Want to Look Like Brad Pitt in 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'? Try His Workout... We Dare You
Updated April 15 2020, 4:16 p.m. ET
What was Brad Pitt's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood workout? Tarantino's latest film is set for a wide release soon and buzz has been steadily mounting around the movie and its all-star cast, which includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Luke Perry, Timothy Olyphant, Damian Lewis, Dakota Fanning, and Kurt Russell, along with a slew of other notable talent.
One big takeaway fans had from seeing a recent trailer from the movie is just how ripped Brad Pitt is, especially for a 55-year-old. The man's always known to look lean and mean on-screen. He bulked up for Troy and got cologne-model-cut for Fight Club, which is probably why it came as such a surprise when paparazzi photos during his split with longtime wife Angelina Jolie depicted him as appearing "sickly."
In the film, Brad Pitt plays Cliff Booth, stuntman, and longtime friend of actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), so it would make sense for Pitt to bulk up for the role. He is a guy who's supposed to take hits, slips, and falls for a living, so he'd need to look right and tight for the part. Especially if he's teeing off against Bruce Lee, which he does in the film at one point. (Spoiler alert, but not really... it's in a bunch of trailers).
So what was Brad Pitt's workout for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
Body aesthetics come down more to diet than workouts, but there are some basics that Brad Pitt follows to get in shape for all of his roles. His look in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is closer to the body he had in Fury than films like Fight Club, Snatch, or Troy, so we'll look at his workout routine for that movie for our purposes.
He mixes things up with two kinds of weightlifting exercises.
There are generally two kinds of weightlifting exercises: compound and isolation. If you're trying to look like Brad Pitt in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood you're going to need to mix up the two to get the results that you want. Along with some cardio, and by some cardio, I mean a lot of cardio. That's going to show your gains more than anything else. It stinks, but it works.
As a general rule: 1 hour of cardio a day, which can be broken up into three 20-minute sessions. Best way to go about it is to do elliptical, treadmill, or jogging for 20 minutes in the morning. Then eat breakfast. Then do your weightlifting routine and finish it off with 20 minutes of cardio. And then another 20 minutes before bed. It stinks and it's boring, but it's the best way to get the definition you want.
The other benefit of consistent cardio, especially on an elliptical, is that it builds stamina and it'll have a lower impact on your knees.
Day 1 — Monday, chest workout:
Day 2 — Tuesday, back workout:
Day 3 — Wednesday, legs & calves workout:
Day 4 — Thursday, biceps, triceps, and forearms workout:
Day 5 — Friday, shoulders & abs workout:
Here's a look at Brad Pitt's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood diet.
Workout Trends detailed a pretty great meal plan that you can check out, but a general rule is to eat high amounts of protein and get all of your food from the perimeter of the grocery store.
Meats, fish, fruit, vegetables, and complex carbs are your friend. Eat 1 to 1.5 grams of protein a day for your target weight, and consume less than 160 grams of carbohydrates. Keep it under 100 if you're not doing cardio.
The above routine is a crazy one, but the good part is you're going to be in amazing shape if you stick to the plan. As for me, I'm just going to continue on with my dad bod and will vicariously enjoy Pitt's ripped physique when I go and watch the flick in theaters after it drops on July 26.