
I am not really interested whether Ryan Reynolds is still dating Alanis Morissette or Scarlett Johansson. What make me write about him is his solid body shape. Ryan Reynolds transformed his body when he was preparing for his role of Van Wilder Hannibal King in Blade Trinity. Rumor said he did not only gain 20 pounds of muscles, but also reduced his body fat percentage from 11% to 3%. Whether the body fat percentage was really 3%, which many doubt so, the point is to look at his workout regimen as well as his diet plan and learn something out from his transformation success.
Reynolds trained under the guidance from Darren Chapman. Many dropped their jaws after seeing Reynolds’ solid body on big screen. Read on to find out his secret behind this successful change which took about 5 months.

Before the transformation

After 5 months of workout and successful diet plan
Ryan Reynold’s Diet Plan
1) Eat More Smaller Meals
As Reynold has to gain mass, instead of eating three big meals every day, he ate more than 6 smaller portion every 2 to 3 hours. By doing this, he was feeding his body with just enough food and not storing fat.
2) Prepare Home Cooked Food
Reynolds cook himself and he prepared the food in advance. For example, he would made Irish steel-cut oatmeal and freeze it.

3) No more Carbs after 8 PM
He ate much carbohydrates after his workout, but never after 8 PM
4) Take Supplement
Reynolds took creatine, L-glutamine, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), whey, and multivitamin.
5) Diet Menu
- Breakfast: 1/2 cup of egg whites, 1 cup of sugarless oatmeal, some “good” fat like a spoon of almond butter or slice of avocado.
- Midmorning snack: protein bar
- Lunch: albacore tuna wrap or chicken and salad
- Mid-afternoon snack: protein bar, protein shake (whey and water) or apple and almonds
- Dinner: broiled fish or chicken, brown rice, vegetables, and salad
- Evening Snack: protein shake
So, as you see, lots of protein, but plenty of carbs, too.




Ryan Reynolds’ Workout Plan
1) Do Abs Exercise First
This guy has great 6-pack. Rumor said that he did an abs implants. Really? Not true.Contrary to common practice, Reynolds did his ab exercise first before he lift the iron. He found that it was more helpful in getting himself motivated. And damn, he did between 500 and 1000 sit-ups.Reynolds confessed that lower abs are the hardest muscle to develop. What he did was to hold use exercise ball between his legs and then lift the ball up and down, using his to anchor himself.The other abs exercise he did is to put a 15 pound dumb-bell between his feet, and do leg raises while lying on the ground.

2) Lift Heavy Weight To Bulk Up
He lifted heavy weight to build the mass. Therefore, it is the typical 8 to 12 repetitions per set.
3) Six days Weekly and One Muscle One Day
He trained six days a week and he dedicated a day for only one muscle. So, he has one day for chest, back, shoulder, leg and arms.

After the movie, Reynolds no longer work out that hard to maintain his physique. He lost about 10 pounds out from the twenty pounds he gained. However, he still work out four to five times a week. This is his shirtless photo showing Ryan has slimmed down considerably from the build he had in Blade Trinity and Amityville Horror. However, he is still lean with good set of abs.

Check out the write up of How To Train To Get Body Like Jessica Biel. Jessica Biel is another star in Blade Trinity. If you a fan of Will Smith, take a look at How To Build Body Like Will Smith?
Here is the snapshot of Will Smith doing pull up in the movie I Am Legend.
Also, check out How Actors Build Their Muscles in 300 Movie and How To Build Body Like Michelle Ryan - The Bionic Woman.

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Check out the training video of Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel in their preparation for Blade Trinity:
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Scroll down to leave a comment. I really want to know what you think.
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aw // Sep 6, 2007 at 9:51 am
Holy Protein Shake. That last photo, looks like he has only 3-5% body fat. His delts really shrunk the most.
Angie Tan // Sep 6, 2007 at 10:36 am
great tips.. ;-)
lordapprentice // Sep 6, 2007 at 10:57 am
Wow, so thats how he did it. I couldn’t believe the first time i saw him in Blade Trinity, wondered if it was really the same guy from 2 guys, a girl and a pizza place and Van Wilder
surfnux // Sep 6, 2007 at 11:17 am
nice tips and nice abs.
One thing about abs, does one with flabby stomach, have to keep doing the abs exercise and do cardio to slowly reduce the fat and only this way will help?
