Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow Workout
Try this Eric Johnson-designed fitness plan with a trainer to promote explosive movement and resilience.
Phase 1
This prep workout, done for up to six weeks, focuses on improving aerobic conditioning, restoring and
improving mobility and stability and building Johansson’s work capacity and vascular network.
Day 1
Exercise Sets Reps
Primer:
Push-up to downward dog 3 5
Gironda cable row 3 10
Frog glute bridges 3 20
To improve reaction time:
Explosive medicine ball slams 2 8
Lateral bounds 2 8
Strength training:
Trap bar deadlift — 3-second release 4 4-6
Hollow body push-ups 3 5-10
Front foot elevated split squats — hold stretch 2 seconds 3 8
Reverse crunch holds — 30 second holds 3
Prone leg curl — hold contraction 2 seconds 3 15
Day 2 Sets Reps
Primer:
Windmills 3 5
Scapular pull-ups 3 10
Dead bugs — hold 5 seconds 3 5
To improve reaction time:
Explosive overhead medicine ball throws 2 8
Single-leg hops 2 5
Strength training:
Half-kneeling 1-arm shoulder press with heaviest weight
possible — 3-second release 4 4-6
Neutral grip chin-ups — hold 2-3 seconds at top 4 3-5
Lateral raises — hold 2 seconds at top 3 10-12
Reverse grip pulldowns — 3-second release 3 8-10
Chest supported rear delt swings 3 20
Day 3
Rest or do conditioning, yoga or fight training
Conditioning:
I. Incline treadmill walk (67 percent incline at 34 mph), bike or Concept 2 rower for 30-60 minutes with
heart rate between 120 and 150 bpm
II. Sprint or sled intervals at 75 to 80 percent of maximum effort, 8-15 reps of 15 seconds each, with 45
seconds between
Day 4 Sets Reps
Primer:
Half-kneeling cable lifts 3 8
Bear crawls forward and backward 30 feet 3
Seated pike-ups 3 5-10
To improve reaction time:
Explosive medicine ball side tosses 2 8
Step-up jumps 2 8
Strength training:
Goblet squat — hold stretch for 3 seconds 4 6-8
Hollow body holds for 20 seconds each 3
Snatch grip Romanian deadlifts — 3-second release 3 8
Kneeling punch outs — hold 5 seconds out 3 5
Single leg squat — 5-second release 3 5
Day 5 Sets Reps
Primer:
Pec minor dips 3 10
Rope face pulls 3 10
Side plank — hold for 30 seconds 3
To improve reaction time:
Explosive medicine ball chest passes 2 8
Squat jumps 2 5
Strength training:
Incline dumbbell press — 3-second release 4 6-8
Wide supinated grip bent over rows — hold
contraction for 2 seconds 4 8-10
Push-ups 3 max
Cable seated rows — 3-second release 3 10-12
Cable crossover triceps push-owns 2 15
Incline dumbbell curls 2 15
Day 6
Conditioning, yoga or fight training
Day 7
Rest
Phase 2
Emphasizes strength and hypertrophy, working from lower intensity with high volume to higher intensities
with lower overall volume for max strength.
