What Is Tom Holland’s Diet And Workout Plan For ‘Spider-Man Brand New Day’?

Tom Holland is having quite the year. At 30, the Kingston-upon-Thames kid is fresh off the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, one of the biggest films of 2026, and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey alongside Matt Damon. Not to mention, he stars alongside his wife, Zendaya, in both of these blockbusters. He plays golf off a 2.9 handicap, builds his own furniture, runs a non-alcoholic beer brand, and somehow still finds time to look like he was carved from marble.

In other words, the guy’s doing considerably better than the rest of us.

Holland has never been in bad shape, but he’s never looked like he did for Brand New Day, where he made it his mission to fill out the Spider-Man suit without padding or CGI. The result is arguably the best shape of his career, thanks to a dedicated CrossFit training programme and a healthy diet. 

Unlike other beefed-up superheroes, Spider-Man is known for his athletic, mobile physique, similar to that of a dancer or gymnast (which Holland used to be). We’re not saying this means his workout regime was easy. So, if you want to build a shredded athletic physique to get you in web-slinging shape, here’s Tom Holland’s Spider-Man workout and diet plan.

Who is Tom Holland?

Tom Holland is an English actor best known for his portrayal of Peter Parker, A.K.A Spider-Man, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

However, he began his acting career in musicals before his breakthrough role in the 2012 thriller The Impossible, starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. He won a string of awards for his role in the film, and firmly cemented himself as an actor to watch. 

Moving into the Marvel universe, Holland has starred as Peter Parker across four standalone Spider-Man films, most recently the 2026 blockbuster Spider-Man: Brand New Day. 

Natural talent aside, Holland still had to put in some serious work to play the role, including a muscle-building diet and gruelling workout circuits. In 2026, he also starred in Christopher Nolan’s retelling of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey.

• Place of Birth: Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
• Birthday: 1 June 1996
• Height: 5’8″ (1.73m)
• Weight: 65kg (base weight, subject to bulking for roles)

Related read: How to dress like Tom Holland

Tom Holland’s Workout Routine

Working with Hollywood trainer Duffy Gaver (the same man who built Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor physique and Brad Pitt’s Troy body), Holland’s Spider-Man routine focused on high-volume bodyweight training, CrossFit-style conditioning, and weighted vest work.

The turning point came during the filming of Uncharted with Mark Wahlberg. When production shut down due to COVID and the cast had four months off, Holland noticed the gap between his physique and Wahlberg’s and decided to close it.

“I just pedal to the metal, went as crazy as I could in the gym and in the kitchen, and got to the heaviest I’ve ever been,” he said in a Men’s Health interview.

“I felt really strong. I felt like I had a lot of power within me.” That period set the tone for everything that followed.

For Spider-Man: No Way Home and now Brand New Day, Holland and Gaver leaned heavily into CrossFit – a discipline Holland had never tried before and quickly became obsessed with.

“I just really loved the kind of competitive edge of it, setting goals, trying to beat your personal best,” he said. 

The 1,500-Rep Bodyweight Ladder

The centrepiece of Holland’s weekly training is a brutal hour-long bodyweight ladder that he and his training partner tackle every Monday morning. Built by Gaver, the session targets the chest, back, arms, and core using nothing but calisthenics.

The structure is a ladder: start at round one, climb to round ten, then descend back to one.

The Ladder Structure

• 1 Pull-up
• 2 Dips
• 3 Press-ups
• 4 Sit-ups
• 5 Air Squats

By round 10, that means 10 pull-ups, 20 dips, 30 press-ups, 40 sit-ups, and 50 squats in a single set, before you start working your way back down. Total rep count across the full session: 1,500.

The “Cindy” CrossFit WOD

For a fast, full-body conditioning hit, Holland regularly turns to a classic CrossFit benchmark workout called “Cindy”, a 20-minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) that he often performs wearing a weighted vest.

The Circuit

• 5 Pull-ups
• 10 Press-ups
• 15 Squats

Simple on paper but intense after minute eight. Holland’s personal record is 27 rounds, a score that puts him well above the average CrossFit athlete. 

The Original Spider-Man Circuit

For context on where Holland started, his original preparation for the first Spider-Man film involved a very different approach. Working with London-based trainer George Ashwell, the goal was to add 7kg of lean muscle in six weeks with a full-body compound circuit performed daily. While Holland has since evolved well beyond this programme, it remains a solid foundation for anyone starting out.