I have not had much weight training lately, apart from doing body combat and the light sit up and push up during the conditioning track. I lost weight mostly on my arms, but abs wise its less.
I did body combat minimum 3 times a week and can be up to 5 times max a week. The other days are rest day, and 1 day for swimming.
Combat: mon, wed, sat OR mon, wed, fri, sat, sun.
swim: thursday
tuesday: break
So far I only able to maintain my weight and my waist size is slowly decreasing. But the fat in stomach and waist at the back has gone nowhere.
Any tips? :) Thanks.
nay min thu // Sep 6, 2007 at 11:29 am
umm, great inspiration! i have been working out for some time, but haven’t been pushing myself..
tks for sharing.
=)
webchic // Sep 7, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Great tips MUN, thanks. He still looks hot either ways bulky build or slimmer look :). Any girl you can think of and show us her tips too?
Mun // Sep 7, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Hi aw, Angie, lordapprentice and nay min thu, thanks for leaving your comment here.
Hi surfnux, cardiovascular exercises like Body Combat and swimming are great, but in order to burn more fat, weight training is important too. By doing weight training, we build muscles which have higher metabolism rate. So, do consider to incorporate that into your workout regimen.
Hi webchic, one of the female celebrities who have great toned body is Madonna, even at the age of late 40s. I am planning to write about her in my near future. If not about the workout regimen, it will be about her toned arms then.
webchic // Sep 8, 2007 at 8:14 am
Madonna mama! wow larger than life eh? Great! I am looking forward to read about her Mun, amazing body at her age, I also think its due to her diet as well find out the lot for us please, thanks Mun.
surfnux // Sep 11, 2007 at 9:54 am
Hi Mun,
Thanks. So, perhaps I should add 2-3 sessions of weight training on other days when I do not do Body Combat classes?
Mon, wed, sat, sun - body combat
Tues, thurs, fri - weight (+swim on thurs)
Hope to loose more weight and tone up better. Keep up the good job.
Yann // Nov 7, 2007 at 1:06 am
I wonder: Where did you get this information? And also, do you happen to know his before and after stats? Because I typed the diet info into fitday, and he was obviously eating less calories than he was burning. So, in my opinion he must have lost at least some weight doing that program.
Marcus // Nov 11, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Hey Surfnux,
In the past I used to do aerobic training 6-7 times a week, and found my fat % (I use a fat % scale) was not shifting. I tried this for nearly 1 year.
When I switched completely to weights workouts (5 times a week), my fat % dropped and has stayed that way - it worked : )
Of course, you can try a mix between the two, but I just went straight for the weights.
And Mun, I agree with your no carbs after 8pm. I have always noticed that if I don’t have a carb snack after dinner, that my fat % is easy to control with exercise. So everyone, take notice of this tip : )
shipshaq // Nov 24, 2007 at 7:03 pm
when you eat so much eeg i believe everypeople can like Ryan Reynolds. am i wrong?
nick // Nov 25, 2007 at 8:33 pm
and don’t forget, most importantly the cycle of deca!
Frank // Jan 19, 2008 at 1:33 pm
“He lifted heavy weight to build the mass. Therefore, it is the typical 8 to 12 repetitions per set.”
You’re kidding right? Heavy weights is not 8 to 12 reps. Heavy weights is 5 reps or less. It’s a shame people think they’re going “heavy” doing 3-4 sets of 10 reps. Go HEAVY and do 5 sets of 5 reps. If you haven’t done it before, you’ll be amazed how much faster your muscles grow.
KW // Jan 23, 2008 at 5:25 am
Sorry Frank, 8-12 reps is the best amount to build bulk muscle mass. Doing less reps than that is best for building STRENGTH, not mass. The other very important thing, of course, is mixing up your workout routine every few weeks and doing different exercises at different tempos.
Frank // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:14 am
A stronger muscle = a bigger muscle. You’re perpetuating a standard myth about weightlifting, except you actually have the myth backwards. The myth goes that higher reps and lower weight will help build definition and lower reps and higher weights will build mass. The fact is that heavy weights, the kind that requires fewer reps because it’s not physically possible for you to do that much weight at 8-12 reps, will build strength and size (which should be obvious because if your muscles are getting stronger, they’re getting bigger). Definition is added by reducing your body fat. Higher reps that you are recommending are better for muscle endurance. So I stand by what I said (and 15 years of experience), if you want to get big and strong, go HEAVY.
