Ryan Reynolds: The Merc With Muscles

As the comic-book anti-hero Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds reveals how he worked out and ate to portray this wisecracking assassin known by diehard fans as the ‘Merc with a Mouth’.

The first movie you probably remember watching Ryan Reynolds in is Van Wilder, where he shone as an ill-behaved party liaison. From then on, it looked like he was destined to be all about the laughs thanks to his mischievously wry smile and razor-sharp comic timing.

However, just two years after that he dabbled in the superhero genre and first got stuck into serious exercise, wowing his female admirers with his cut physique for the role of vampire hunter Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity.

This clearly gave him a taste for the fancy costumes because he followed that up with roles as Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine – a role he’s set to reprise in next year’s standalone Deadpool movie – then the Green Lantern.

Superhero fetish

His turn as the wise-cracking King in Blade: Trinity showed the world his new action-hero physique and he quickly became a regular on innumerable ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ lists and was awarded a top gong by People magazine in 2010.

Though the quality of his movies has ebbed and flowed, the one thing that’s remained constant is his commitment to staying healthy and exercising regularly.

The results are clear and the 38-year-old was only too happy to reveal how he’s created one of the most recognizable physiques on the big screen. 

Functional vs enjoyable fitness

To make consistent gains it always helps to have goals. That old adage is now backed by science because research at New York University found that when people focused on a specific target ahead of them while walking, the distance seemed shorter and it helped them walk faster. So, always keep your eye on the prize, which is something Reynolds has used in his life-long exercise regime.

“I’ve just finished Deadpool and that involved nearly eight months of training,” he says. “And you train like you would for an athletic event. Obviously, the look is very important, but just from a functional standpoint, you have to be in pretty good shape.

“And if I’m not shooting I train differently There’s less weight training. I hike and jog, but I won’t be in the gym as much. The training becomes a job. Maybe that’s not applicable to a real-world scenario for most people because it does become my full-time job, especially with something as big as Deadpool.

Food is work

“The diet aspect becomes a job, the working out becomes a job – and people can do that in their own life, but with prepping for a role it’s easier. I think people should treat it seriously and fully invest if they want to make changes in their own lives.”

While not everyone is lucky enough to make exercise their job, there is a point to be argued that staying healthy and fit enough to live a long healthy life should be a goal for all. And that all begins with planning – just ask Reynolds. “Honestly, plan, be prepared, know what you’re aiming for and commit,” he explains. 

“With Blade: Trinity I had a goal, and for three to four months leading up to it I would train six days a week, eat 3,200 calories every day and I gained 25lb of muscle while keeping my body fat low. That time taught me so much. Now my training is more functional and less aesthetic – although that certainly comes with it. Most of my training is for the physicality, functionality and preservation. There’s a difference between doing aesthetic training to achieve a certain look and functional training, that’s for sure. Now I do a bit of both to get the look and help me avoid getting hurt.”

Solid advice anyone can apply to their own training. 

Personalised fitness

Not everyone is suited to CrossFit, lumping around the iron or circuit training, but everyone is definitely suited to exercise in general. This is a health mantra Reynolds firmly believes in.

“Every role is different, and it’s not the same physique every time,” he says. “That keeps it fresh. And my awesome trainer Bobby Storm keeps every training regime new. He keeps my body guessing by constantly changing up my workouts every day, which is something I’d strongly advise with people trying to make a transformation in their own lives.

“Outside of work, I train because I like being healthy. I’m at my happiest when I’m outdoors, moving, and I try to incorporate that into my life. It’s like meditation for me and it helps me solve things and reflect. It’s so beneficial on so many levels.”

That’s a smart strategy that’s been proven time and time again. In fact, something as simple as a group nature walk can be linked with lower depression, less stress and improved mental health and wellbeing, found research in Ecopsychology.

It’s a sure-fire strategy for improving both your body and mind in one workout, so if you’re deadline stricken at work, forgo the workout beneath your gym’s strip-lighting and take your sweat session to the nearest walking trail. You’ll breathe a sigh of relief at the end of it that’ll make you feel lighter in more ways than one. 

