Dear Reader,
Thank God its Friday right?! Have you watched the movie Black Panther yet? According to Forbes, Black Panther has garnered almost $750M since it was released less than three weeks ago. Let's just take a minute to allow that to sink in and don't try to convert that into Kenya shillings. One of the things that came to my mind after watching the movie was "Wow, look at how fit this cast is!"
Black Panther boldly tackles important themes such as Black Excellence, African Pride and Feminism. On top of the powerful message being transcended by the movie about diverse representation in the Marvel films and changing the narrative of Africa, we have to agree that fitness also played a key contribution to its global success. As a wellness blogger, I was glad to see that fitness was a key pillar of what made Wakanda a great country. I did some research on what it took for the cast to prepare for this film and I was so inspired!
After reading and watching the interviews of the cast members, one thing that kept coming up was that they would all train together and incorporate different types of exercises on a personal level. In an article published by Muscle and Strength, it stated that the King of Wakanda; Chadwick Boseman, trained using bodybuilding techniques, including circuit training, martial arts and coupled it with a substantial diet.
The King of Wakanda needed to train to become muscularly lean and flexible. Part of the Black Panther role required him to have the muscle necessary to fend off larger villains and be quicker than them during combat. Fitness galore!
In an interview with Vogue, Lupita Nyong'o stated that she would mix her routines from martial arts, bootcamps, to pole dancing and yoga in order to stay in top shape for the role. Did you see how great she looked in the movie? There was a scene where she jumped into a low lunge like it was nothing! And let's not forget how amazing her arms look.
According to an interview by Men's Health, Michael B Jordan who played the villain role trained three times a day while eating six meals a day! Corey Culliet; his trainer, explained that he needed Michael to look like a savage for the role. I think we can all agree that he hit the nail hard on the head with that vision.
Super-villain Erik Killmonger
Corie Culliet
In previous articles, I have highlighted the importance of fitness but more specifically, weight training/ strength/ resistance training. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, weight training is any physical activity designed to improve muscular fitness by exercising a specific muscle or muscle group against external resistance, including free-weights, weight machines, or your own body weight.
The best thing about this kind of exercise is that it trains you to build resistance. The basic principle is to apply a load and overload the muscle so it will need to adapt and get stronger. As you get stronger, you must take on more challenging forms of resistance. Danai Gurira who was also part of the cast, explained in an interview with Self Magazine that strength for her is not only physical but a mental asset. She added that she pushes herself to get stronger, faster and more flexible, so she can take on challenges without fear of injury or failure.
Diana Gurira as Okoye on the left
After watching this movie twice, my biggest inspiration came from the women. Not only were they in great shape, but they had significant roles to play in Wakanda where they were either soldiers or advisers to the King. Ryan Googler did a great job producing this movie and leaving us glued to our seats with all the action scenes. If you haven't seen this movie yet, it needs to be on your top priority list this weekend.
Keep staying active and be encouraged to know that you are one workout away to your stronger self. Until next time, Wakanda Forever!
Yours in Wellness
References and Photocredits
Forbes
Entertainment Weekly
Vogue Magazine
Collider
Mens' Fitness
Everyday Health
Pop Sugar
Elle Magazine
Self Magazine
Comic Book
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