Paul // Jan 27, 2008 at 10:13 am
“A stronger muscle = a bigger muscle.”
My stats say otherwise. I’m “scrawny”, I’m significantly stronger than 2 months ago when I started according to written down stats of what I could do then and what I can do now and my measurements. Some area’s have gotten bigger, some have gotten smaller. In general I can lift twice the weight I was capable of lifting when I started, which has not translated into an increase in size in a few area’s
Jacky // Jan 28, 2008 at 5:51 pm
hey there, ive been working out for almost a year now. i’ve gained muscle as i was comparing previous photos to the recent one. however, my arms doesnt look defined at all. especially my delts, it looks as if ive bigger biceps and tricpes compared to my delts.is this due to my eating plan or my workout plan? any advice pls?
lance // Feb 1, 2008 at 1:39 pm
whatever moron thinks that the heavier you lift is when you gain more muscle your ignorant of that which you speak… hypertrophy phase which is 8-12 reps is the phase in which you gain the most muscle. 4 to 6 is for strength gains… not mass and or muscle gains retard
go ahead google it… youll feel like you should…stupid
and again ryan put on weight took creatine ate right blah blah blah but as far as toning reducing the carbs, same 1g/pr lb. (protein) and doing reps of 12- 20 which will show definition, taking a low strength fat burner then whenever you plan to show the results take a diaretic everyday for a week because this alters the bodies water concentration in certain areas… again showing even more definition … Ryan took diaretics the whole week of the movie shoot so obviously they work well
Frank // Feb 1, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Here you go, particularly pay attention to myth #1. Don’t know who Chad Waterbury is? Didn’t think so… google him. Check out his credentials. What are yours?
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459889
And you think 20 reps is what makes definition? Wrong. Losing fat… that’s what makes definition.
Oh, and you might want to refrain from the name calling. It doesn’t make anyone sound intelligent.
DJ // Feb 2, 2008 at 6:45 am
im not taking sides, but frank if you look at the reference from the page you list youll see that its from 1993…and if you know anything about the gym and health you would know it the information on it is always changing
so im going to agree with lance paul and kw
Frank // Feb 2, 2008 at 11:38 am
The reference you’re looking at was for myth #3. The article was posted on 10/10/02. See http://www.t-nation.com/newchives.jsp?y=2002. And the myths are still valid today.
Ever seen the guys on “World’s Strongest Man”? They’re HUGE. We’re talking 300+ pounds on some of them. Have a look at them: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=world%27s+strongest+man&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2. Obviously, they lift for strength. According to the people here, they shouldn’t be that muscular, just strong.
DJ // Feb 3, 2008 at 10:40 am
well honestly at this point im looking to get more strength out of my muscles and less mass because frankly im 15 and since iv started working out my arms have gotten huge but i cant really bench as much as you think i would be able to
aw // Feb 3, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I don’t know about any references. I used to do 12-15 reps, it got me strong, but my muscles were not increasing in size. I moved to 8 reps and I got bigger. That’s from personal experience.
I’m going to believe the first person that posts a photo of his body (with or without face). Armchair commenting is no use..
Jacky // Feb 13, 2008 at 7:34 am
Hey guys…this is really urgent. im in need of a good delts workout. i still do not see splits on my arms or in other words great definition with size.. any workout comments? do help me out.. thanks peeps !!
Zack // Feb 14, 2008 at 5:25 am
What about cardio? If I follow this workout and diet plan should I do a lot of cardio now or should I wait until the trim down stage?
DJ // Feb 19, 2008 at 5:23 am
I think cardio is good for being over all healthy and fit, but its really no way to loose weight
If you want to loose weight then you have to do it in a way that you burn more calories than you intake and you have to find a way to speed up your metabolism. you can do this buy weight training. when you work out initially you dont burn many calories, but it has an after affect of burning calories that lasts for hours. not only that it creates more muscle and each extra pound of muscle you gain your body burns an extra 50 calories a day.
i learned all this from reading a book called the abs diet
this book really shouldn’t be called a diet book because it tells you how your body works and how/why things are bad for you and tells you how to loose weight and get healthier. and yes i know i sound like im endorsing the book but it really is a good piece of literature to read none the less.
some guy // Feb 29, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Hi Frank, KW & others
I just stumbled over this blog and couldn’t help but comment.
