Michael B. Jordan shares how he learned to 'treat my body like a business'

It Figures is Yahoo Life's body image series, delving into the journeys of influential and inspiring figures as they explore what body confidence, body neutrality and self-love mean to them.

Michael B. Jordan isn't afraid to admit that he isn't superhuman — despite what his appearance might make you think.

"I never try to put up a facade that everything's great all the time. It's not, you know. Some days are tough," he tells Yahoo Life. "Right now, I'm at war with myself mentally for mental discipline, coming off of press tour, coming off [Creed III]. I'm giving myself some grace."

It's a rather relatable approach to fitness for the 36-year-old who has become known for the elite physique and athleticism that he shows off on the big screen. He's even become the subject of headlines on how to obtain a similar workout and diet routine in the hopes that non-movie stars can achieve the same 12-pack abs. However, Jordan knows that he's in a unique position that's made going to the gym a part of his job.

He recalls his early days on Friday Night Lights as the first time that he recognized the need to "treat my body like a business" because of expectations to film scenes shirtless and present as an athlete.

"I had already competed in high school and played basketball and organized sports and all that good stuff, so I think there's a certain level of fitness that came with just being competitive and having to be in some type of shape," he explains. "But then once I started to realize, 'Oh, this is gonna be on TV. Oh, this is for a movie and posters, marketing shoots,' I kicked into another level of fitness for myself."

While audiences have seen the results of his hard work, Jordan shares that the process to develop his rigorous routine was a long and lonely one. "My journey is so solo, it’s so individual, you know. With the way I work out, I'm not going to 24 Hour Fitness, I'm not going to Equinox," he says.

Feeling confident in the gym, particularly, was a struggle at the beginning.

"I was really, really slim, couldn't gain weight, couldn’t really gain muscle. I had to change my eating habits, my workout routine and all that," he says. "I didn’t start off benching 225. Nah, I started at 125, you know, 150, 180. Built my way up so now I can go to a gym and I can bench 225, no problem. That took time."

He credits his "competitive edge" for being able to get himself to that point — especially since he's long had his sights set on acting roles that require more physicality.

"If I want to keep doing roles like this, I probably should look like that," he says, referring specifically to the men of the Rocky films that led to Creed. "I look back at Rocky IV, and it's like, man, these guys are insane, what is this? I gotta follow Apollo Creed?"

He recognizes that figures like that have contributed to expectations when it comes to fitness.

"As we're in this superhero era of like, you know, superhero larger-than-life fantasy physiques, I think there has been an expectation that Superman look like Superman, and this guy to look like that guy," he says. "But I think the conversation of what fitness has looked like and what [being] in shape is from an entertainment standpoint has always been somewhat skewed or unrealistic to what people on a day-to-day strive to be."

In fact, he doesn't agree with how heavily body standards have been influenced by what people see in Hollywood — noting that women especially have experienced "added pressure to fit a certain mold or a certain size." It's important to remind people that "my road to fitness is different," he says.

And even Jordan has to sometimes bring it back to basics.

"There’s days when my body says 'no.' 'No, Mike, not today,'" he says. "And I think it's a little bit refreshing, to kind of reel it back."

He has the unique opportunity to do just that through his current work with Propel Fitness Water for the "Propel Your City Project," which is focused on making fitness accessible to people across the country. An important part of that is reminding people that fitness is more "obtainable" than Hollywood billboards might make it seem. "There are different versions of what success looks like," he says, noting that his motivation and goals post-Creed III are different from when he's preparing to film."Getting out there hiking, getting outdoors. Those are ways to kind of give myself some grace, but at the same time do something to move my body."

Rest, meditation and "humility" have also played a vital role in his journey.

"I think just sitting still and breathing is a great baseline, just to start," he says. "Taking a moment for yourself and mentally clearing your mind of the day-to-day struggle, the day-to-day grind, all the pressures of life, you know. Life's not easy, for anybody. We all have our challenges. But I think being able to find ways to reset and recenter in the midst of that is a very strong tool to have. And it’ll definitely help you as you're trying to achieve your other goals physically as well."

Ultimately, he says, "I just think about trying to be better each day."

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