Ryan Reynolds: An Actors’ Workout Routine & Diet Plan

Ryan Renold’s Workout Principles

At 44 years of age, Ryan Reynolds has worked hard to remain in shape for over the three decades he has been on screen. Having been in several thriller and action films like Blade Trinity and the famous  Deadpool franchise movies required him to be in great shape.

Reynolds has been training under Don Saladino, an elite trainer, since 2011’s Green lantern. He is responsible for what Reynolds eats and how he trains. Saladino’s vast experience and the actor’s good discipline have enabled him to maintain such an incredible physique.

Back in 2004, when preparing for the Blade: Trinity, Ryan gained 11kg of muscle in only three months! He attributed his success to a strict 6-day routine and good dieting habits—his diet composed a total of 3,200 calories daily. 

The many years of acting have taken a toll on Ryan’s body, and as he puts it, he no longer focuses on intensity in his training but consistency. His mentality is that it is not how hard you work but how long you can maintain it. 

Ryan Reynolds Workout Routine 

Ryan Renold’s workout routine has two parts; the warm-up and the actual training. The warm-up session is necessary to prepare you physically and mentally for the exercise. The warm-up should last for at least ten to fifteen minutes.

Warm-up Session

The warm-up session includes the following exercises to mentally and physically prepare your body for the workout exercises:

Elevated Breathing Drills (3 Minutes)

This exercise involves lying on your back and lifting your legs on a bench. Ensure the angle of elevation is 90-degrees. You need to inhale slowly for 4 seconds and exhale for eight. Repeat this for the next three minutes.

10 Passes foam Rolling

Foam rolling is a good exercise for the muscle fascia in preparation for more challenging activities. It involves seating or lying down a foam roller. The rolling action of the foam roller helps stretch the different muscles like the ankles, the calves, thighs, torso, and upper body. Ideally, you should work on each muscle group for at least 30 seconds.

Cat-Cow (30 seconds)

Get down on all fours move your head up and down while at the same time flexing your spine. When you lift your head, you push your down to a rounded position (flexion), and when your head lowers, you should push up your spine to an arched position (extension). Each movement should is to be accompanied by inhalation and exhalation.

Thoracic Rotations, 10 On Each Side

Plant your knees firmly on the ground and sit on your heels. Place the right palm on the floor and the left one behind your ear. Rotate your head upwards as far as it can go while at the same time tilting your spine. Lower the head down slowly and repeat the exercises ten times on each side. 

Actual Workout

Reynold’s workout session is a circuit which means that he does a whole set of exercises to complete one round. The exercises involve short breaks in between. Below is Renold’s actual workout routine:

Five Reps of Kettlebell Swings

A kettlebell is simply a heavy cannonball with either one or two handles. A kettlebell works the whole of your body. When using both kettlebell handles, put your legs apart and hold the kettlebell with outstretched arms.

A complete swing involves shifting your weight backward towards the heels and outstretching your arms. Use the momentum to lift the kettlebell upwards and stand upright while outstretched arms. As the kettlebell comes down, follow the motion all the way between your legs. That is a full swing; repeat this five times.

Five Reps of Bench Presses

The best way of performing a bench press is by lying down straight on the bench, keeping your legs apart on the ground. Grip the bar with both hands, ensuring the distance between them is at least the width of your shoulders. Lift the bar slowly up and bring it down slowly to your chest as you breathe in. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

Five Reps of Front Squats

Front squatting involves doing squats while carrying some weight. The best way to do it is by bringing your elbows up to ensure that the weight you are carrying rests near or on your shoulders. It is crucial to open up your hips for stability when doing the squats. 

Lastly, when lifting, you should strive to push from the heels, which helps exercise your calves. Repeat the exercise five times, adjusting the weight to fit your exercise needs.

 Five Reps, Pull-ups

Pull-ups are a highly effective way to build the arm and chest muscles. The best way to do a pull-up is by lifting your bodyweight all the way up and slowly lowering it down. Further, ensure that you don’t have a very wide grip, which may injure your shoulder blades. Avoid stretching the body all the way since it may injure your joints. Ryan Reynolds does 5 of these for effective results.

With the above exercises, you can work your arms by using the kettlebell. A distance of 25 yards is recommended for a beginner. You can alternate the below exercises;

• One arm suitcase carry
• Double arm suitcase carry
• One arm overhead carry
• One arm rack carry
• Bottom-up carry

To wind up your exercises, do an exercise that ramps your heart rate, for instance, running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. Ensure also to rest adequately and take lots of rehydration fluids.

Ryan Reynold’s Diet 

Apart from the exercises, you should eat well for a good physique. Ryan Reynolds is no exception. He has a disciplined meal schedule which helps maintain his good looks. His diet plans are to have a meal or a snack after every 2-3 hours, avoid junk and stop eating at 8 PM. Below is what his diet plan looks like:

Breakfast

For breakfast, Reynolds takes;

• Two eggwhites
• “Healthy” fat, for instance, a spoon of almond butter or a piece of guacamole.
• Oatmeal plus apple sauce
• Sweet potato 

Mid-Morning

• A protein bar snack
• A supplement

Lunch

• Salad
• Chicken or tuna wrap 

Afternoon Snack

• A protein bar or a protein shake
• Apple or almonds

Dinner

• Chicken or boiled fish
• Green vegetables
• Brown rice
• Salad

Evening Snack

• A Protein shake

Ryan prefers to make the food himself and stays away from fat-rich foods. He likes his meat mixed with marina sauce, broccoli, black pepper, and garlic. The spaced meals ensure that he can watch the portions that he eats.

Ryan Reynolds Supplements

• Multi-Vitamins: They have numerous benefits like reducing anxiety and accelerated healing of damaged tissues. It also acts as a general source of essential nutrients.
• Whey Protein: It adds more proteins to the body. It is easily digested and absorbed.
• Creatine: It is a common booster as it helps gain muscles and muscle strength. 
• L-glutamine is an amino acid that helps in muscle gain and tissue repair. It also helps boost the immune system.