You all have good arguments (and very entertaining). So I thought i’d include mine. MUSCLES CANNOT COUNT! so (depending what you want to achieve) the heavier you lift the less reps you will be able to complete, therefore the muscles will grow acordingly, i.e. heavier weights= less reps and your muscles will grow to acomidate to the amount of weight being lifted. this works both ways, lighter weights= more reps and smaller muscle growth. As for definition this is entirely up to the amount of body fat you have on your body. Personally I would rather lift heavy weights 8-10 reps, once I hit 10 reps I know it’s time to increase the weight. You could use the 5 rep max, but don’t you think if you were lifting the same weight and doing 8-10 reps you would be much stronger? It may take a little longer to get there but the results I think would be much better. Let me know your thoughts.
Happy lifting!
aw // Mar 1, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Hey some guy,
Thanks for your 2 cents. But Frank and KW seems as adamant of their answers as you are. There surely has to be a difference between heavy weights/low reps and lights weights/high reps. But of course some exercise is better than no exercise. The original question is, which is the best method for getting stronger and which is better for growing mass.
In any case, like I said.. all these armchair postulations have no more credibility than 2 ah peks talking in a kopitiam, unless anyone has followed one method and can post their photo to prove it! :D
Syke // Mar 7, 2008 at 3:53 am
wait..i dont get his breakfast thing. do we mix all that or what?
aw // Mar 7, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Syke: You can, but don’t have to. Can lightly cook the eggs in a pan, then have the almond butter & oatmeal separate. Or can mix the egg into oatmeal also. Both ways are pretty bland though. Usually I add a teaspoon of sugar, or some banana on top.
garyinloes // Mar 13, 2008 at 1:09 am
Did he do abs every single day before every workout? That’s what I got from it anyways. Anyone know?
sam // Mar 15, 2008 at 6:38 pm
hey can any 1 suggest me how 2 increase height?
my mom is 5 ft 6 inches dad is 5 ft 9 inches im jut 5 ft 8 inches n im 19 yrs old..
pls suggest me some effective measures 2 increase my height.suggest me a diet as well som workouts….
Dere // Mar 19, 2008 at 10:29 am
Ok i just did a home body fat % test and it said i have 7% body fat, now i have about an inch or 2 of fat on my stomach and a lil layer of fat on my pecks, i weight 182, have a weist size of 33 inches and hip size or 34 inches, fore arm of 12 inches and a wrist of 7 inches. is this accurate, becuase i want to get a 6 pack and a defined chest as soon as possible
Please, and suggestions?
aw // Mar 19, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Mun seems to be missing.. or ignoring the comments aahahahaha
Dere: 7%?? That’s very low. You have almost the same fat percentage as Michael Jordan. You should not have a layer of fat on your chest if that’s accurate. Normal males have maybe 10-15% fat. Females have 15-20% fat. Right now, according to my basic scale, I have 20% fat :( So I have 1-2″ of fat around my waist :(
I’m guessing your fat percentage is around 15-20%.
The only accurate way to measure is in a lab where they immerse you in a tank of water. All other methods is only an approximation. How did you measure yours?
In any case, you don’t have to worry about the fat percentage.. If like me you don’t have a six-pack yet.. you’re not there! :D Up your gym time, watch your diet. And if you get there before I do, lemme know how :D
Jubby // Mar 27, 2008 at 3:44 pm
hey guys, does this mean that we shud be doing abs everyday (on workout days of course) ?? and also bout the intake of carbs. if im looking to build muscle mass and have a lean body, carb intake shud be alot or less? i mean im eating like 120g of protein a day which i think is sufficient. do gimme some comment here please. thanks much.
Howard Chang // Mar 31, 2008 at 6:52 am
Mun,
Just thought you should know, I’ve linked this entry on my blog. Thought it was very interesting and I’ve made it an official goal of mine to try and accomplish something similar.
_HC
Willcomtrary // Apr 4, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I’m lacking that kind of discipline right now. I’ve really hit a rut in my workout. I need to find a workout partner and get serious about improving my physique. I’ll start tomorrow, maybe. Just kidding. Great post.
