he was able to land the role of Victor Stone/Cyborg. In the play he had to only capture the spirit of one of the greatest boxers ever, but also the look.
Fisher focused on the following exercises in his workouts to gain the muscle mass he was hoping for:
- Bench Press
- Squat
- Curls
- Calf Raises
- Jump Rope
- Core Training
- Footwork Drills
- Sparring
To get the look of Ali, he had to go through a strict exercise and nutrition regimen. He talked about the training in an article with the New York Times:
Ali never lifted weights. But he had a naturally bigger frame than I did, so in order for me to get to his size I had to lift — bench presses, curls, squats, calf raises. I had to get used to a new body.
Ray Fisher
On training to play Ali
On training to play Ali
Fisher didn't have the frame of a heavyweight boxer when he landed the role of Ali, but with the right training he was able to add size quickly. The fastest way to add muscle size and strength is to focus on the compounds lifts, such as squats and bench press.
These compounds lifts build great all around muscle mass. The squats are great for lower body muscle size, but they also have an anabolic effect on the entire body. The bench press is one of the best exercises for adding mass in the upper body and especially the chest.
Exercises like curls and calf raises round out a complete bodybuilding routine. They help give the body a complete and balanced look that a boxer would want.
He also added specific exercises for boxing, as was mentioned in this article with the New York Daily News. This included exercises like sparring, core work, footwork drills, and jump rope.
This type of boxing specific training served a couple of different purposes. For starters, these activities are all great for conditioning work and can help melt away any unwanted body fat. Secondly, they help him play the role better by actually getting some boxing experience.
Even though Cyborg can be more machine than parts, it helps that Fisher can look the part underneath all the metal technology. Victor Stone was also a great football player before the accident turned him into Cyborg, and now that part of his past can be explored.
The Ray Fisher Cyborg Diet
Working out very hard will only get you so far. Whether you want to look like one of the greatest boxers of all-time or a comic book superhero, you have to have a diet plan that is on point too or you will never look the part.
Ray FisherOn gaining muscle mass through nutrition
I started eating anything I could get my hands on. I was eating steaks for breakfast. Protein drinks on top of that.
Protein has to be a staple of the diet if you want to put on muscle mass. At 6'3", Fisher had a tall frame with plenty of room to add mass. With a poor diet, he could have easily put on the wrong kind of mass.
He put only quality food in his system though, starting with good sources of protein. This helped him to add muscle size and strength to look like one of the greatest boxers ever and a hero who could be on the pages of a comic book.
Recap
This Ray Fisher Cyborg workout and diet plan show how he was able to land a coveted role as a member of the Justice League. His theater acting ability, combined with the body he built from this training, help make Fisher look like a comic book superhero brought to life.
