To become the antihero Namor in the upcoming Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, actor Tenoch Huerta didn’t have to build a bunch bulging biceps, but he did have to train hard – six days a week. As Men’s Health put it, to play Namor, Huerta needed “the physique of a swimmer, much more befitting his underwater existence, instead of that of a bodybuilder.”
That meant that along with high-intensity and low-intensity workouts, Huerta spent a lot of time swimming. Namor is the leader of an underwater kingdom after all.
“I’m not Michael Phelps,” Huerta told Men’s Health during a recent interview. “That guy is a real superhero – he’s an actual mutant. But we did a lot of free diving, since we shoot underwater, and I learned to hold my breath for up to five minutes. Now when I’m down there, holding my breath in the middle of the water, it is so peaceful. It’s like meditation.”
Huerta started his fitness journey to become Namor at 205 lbs. Five months later, with the assistance of two trainers, a biomechanics and sports-rehab specialist and nutritionist, he slimmed down to an athletic 185 lbs. That’s a lot of back squats and deadlifts.
“We never went crazy with the weight,” he said. “All the exercises were the kind of exercises that help you to heal and prepare your body. And from that point on, you can increase what you are asking from your muscles.”
But the most relatable thing that Tenoch Huerta had to go through was realizing that his beloved food made it a little harder overall, especially after two years in a pandemic. “I enjoy Mexican food so bad, so I wasn’t in my best shape,” he said.
Same, Tenoch. Same.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11, 2022.