Marc // Apr 8, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I just want to say i think FRANK is right when it comes to building mass with high weight low reps. it just makes sense. plus everything ive read about it says FRANK is right so its just not my opinion. That article frank gave was a perfect example, ive heard numerous times of olympic athletes doing high reps low weight! so they dont gain any size, so they can stay in there weight division. Dont let those guys bother you man they are just ignorant. They want to look like they are the body builder experts when in fact they dont know anything and are probably 5′ 5″ 130 lbs <-exageration
Jay // Apr 15, 2008 at 1:33 am
Okay, this is getting out of hand and putting the wrong ideas into people’s heads. First of all, Frank is only half right… as well as everyone else being half right. Everyone’s body is different and will respond to different things, including different reps. If you were to work out heavy to where you are only able to muster out 5 reps every single week… your body would quickly adjust to this and you would hit a plateau where you are hitting the same weight, thinking you are getting stronger. The fact is… you need to change it up. Your body is smart, a lot smarter than many think.
Many use the 8-12 rule because its a lot simpler and can get more out of somebody. This is a rule used for novices because I use it when Im training somebody who has barely started out. If you tell yourself you are only going to hit 5 reps of a certain number, thats what you are going to hit (when you are newer). So it could be a weight that you will struggle on somewhat, but can knock out 5 fairly easily. You move that number up to the eight… you might only be able to do 5 of them, but those last three that you actually get help on are just as beneficial because you are pushing your muscles.
If I am first training someone, for atleast the first few months I won’t even go close to the number 5, even after years I might only do this a few times. When you are only able to get a number like 5, most will push as hard as they can to get those 5 with an ungodly amount of weight and throw form out of the window. Somebody who lifts 20 pounds less with good form with usually (genetics aside) out gain a person who is pushing their entire body to get that 20 pounds up. Some people can do 5 reps at heavy weight with good form on all of them, but the majority are going to do about 2 of them good and the other 3 with terrible form. When I get them to do 8 with a little less weight, they will get better form and fuller range of motion with atleast 5 of them before fatigue sets in and they need help.
This is the whole concept of the 8-12 rule. And why I always use it with beginners and mostly everyone I train. But its more important to change it up.
So to sum it up, for me… I have been personal training for right at 13 years and I have been weight training for right at 17….striving for 8-12 making sure you can get more than 60 percent with great form… is much better than trying to pound out 5 with extremely heavy weight that causes piss poor form and makes you use muscles that aren’t intended for the exercise.
Marc // Apr 22, 2008 at 5:39 am
yea Jay you are right, but i wasnt getting into specifics, the fact is that Frank is right! you you dont see huge Buff guys only being able to do high reps low weight, guys who are bigger can do heavier weight, ive never seen a a guy like Arnold only being able to bench press 180 lbs. the key to getting bigger is doing heavier weights each time with good form.what the retards were saying was that if you do low weight high repititions you will gain mass, when the fact is that only makes you more leaner, the goal to getting bigger is doing as heavier weights with good form so your muscles tear and rebuild and when they rebuild they come back stronger.
Jay // Apr 27, 2008 at 6:19 am
Marc, have you ever actually watched Arnold’s movie when he was training for “Mr. Olympia” He talks about how many reps he does. I don’t remember the actual quote but its when he’s doing squats I believe. He basically says that he likes to go 8-10 because he basically says those last 3 that you push out with all your might and fight through the pain to get up are when the body grows. Of course, that’s somewhat dated but its the same concept I mentioned earlier. So Arnold didn’t do the 5 X 5 thing, atleast not any the movie when he was gaining mass. He seemed to be doing 8-10 even 11 on bench press. But yes I agree low weight is terrible unless you are cutting down somewhat, but even then you can risk losing too much muscle… but 8-12 is a good spot, of course changing it up is always better.
Jeff // May 30, 2008 at 7:38 am
That frank guy shouldn’t talk
he has no idea what he’s talking about
more reps is for defined muscle
and less reps from 8-12 is basically a building block
for building stronger, bigger muscles,
read a book :)
Jubby // Jun 1, 2008 at 4:32 pm
jeff dont start man.. LOL
Surf Dude // Jun 18, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I agree with the concept heavy weights and low reps you will earn gains in strength - for example 6max but if you start by doing between 8 and 12 aslong as you are fatiquing you muscle you are working on you will acheive gains in strength and mass (Hypertrophy) and this will give you a muscular physique but its important to make sure you fatique the muscle and get plenty of protein to recover for your next training session. Remember if you want to gain bigger arms, chest, back & shoulders etc and want to keep or gain that 6 pack you need to do some cardio because chances are if you are consuming too much protein, the protein that is left over from repairing the muscle will convert to fat, so you will want to do a slow gentle run and keep your heart rate and a steady level (no more than 70% max heart rate) you will then utilise the unwanted fat your body has for fuel rather than carbs, that way you strip the unwanted fat and keep the muscle bulk.
