Alan Ritchson has captured attention not only for his acting but also for his impressive physique, particularly in his role as Jack Reacher in the Amazon Prime series Reacher. Ritchson plays a former military investigator whose intimidating size and strength are handy for fighting off hordes of bad guys. His transformation into this imposing figure has led many to inquire about his diet and workout regimen. This article delves into the details of how Ritchson achieved his Reacher-like physique, exploring his training routines, dietary habits, and overall approach to fitness.
Who is Alan Ritchson?
Before embodying Jack Reacher, Alan Ritchson had already established himself in Hollywood with roles such as Aquaman in Smallville, Thad Castle in Blue Mountain State, and Raphael in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies. However, the role of Jack Reacher demanded a significant physical transformation. Described in the books as a towering, physically imposing figure with near-superhuman strength, Reacher required Ritchson to bulk up considerably.
From Basic Workouts to "Reacher" Ready
Prior to landing the role, Ritchson's workouts consisted primarily of calisthenics-push-ups, pull-ups, dips, and sit-ups. While effective for general fitness, these exercises were not sufficient to build the mass required for Reacher. Ritchson realized he had a lot in common with the character, especially regarding their philosophy around food. "To Reacher, a calorie is a calorie, it doesn't matter if it comes from fat or sugar," he says. "Reacher will eat anything that works for him." He needed to gain weight, specifically muscle, and he needed to do it quickly.
Ritchson's Bulking Diet: Calories and Intuitive Eating
To pack on over 30 pounds for the role, Ritchson consumed over 4,500 calories per day. "You gotta eat constantly. You have to eat every five to 10 minutes. A lot of pizza, a lot of cookies, and millions of pushups." While this might sound like an excuse to indulge in junk food, Ritchson's approach was more nuanced. He followed an intuitive eating approach, maintaining an 80/20 balance. This meant that 80% of his diet consisted of healthy, whole foods, while the remaining 20% allowed for treats like key lime pie, cookie dough, and pizza.
His meals mainly consist of lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats, but he also enjoys key lime pie, cookie dough, and snacks. These indulgences are actually an important part of the process. "I eat whatever the hell I want, and I'm not kidding," he adds.
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Ritchson's diet is largely based on staples that offer the necessary amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. For breakfast, he might have a smoothie, some oatmeal, and some granola. Come lunchtime, he'd probably have potatoes, eggs, and vegetables, and for dinner, he likes to have a meat protein, a carb source, and some veggies.
Ritchson doesn’t buy into a perfectionist mindset regarding diet. “That’s not reality.
The Importance of Protein
Sports nutritionist Mike Molloy emphasized the importance of providing the body with the right building blocks to build new muscle. Lean proteins are essential for muscle repair and growth. Ritchson prioritizes protein to roughly 50% of daily calories as a sustainability hack while adhering to the 80/20 rule. “I’m 240 pounds, 6’3 - 240 grams of protein minimum daily.
Calorie Surplus and Muscle Gain
Eating cookies to get ripped may sound counterintuitive, but a calorie surplus, or eating more energy than you burn, is optimal for building muscle. But the more you eat, the more fat you're likely to gain. That's why bodybuilders typically "bulk" - or gain mass - for a few months, before "shredding" or "cutting" to lose fat and reveal the muscle. It's notoriously hard to lose fat and build muscle at the same time because they have opposing calorie requirements. To build muscle while gaining as little fat as possible, personal trainers and sports dietitians generally recommend eating around or just over your maintenance calories.
Ritchson's Workout Routine: A Blend of Strength Training and Bodyweight Exercises
Ritchson's transformation involved a significant shift in his workout routine. While he continued to incorporate bodyweight exercises, he added a structured weight training program to build the necessary muscle mass. Alan Ritchson begins the week by giving his already impressive body an extra push with an intense lower-body exercise regime. Generally, Alan runs between 5 and 7 miles. On Wednesday, Alan Ritchson exercises his chest and back to strengthen and develop the muscles on his upper body for the roles he plays. On Thursday, Alan engages in an arm workout designed to shape and strengthen his triceps, biceps, and forearms in preparation for any potential roles. On Friday, Alan's exercise routine entails a shoulder-focused program that will cause significant soreness for the remainder of the weekend. On Saturday, Alan repeats the Wednesday chest and back exercise routine.
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He favors cable exercises when training at home, as these machines are hard to find in hotel gyms, and focuses mainly on upper body work to achieve that large-and-in-charge look. Then he puts those muscles to use in fight choreography training: "Every time I think my cardio is on point, I go do a little fight training and I get gassed in three minutes and realize I'm not even close to what I should be." He'll then use his recovery time in the sauna to also work on his mental wellness, and sees those 15-minute spells as meditative "zen time."
Ritchson is not training to failure or chasing new PRs in his workouts; rather, his goal is to maintain this exact physique for as long as he possibly can. "I want 22 seasons of Reacher," he says. "I want to be 100 years old and still playing Reacher." To avoid over-training and risking injury, Ritchson limits his gym time to just 20 or 30 minutes, but for those 30 minutes, he's going hard. On a particularly intense day, after torching his lower body, he'll then aim to hit 100 heavy reps on the bench press, starting at an incline and moving down to finish on a decline.