Eating for the part

There isn’t an athlete, movie star or backyard fitness guru in the world that doesn’t advocate the importance of a solid nutrition plan. “I attribute my results mostly to nutrition and being prepared and organized,” says Reynolds proudly. “Nutrition is everything. When I’m seriously training I eat every two to three hours to burn more fat.

“Your body doesn’t need to store fat for energy if you’re feeding it all the time. I eat most of my carbs before my workouts, going for complex ones. In fact, my go-to before a workout is a cup of coffee and McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal – that’s the stuff!

“But when I’m trying to be cut but muscly, like in Deadpool, then I eat eggs, tuna wraps, chicken and salad dishes, avocado and almond butter to get those good fats. There’s also a lot of brown rice, protein bars and protein shakes – just whey and water – almonds, apple, broiled fish or chicken, lots of vegetables and salad. Those are my staples, and I make sure I eat roughly six meals a day.”

That’s a smart strategy, using clean and healthy foods that can be found in every man’s kitchen, not just the rich and famous. 

Doing the hard yards

Dancing between comedic and action roles means Reynolds has to be acutely in tune with how to adapt his look in a heartbeat. To go from a scrawny editor’s assistant to a hulking mutant within the space of two movies is no mean feat and one that starts by getting into the right head space.

“Look, if you don’t dig your workout, it’s going to be a struggle,” he explains. “Find out what works for you – there will be something. Also, I don’t have a set routine. It depends on the role and what stage I’m at. That being said, none of it is mysterious. If I want to gain muscle I do more power lifts and heavier weights, and up the calories. But then sometimes my training is very cardio-centric, like when I was training for the New York City marathon a few years ago.

“With a film role, however, it’s mainly revolved around lifting weights. Bulking up requires a tremendous amount of eating and a lot of lifting. Often I end up putting on muscle and a little fat at the same time, so when I get closer to the shoot I strip away the fat through increased cardio and taking in fewer calories – so then you’re left with just muscle.

“I bulk first, as clean as possible, and then I cut. It’s not an exact science, but I know my own body and what works for me. And then I constantly surprise and shock my body – that way you reap the greatest rewards. And you take it serious – make that time you’re working out really count. You have to push yourself.”

Motivational words from a guy who’s done it all – some of the most beautiful women on the planet included. 

Taking the knocks

Reynolds hasn’t done a strictly comedic role since 2011’s The Change-Up, choosing to reinvent himself as Hollywood’s go-to guy for a quick-witted action hero. While the purse at the end of these gigs is no doubt heftier, it can come with a cost – injury.

“I’ve had some bad luck doing stunts,” says Reynolds with a laugh. “I’ve had a separated shoulder twice and I broke my neck on Safe House, which sounds worse than it is. But I did break a couple vertebrae. That was an inconvenience to say the least, but you sort of get more street cred with the crew.”

With other action icons like Jason Statham regularly doing their own stunts there seems to be a movement toward actors getting their hands dirty on set. And Reynolds is up for it – within reason.

Action hero genre

“I think people don’t realize, but sometimes these movies are a real athletic event, but I love it,” he explains. “Then again, I’m getting older, so falling on cement isn’t hilarious anymore – it’s just starting to feel exactly like cement.

“I try to do as much of my stunt work as I can, but I’m not going to be the guy jumping off a burning building onto a moving car, and I don’t think insurance would let me do that,” he says, still smiling. “I’m glad it won’t let me do it so I can save face by saying, ‘Sorry, I can’t do that.’

“I love that stuff and I have always loved it, and believe me, with Deadpool we’ve got some incredible stunts. It’s a lot of fun because it kind of feels real. I don’t like doing action scenes that feel overly choreographed or kung fu kind of stuff. I’ve never been personally big on that. However, I like visceral, real-type action sequences where both parties are afraid and fighting for their lives.”

Your turn

If you’re doing a physical job, don’t imagine that because you’re still flushed with youth that you’ll be immune to a serious knock. A study in the Journal of Safety Research found that young men were more at risk from on-the-job injuries than their more experienced peers, so don’t for a moment believe that you’re bulletproof – leave that to the superheroes and teenagers.

