Ahead of Creed II‘s release, JOE sat down with Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu to discuss hitting your fitness goals
Lundgren became a household name after first playing Ivan Drago, and the Swede has again taken to the stage in the new Creed II instalment – albeit in a different fashion.
Ivan Drago’s son Viktor – played by Munteanu – faces off against Adonis Creed, son of the late Apollo (played by Michael B. Jordan).
Munteanu’s background is in bodybuilding and fitness, so the transition into ring-ready conditioning came naturally to the Romanian.
If you haven’t already witnessed the fitness that whipped Viktor Drago into shape for the brutal bout with Adonis Creed, then here is a little insight.
Without giving too much away about Creed II, both Drago and Creed undergo hardcore training regimes to prepare for their big showdown.
As 2019 approaches, JOE asked Lundgren and Florian Munteanu for their advice on maximising your fitness results in a short time-frame.
Munteanu: ‘You must beat up a lot of people! Haha. I joke…’
Lundgren: ‘There’s no magic trick to it, you know. Getting in shape is a matter of eating clean, but not to be on too much of a restrictive diet because then your body doesn’t have enough energy to do anything.’
What works is a lot simpler than you’d think, says Lundgren.
‘Just eat three to four meals a day, pretty clean, it starts there but also focus on your rest too. Add strength training and some cardio on top and that recipe works for everybody.’
Both actors also believe it’s best to be mindful of the goals you set.
Lundgren: ‘The main thing is to not set your goals too high immediately, because then most people will quit.
‘For most, set smaller goals and then move them and see how they affect the bigger picture. Most people stop and then evaluate their results too early after, like, a month, but that’s too early.’
Lundgren was quick to point out that the ‘get rich quick’ fixes do not work.
‘You have to be patient and wait say, three, four months. People want to see the whole ‘six day abs’ thing – that’s not how it works.’
Credit: Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures / Warner Bros. PicturesMunteanu echoed Lundgren’s thoughts.
“I agree, in the fitness world especially I would always recommend short term goals.
“It’s about consistency rather than getting in shape as quickly as possible. It’s about building a fitness lifestyle.”
Creed II is in cinemas 30th November
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