A Bodybuilding Split
A quick look at Alan’s program reveals a classic bodybuilding split, targeting each muscle group once a week, typically Monday through Friday.
Chest Day
Alan kicks off his week with a classic chest day. A powerful, well-built chest is a key part of the Reacher physique, making chest training a top priority. Most of his workout revolves around the Smith Machine, starting with an incline press before lowering the bench to a flat and finally a decline position. On a good day, he powers through 100 reps of each.
Back Day
Alan’s second training day is all about building a thick, powerful back. He kicks things off with four grueling sets of pullups to failure-one of his go-to bodyweight staples. From there, he shifts to cables. Next, it’s time to hit the lats hard with pulldowns, using a wide grip, neutral grip, reverse grip, or even single-arm for a serious stretch and squeeze.
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Leg Day
Since squats aggravate his lower back, he takes a different approach to leg day. Instead of heavy barbell lifts, he starts with lunges and split squats-challenging single-leg movements that build strength and balance. Next, he supersets leg extensions and leg curls to hit his quads and hamstrings back to back.
Shoulder Workout
You can’t look tough without big shoulders-that’s just a fact. Alan kicks off his shoulder workout with a seated Smith Machine press, followed by a two-hand standing cable press-a unique move where he presses the cables up and forward at a steep incline, likely hitting the upper chest as well. Next, he goes into a superset on the cables, combining lateral raises with face pulls to target the shoulders from all angles.
Arm Day
The final workout of the week is crucial-it’s the secret to achieving massive, Jack Reacher-sized arms. And let’s be clear: big arms aren’t just about strength; they’re a statement. You can’t portray a tough, imposing character on TV without having those massive guns to back it up.
High Reps and Intensity
Given his impressive size, it might surprise you that Ritchson doesn’t focus on lifting extremely heavy weights. He actually trains with high reps. Most of his sets fall in the 15-25 rep range, which is in the proper range (5-30 reps) to stimulate muscle growth. If you’ve never pushed your reps that high, it’s worth trying.
Short and Sweet Workouts
Alan’s workouts rarely exceed half an hour. You don’t have to spend all day in the gym to build muscle. In fact, most people spend too much time in the gym talking and messing around. Get in and get out. Supersets are a great way to maximize your session if you’re short on time.
The Role of Bodyweight Exercises
Surprisingly, Alan’s training before preparing for Reacher included very little weightlifting. His routine was simple but effective: run to a park, perform 100 reps each of pushups, pullups, dips, and sit-ups, then run back home. So, what does this mean for you? If you’re not already doing them, make pullups, pushups, and dips a regular part of your training. Ritchson built his Reacher body using functional strength training and bodyweight exercises-and with the right gear, so can you.
Push-ups, and pull-ups, work the core. Push-ups and pull-ups also work the chest and back, respectively. Rows, lateral raises, bicep curls, and tricep extensions will also help you sculpt your arms, bodybuilding coach Cliff Wilson previously told BI.
Training Variety
Ritchson cycles between calisthenics and weights intuitively to “confuse his muscles.” Training variety may offer a wider range of muscle stimuli while preventing mental burnout.
Supplementation and TRT
After season one of Reacher, Alan’s body was worn down. He was exhausted, low on energy, and just didn’t feel good. So, his doctor recommended some blood work. The results showed his testosterone levels were low, leading to a prescription for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
Alan Ritchson is the rare celeb who is honest about his use of testosterone. With that said, Alan Ritchson is the rare celebrity who is honest about his (doctor supervised) continuing use of injectable testosterone to grow and maintain above-average muscle mass. And for that honestly we salute him.
Key Takeaways for Building Your Own "Reacher" Physique
While replicating Alan Ritchson's exact physique may not be attainable or desirable for everyone, there are several key principles to glean from his approach:
- Prioritize Strength Training: Incorporate a structured weight training program that targets all major muscle groups.
- Embrace High Reps: Experiment with higher rep ranges (15-25) to stimulate muscle growth.
- Don't Neglect Bodyweight Exercises: Continue to include push-ups, pull-ups, and dips in your routine.
- Eat Intuitively: Focus on a balanced diet of lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats, while allowing for occasional treats.
- Stay Consistent: Consistency is key to achieving long-term results.
- Keep Workouts Short and Intense: Aim for focused, high-intensity workouts that last around 30 minutes.
- Consider Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting may enhance fat loss during periods of prolonged fasting since fat becomes the main energy source via carb depletion.
- Avoid Alcohol: Alcohol can disrupt the muscle growth process, increase inflammation, and affect sleep, which could adversely impact gains and health.
Mental Fortitude and Long-Term Goals
Alan Ritchson's commitment to his physique extends beyond physical training and diet. He emphasizes the importance of mental wellness, using sauna time for meditation and stress reduction. His goal isn't just to achieve a certain look for a role; it's to maintain a healthy and strong physique for years to come. "Just be patient and do the things today the you ten years from now needed you to do,” Alan Ritchson preaches.