Actor and martial artist Scott Adkins recently shared the training routine that transformed him into the character ‘Killa’ for John Wick Chapter 4. The veteran action star not only trained in martial arts but utilized strength training and bodybuilding to prepare himself for the role.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you should be well aware that John Wick Chapter 4 has been dominating the global box office. The fourth installment in the popular franchise is arguably the best in the series featuring over-the-top action we’ve all come to know, love, and, sometimes, cringe at. John Wick films have never been known to pull punches when it comes to their action sequences. Chapter 4 is no exception. The fight scenes in this film pushed the actors and stunt team past their limits. It makes for a pretty exhilarating ride.
Besides Keanu Reeves the film features other famous martial arts actors who how wowed audiences with their physical prowess for decades. Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada chew up the scenery in this film. But fellow martial artist and actor Scott Adkins arguably stole the show as the overweight, over-the-top German gangster ‘Killa’.
Adkins is Killa in John Wick Chapter 4
The film has you believe that Killa is nothing but an overgrown gang leader who lets his men do the fighting for him. But for those who know Scott Adkins, they were no doubt on the edge of their seats waiting to see the martial artist in action.
A most profitable opportunity. Watch me as Killa in #JohnWick4
So just how did Scott Adkins prepare for his role in John Wick Chapter 4? For one he didn’t just roll out of bed, practice a few moves and become a martial arts master. It took years of hard training to transform his physique and hone his acting skills to become a viable martial arts action star. It also took a tried and true training routine that combines both martial arts training with strength training. Don’t let the fat suit fool you, Adkins is in incredible shape.
Scott Adkins as ‘Killa’ in John Wick Chapter 4
“You can’t be a good martial artist and not be fit,” he said. “The two go hand-in-hand. I love lifting weights and bodybuilding. The martial arts and the muscle building, they don’t really go hand-in-hand. The bigger your muscles get, the heavier you get, you’re less agile, it slows you down.
“So, whereas in the past, I used to train like a bodybuilder, now it’s important for me to be bulletproof against injuries; knees, elbows, shoulders.”
News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
