Chris Hemsworth shares the biggest barrier stopping people getting into shape like him

There must be countless people across the globe that have watched a Thor movie and thought, through fistfuls of popcorn, 'Damn, I wish I had the body of a Norse god.' But what's actually stopping us?

Of course, it helps that Chris Hemsworth has a load of helpful money and genetics, but the majority of people who envy his physique have never really made a concerted effort to get to where he is.

Indeed, Hemsworth has put in a lot of graft to get into superhero shape - and the 39-year-old is always looking for ways to further improve his health and fitness, as you can see for yourself in his new series, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.

Check out the trailer here:

But what does Hemsworth think is the biggest barrier stopping ordinary people from getting into shape like him?

"That initial motivation, I think," he told UNILAD.

"I was lucky enough to have friends and be in an atmosphere growing up where I was able to partake in a lot of outdoor physical activities. I then had times when I didn't train and I'd do other things, and you know, fall out of shape - and having known what it felt like to be in shape and be healthy, I very quickly went, 'Oh, I want to get back to that.'"

Instagram/Chris Hemsworth

He continued: "I'd say to people - movement creates the motivation. Don't sit around and wait for it to happen. Just get up, just take that first step, just start moving. And in turn, there's a flow-on effect to that, and the more you do it, the more you become addicted to feeling that way. And once you've had a taste of it, it's very hard to go back and have it any other way.

"So surround yourself with likeminded people who have the same sort of attitude, but just have that sort of self-motivation and figure out what's your purpose, why you're doing this.

"And if it's to live a longer, healthier life, live a better life, then there's no other motivation, I think."

Hemsworth's pursuit of a longer, healthier life sees him put science - and himself - to the test in National Geographic series, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.

In the six-part series, the Avengers actor takes on a series of daunting challenges in a bid to better understand how we can live better for longer by discovering ways to regenerate damage, maximise strength, build resilience, supercharge memory and confront mortality.

National Geographic for Disney+/Craig Parry

The synopsis reads: "What if you could combat ageing and discover the full potential of the human body?

"Global movie star Chris Hemsworth explores this revolutionary idea in the new National Geographic original series Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, created by Darren Aronofsky.

"New scientific research is shattering conventional wisdom about the human body and offering fascinating insights into how we can all unlock our body's superpowers to fight illness, perform better and even reverse the ageing process.

"This science is put to the test by Hemsworth, who, despite being in peak superhero condition, is on a personal mission to learn how to extend our health, strength and intellect further into our later years."

You can watch the series now on Disney+.