Jason Momoa Aquaman Workout & Diet

Key Takeaways

• Jason Momoa used the AR-7 training method for Aquaman, a high-density circuit approach built on 7 reps, 7 sets, and 7-second rest periods to maximize work volume.

• His reported weekly split covered five days of targeted resistance training, with one major muscle group per session.

• Bouldering for at least 45 minutes daily replaced conventional cardio, building grip strength, core tension, and upper-back endurance at the same time.

• His diet centered on lean proteins, nutrient-dense vegetables, and healthy fats, eaten in enough volume to support the training load.

• SOLE Fitness cardio equipment can support the conditioning demands of an Aquaman-style training block without needing a climbing wall in your living room.

The Parts of Momoa's Routine You Can Actually Use

Reaching Aquaman-level conditioning does not require a Hollywood budget or a personal trainer on set. The core principles behind Jason Momoa's preparation: high-volume resistance training, functional movement, daily conditioning, and a protein-centered diet, are transferable to anyone willing to put in the work consistently.

What most people miss when reading celebrity workout breakdowns is the context. Momoa came into his Aquaman preparation with years of prior physical training, an active lifestyle built around climbing and outdoor sports, and a professional support structure. Copying the exercises without that foundation is where most people stall. The smarter move is to extract the method, not just the movements, and build a version of the program that fits your current level.

One practical starting point is making sure your cardio base is in place before layering on AR-7-style volume. SOLE Fitness offers treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes designed for exactly this kind of structured conditioning work, helping you build the aerobic capacity that makes high-density training sustainable.

What Training Did Jason Momoa Use for Aquaman?

Momoa's preparation for Aquaman combined a structured five-day resistance training split with daily bouldering sessions and functional conditioning circuits. 

The program was designed to produce a physique that looked powerful, athletic, and capable on camera, so it prioritized functional strength and work capacity over pure muscle size. Trainer Eric Laciste developed the method, AR-7, during Momoa's earlier Conan the Barbarian preparation.

The AR-7 Method

For each exercise, you perform 7 reps, rest for 7 seconds, and repeat for 7 sets. That's only the first round. The full method then descends to 6 sets of 6 reps with 6 seconds of rest, and finally 5 sets of 5 reps with 5 seconds of rest, with 1–2 minutes between rounds.

The goal is to accumulate a significant amount of total work with minimal recovery time between efforts, creating both a muscular pump and cardiovascular demand within the same set sequence. 

Bouldering as Daily Conditioning

Momoa reportedly spent at least 45 minutes per day bouldering. Bouldering is a form of rock climbing performed without ropes on shorter walls, demanding explosive grip strength, shoulder stability, full-body coordination, and sustained core tension. 

For a character like Aquaman, who needed to move through water and fight sequences with athletic fluidity, this was a more specific conditioning tool than conventional steady-state cardio.

The practical takeaway for most people is the principle. If bouldering is not accessible, structured cardio on a rowing machine, elliptical, or treadmill at varied intensities can replicate the aerobic demand while keeping the training goal aligned with the program.

Bouldering routes are graded by difficulty, so progress is measurable in a way most training is not.

Exercises for Building an Aquaman Physique

1. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings develop explosive hip extension, posterior-chain strength, and cardiovascular conditioning at the same time. In a program combining heavy pulling with daily climbing, swings bridge those two demands. A standard working set of swings performed with AR-7 timing creates a metabolic effect that few other single exercises can match in the same time window.

2. Resistance-Band Boxing Intervals

Boxing intervals with resistance bands attached at the wrists or anchored behind the body force the shoulders, chest, and core to produce force against constant tension. This builds shoulder endurance and rotational power while keeping the heart rate elevated. For anyone whose training includes fight or combat work, this kind of conditioning has obvious application.

3. Bear Crawls

Bear crawls are a deceptively demanding full-body movement that loads the shoulders, core, and hip flexors under continuous tension. They develop contralateral coordination, meaning the ability to move opposite arm and leg together smoothly, which transfers directly to the kind of athletic movement sequences required during film production. Adding these to the end of a training session also increases conditioning volume without extra equipment.

4. Dead Hangs & Pull-Ups

Dead hangs and pull-up variations appear consistently in reports of Momoa's training, which makes sense given the bouldering component. Dead hangs decompress the spine, develop grip endurance, and build the shoulder stability needed to sustain high-volume climbing sessions.

Pull-ups, performed with the AR-7 structure, accumulate significant lat and bicep volume across the week on top of the dedicated back day work. Together, these two movements reinforce the wide upper-back development that defines the Aquaman silhouette.

A dead hang means arms fully straight and shoulders relaxed, which is where every pull-up rep should start.

Jason Momoa's Aquaman Diet Plan

The diet reported alongside Momoa's training focused on protein density and whole-food sources rather than strict calorie counting. Across accounts, the emphasis is on lean proteins, healthy fats, and nutrient-dense vegetables as the foundation of each meal.

The Guinness beer also appears in several popular accounts as something Momoa included. The Guinness reference gets repeated often because it is memorable, but it does not mean alcohol contributed to his results. 

The more relevant pattern is that meals were organized around protein and minimally processed whole foods, which supported the training volume and recovery demands of a five-day-plus-daily-conditioning schedule.

Summary Table: Jason Momoa's Aquaman Training Program

Build Your Conditioning Base With SOLE Fitness

Easy cardio between lifting days keeps the routine moving without adding to what your legs already have to recover from.

Choosing the right cardio equipment matters when you are running a high-volume training program. A five-day resistance split combined with daily conditioning work puts real demands on your recovery, and the cardio tool you use should support that load without adding unnecessary joint stress or limiting your intensity options.

SOLE Fitness treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes are built for consistent conditioning work, with cushioned decks and whisper-quiet magnetic and eddy current resistance that keep daily sessions manageable alongside heavy lifting. Every motorized model includes industry-leading warranty coverage, including lifetime frame and motor coverage on SOLE treadmills, and the free SOLE+ app adds 3000+ guided sessions when you would rather follow a structure. Shop SOLE cardio equipment today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What workout method did Jason Momoa use for Aquaman?

Momoa's training for Aquaman is widely attributed to the AR-7 method, short for Accelerated Results 7. The structure uses 7 reps per set, 7 sets per exercise, and only 7 seconds of rest between sets. This creates a high-density training effect that builds both muscular volume and cardiovascular conditioning within the same session.

How long did Jason Momoa train for Aquaman?

Momoa trained on set with Mada Abdelhamid during the roughly six-month Gold Coast shoot, with preparation reported as starting several months earlier, though no single confirmed start-to-finish figure has been published.

Did Jason Momoa really drink Guinness while training?

Guinness does appear throughout accounts of Momoa's diet, and it aligns with his publicly known preferences. Guinness brewed a one-off stout in his honor at its Dublin brewery in 2016, and he became an official partner in 2024. A demanding schedule leaves room for ordinary habits, which is different from saying those habits contributed to the results.

Which SOLE machine works best alongside a five-day strength split?

A SOLE treadmill handles most of what a lifting program needs, since you can walk or jog at whatever intensity your legs have left that day. A SOLE elliptical or bike gives you the same conditioning without your feet striking the ground. Two to four moderate sessions a week are enough for most people, kept on rest days or after lifting so they do not interfere with your heaviest work.

*Disclaimer: Products and prices mentioned in this article are accurate as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Please visit the official SOLE website for the most current information.