4 Workout Tips from Deadpool’s Trainer

Ryan Reynolds has a famed history with comic-book characters, a history that he pokes quite a bit of fun at in his Deadpool movies. The merc with the mouth is known for his quips and jokes, but a sharp sense of humour isn’t all Reynolds had to come equipped with to done the iconic red and black mask. Like any superhero role demands, he also had to get into impressive shape. His trainer, Don Saladino, breaks down four principles to follow if you want to achieve something similar!

Find your focus

Working out isn’t just about showing up, you’ve got to be focused on the task at hand. Saladino says the exercises and weight are less of a concern, the biggest thing for him is that Ryan was focused and came to sessions with optimal energy to perform the workout. Lazy reps or not giving maximum effort will make for pretty unsatisfactory gains at the end.

Preparation is half your success

Getting straight into a gruelling workout might save a little bit of time, but it might also come at a price. Saladino took Ryan through 5-10 minutes of foam rolling to warm the muscles, and then 10-12 minutes of movement prep related to the muscle groups and exercises they would be doing. This kind of pre-workout preparation is essential to avoiding injury and making sure your muscle activation is effective throughout your workout.

Mix it up

When it comes to sets and reps, it’s good to keep your muscles guessing every now and then. Sticking to a conventional 4 sets 10 reps structure offers some benefits, but there are always diminishing returns when you follow a certain structure for too long due to your body adapting to that pattern. Saladino would often switch it up and have Ryan doing 4 reps at 75% max, then 3 at 85%, then 2 at 95%. Going heavy and adding some strength training to hypertrophy work can reap serious benefits.

Functional training is the best kind

Training in a way that benefits everyday tasks is optimal for anyone – casual or professional lifters alike. Reynolds would do throwing, jumping, and carrying movements in each session he had with Saladino. Single arm carries, farmer’s walks, up-and-down carries and the like all have benefits in core and shoulder stabilisation that don’t just contribute to looking good, but also having good posture and a healthy core.

So if you’re busy hitting the gym with a vengeance to prep for beach season keep some of these tips in mind – all that’s left is to work on your one-liners after that!