Guardians Of The Galaxy 3's Will Poulter Had Some Intense Training For Adam Warlock
Say, what is the small gem-like protrusion resting on the forehead of Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) in James Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3?" In the original Marvel Comics, Adam Warlock was a contemplative, star-dwelling superhero who constantly pondered the infinity of the cosmos and questioned his own status as a Messiah-like superhero. The gem in his forehead was, in fact, the Soul Gem, one of the six Infinity Gems, and an artifact that allowed him to absorb the souls of others into his own.
In the big screen version of "Guardians," Adam Warlock was transformed into an ultra-powerful lieutenant, sent by his boss to retrieve Rocket Raccoon (voice of Bradley Cooper). By then, by the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Infinity Stones had been destroyed. The "gem" in Adam Warlock's forehead was, it seems, merely aesthetic.
While the character may have been dramatically altered in his transition from the page to the screen, Poulter still managed to infuse Adam Warlock with an extant regal quality and an aloof disconnectedness from those around him. Additionally, like many actors in the MCU, Poulter had to bulk up considerably, making sure he bore the traditional ultra-cut musculature of most superhero characters. Like his co-stars Karen Gillan and Dave Bautista, Poulter had to work out a lot, watch his diet, and ensure he was in tip-top shape.
In the modern movie-making milieu, this also meant making sure he wasn't straining muscles or hurting his body. In a recent interview with GQ, Poulter talked about Dr. Benjamin Carraway, his heroic personal trainer. The actor explained in detail what kind of routine he went through, and what needed to be achieved for the camera. Adam Warlock is said to be a perfect being. Carraway and Poulter had their work cut out for them.
Years of work
According to the GQ article, Dr. Carraway and Poulter had already been working together for years before the latter was cast in "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3." Carraway is a chiropractor, and he evidently spends a lot of his time repairing the bodies of men who had pushed themselves a little too hard at the gym. In his day, he had seen a lot of strained muscles and backs from people who didn't know their limits. Poulter, having come to the gym with a pre-existing injury, was able to work out under Dr. Carraway's philosophy, which was geared toward long-term goals, allowing him to eschew the current gym-rat climate of hard work and fast results.
Poulter was game, as working out was going to be his profession for several months. The actor said to GQ:
"It was my job, literally, in the lead-up to this movie, to eat food I wasn't paying for, train at a gym I wasn't paying for, with trainers I wasn't paying for. And I didn't have a nine-to-five to hold down."
Poulter and Dr. Carraway met back in 2015 when the actor came to the doctor with a torn ligament following a stunt gone wrong in the Brad Pitt film "War Machine." The good doctor recalls their work then and how it was to relate to their work now. Back in 2015, it was a matter of getting back in shape as quickly as possible so that shooting might continue. For "Guardians," a more careful approach would be adopted.
Working with injuries
Dr. Carraway recalled a lot of Pulter's minor injuries over the years. He said:
"Will first came to see me with a knee injury which turned out to be a torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) in 2015. He was cast as a G.I. in Brad Pitt's 'War Machine' so it was a case of either cancelling the job or rehab enough so he could carry on, which we did. We stayed in touch and he wanted to start training, I advised him and he got himself into pretty good shape. Then there was a TV series and he had to wield a sword, but he'd been training elsewhere and had torn his rotator cuff — this was 2019."
Dr. Carraway believed in a type of working out that he called proprioceptive training, a slow form of training that was very focused on posture and body positioning. Dr. Carraway believes that the body has an innate sense of its own physics, and that one can benefit from slow movements. He recalls working with Poulter:
"The first part of the transformation was proprioceptive training. I've based my training method around proprioception — the body's sixth sense. How you hold an object, where you place your feet, and where your hips are before you begin to lift. So, you learn how to use your body and use an object with your body. For Will, posture and hand grip were essential, so we did lots of super-slow training."
Poulter is the type of actor who wanted to immerse himself in the role, luckily, so understanding the small, slow details of Adam Warlock's actual movements and musculature not only put him in physical shape, but also mental shape.
The warrior ruler
It seems the aforementioned regal qualities of Adam Warlock were also part of Poulter's training. While fighters are often encouraged to be in "fight stances," prepared for a scrape, it often requires them to be hunched over, defended, coiled and ready to spring. For Adam Warlock, both Poulter and Dr. Carraway wanted a more historical image at hand. Recalling ancient art, truly brave warriors were often depicted as being upright, unafraid, exposing their weak spots with confidence. Dr. Carraway said:
"We wanted Will to have the physique of a peaceful ruler. Throughout history the warrior ruler is never depicted as slumped over, they're depicted as standing tall. If you stand tall with your neck exposed, not concealing the carotid artery and the jugular vein, you're saying, 'I'm not scared'. It's very primal. I did this with Will for presence, to stand looking regal. It was responsible for a large part of the transformation. He would practice standing, muscles engaged, and this would create a reinforcing cascade of positive information to the brain."
The actual training involved a lot of posture work, a lot of pushing and pulling, and a lot of leg days. The entire training regiment took four months. It wasn't until close to shooting that Poulter and Dr. Carraway started focusing on the actor's muscular bulk. When on camera with no shirt, Poulter had to fall back on the usual tropes of dehydration and a no-carb diet to make his muscles stand out. Luckily, all of these habits were being overseen.
Thankfully, Poulter was not injured again. For those who want to similarly bulk up — to be their own warrior ruler — Poulter's entire regimen is laid out in detail in the GQ article. Be sure to eat well and work slowly.