Spider-Man: Far From Home Star Tom Holland Couldn’t Walk After Workout With Jake Gyllenhaal

Being of the physical stature often referred to as “super hero shape” is no easy task, not even for Tom Holland. Holland, who debuted as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, is gearing up for the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home. As a result, the 23-year-old actor is touring the world with his Far From Home co-star Jake Gyllenhaal. As it turns out, Gyllenhaal (who plays Mysterio in the upcoming film) has been putting Holland through it when it comes to working out on their press tour, to the point the Holland was having trouble walking!

Holland appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to talk about his upcoming film, where he ultimately shared a terrifying story of working out with Gyllenhaal. “We were in China recently and Jake asked me if I wanted to go to the gym and I have to be honest: I didn’t want to go,” Holland said. “because Jake Gyllenhaal’s ripped, right? And I’m really competitive. I’m not Jake Gyllenhaal.”

Of course, Holland couldn’t actually say no to Gyllenhaal’s invitation. “So, we go to the gym, we start working out,” Holland explains. “We’re doing ab exercises, leg exercises, and then he turns to me and he goes, ‘Tom, do you wanna hop on the treadmill and warm up?’ I’m like, ‘Warm up? I’m roasting mate! I’m finished!’”

As Gyllenhaal is just getting started, Holland is spent, but his competitive side won’t allow him to back down. In fact, the competitive side makes things worse for him., “So, he goes, ‘We’ll do a quick mile!’ I’m like, ‘A mile? Are we pressed for time?’” Holland laughed. “So, immediately, I’m regretting suggesting doing two miles.”

“We set off, we start running, and there’s a law in the gym that you can’t run slower than the guy next to you. So, I’m running next to him, two minutes in I’ve got a stitch, I’m wishing everything was over but I’m saying, ‘There’s nothing that’s gonna’ get me off this treadmill,’” Holland said. At this point, he still didn’t know what he had gotten himself into. “‘I will beat Jake Gyllenhaal in this race.’ And then like three, four minutes in, he goes, ‘Tom, this is too easy. Let’s up the incline.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, let’s do it!’ We up the incline, four, five more kilometers go by, he goes, ‘This is too easy. Let’s up it to three!’ I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, fine, yeah, sure Jake, absolutely.’ Finally, we’ve got a kilometer left and he’s like, ‘Let’s do 3.5,’ and I’m like, ‘Let’s do 4. Why 3.5? Why stop there?’ Then we’re doing press later that day and I can’t walk.”

That day was a tough one for Holland. “Genuinely, I’m sitting there and a journalist goes, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ I said, ‘Well, I do all of my own stunts,” the actor concluded.

Could you keep up with Holland and Gyllenhaal in a workout? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram or Twitter!

Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 2.