As Gerard Butler rushes into his lodge foyer, he appears barely disoriented. Possibly it is the chilliness winds buffeting New York Metropolis. However extra seemingly, it is the lingering results of his just-completed session of eye- motion desensitization and reprocessing, a laser-light present of types that supposedly hot-wires the synapses of your grey matter. "It is usually used to deal with post-traumatic stress dysfunction," the 37-year-old actor says. Nonetheless, his hope is that it'll assist coordinate the analytical and artistic lobes of his mind, enabling him to raised handle his life.

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Maybe he ought to ask for a refund. Butler not solely is 45 minutes late for our interview, but in addition requires a further 5 minutes to tidy up -- his pug pet is in warmth -- after which one other 10 when his room key will not open the door. As soon as inside, he shortly apologizes for the muddle of brochures and tile samples, which he attributes to the overdue renovation of his Manhattan condominium -- the one he purchased in early 2004 however has but to occupy.

Whereas all of this frustrates Butler sufficient to take a stab at laser-light remedy, not less than he can justify his disorganized private life as an occupational hazard. In spite of everything, his success as an actor is determined by his potential to inhabit the thoughts of one other individual after which keep in character for months. And when you think about his larger-than-life roles in modern-day epics akin to Dracula 2000, Attila the Hun, and the newly launched 300   -- through which he performs Leonidas, King of Sparta (*1) -- you perceive why he may run late for an appointment or take 3 years to transform his house. Would a vampire heed deadlines? Would a king examine swatches?

To turn into King Leonidas, Butler, who by his personal admission was in less- than-ideal form when he was tapped for the starring position in 300, spent 4 months remodeling each his physique and his  thoughts. Early on, it turned an all-consuming activity. That is as a result of the extraordinary coaching required to construct a warrior's physique -- aesthetically and functionally -- concurrently cultivated a warrior's mentality. Or perhaps it was vice versa.

Both method, it is the rationale Butler enlisted the assistance of Mark Twight, a former world-class mountain climber who, primarily based on private expertise, believes in coaching as in case your life is determined by it. In truth, Twight would argue {that a} good exercise ought to make you're feeling nearly queasy upon listening to what lies forward. For instance, to hasten Butler's mind-body transformation, he created what he calls the "300-rep Spartan exercise." (Belief us, 100 reps is lots onerous.) (*2) It goes like this: With out resting between workout routines, Butler performs 25 pullups, 50 deadlifts with 135 kilos, 50 pushups, 50 jumps on a 24-inch field, 50 ground wipers (*3), 50 single-arm clean-and-presses utilizing a 36-pound kettle bell, and 25 extra pullups. All this, along with using different unconventional but equally taxing coaching strategies, akin to tire flipping and gymnastics-style ring coaching. Sound like hell? It's. In truth, upon receiving his marching orders for a Spartan exercise, one in all Butler's costars informed Twight, "It feels such as you simply killed my canine."

5 weeks earlier than the cameras had been to roll, Butler took on further classes with a Venezuelan bodybuilder named Franco LiCastro so as to exaggerate the physique he was after. "I needed to look actually sturdy," says Butler. "I've seen so many actors play these sorts of roles, and also you see all this tools on both an enormous stomach or skinny little arms." It labored in additional methods than one: On-screen, the bearded actor lords over the battlefield like testosterone incarnate, with the steely gaze, cobblestone abs, and broad, chiseled shoulders you observed one would want to command 300 males to their slaughter.

"You already know that each bead of sweat falling off your head, each weight you have pumped -- the historical past of that's all in your eyes," says Butler of his dedication. "That was an ideal factor, to placed on that cape and placed on that helmet, and never must assume, Shit, I ought to have skilled extra. As an alternative, I used to be standing there feeling like a lion."

In fact, the draw back to an excessive transformation is simply that -- it is excessive. Living proof: Throughout manufacturing, Butler would typically practice with Twight, practice with LiCastro, after which do his sword-and-shield work for hours on finish. Consequently, each joint in his 6'2'' physique ached by the point he set down his protect for the final time. And sooner or later alongside the best way, he turned overtrained, a state through which the stress of coaching has surpassed the physique's potential to get better totally from it. (*4) Consequently, as soon as filming wrapped, Butler stopped understanding as abruptly as he'd began. Understandably, his physique -- and thoughts -- wanted a break. However the upshot was that his no-holds-barred coaching routine become an equally hard-to-shake layoff, one that might final 8 months. Neither method is wholesome long run.

