Alan Ritchson's transformation into the hulking Jack Reacher has captivated audiences. Standing at 6'2" and weighing around 230 pounds, Ritchson embodies the imposing figure described in Lee Child's novels. This article delves into Ritchson's diet and exercise regime, exploring how he achieved this impressive physique.
Laying the Groundwork: Ritchson's Fitness Foundation
Ritchson was no stranger to physical training before landing the role of Jack Reacher, thanks to previous roles. However, getting in shape for Reacher required a "full-time job" commitment. He dedicated himself to working out five days a week for eight months to prepare for the role.
The Importance of Compound Exercises
To achieve the desired size and physique, Ritchson focused on a structured routine incorporating compound exercises. These exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously, leading to broader muscle stimulation and growth. Compound lifts also stimulate the release of growth-promoting hormones like testosterone, which contributes to efficient muscle activation.
Trainer Reiss Mogilner suggests following a well-structured routine with compound exercises, incorporating strength and hypertrophy training for continual muscle challenge.
The Caloric Intake: Fueling Muscle Growth
To support his intense training and muscle growth, Ritchson reportedly consumed over 4,500 calories a day while preparing for Reacher. He even had an assistant whose sole responsibility was to provide him with a constant stream of food, including smoothies and protein.
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Mogilner advises a balanced diet with lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats, maintaining a slight caloric surplus for muscle growth for those without a personal assistant. Ensuring an ample supply of essential amino acids from protein sources is imperative for optimal muscle repair and growth.
Sample Workout Routine
Mogilner suggests performing three to four sets of 8 to 12 reps of the following exercises twice a week, gradually increasing the weights to challenge the muscles over time:
Deadlifts
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes under the barbell. Bend at the hips and grip the bar. Push feet into the floor, hinging at the hips as you stand up, bringing the barbell with you. Keep arms and back straight. Tilt your pelvis down, pushing your hips backward, allowing the barbell to run down your quads, and keeping the bar in contact with your legs to lower the bar.
Tip: Maintain a flat back, engage the core, and lift with the legs.
Bench Press
Lie on your back on a bench. Grip the bar shoulder-width apart. With your hands directly above your elbows, extend your arms to push the bar overhead. Exhale at the top of the motion, then slowly lower the bar to the top of your chest.
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Tip: Keep the shoulders retracted, lower the bar to the chest, and push through the heels.
Overhead Press
Sit at ninety degrees, a dumbbell in each hand. Elbows level with your shoulders, and push the weights directly overhead. Avoid meeting in the middle, then reverse the movement to bring the weights back down. Hold by the side of your head for a moment, then power back up, and so on.
Tip: Brace the core, avoid arching the lower back, and press the weight directly overhead.
Lateral Pulldowns
Sitting facing the machine, grip the overhead bar with wide hands. Engage the upper back, leading back slightly, as you pull the bar straight down into your upper chest. Hold, then slowly return the bar to the start for one.
Tip: Use a wide grip, pull the bar down to the chest, and squeeze the shoulder blades together.
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Lateral Raises
Grab a lightish dumbbell. Twenty to 25 pounds should do it. Hold your arms straight at your side, then raise them until they form a horizontal line with your shoulders. A slight bend in the elbow is fine as long as you’re keeping your back straight.
Ritchson's Personal Diet and Training Philosophy
Ritchson's diet and fitness routine has evolved. He started training with weights after being cast as Jack Reacher. Before that, his workouts consisted of pushups, pullups, dips, and situps.
Ritchson shares some similarities with the character he plays in his philosophy around food. To Reacher, a calorie is a calorie, regardless of whether it comes from fat or sugar. Reacher will eat anything that works for him. When preparing for the series, Ritchson admits that he eats whatever he wants.
He eats the healthiest when he's on set, as he has someone cooking for him. While consuming around 4,000 calories per day, Ritchson also incorporates five workouts per week. He favors cable exercises when training at home and focuses mainly on upper body work. He also incorporates fight choreography training into his routine. In addition, he uses his recovery time in the sauna to work on his mental wellness.
Ritchson limits his gym time to just 20 or 30 minutes to avoid over-training and risking injury. On a particularly intense day, he'll aim to hit 100 heavy reps on the bench press after working his lower body.
Ritchson's Diet and Nutritional Choices
While bulking up for the role, Ritchson followed an intuitive eating approach, sticking to a flexible meal plan that suited his lifestyle. He maintains an 80/20 balance, prioritizing healthy, whole foods but allowing room for treats. His meals mainly consist of lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats, but he also enjoys key lime pie, cookie dough, and snacks.
Ritchson's Recommended Diet Tips
- Prioritize free-range eggs over cage-free eggs.
- Eat gluten-free overnight oats instead of instant oats to reduce the glycemic impact and improve gut health.
- Use lower-fat cheese, double the meat, and choose higher-quality meat without preservatives for lunch.
- Use avocado oil mayonnaise instead of soybean oil mayonnaise.
- Good Culture brand cottage cheese, high-protein yogurt, and string cheese are good snack options.
- Arugula and baby kale are good low-oxalate alternatives to spinach.
- Casein protein is better to have before bed than earlier in the day.
- Take 1 to 3 grams of taurine prior to workouts to help prevent cramping.
Ritchson's Evolving Workout Routine
Before Reacher, Ritchson relied primarily on a calisthenics-based workout routine that included running to a park, performing 100 reps each of pushups, pullups, dips, and sit-ups, then running back home.
Ritchson's Current Weekly Workout Routine
- Monday: Legs
- Tuesday: Shoulders
- Wednesday: Chest
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Biceps and Triceps
- Saturday: Full Body
Full Body Workout
- 15-minute stair master warmup
- Cable flye: 4 sets, 25 reps
- Shoulder press: 4 sets, 25 reps
- Arnold Press: 4 sets, 25 reps
- Cable rows: 4 sets, 25 reps
- Leg press: 4 sets, 25 reps
- Calf raises: 4 sets, 25 reps
- Sunday: Rest
He now incorporates strength training with high-rep, intense 30-minute workouts while still incorporating bodyweight movements like pushups, pullups, and dips. Most of his sets fall in the 15-25 rep range, which is in the proper range (5-30 reps) to stimulate muscle growth.
Addressing the TRT Question
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).