I always loved watching those action movies with policemen chasing criminals,  gun shootings and car explosions, while siping my tonic water and enjoying some popcorn on my couch. How little did I know about all the work that is involved in each single take of those hollywood productions until I started working and training with the stuntmen.

The first time was for the movie Biutiful, with Javier Bardem.  I had to work out for a month to get the part, take two weeks of training with the stunts, and shoot for 14 days, 11 hours a day. All for just one little flash in the final cut! I have to say I was disapointed when I saw the movie, mostly because I was not able to recognize me or my pals, the scene moves so quick and is shot with a moving camera effect. So if you want to see a nice close up of me in action,  better watch Criminal Intent or Thrill Ride, you will enjoy more! But the experience was really exciting, and the things I learned there, you just don’t learn them in acting school.

I felt like joining the army; the discipline was very severe, but it was necessary to get into the skin of a special commando agent. The scene was shot in the middle of the city and we were wearing real uniforms and real guns. I had to know how to use them, how to hit, fight and capture a criminal like a real cop, put the cuffs on and all that sort of thing. All had to look real, dramatic, and without hurting anyone. We had real cops and stuntmen trainers showing us all the tricks.

After being trained for that scene, I’m getting plenty of jobs in that line for tv and movies. You know, there is always a role as a cop in a movie!  So maybe one day you are sitting in the movies with your friends and go like: “hey, that cop there, thats Dario! …and he even got his pants on!”

One thing I can tell you for sure, it was the best work out ever! Those guys really have a unique workout technique, and the results where amaizing.

I lost fat gaining weight at the same time, and my muscles where feeling better than ever. For that kind of work, you need a lot of strength and flexibility not only in your torso and abs, but in your legs.

I had to stop doing that, because my legs started getting too big, I couldn’t bring them into the skinny jeans I had to put on for the fashion catalogs.