Olivia Munn: Fitness Q&A

X-Men: Apocalypse’s sword wielding stunner tells us how she got her super on.

The X Factor

I was pretty healthy already, but I’d never done sword work before. I  started training with a sword and then started wirework and stunt training, then added taekwondo, karate and boxing.

Mutant Matters

It was really important to me that Psylocke was as believable as possible as a character, so I really had to know what I was doing and be strong. Along with the skills, it was about getting fit and healthy. It wasn’t about losing weight, but I did lose 12lb with all the work I put in.

Changing attitudes

I trained with DAX Gym in Montreal, they’re the best. They would always throw things at me, keeping it interesting. I turned into a gym rat and I loved it. Sometimes I would train for six or seven hours a day – and two hours of that would just be sword work. I’d never trained like that before, even though I did a lot of taekwondo when I was younger.

Eating right

I started getting into eating 20-80, where 80% of your diet is fruits and vegetables and 20% is whatever – and that can be any kind of meats or breads or anything else. Mostly I would eat fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts.

Blended approach

I would have a lot of smoothies, and I really stuck with that. I cut down on my bread and meat intake, with most of my protein coming from seeds and nuts. I haven’t stuck with that diet completely since filming, but I do still eat organically.

Keeping it up after shooting

I still do in some ways, although my training is nowhere near as intense. I still do taekwondo and I have a sword closet at home – I love that! In my own life I’m into Body By Simone, which is an intense training  experience. It’s pretty hard-core. Also, I’ve kept up eating organically. I think that makes me feel so much fitter, clearer and healthy.

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