‘Spider-Man,’ shirtless Tom Holland and why men are talking about ‘physique inflation’

Charles Trepany, USA TODAYWed, August 5, 2026 at 11:41 AM UTC

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"Spider-Man: Brand New Day," the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has shattered box office records. It's also got tons of people online applauding Tom Holland's impressive physique.

Some have even posted side-by-side photos of Holland as Spider-Man around 2016 and him in the role now. Over the course of those 10 years, it's clear Holland's made some serious gains, going from a body that was already lean and muscular to one even more so.

The transformation has also got some asking: Is Holland's look a sign of a larger trend?

Over the past few years, there's been talk online about so-called "physique inflation" − the idea that what was once considered an impressive body just a few years ago no longer is, and, as a result, men need to keep getting bigger if they want to have an exceptional body. As evidence, they point to movie superheroes of the not-too-distant past − like Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man in the early 2000s − and compare their physiques to those of the movie superheroes of today.

"They got to keep up with physique inflation in Hollywood," one Instagram user said, in reference to Holland in "Brand New Day." "My guy went from Spider-Boy to Spider-Man."

But is "physique inflation" really a thing? Fitness experts say it's complicated. Yes, big muscles, in general, are back, with guys looking to get more jacked now than they did a decade ago. But fitness trends also come in waves − movie physiques of the 1980s, for instance, were far bulkier overall than the ones we see today. And the physiques of the 1990s were far slimmer.

As far as Holland's transformation goes, perhaps the biggest takeaway is that consistent, high-quality training and nutrition over time pays off.

"He's a young man," says Jason Walsh, a celebrity trainer and the founder of Rise311 protein powder. "He's at the peak. These kind of results happen with hard work and doing things consistently over time."

What is 'physique inflation'?

Walsh is no stranger to training stars. Though he didn't train Holland specifically, he has trained Brie Larson for "Captain Marvel,"Jake Gyllenhaal for "Road House,"Matt Damon for "Elysium,"John Krasinski for "13 Hours,"Bradley Cooper for "American Sniper,"Pedro Pascal for "The Fantastic Four"− and many more.

How muscular a star gets for a specific role, he says, varies depending on the film and the creative vision behind it. Because of that, he says, it's hard to pinpoint whether "physique inflation," at least as far as Hollywood is concerned, is totally real.

"I think it really depends on the movie," Walsh says. "It depends on the studio. It depends on the director, the actor, everything."

But, among normal people, trainers say they certainly have seen a shift in the kinds of bodies everyday guys are striving for. Sam Bartlett − an exercise scientist and the founder of the high-end New York fitness center Exis − says his clients usually fall into two camps: Those mainly interested in longevity and those mainly interested in aesthetics.

For guys in the latter camp, he says, the most common reference they give for their physique goal is Christian Bale in "American Psycho." It's a shift, he says, that he's seen unfold over the course of his 15 years in the fitness industry − men, overall, are more concerned with their looks.

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"It's definitely a real thing," Bartlett says. "You either have somebody who really wants to have this almost superhero, action, muscle-bulging look, and the other half doesn't care about aesthetics at all, and they really care about the measurements and the science."

It's not bad to have a physique goal, Bartlett says, so long as it's balanced with overall health in mind.

"Generally, most of the people who look the fittest are usually not the healthiest when you actually run blood markers and test for a more clinical side of things," Bartlett says. "It's not as sexy to say, but the people who are the healthiest and fittest tend to look middle of the road, from a physique standpoint. So a little bit less lean, a little bit less muscular, but they're able to do everything, and they do it forever."

How to get a 'Spider-Man' body

Holland has partly attributed his physique to a cross-fit style workout involving bodyweight pullups, pushups and squats. However, experts say he likely does far more exercises than that.

They also say his transformation is totally doable naturally for most guys, especially over a 10-year timeframe. But it depends on a number of factors.

"There's a lot of variables in play there," Walsh says. "How old are they? How is their stress levels? Professionals that have a lot of stress and things like that, not taking care of themselves − it's different for everyone."

I worked out with Jake Gyllenhaal, Matt Damon’s trainer. The results shocked me.

The other thing to keep in mind is bodies fluctuate depending on life circumstances. Progress isn't linear, but, over time, it can trend upward with hard work and dedication.

"Honestly, it's pretty straightforward. You need to lift," Bartlett says. "You want to do that every 72 hours, at a minimum. ... And then you want to make sure that you're in a caloric surplus, which just means that you're consuming more food than you're burning in a day. Otherwise, if you don't do that, your body won't have enough energy to create the new muscle. And then try to aim for a gram of protein per pound of lean body mass."

Tom Holland, more celebs zap their muscles with electricity to get ripped. So I tried it.

And don't forget to stay on top of your sleep, stress and macronutrients, Walsh says, adding steady results done right are always more rewarding than quick fixes.

"There's just so much benefit to it," Walsh says of fitness as a lifestyle. "It spans every aspect of your life. It makes everything in your life better, when you devote time to yourself and stay committed and put the effort and time in."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Spider-Man,’ shirtless Tom Holland and why men are talking about ‘physique inflation’

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