IF THERE WAS one actor who rose above the pack in 2024 it would have to be Glen Powell – with apologies to Paul Mescal.
The Hollywood heartthrob won over movie fans with his starring turn in Anyone But You with Sydney Sweeney and followed it up with a stunning performance as an assassin in Richard Linklater’s action-comedy, Hitman. Together they helped the 36-year-old build on his burgeoning Top Gun: Maverick fame, implanting him firmly on Hollywood’s A-list.
A big part of Powell’s glow up was due to his rig. Powell graced the cover of US Men’s Health back in December 2023, showing off a rippling physique distinguished by lean muscle definition and a washboard stomach.
How did he do it? Read on to find out.
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Glen Powell’s Top Gun: Maverick workout
When Powell needs to get in shape, he seeks out the assistance of Nick Mitchell, a highly respected trainer and the global CEO of Ultimate Performance in Los Angeles. In prep for TG:M, which, of course, features a homage to the original film’s greasy volleyball scene, Mitchell and Powell focused on achieving a lean, muscular look with an emphasis on washboard abs that would pop off the screen in the film’s instantly iconic shirtless American football montage.
Powell had seven weeks to prepare for the scene. Thankfully he had a solid base to work from, Mitchell says. He was also driven, unafraid of hard work, he adds.
“He is a very dopamine-driven guy that loves high energy, hard, all-out exercise,” says Mitchell.
Unlike many celebrities who spout guff about building functional muscle they won’t use again, particularly if their next role is playing a politician or pharmaceutical salesman, Powell and Mitchell were focused wholly on aesthetics.
“It’s the mirror muscles,” says Mitchell. “It’s the front. You are not trying to create big, massive muscles. You can’t create massive muscles in that amount of time, but you can create detail by getting people leaner, sharper, and certain muscles fuller in a relatively short space of time. Everything is sharp, everything is crisp, and the eye is drawn to the detail. And when you see the detail versus the big slab, the detail looks more impressive.” How refreshing.
For TG:M, Mitchell and Powell focused on the actor’s chest, shoulders, and traps, as well as the abs, serratus and intercostals. The pair worked out 3-4 times a week, not an excessive or onerous commitment by Hollywood standards.
Glen Powell’s chest and back workout
- Bench press – 3 x 8-10
- Rack pull – 3 x 8-10
- Incline dumbbell press – 3 x 8-10
- Shoulder width lat pulldown 4 x 8-10
- Peck dreck – 3 x 10-12
- Cable pullover 3 x 10-12
- Farmer’s walk 3-4 x 1
Glen Powell’s chest, back, traps and abs workout
- Incline bench press 4 x 8
- Semi-supinated pull-up 4×4
- Triceps dip 4 x 8
- Seated low pulley row 4 x 10
- Hanging leg raise 3 X AMRAP
- Swiss ball plank 3 x ALAP
- Single-arm cable shrug 3 x 15
Ultimate Performance
Glen Powell’s arms and shoulders workout
- EZ bar preacher curl 4 x 8
- Decline EZ bar triceps extension 3 x10
- Reverse cable curl 3 x 12
- Standing overhead cable French press 3 x 15
- Incline dumbbell curl (30-degree angle) 3 x 15
- Cable crossover triceps extension 2 x 20
- Dumbbell lateral raise 3 x 15-20
- Bent-over dumbbell lateral raise 3 x 15-20
- Standing dual cable press 3 x 15-20
Glen Powell’s strongman and abs workout
- Sled pull 4 x 30secs
- Standing cable crunch 4 x 15
- Bodyweight split squat 4
- Farmer’s walk 4 x 30 secs
- Swiss ball plank 3 x ALAP
- Prowler 4 x 60secs
- (Workouts courtesy of Ultimate Performance)
Glen Powell’s training diet
Last year Powell told US Men’s Health that to start the day, he likes to eat a breakfast sandwich consisting of sweet potato bread, eggs, kale, and homemade hot sauce. He admits sometimes he skips breakfast and instead will go for a big lunch or dinner after a workout. For a cheat meal, he loves ice cream.
He eschews dairy, instead opting for alternatives, like oat milk. Otherwise, the Texan isn’t a fusspot.
“My diet is pretty chill,” he says. “I come from a family of eaters, so if you made me truly diet, I’d think I’d be pretty grumpy.”
During his initial seven-week training phase for TG:M, Powell was aiming to consume 2800 calories eating three or four times per day, with an emphasis on protein. His macronutrient split was 200g protein, 300g carbs, 88g fat. One day per week his calories would drop to 2,000 with 100g of carbs.
A sample day on Glen Powell’s TG:M diet
Morning
- Estro support supplement
Breakfast
- 80g smoke salmon
- 2 eggs
- Handful of spinach
- 100g oats
- 100g fresh berries
Meal 2
- 200g chicken breast
- 100g avocado
- 1450g basmati rice
- 1 serving broccoli
Between workouts
- Amplify supplement
Post workout
- 2 scoops Ultimate Performance Vegan Protein
- Glutamine
- Creatine
- 1 banana
Meal 4
- 200g sirloin steak (uncooked)
- 400g sweet potato (uncooked)
- 1 serving green beans
- (courtesy of Ultimate Performance)
Related:
Jake Gyllenhaal’s complete training and diet regimen
The Complete Diet And Workout Routine Of Mark Wahlberg
