Victor Forge
Hellboy, the half-man-half-demon superhero, has been portrayed by David Harbour in the 2018 reboot titled Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen. Harbour underwent a rigorous 10-week boot camp training program led by Don Saladino to build muscle and increase his flexibility. The training included exercises such as bear crawls, sled pushes, and weighted carries. Prior to landing the role, Harbour admitted that he did not have a close relationship with the gym. German arm wrestler Matthias Schlitte, known for his abnormally large right arm, has also been referred to as a real-life Hellboy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hellboy's body shape | Muscular, powerful, and scary |
| Hellboy's personality | Vicious, bloodthirsty, and demonic |
| Hellboy's actor | David Harbour |
| David Harbour's trainer | Don Saladino |
| Training duration | 9-10 weeks |
| Training frequency | 5-6 days a week |
| Training exercises | Bear crawls, medicine ball slams, kettlebell exercises, sled push, weighted carries, etc. |
| Training goal | To develop power and strength, and tap into the "fierceness" of Hellboy |
| Hellboy's suit | Had to be adjusted due to Harbour's body transformation |
| Hellboy's hand | Right hand is stronger and larger than the left |
| Hellboy's story | A chain-smoking half-man-half-demon who fights Nazis, witches, and monsters |
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What You'll Learn
David Harbour's workout routine
Workout Routine for Hellboy
David Harbour's personal trainer, Don Saladino, put him through a rigorous 10-week boot camp to prepare for his role in Hellboy. Harbour worked out five to six days a week in the nine weeks before filming. His workouts included a warm-up of "bear crawls", which target the shoulders and obliques, followed by targeted strength-training moves, including the "sled push", in which Harbour uses his whole body to push a rolling weighted sled. Another key move was the "suitcase carry", where clients grip a heavy kettlebell in each hand and perform a variety of movements, such as lunges.
Workout Routine for Stranger Things
Harbour's trainer for Stranger Things was David Higgins, who helped him lose more than 75 pounds for his role as Jim Hopper in Season 4. Higgins worked with Harbour for eight months to make the transformation, and then another year to keep it up through the pandemic. Harbour's routine included intermittent fasting and a six-set workout. He also did kettlebell workouts with Higgins remotely during lockdown, as well as 200 crunches five times over to build his six-pack.
Workout Routine for Black Widow
Harbour's trainer for Black Widow was also David Higgins, who helped him lose weight for a flashback scene in the film. They had 10 weeks to prep for this.
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Don Saladino's role
Actor David Harbour underwent a rigorous 10-week boot camp led by celebrity trainer Don Saladino to prepare for his physically demanding role in the 2018 Hellboy reboot. Saladino, whose other clients include Scarlett Johansson, Blake Lively, and Ryan Reynolds, tailored Harbour's training regimen to help him gain muscle and flexibility.
Saladino's program included a mix of kettlebells, medicine balls, machine weights, dumbbells, and weighted sleds. The trainer also increased the frequency of Harbour's workouts from three or four days a week to five or six days a week in the nine weeks leading up to filming.
One of the key moves in Saladino's program was the "suitcase carry," where clients grip a heavy kettlebell in each hand and perform a variety of movements such as lunges or simply walking back and forth while holding the weights. According to Saladino, this move is a full-body workout, targeting nearly every muscle group in the body, from the glutes to the biceps, and also providing a cardiovascular benefit.
In an interview, Saladino explained that the goal was not to create an Abercrombie-like ripped model, but rather a scary-looking character. He expressed satisfaction with the results, stating, "I think we nailed it." Harbour's motivation to undergo this intense training regimen came from his desire to do justice to the Hellboy character and create a version that everyone could get behind.
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The impact of prosthetics
In the 2018 Hellboy reboot, actor David Harbour underwent a significant physical transformation to play the half-man-half-demon protagonist. Harbour, who was not a regular gym-goer, had to pack on muscle to fill out the role. This was achieved through an intense 10-week training boot camp led by celebrity trainer Don Saladino. The program included exercises such as bear crawls, medicine ball slams, kettlebell work, and weighted carries, with a focus on improving functional movement and athleticism.