If anyone disagrees let me know, im a personal trainer and been only doing this for 3 years, so i dont wanna step on more experienced Personal Trainers toes and i do understand that there are so many theries myths out there but i know i practise what i preach and i have acheived my goals.
some guy // Jun 19, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Hey Surf dude! I do agree with your advice but i’m not sure about the protein being convertrd to fat. I did a bit of research and found the following information at: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T044400.asp
“Too much protein is not a problem, unless you really overdose, which would mean eating twice the amount your body needs for a long time. When your body has more protein than necessary, it simply disassembles the excess protein, uses the amino acids it needs, and discards the leftover nitrogen through the kidneys. The body can’t store protein the way it stores energy in fat tissues. Sometimes when someone eats too much protein over a long time, the body will either break down the protein and use it as an energy source or deposit it as fat. You virtually never have to worry about children getting too much protein; in fact, parents usually worry about picky eaters not getting enough protein. Excess protein is not usually a worry for adults either, unless they are suffering from kidney disease.”
So I guess it can be converted to fat…..But it looks like you really have to overdose to do it.
But I totally agree with your training knowledge…nice one.
Surf Dude // Jun 20, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Cool thanks for your feedback but i find there are so many different myths and theories out there, it proves difficult to predict which one is correct. For example the link below backs up my theory of excess protein turning into fat.
http://www.exploringwomanhood.com/mindbodysoul/weightloss/excessprotein.htm
I also studied this theory for my exam in Nutrition and weight management and it also mentioned the careful measuring of protein content because anything that isnt used is then stored in the adipose tissue (fat) this doesnt mean im right and your wrong but further proves that there are loads of theories out there; either that or its very confusing/contradicting.
Let me know your thoughts.
aw // Jun 20, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Hopefully, someone with similar body type (Asian, hard gainer, less than 6′) will post their body’s before/after photo or measurements/performance to actually prove they practised what the hell they’re talking about. Then, I’m just gonna do *whatever* they say, 95% protein, or eat 300 Ramly burgers a day, or do 50 reps with water bottles ahahahahaha. Until then, jury is still out and armchair posturing/chest-beating rules.
aw // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Didn’t want to sound too negative back there, but it’s just that every other month they come up with a theory. Before 300, isolation exercises and heavy weights were the fad. After 300, bodyweight exercises, kettlebells and HIIT were the new “in” thing. Diet-wise, it was eggs all the way. Then came protein powders. Then came Atkins. Then came Malibu diet. Then came, screw the powders, just eat natural lean meat and veggies. There was even the phase where vegetarian was in. Then the 40/30/30 was out, only total calories counted as long as there was enough protein. Then egg yolks were back, sat. fat is not that bad, only trans fat is bad.
So what I meant to say was, fucking hell, just moderation in everything, variety in everything. Alternate high-reps/low weights and low-reps/heavy weights. And bodyweight training. Put in some slow cardio, some intense cardio. Put in some circuits. After all, I hope no one forgets that they way to hypertrophy/gain strength is to always change it up for the body.
Surf Dude is trying to work on what is out there, but to everyone else who is “certain” that their method is best: I say, therre is no “best” method. You have to have variety.
Jay // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Definitely no best method out there. Everyone’s body responds to different methods. If you go on a low carb diet… will your body lose weight, yes of course.. is it healthy? Not really. Anytime you deprive your body into that type of “starve mode” then you run the risk of hurting it. I will never recommend a low carb diet to anybody that I train. I see results with different methods, I might incorporate low carbs into it at some point, but never rely on that. Too many people get false hopes because you lose weight so quickly. Its all about what works though. I find a 40 40 20 works well for me. I have found that 50 30 20 works well for others, it all depends.
And to answer the question on protein turning to fat, yeah that’s not really the case. A lot of the protein you will excrete out… and the other will be processed. Too much protein can cause harm… but turning to fat really isn’t a huge problem. A slow digesting protein like a casein can cause you to feel full.
Personal Trainer // Jun 23, 2008 at 2:37 am
He looks good but depleted. I know from experience that unless you have the genetics to naturally look that cut, being in that shape will not last for 90% of people.