Day 1 - Lower Strength
Exercise Sets Reps
Thoracic extension drill 2 3
Seated pike up — toes pointed 2 5-10
Trap bar deadlift 6 wave loading: 5, 3, 2 x2
Hollow body push-ups 3 5-10
Bulgarian split squats 3 5 left, 5 right is one set
Dumbbell pullovers 4 15-20
Prone leg curls 3 8
Reverse crunch holds 3 30 secs
Day 2 - Upper Strength
Exercise Sets Reps
Barbell high pull 3 6
Handstand work — play, holds, progressions 3
Incline barbell press 6 wave loading: 5, 3, 2 x 2
Neutral grip pull-ups 5 max reps minus 1 each set
Wide supinated pulldowns — work up weight 3 8-10
Weighted push-ups 3 6-8
Single arm barbell preacher curls ‚— EZ bar 3 6-10
Day 3
Rest
Day 4 - Delts & Arms
Exercise Sets Reps
Cable face pulls — use rope 2 12-15
Hyperextensions — forward and backward 2 12-15
High incline dumbbell lateral raises 3 12-15
Dumbbell lateral raise partials — heavy, keep moving 3 15-20
Standing military press 4 8-10
Bent-over rear dents 4 12-15
Dumbbell spider curls 3 10, 15, 20
Cable crossover triceps extensions 3 20, 15, 10
Day 5 - Lower Speed
Exercise Sets Reps
Primer:
Overhead squats 2 10
L sits — holds 2 5x5
Speed training:
Back squat — 45 secs rest 8 3
Snatch grip rack pulls 4 4-6
Single leg pistol squat — progressions to full 4 3-5
Leg press 3 10-12
Hanging leg raises 3 10
Ab wheel rollout 3 10
Day 6 - Upper Dynamic
Exercise Sets Reps
Primer:
Overhead squats 2 10
Hollow body holds 2 30 sec
Speed training:
Dumbbell bench press 4 8, 8, 6, 4
Bent-over barbell rows 4 8
Dumbbell corkscrew flys 3 10-12
Seated cable rows 3 10-12
Rolling lying triceps extensions 3 8-10
Incline dumbbell biceps curls 3 10-12
Day 7
Rest
Phase 3
Three weeks of this metabolic-focused workout gets Johansson to her peak performance.
Day 1
Exercise Sets Reps
To improve reaction time:
Rotational M slams with 2 10
pushup to downward dog
1-arm farmer’s walk 2 30 steps
3-way bounds (leaping from one leg to 2 20
another in 3 directions)
Spiderman lunges 2 5 each (60 sec rest)
Strength training:
Deadlift 4 5 (15 sec rest)
Barbell hip thrusts 4 8 (15 sec rest)
Kettlebell swings 4 15 (90 sec rest)
Density (as many sets as possible in 5-8 minutes):
Standing dumbbell overhead laterals 10-20
Bent over dumbbell rear delta 10-20
Dumbbell overhead press 10-20
Hanging leg raises 3 10-15 (30 sec rest)
Ab wheel rollouts 3 10-15 (60 sec)
Day 2 Sets Reps
To improve reaction time:
Plyometric push-ups 2 5
Ice cream makers 2 5
3-way hops 2 5 each
Overhead squats — barbell overhead 2 5
Strength training:
Incline dumbbell press 4 8
Neutral grip chin-ups 4 5-7
Sumo deadlifts — hold contraction for 2 seconds 3 10-12
Feet elevated push-ups — add 10 to 25 lbs. on back 3 max
Chest supported triceps kickbacks 3 20-15-10
Spider curls 2 10-15-20
Rower repeats 3-6 150 meters
Day 3
Rest
Day 4 Sets Reps
To improve reaction time:
Medicine ball side toss 2 8 each
Forward and backward bear crawls 2 30 feet
Alternating step up jumps 2 20
Farmer’s walks 3 30 feet
Strength training:
Prone leg curls 3 12-10-8 (45 sec rest)
Goblet squat 4 6 (15 sec rest)
Bulgarian split squat 4 8 each (15 sec rest)
Leg press, no lockout 4 15-20 (90 sec rest)
Dumbbell lateral raises 3 10 (15 sec rest)
Dumbbell lateral raise partials 3 20
Day 5 Sets Reps
Core circuit:
Stability ball deadbugs 3 10 each
Stability ball stir the pot — in plank on forearms 3 20
Stability ball pikes 3 10
Explosive kettlebell swings 75
Push-ups 50
Strength training:
Single arm dumbbell rows 4 6-8 (15 sec rest)
Inverted rows 4 10-12 (15 sec rest)
Cabled seated rows 4 12-15 (60 sec rest)
Close grip bench press 3 10
Triceps pushdowns 3 20 (60 sec rest)
Day 6 Sets Reps
Complex (complete each exercise without rest or
placing weight down, with barbell or dumbbells):
Bent over rows 3-6 75
Romanian deadlift 3-6
Hang clean 3-6
Front squat 3-6
Push press 3-6 50 (60-90 sec rest)
Finisher (choose one):
Body weight squats 1 20
Alternating lunges or lunge jumps 1 10 each
Squat jumps 1 20
Day 7
Rest
