How Home And Away’s Ethan Browne Works Every Muscle Group
If you don’t know the name Ethan Browne, allow us to introduce you. Known best for his role as Tane Parata on Aussie classic Home and Away, the New Zealand-born actor grew up in a “small country town that was dominated by rugby culture” only to move to Australia to pursue his acting dreams. While he is constantly proving his skills on-screen, it’s hard not to notice Browne’s toned physic, one that he understandably has worked hard to maintain.
“Health and fitness has always been a big part of my life. I can remember from as early as age 11 I would be doing push ups and dumbbells at home, as well as doing sports at school, but I was always a skinny kid, so I joined my local gym at age 17 to start weight training and I haven’t stopped since,” he explained to Women’s Health over email.
The 29-year old often shares posts on Instagram of his favourite ways to keep fit, so we went straight to the source to get the lowdown on his routine, and what a normal day in the life looks like.
What does a week of your normal training regime look like?
A regular training week for me usually consists of 5 weight lifting sessions and 3-4 martial arts training sessions. I normally follow my own hypertrophy split training program where I focus on 1-2 muscle groups per workout, and usually by the end of the week I will have worked through all of the muscle groups so I’ll either start again from the beginning or throw in a powerlifting styled training session where I do squats, deadlifts and bench press in one hit – the BIG 3!
Do you have a favourite and least favourite exercise?
I can’t really pin-point one exercise I like/don’t like. In terms of what style of training I like to do, it would be out of weight lifting and martial arts. I absolutely love training in martial arts as it incorporates all aspects of training into a single discipline – strength, cardio, speed, flexibility, endurance – and develops overall structural strength so that you can use your body effectively and efficiently. With weight lifting I just simply enjoy the feeling of moving heavy weight. It’s so satisfying when I hit a PB with bench press or squats. If I had a least favourite exercise it would have to be running. I’ll occasionally go for a run but I just get bored with it.
Does your routine change while filming?
Not really. I just continue doing what I’ve always done. Train hard and stick to the basics. The only change really is that I’ve picked up the cardio a bit more due to all the shirtless scenes!
How do you fit in exercise when you have long days on set?
I make sure to do it before the day begins so that I don’t have to worry about going after a long day of filming. If we have an early start I’ll be in the gym at 4am to get my training done and dusted.
How would you describe your food philosophy?
I used to live by an old Jack Lalanne quote which went something like “if it tastes good, spit it out!”. I’ve eased up a bit on that these days, I love a good chocolate bar here and there. But usually I keep it clean and simple. Foods high in protein, good complex carbohydrates and a lot of good fats. I don’t eat a lot of fast food or sugary items. I’ll treat myself with that at the end of the week if I crave it. But during the week it’s basically clean eating all the way.
What does a day on a plate look like for you?
Breakfast is usually 6 eggs (4 whole and 2 whites) with spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes fried up with a coffee. The rest of the meals for the day usually consists of a serving of protein (canned tuna, beef, chicken) with a serving of vegetables (broccoli, green beans, sweet potato). I drink a lot of whey protein also and love my oatmeal.
Health and fitness isn’t just physical, do you find it has important mental health benefits?
Absolutely. That’s one of the main reasons why I’ve kept training all these years. A good training session helps clear my mind of any rubbish thoughts and can always lift my spirits if I’m not feeling 100% mentally.
What else do you do to manage your mental health and wellbeing?
Spending time with family is big for me. I love going home to NZ and reconnecting with family. I like to read. A lot. I think it’s so important to constantly keep learning and keep your mind sharp. I try to get out into nature whenever I can. Whether it be a nice park or garden, just to walk around and practice gratitude for all the simple things in life.