The most important thing for people to take out of this story is what worked for him will most definitely not work for everyone and of course that’s never mentioned in these types of articles.
Not everyone can afford professional help for vanity.
DJ // Jun 23, 2008 at 9:35 am
okay its been a while since iv checked this thing and i didnt even bother reading thru all the entries, so im going to put a few things out here and see how you guys respond. 1, different work outs need different reps and sets. 2, when it comes to benching every one has their own opinion. 3, i found lately when i work out that 3 sets of 5 really moved me up in weight which is good because that has helped me with my muscular strength and endurance. and after doing that a little bit im going to switch it up. 4, toning and definition is purely body fat %. 5, building up your muscular strength also helps with muscular endurance. 6, diet is a very complicated thing and should be very personalized and information going into it should come from a good resource.
Jay // Jun 28, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I do not agree with some of the things Personal Trainer says. If you are really a personal trainer and you tell people that genetics are a key role in getting to look someway, then you are not a very good personal trainer. In my years I have seen people do some amazing transformations. I have never told someone they couldn’t get somewhere because of genetics. Genetics only makes it easier, unless you have a thyroid problem anything is possible.
The only reason 90 percent of people can’t look like that for very long is because they don’t maintain the strict diet after they hit a spot like that. Its not that hard once you get there.
One thing I do agree with is that 3 percent body fat will leave you depleted, but again he was sitting at about 6-7 and then would cut to that when shooting would start.
In Amityville he looked much better. He was in the range of 6-8 percent and that is a range that is healthy and you can stay at if you follow your diet.
Again, genetics only make things easier… it NEVER should stop someone from achieving what they want to achieve.
Jubby // Jul 4, 2008 at 9:42 am
way to go jay
cam // Jul 27, 2008 at 6:41 am
The fact is your body adapts incredibly fast, so after working in the 8-12 rep range for 4-6 weeks you will hit a plateau and thats when you need to change things up a bit, so what is the answer? Hit the 4-7 rep range for a 4-6 weeks then go back to the the 8-12 rep for 4-6 weeks etc, this is a very simple way to aviod the dreaded plateau with your gains, so to be honest both of those guys who were arguing are right. The best advice i give all of my clients who want to gain mass is to use the rep cycle as explained above & to always use a training journal and aim to lift at least 1 rep or half to 2.0 lbs more (depending on what bodypart they are training that session) each rep scheme every training session, eat well and rest well and you will grow, 100% garunteed.
Sam J // Aug 15, 2008 at 12:23 am
This article changed my life! many thanks.
Ryan is something to aspire to, beautiful body.
Joe // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:33 am
Hey I’m sorry, but I was looking at Ryan’s diet plan and then I happened to stumble upon this conversation, where I have to disagree with aw…the average male body fat percentage is between 15-17 %, and which is no where near 10 %, im a completely unbiased opinion but 10% is that of Vin Diesel, i dont think you know what your talking about on that front, that is why it is so amazing that ryan had close to 3.5 %. Im not one to talk as i had 11% at 3 years ago at last check but i certainly know that i had less than average, now im much bigger and around 12% and much bigger than the average guy and much more cut
aw // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Wow, Joe, thanks for the compliment of singling out my one minute point out of the entire “conversation”. I had to scroll waaay there to remember what I wrote. Which, “the normal male has maybe 10%-15%”. It’s good thing I guess you agree with everything else I wrote and everything else everyone else wrote. I’m not pissed or anything, but since you mentioned it and I think you’re misplaced in your understanding of the comment.
It was an offhand comment. Note the “maybe”. And also that I wrote that 7% is considered very low - and hence I also consider 3.5% amazing. In addition, casual lean athletes do have 10-15% fat. Normal not-so-active males have 15-18%. I’m guessing if you’re on this site you want to be fairly active. Even you supposedly have 11-12%. A lot of people have that. I’m getting closer as well. Can “normal” even be defined properly? It would be dependent on average values depending on which geography you are talking about. Do you have a source to cite for Vin Diesel’s fat percentage is 10%? If not, then I’ll have to call you on it too the way you called me on the one sentence.
And you also completely ignore that I mentioned there is no way to accurately measure fat percentage unless you go into a lab. In any case, I’d be happy to be corrected with accurate information so I can improve my knowledge, but it seems you are making very offhand remarks yourself.
