I tried Reacher star Alan Ritchson's three-move workout for bigger arms and shoulders

Independent

a day ago

Alan Ritchson receives daily questions about his workout routine. His role as Reacher, the muscle-bound (and t-shirt-averse) former military man, probably has something to do with this.
I, on the other hand, don't receive daily questions about my fitness routine. I'm a fitness writer, so I like to think I'm in decent nick, but unlike Ritchson I don't need to stand side-on to fit through a standard doorframe.
So how does one build this kind of hulking physique? To help us answer this question, the 42-year-old actor recently started sharing examples of the time-savvy home gym sessions he uses to pack on mass.
Given his latest offering only involved one piece of equipment and a few minutes of hard graft, I figured it would be rude not to give it a try. Here's how it went.
How to do Alan Ritchson's workout for 'hypertrophy and longevity'
Complete the sequence below for four rounds without any breaks between exercises:
EZ bar biceps curl x15
EZ bar standing overhead triceps extension x15
EZ bar upright row x10
Rest 60-120 seconds
'Low(-ish) weight plus higher volume equals hypertrophy [or muscle growth] and longevity,' Ritchson writes, later adding, 'This works for me.'
He then finished the session with some leg-focussed exercises, followed by core work. Previous workout videos on Instagram suggest the selectorised leg press machine is a regular feature in his exercise routine.
What happened when I tried Alan Ritchson's workout
Luckily, strength training has been a regular fixture in my life for the last 12 years, and a quick glance at Ritchson's chosen trio of exercises left me looking forward to the session.
Why? Because on paper it's a fun way to pump up your mirror muscles without taxing the nervous system too aggressively – compare how you feel after a challenging set of curls, as opposed to a set of heavy squats, and you'll find the latter is far more likely to knock you for six.
I loaded up a lighter weight than Ritchson – because, unlike him, my biceps aren't the size of bowling balls – then hit his workout as instructed.
The biceps curls and triceps extensions lived up to their reputation as tried and tested muscle-builders for the arms. They represent an antagonistic pairing too, meaning they target opposing muscle groups – as the name suggests, the biceps curl primarily recruits the biceps on the front of the upper arm, and the triceps extension hits the triceps on the reverse.
For this reason, Ritchson's protocol allows you to work your biceps to near failure, then toss the bar overhead to do the same to the triceps without any rest in between, making for a more streamlined workout. The father-of-three previously revealed his gym sessions tend to top out at 30 minutes, so efficiency is clearly a priority.
By the end of these first two exercises, my arms were suitably fried. For the last few reps of each, my tempo had slowed and the EZ bar felt considerably heavier than it had at the start – a solid sign that there is enough mechanical tension present to provide the stimulus needed for muscle growth.
Then I switched to the upright row. While it did toast my anterior delts (the muscles on the front of the shoulder) fairly effectively, this isn't a favourite exercise of mine due to its slightly unnatural feel. Many fellow lifters I've spoken to have also ditched it due to discomfort and potential shoulder impingements.
However, in a social media-led world where science-based lifting is king, it's worth noting Ritchson's parting words: 'this works for me.'
Everybody is different, every body is different, and if you find something that feels good while delivering results then there is no need to change tact just because a talking head on Instagram said you should. Alternatively, if it doesn't float your boat, you can always swap it out for an exercise which targets similar muscles like a front raise.
Would I do Alan Ritchson's workout again?
Yes, but not on a regular basis, purely because it doesn't align with my current fitness goals.
I love movement in all its forms, so my main aim in the gym is to be able to say 'yes' to any physical challenge going, whether that's running in a 10K race, taking part in a CrossFit competition, learning a new gymnastic skill or climbing a mountain. For that reason, my strength training efforts tend to revolve around compound lifts and various accessory exercises to develop a combination of strength, power and muscle. This is supplemented by conditioning work, from running to mixed-modal circuits.
Ritchson's workout, on the other hand, is dead set on building you a bigger set of arms and shoulders.
The target number of reps fall comfortably within the five to 30 range – regularly touted as the zone responsible for muscle growth. He also hits each set hard, maintaining strict form and performing reps until he is forced to slow down by fatigue. This is a solid sign that he is creating adequate mechanical tension, which is the primary driver of hypertrophy.
However, by avoiding heavy loads and instead hitting a higher number of reps with a lighter weight, he can craft a workout that is slightly gentler on his joints, marrying up to his goal of 'hypertrophy and longevity'.
How does Alan Ritchson build muscle?
Ahead of the first series of Reacher, released in 2022, Ritchson built a gym in his house to ensure he never missed a workout, then proceeded to pack on 30lb of muscle in just eight months.
'It's a full time job to eat enough to put on 30lb,' he said on The Kelly Clarkson Show. 'I had an assistant whose only job was to bring me food. It was like a conveyor belt of smoothies and protein.'
Interest in his workout routine was piqued further when he returned for series two and three even larger and leaner than before.
However, Ritchson admits he 'ravaged' his body while training for the first series, leaving him with a succession of injuries and a note from a doctor that he had 'no testosterone'. So, ahead of the second series, he started testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
'I didn't even know that it was considered an anabolic steroid to some people,' he told Men's Health. 'It was just: there was a hormone that was missing for me, and I needed it.'
Ritchson previously said he trained 'every day for a year' in high school, but nowadays a typical training week involves five weekly workouts taking up to 30 minutes each.