In line with Butler, it is all a results of his obsessive character, which is directly an asset and a legal responsibility. As with most sort A's, he is nonetheless studying to experience the positives whereas conserving the negatives from sending him off the rails. As an example, earlier than he turned an actor, Butler's keenly analytical thoughts led him to legislation college in his native Scotland, the place he graduated with honors and have become president of the Glasgow College Legislation Society. However that career shortly took a backseat to his prolonged journeys to America, the place he would work actually odd jobs (main guided excursions at SeaWorld; touring with a carnival filled with ex-cons) when he wasn't being arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

An energetic, probing thoughts missing an off swap, you see, can also be an simply distracted one. I catch a glimpse of this when altering the tape throughout our interview. Seconds later, Butler stops abruptly midsentence to ask if I simply flipped it from aspect B again to aspect A -- which, after all, would erase the primary half of our dialog. (It was a brand new tape.)

Then there's his smoking. The actor has carried out it for years, is aware of cigarettes are as lethal as any sword, and desires badly to stop. In truth, the flashing-lights remedy that made him late can also be meant to assist him kick the most cancers sticks as soon as and for all. (*5) But even for this interview -- a Males's Well being cowl story, thoughts you -- this is Butler, firing up throughout the first 10 minutes. For what it is price, the irony would not escape him.

All of us wrestle to stability the mundane duties of our day by day lives with our larger goal, actual or imagined. (Why fear about that oil change or checkup when you've gotten a gross sales quota to satisfy or a screenplay to put in writing?)

So think about what it is like for somebody whose profession is determined by remodeling himself into one other individual for prolonged intervals of time. "A extra balanced life could be higher for Gerry Butler. However the obsessive, all-or-nothing method I are likely to go about issues labored nice for enjoying Leonidas, who knew he had no future," says the actor of his character's self-chosen destiny. "However that is a short-term view of tips on how to reside in my world."

Which is why Butler appears as pushed to regain management of his private life as he's to sketch indelible portraits on-screen. After 8 months of not understanding, Butler returned to the health club 4 days every week, adopting a extra balanced method to health. He is additionally discovering that the vitamin information he is picked up throughout his character transformations has begun to stay. "My food regimen remains to be by no means fairly as scheduled as I want it had been, however now I attempt to eat greens and rooster as an alternative of burgers and fries like I used to," he says. The reemergence of his six-pack suggests the newfound self-discipline is paying dividends.

Smoothing out the roller-coaster experience onto which Butler the actor takes Butler the person in between movies, whereas nonetheless peaking when the cameras roll, could also be his most difficult position but.

1. By no means Say Die

It was historical past's staunchest goal-line stand: 300 Spartan warriors heading off a million-man Persian military within the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC to avoid wasting Greece, and maybe even the seeds of democracy. Comedian-book legend Frank Miller (Sin Metropolis) depicted the battle in a graphic novel, which hooked director Zack Snyder (Daybreak of the Lifeless). "That is an unimaginable story to start with," says Butler, "however Frank took it and turned it into an excellent e book. And Zack turned it into this masterpiece."

2. Prepare For Victory

Begin off by doing 100 reps utilizing 4 to 6 completely different workout routines, 10 to 25 reps per train. Construct up from there till you are able to do 300 with out relaxation. Be at liberty to swap in workout routines akin to leaping jacks, dumbbell curls, and Swiss-ball crunches, says Butler's present coach, Manhattan-based Joe Dowdell, C.S.C.S.

3. Study A New Transfer

"Lie on the ground holding a 135-pound bar straight overhead," says Twight. "Preserving his legs straight, Butler touches his ft to 1 plate, lowers them to the ground within the heart, after which raises them as much as contact the opposite plate." That is one repetition. Attempt it  your self, however with an empty bar first, elevating your ft till they're about 8 inches away from the bar (since there is not any weight plate to the touch).

4. Get well Quicker

To find out whether or not you are pushing too onerous, start measuring your coronary heart fee upon waking. When your studying is three to 5 beats above regular, your potential to get better is  compromised, says Invoice Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S. Downshift your coaching -- and attempt to sleep extra -- till your coronary heart fee returns to regular. 

5. Cease Smoking

Moderately than having lights flashed into your eyeballs to stop the lung darts, it is best to begin carrying the nicotine patch 2 weeks earlier than your stop date -- one research reveals that this ups the success fee considerably. Put on the patch in your arm, somewhat than in your again or abdomen, to enhance absorption.