Joe // Aug 22, 2008 at 8:30 am
“Normal males have maybe 10-15% fat” is the first comment…in your response to mine you said “Normal not-so-active males have 15-18%.” which I completely agree with and would not have said anything to but “I agree” and im not pissed at all i also agree that normal can not be easily defined but average can be, “wanting to be fairly active is not part of it either, i go to the gym 6 days a week, ranging from weight training(where i had the same experience as you when i moved to 8 reps) to swimming and running and then wrestling with guys on a collegiate division 1 level. so i am already at a active level. While labs and water submersion tests are the most accurate ways to test body fat, i was also tested by a trainer where they take height versus weight combined with caliper measurements on the lower abdominals, lats, back , arms and other parts of the body. im not pissed either and on the vin diesel topic
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998155
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/archive/index.php?t-292077.html
given they are forums, but so is this so who can really trust what we say.
Joe // Aug 22, 2008 at 8:41 am
im not going to get into an argument as i am not someone who needs all of this advice to be a successfully healthy person, as i am which you can or cannot believe i dont really care, if you had said “normal not-so-active males have 15-18%.”earlier i wouldn’t have said anything, i just did not want people thrown off at how fit or average they are. If someone is happy with their body then they need nothing else. And as labs ARE the single most accurate way to find body fat percentage, look up the word caliper, or Bio Electric Impedance Body Fat Testing
as far as correcting your information i don’t need to feel like a doctor but one of the most highly respected books on the body and fitness is called “The Body sculpting Bible” look at it sometime
aw // Aug 22, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Nope. I don’t think anyone else wants to get into an argument, but you’re pretty contradicting in some of the things you say and ignore.
- I already explained: you can’t really say who is average. The figure also depends on age, gender. It’s not intended to make people feel bad at all, you’re quite negative. People who come to this site naturally want to be better.
- Er, wrong. Extremely wrong, please don’t accuse me of giving wrong information, then spread wrong information yourself. It’s damaging to readers. Are you kidding me? Calipers and Impedance are also “accurate” ways to measure fat? I already have an impedance scale by the way.
- Er, you do your google too sometime. By the way, where’s the source you haven’t cited for Vin Diesel having 10% body fat? That’s pretty vague in terms of period, isn’t it?
aw // Aug 22, 2008 at 9:51 pm
OK I just read your previous comment, you seem to have posted two long-winded ones.
- dude. How many times do I have to say it was “maybe”? And how I qualified again that average is subjective? Funny how you picked that out of the many many comments here.
- so submersion is the most accurate way, then you say calipers and impedance are also accurate ways, instead of approximations? Calipers?? Bro, say it ain’t so!
- forums. Right. Anyway, if anything, this proves that forums and blog comments are not really helpful without a citation from an expert. Opinions are like assholes, eh?
Anyway, you probably have good intentions, but a little overzealous, ain’t it? All the best, bro.
Oscar // Sep 11, 2008 at 5:59 am
A response that my friend Boyer Coe gave some time ago. He knows something about this stuff: “Rep range is what works best for you. Reg Park found that 5 reps worked best for him. Ronnie Coleman has always used 12 to 15 reps. I, personally have always used 8 to 10 reps.”
bakhtiar // Oct 13, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Damn………….always dreaming to get that kind of cutting……
Aaron // Dec 3, 2008 at 2:11 pm
The one thing I disagree with Mr. Reynolds’ training was him taking the creatine. I see it as sort of “cheating” and the best way to work out is to do it the all natural way. I did cross country throughout all of high school and still do it in college, but during my junior year my cousin got me started into lifting. Every since then I lifted 5-6 times a week and ate very similar to Mr. Reynolds with the many meals each day. After four years of lifting I gained almost 30 lbs., but that’s after four years. Ryan gained 20 lbs. in 5 months, which is most likely due to the creatine. He could have avoided using it by actually eating late at night about an hour before bedtime, something high in protein that isn’t easily broken down because it continues to help your body rebuild muscle mass. I’m just not a big fan of supplements that are like creatine and NO2 and the such. Besides I’m a long distance runner, so taking supplements wouldn’t benefit me at all. Basically what I’m saying is he could have taken a different healthier approach to getting big, but it would have taken a little longer. Then again he may have been given a set date to get that jacked, who knows, I’m just throwing my 2 cents in.