Complete this for five rounds. Treat the first as a warm-up and the next four as working sets, with 30 seconds rest between exercises and two minutes between rounds.

1. Deadlifts

As one of the most important and inclusive compound lifts out there, it’s no surprise that Ashwell added this to the Tom Holland Spider-Man workout. Here’s how to complete a proper deadlift:

1. Step up to and under a barbell with your feet angled slightly outward, at hip-width apart.
2. Hinge at the hips and bend over. Grip the barbell with both hands at shoulder width.
3. Bend your knees until the bar almost touches your shins.
4. Keeping your spine straight, flex your glutes and brace your stomach.
5. Pushing through your feet, pick the bar up off the ground.
6. Continue pressing down with your legs until the barbell passes your knees, then thrust your hips forward until you are standing up.
7. Reverse your movement until the bar returns to its starting place on the ground.

Weight: 2x bodyweight
Reps: 8-10
Rest: 30 secs

2. Incline Press with Pronation

Another solid bodybuilding exercise, the incline press was a major reason why Tom Holland’s body looked the way it did during the first Spider-Man film. It focuses mainly on the upper chest region, helping to build out those pecs. To complete the incline press with pronation:

1. Sit on a bench set to 45 degrees and lean back holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Position your hands at your shoulders, elbows bent and angled down below your ribs.
3. Brace your core and press both dumbbells straight up over your chest as you exhale. Keep your wrists straight (don’t let them “cock” backward). At the top of the movement, the dumbbells should almost touch each other and your arms should be perpendicular to the floor.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the top of your chest as you inhale. As you lower the dumbbells, your elbows should come down at roughly a 45-degree angle to your torso.

Weight: 1/2 bodyweight in each hand
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 30 secs

3. Dip Bar Straight Leg Raise

The first isolated movement for the core, the straight leg raise was responsible for the much-talked-about Tom Holland abs photos. To complete:

1. Stand with your body facing away from the dip machine. Grab the handles in each hand.
2. Keeping your legs straight and core tight, raise your feet up to waist height.
3. Hold for a half-second and then lower them back down.

Weight: Bodyweight
Reps: 15
Rest: 30 secs

4. Weighted Dips

A great bodyweight movement for building muscles in your chest and triceps, weighted dips are a staple for bodybuilders all over the world. Another benefit of weighted dips is the ability to work opposing muscle groups at once. To complete:

1. Wrap a dip belt around your waist, chain side in front. Attach and tighten a weight plate to the dropped side before looping it around, and clip it back to the other side of your belt.
2. Mounting the dip bar facing outward, lock your arms and elbows, keeping your wrists in line with your forearms.
3. Inhale as you slowly start to lower your body. Let your torso move slightly forward and your elbows to flare out to the side.
4. Once you feel a stretch in your chest, breathe out and start to push yourself slowly back up to the starting position.

Weight: Bodyweight – 20kg
Reps: 12-15
Rest: 30 secs

5. Dumbbell Thrusters

A multi-muscle group movement, dumbbell thrusters allow you to work your quads, glutes, shoulders and triceps simultaneously. Some studies have suggested this exercise also helps to boost your metabolism and increase your muscular endurance and flexibility. To complete:

1. Come to a standing position with your feet at shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a pair of dumbbells just above your shoulders or resting on them.
3. Your palms should be facing each other, and your elbows should be slightly in front of your body.
4. Bending your knees and keeping your back straight, lower your bum to the floor.
5. Hold for a second before exploding through your feet to a standing position.
6. At the top of the movement, perform a press with the dumbells, locking your arms at the top of the movement.
7. Slowly lower the dumbells back to starting position.

Weight: 1/4 bodyweight in each hand
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 30 secs

6. Bear Crawls

While it may seem like a strange addition at first, bear crawls have become a common option for CrossFit fans and those looking to improve lower body mobility. It makes sense that Ashwell would incorporate this into the Tom Holland Spider-Man workout. To complete.

1. Get into a crouching position on all fours.
2. Keeping your back straight and knees as low as possible to the ground, crawl as fast as possible for 60 seconds. Remember to keep your steps short and body low to the floor.

