Robert Downey Jr. On the Physicality of Playing Iron Man In THE AVENGERS & IRON MAN 3

Robert Downey Jr. On the Physicality of Playing Iron Man In THE AVENGERS & IRON MAN 3

Ultimately commenting on the training underwent reprising 'Tony Stark' in The Avengers and soon the third Iron Man installment, make the jump and check what actor Robert Downey Jr. asserts!

By DCMarvelFreshman - Dec 26, 2011 05:12 PM EST
Filed Under: Avengers
Source: Men's Fitness



Covering the January/February 2012 issue of Men's Fitness magazine, inside, Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. commented on the physical preparations surrounding his titular role in Sherlock Holmes, the forthcoming Avengers movie, and his 'Tony Stark' reprisal in Iron Man 3. Check out the magazine excerpt below.

"I guess I had some notion about [being an action hero]," he says. "I think I wanted to be able to look good and defend myself and all that stuff. I've always really enjoyed that genre, but I mean, It's pretty outlandish. I'm not particularly tall or strong or fast or aggressive. Yet, I'm not faking it. To me, it's a cosmic chuckle."

The magazine further suggests that Downey Jr.'s training for Avengers meant working out at least 12 hours a week, including strenge training, martial arts with Oram, Tracy Anderson Method workouts, and yoga with his good friend and instructor Vinnie Marino of Yoga Works.

"It was ideal," Downey says, "But it's completely unsustainable. I'm not a kid, and I'm not a professional athlete, so what I'm probably doing is feeling really good all the time and over-training wildly."


Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on November 15, 2013.
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headlopper
headlopper - 12/26/2011, 6:16 PM
That's true. He stops working out, his muscle gain will diminish in about a month.
headlopper
headlopper - 12/26/2011, 6:17 PM
...Sherlock Holmes was bad a** BTW! Highly recommend it.
cmax
cmax - 12/26/2011, 6:40 PM
downey june ftw
Lawliet
Lawliet - 12/26/2011, 6:41 PM
Holy Sh*t! his got a big arms, now that's Tony Stark!
grifter
grifter - 12/26/2011, 6:52 PM
Gaaadosh, dude looks good 4 his age.
headlopper
headlopper - 12/26/2011, 6:52 PM
If you're a 'Star Wars' fan, check out my new editorial-you might find it interesting.:)
SotNatt
SotNatt - 12/26/2011, 6:53 PM
Bought it. Read it. Loved it.

I can't believe I'm admitting this, but RDJ's actually got me considering taking up yoga.

@Scorpion8125 I agree. I think work and his Missus keeps him in the game. I have nothing but respect for this man.
Ghostt
Ghostt - 12/26/2011, 7:51 PM
I totally look like RDJ.

...or at least his little mentally handicapped brother
CaptainAmerica31
CaptainAmerica31 - 12/26/2011, 8:00 PM
Sherlock Holmes was amazing idk why the critics hated the movie? It was so compelling!
CaptainAmerica31
CaptainAmerica31 - 12/26/2011, 8:03 PM
Agree with grif, no news at all it's sad:(
Sanderman
Sanderman - 12/26/2011, 8:04 PM
I agree with grif..what's up with this news drought lately
Greengo
Greengo - 12/26/2011, 8:54 PM
I know just when the site change happened -_-

How peculiar
thewolfx
thewolfx - 12/26/2011, 9:25 PM
damn rdj i hope i look that good at that age .. good job bro
batmanrises
batmanrises - 12/26/2011, 9:54 PM
LOL! That cover is big time photoshopped...I just saw Sherlock Holmes over the weekend...Dude is definitely in shape, but he doesn't have that big beefcake build like that cover there.
thedude2936
thedude2936 - 12/26/2011, 11:09 PM
Dude owned the part of sherlock holmes in my opinion and he rocked as Stark, im looking forward to the Avengers partly because of his role as Stark.
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 12/27/2011, 1:47 AM
Not a fan of the heroes in half costume (Cap and THOR are good without their helmets tho), but it would be nice to see Stark in a suitless scrap. He would actually have to have some sort of fighting skills or skills in general to do the things he does in the suit. It's still physical. So, that would be interesting.