An on-the-job injury can end any exercise ambitions you harbor, so Reynolds does have a valid point: aging means more injuries. This is mainly because tendons become stiffer and lose their elasticity as you age, found research in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials.

The simple fix is to make sure you stretch daily, targeting your muscles and joints, since it’s unlikely you’ll have your own stunt guy like Reynolds.

Take those as a few hints about what you can expect to see in his upcoming movie. 

REYNOLDS’ 15-MINUTE ABS CIRCUIT

Do the exercises in each tri-set one after another without a break, then take a short rest after you’ve completed them all. Do 8-12 reps on each move. 

REYNOLDS’ 15-MINUTE ABS CIRCUIT

Do the exercises in each tri-set one after another without a break, then take a short rest after you’ve completed them all. Do 8-12 reps on each move. 

TRI-SET 1 

1/ AB WHEEL ROLLOUT

Works: abs, shoulders, lower back

A) Hold a handle of an ab wheel in each hand and kneel on the floor. Position your shoulders directly over the wheel and keep your lower back naturally arched.

B) Slowly roll the wheel forward, extending your body as far as you can without letting your hips sag. Pause for two seconds and reverse the move to return to the start. 

2/ HANGING LEG RAISE

Works: abs 

A) Position yourself in a captain’s chair machine and grip the handles. Press your back against the pad and tense your abs. 

B) Raise your feet by bending your knees upwards until they’re level with your chest. Take 2-3 seconds to lower your legs and one second to raise them.

3/ DECLINE SIT-UP WITH A PLATE

Works: abs

A) Lie on a decline sit-up bench with your arms folded across a weight plate pressed against your chest. 

B) Lift your upper body by using your abs to flex your spine and bring your chest towards your knees. Roll back down, slowly and with control.  

TRI-SET 2

4/ SWISS BALL CRUNCH

Works: abs

A) Lie face-up with the Swiss ball under your lower back. Put your arms by your head. 

B) Tense your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips. As you curl up, keep the ball stable. Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement. Lower to the start.

5/ DECLINE BODY BAR TWIST

Works: core, abs

A) Lie on a decline sit-up bench with your feet beneath the pads. Rest a body bar behind your head and across your shoulders. Hold it in place with your hands.

B) Lower yourself until you are at 45º to the floor so the tension is on your abs. Slowly twist to the left, then turn to the right. 

6/ CABLE WOODCHOP

Works: obliques, abs, shoulders

A) Stand side-on to a cable crossover machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Clip a rope attachment to the highest level. 

B) Pull the rope across your body in front of you in an arc, like you were chopping wood with your ‘rope axe.’ Finish with your hands at knee level, legs slightly bent and weight transferred to your far leg. Repeat on the other side.

THE MAIN WORKOUT

“I do lower-body days and upper-body days as well, to keep me looking athletic from top to bottom and to make sure I hit everything.” 

LOWER-BODY MOVES

1/ WALKING LUNGE

Works: glutes, hamstrings, quads, 

calves, abs

A) Stand with your feet hip-width apart. If you’re advanced, rest a barbell across the back of your shoulders or hold dumbbells in each hand. 

B) Take a giant step forward with your left foot and bend your left knee until your left thigh is parallel to the floor and your knee is at 90º. Your back should be straight throughout the exercise. Push forwards, then step forward with your opposite leg. 

2/ LEG PRESS

Works: quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves

A) Slot yourself in a leg-press machine with your back and glutes flat against the back pad. 

B) Release the support bar and lower the weight until your legs are bent, just before your heels start to rise off the platform. Straighten your legs to push the weights to the start position. 

3/ BARBELL BACK SQUAT

Works: glutes, hamstrings, quads, abs

A) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Rest a barbell on the backs of your shoulders and hold it in place with your hands.

B) Bend your hips and knees simultaneously to lower yourself towards the ground. Stop when the bottoms of your thighs become parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and knees in line with your feet. Rise to the start position along the same path by straightening your knees.