Saladino also shared that the goal was not to make Hellboy look "lean" but rather vicious and scary. This is reflected in Harbour's motivation to develop power and strength so that when Hellboy "hits you, it hits you like a truck." The combination of intense physical training and prosthetics helped create a visually striking portrayal of the character, one that departed from the actor's previous non-gym-going persona.
The use of prosthetics in the film industry is a common practice, particularly in superhero and fantasy genres. In the case of Hellboy, the prosthetics enhanced the actor's physical transformation, contributing to the overall impact and realism of the character's appearance. This example highlights how prosthetics, when used effectively, can enhance the visual storytelling and help bring a comic book character to life on the big screen.
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Harbour's motivation
In an interview, Harbour revealed that he wanted to develop power and strength so that when Hellboy hits someone, "it hits you like a truck." This desire to portray Hellboy's strength and fierceness authentically motivated him to undergo an intense physical transformation.
Additionally, Harbour's motivation may have been influenced by the short timeframe he had to get into character. Like many actors in superhero films, he had to get into shape quickly, which meant committing to a demanding and intensive training programme. This included increasing the frequency of his workouts and incorporating a variety of exercises such as bear crawls, medicine balls, and weighted carries.
Harbour's trainer, Don Saladino, also provided insight into the desired look for Hellboy. He explained that the goal wasn't to make Hellboy look lean and ripped but rather scary and vicious. This aesthetic motivation helped guide Harbour's training and physical changes, ensuring that his transformation suited the character's nature.
Lastly, Harbour's personal history may have played a role in his motivation. He admitted that he was a chubby kid growing up and had not consistently trained in a gym since his early twenties. This background may have inspired him to take on the challenge of transforming his body for the role, proving to himself and others that he could achieve a significant physical change.
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The suit almost didn't fit
The Hellboy reboot almost didn't happen, and it wasn't because of the script or the special effects. It was because of the actor David Harbour's incredible body transformation. Harbour, known for his role as Chief Hopper in the Netflix series Stranger Things, had to undergo a rigorous 10-week boot camp to get into shape for the film. His trainer, Don Saladino, put him through a series of intense workouts, including bear crawls, medicine ball slams, and weighted carries. The goal was to make Hellboy look "vicious" and powerful, not lean and ripped.
And it seems they succeeded a little too well. Saladino revealed that Harbour's body changed so much that the production company had to redo his demonic bodysuit. They were concerned that he was losing too much weight, but Saladino assured them that Harbour was still at 250 lbs. However, they insisted that his body was changing so drastically that the suit would need to be adjusted.
This transformation was a challenge for Harbour, who admitted that he didn't have a close relationship with the gym before landing the Hellboy role. In fact, he described himself as a “chubby kid" growing up, and his last serious workout regimen was for a play he did right after college. So, getting into Hellboy shape required a lot of hard work and dedication.
Despite the challenges, Harbour found motivation in the fans and his desire to do justice to the beloved character. He wanted to develop power and strength so that when Hellboy hits someone, "it hits you like a truck." And it seems his efforts paid off, as his trainer joked that the suit almost didn't fit because of his newly acquired muscles.
In the end, Harbour's transformation was so impressive that it became a topic of discussion, with many praising his dedication to the role. This just goes to show that when it comes to bringing a beloved comic book character to life, sometimes the suit just has to fit, no matter what.
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Frequently asked questions
German arm wrestler Matthias Schlitte has been called a real-life Hellboy due to his abnormally large right arm. However, in the Hellboy films, David Harbour's muscles are not real.
David Harbour worked with trainer Don Saladino to undergo a rigorous 10-week boot camp involving kettlebells, medicine balls, machine weights, dumbbells, and weighted sleds.
Harbour's motivation came from wanting to do justice to the character and create a Hellboy that everyone could get behind.
Saladino described the goal as wanting Hellboy to look "vicious" rather than "lean".
Harbour's transformation was so drastic that his demonic bodysuit almost didn't fit, and the production company had to make alterations to the suit.