In the Incredible HULK, Banner knew how to fight and he trained his mind and body. It's a cool element for a character that wears a full body suit or transforms all together.
Daniellantern
Daniellantern - 12/27/2011, 4:11 AM
He was fantastic as Tony Stark in Iron Man I, but not in the sequel. So much jokes. I want to see the real adaptation of Demon in a Bottle. IMO.
SotNatt
SotNatt - 12/27/2011, 4:40 AM
@batmanrises

You do realize that Sherlock Holmes was filmed in the course of a year-and-a-half or so, right? And if anyone here actually bothered to pick up the magazine and read the article (which I doubt, because that would require you all to climb out of your caves and crawl into daylight)* you would know that he and his trainers purposely strive for different body types for Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark/Iron Man, because they're two very different characters.

And oh, I would do everything to this man. I would wreck this dude.


@Sanderman Oh, and it's a slow news week, I imagine, because it's the holidays. You know, spending time with loved ones, *stepping outside and getting shit done.

Chill, bro.

@daniellantern Shane Black already said that they weren't going to delve too much into Demon In the Bottle, due to the gravity of that story arc (a damn shame in my opinion), but I think he did say they'll be taking key elements from it, so...yay!

Yeah; jokes are Tony, but more like the modern Iron Man issues and the more light-hearted series like Marvel Adventures. 1st one had a better balance of the character's personality.

Then again...Iron Man thought he was dying, and I suppose you could chuck it all up to plot interference.

I wish they'd do DIAB too. Too deep for a general audience though.
THEMRTERRIFIC
THEMRTERRIFIC - 12/27/2011, 5:21 AM
New site looks great!
nuck82
nuck82 - 12/27/2011, 7:22 AM
lol @ bats, using beef cake.
batmanrises
batmanrises - 12/27/2011, 12:16 PM
LOL Jesus...does my opinion hold that much weight? I'm not the only one who thinks that cover looks photoshopped. It's not a Marvel/DC thing, idiots...

@Hellbound/Therapist/Zigggggy....

Jesus do I need an e-restraining order? lol This guy is making pretty little Photoshop collages with my avatar all over it....anyone else find that a little disturbing?
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 12/27/2011, 2:41 PM
HONESTLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BUFF TO BE IRON MAN, ALL THE POWER IS IN HIS TECH..


BUT BEING IN A GROUP OF SUPERS YOU REA;
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 12/27/2011, 2:42 PM
REALLY WANNA LOOK FORMIDABLE
MSCOTTY72
MSCOTTY72 - 12/27/2011, 3:52 PM
Sherlock Holmes is the best movie of the year.
EarOne
EarOne - 12/27/2011, 8:09 PM
ironically, Downey would need to do way more workouts for Sherlock Holmes than his Iron Man movies, since during most of the super hero action stuff, he merely needs to use his facial muscles for his head shots, cuz all of the shots showing the armor are fully cgi'd.

i think compared to evans, hemsworth, scarjo and renner, he's got the best gig..well, next to ruffalo of course.
Quickspeedster
Quickspeedster - 12/27/2011, 9:06 PM
for all the best to mr RDJ & Iron Man/tony stark.. :D
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 12/28/2011, 3:04 AM
HE IS IRON MAN FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE..AND HE'S AMAZING
Jefferys
Jefferys - 12/28/2011, 3:16 AM
If I looked as good as RDJ does on the front cover of Men's Health than I would be racking in all of the lay-days.
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 12/28/2011, 1:30 PM
@GUNSMITH He needs to be in shape to use the suit- from a geek standpoint. The suit reacts to his movements, so he is acting physically inside of it. He may not have to lift the weight of the armor, but he has to twist, turn, bend, jump, punch and kick to put it in motion. It's a hardcore game of WII. Ad a foe like IRON-MONGER who is also wearing a suit and he may as well be fighting a bar bouncer in his regular cloths. He has to be in shape and also know how to fight.
hartley07
hartley07 - 3/18/2012, 4:58 PM
technically speaking, you would need to be in shape, because you do have to move your body parts to move the suit. You have to have the endurance to keep swingin. Yes i know its cg, im just saying it makes sense for the character to be in shape. Obviously bruce banner doesnt need to be.
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