Reps: 60 secs
Rest: 30 secs

7. Renegade Rows

A multi-movement exercise, renegade rows are a great option for increasing mobility whilst also building muscle. To complete:

1. Get in a push-up position holding two dumbbells.
2. Bracing your core, row your right hand up to your right hip.
3. Pause, slowly lower, then repeat with the other arm.

Weight: 1/4 bodyweight in each hand
Reps: 10-12 each side
Rest: 30 secs

8. Chin-ups

Much-maligned but important nonetheless, the humble chin-up was a favourite of Tom Holland in his preparation for Spider-Man. The multi-movement exercise targets your core, shoulders and back in a full-body assault. To complete:

1. Standing under a bar, grab it with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, with your hands facing away from you.
2. Hang all the way down.
3. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar.
4. Slight pause
5. Lower yourself all the way back down.

Weight: Bodyweight
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 30 secs

9. Running

Despite what you wanted to hear, cardio is a massive part of an effective workout plan. To remain trim, toned and highly mobile, adding in a mixed sprint and job style running program was an effective method for Ashwell’s Tom Holland workout. To complete the circuit:

• Cool-down walk for 5 minutes.
• Start with a light 10 minute jog.
• Run at 80% maximum for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Walk at 3.5-4 mph for 2 minutes.
• Run at 90% maximum for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Walk at 3.5-4 mph for 2 minutes.
• Run at 100% maximum for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Walk at 3.5-4 mph for 2 minutes.
• Run at 90% maximum for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Walk at 3.5-4 mph for 2 minutes.
• Run at 80% maximum for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Tom Holland’s Training Recovery

Recovery is non-negotiable for Holland. Post-workout, he typically spends 30 minutes on the treatment table, and his trainers have always prioritised functional movement over pure bodybuilding to keep him injury-free through demanding stunt schedules.

His biggest recovery upgrade in recent years, however, has had nothing to do with the gym.

Sobriety and his BERO Brand

In January 2022, Holland quit drinking after a Dry January challenge made him realise how much alcohol had woven itself into his social life. The first year was, by his own admission, the hardest thing he has ever done.

“I got through that first year, which I think was the toughest challenge that I’ve ever been on,” he told Amy Poehler on her Good Hang podcast.

The benefits, once they came, were significant. Better sleep, clearer mornings, sharper focus in training, and weekends freed up for early golf rounds. He now plays off a 2.9 handicap, a direct benefit of no longer writing off Friday nights.

Out of that experience came BERO, Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand. The current lineup includes Kingston Golden Pils, Edge Hill Hazy IPA, and Noon Wheat (named after his dog with Zendaya). There’s also a 0% shandy, inspired by Zendaya, who has never been a drinker. 

Tom Holland’s Diet Plan

We don’t know exactly what Holland ate to bulk up for Brand New Day – he hasn’t shared a specific meal plan or macro breakdown for the film. What we do know, however, is what his general day-to-day eating looks like, and it’s clear his approach to food is as straightforward as his training philosophy.

“My diet is far more important than what I do in the gym,” he said in a Men’s Health interview.

“For me to see results, it’s 80% diet and 20% fitness.” Coming from someone who does 1,500-rep bodyweight sessions, that’s saying something.

Breakfast

Every morning starts the same way: a bowl of porridge loaded with berries and nuts, paired with a protein shake. His current supplement stack is creatine and protein, with the morning shake covering his vitamins and minerals.

Lunch

When he’s not in a bulking phase, Holland skips lunch almost entirely.

Dinner

Dinner is where Holland loosens up. His brother Sam is a talented chef, and Holland has made a habit of heading over to eat whatever Sam has been cooking: sticky bao buns one night, a traditional roast the next, chicken veronique if it’s a fancy evening. When he’s cooking for himself, his go-to is a lentil chilli: a chilli con carne made with lentils instead of mince.

“It’s very flavourful. It’s really tasty. It’s healthy, and it’s ultimately full of all the things that I need to put some weight on,” he said.

His favourite proteins are cod, baked in tin foil with chillies, lemon, and garlic, and chicken in pretty much any form. His favourite carb is potatoes. All forms.

“Even raw. I love them. I absolutely love them. It’s the Irish in me.”

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