{"id":950539,"date":"2026-11-03T02:10:12","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T02:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/950539\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T02:10:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T02:10:12","slug":"dave-bautista-57-packs-on-9kg-of-muscle-for-god-of-war-the-weight-training-behind-his-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/950539\/","title":{"rendered":"Dave Bautista, 57, Packs on 9kg of Muscle for God of War \u2013 The Weight Training Behind His Transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Expect to see a bulkier, more muscular version of Dave Bautista<\/a> in the upcoming God of War series, after packing on 9kg to play Spartan warrior Kratos.<\/p>\n

The 57-year-old replaces Ryan Hurst as Kratos<\/a>, who tore his bicep while filming a stunt for the series in August. His withdrawal forced Amazon to cast Bautista in his place, with the wrestler-turned-actor sharing back in September that he had been weight training again for three weeks and had two months to \u2018get where he needs to be\u2019.<\/p>\n

In the time since, his approach has certainly worked, with Bautista sharing an update on his body transformation on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Gained 20lbs for GOW,\u2019 he wrote, alongside a \u2018250\u2019 title highlighting his current weight in pounds following a pumped-up gym session.<\/p>\n

Part of that process has been spent training with coach Joe Bennett, who has focused on pure hypertrophy and growing individual muscle groups to their maximum. A strict curl variation<\/a> designed to add biceps size highlights just how much isolation work is going into his sessions as he builds up for the role, while maintaining his ripped physique.<\/p>\n

How Dave Bautista Has Changed His Training<\/p>\n

It’s an impressive transformation for Bautista, who in recent years has spent less and less time in the gym. He required more specific physical preparation, including stunt work and weapons training, from the end of 2025 until midway through 2026, when he worked on both Highlander and Road House 2.<\/p>\n

And in 2024, he managed to drop from 143kg to 109kg as part of a concerted effort to lose overall mass in favour of landing more diverse acting roles.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think a lot of people think I\u2019m just a meathead and that I live my life lifting weights. And I actually don\u2019t. I do live my life training, but I think people think that I train because I want to look like a bodybuilder or a big muscle head. And it\u2019s not at all the case,\u2019 he told MH<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve sacrificed a lot of muscle. But I\u2019m okay with it, because I just feel more comfortable,\u2019 he said, as he achieved his leanest self in his adult life.<\/p>\n

To do so, he stopped weight training and instead did a lot more cardio and jiu-jitsu<\/a>, alongside taking a more controlled approach to his diet. It worked, helping him feel better.<\/p>\n

\u2018Now that I’m older \u2013 fucking old \u2013 this has done a lot for me,\u2019 Bautista subsequently said of his training. \u2018I feel better now than I have in years because my training is so good. My cardio is awesome.\u2019<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it\u2019s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in \u2013 all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.<\/p>\n

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here<\/a> to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men\u2019s Health app.<\/p>\n

\"kori