Theo James is 41 years old, a father and, presumably, a fairly busy bloke. He can also reportedly perform sets of pull-ups wearing a 20kg weighted vest and has been working towards a 200kg deadlift.
According to a new interview with James’ trainers in British GQ, none of this is being driven by an exacting Hollywood brief, either. James simply enjoys training – and wants to become stronger in his forties than he has ever been.
‘There was no brief to make him look a certain way,’ strength coach Ethan Chen told Tom Ward for GQ. ‘But among PTs we can always tell whether an actor loves working out, or if they’re just in the gym because they have to be. Theo is the former. He loves training. He loves lifting weights. He loves feeling strong.’
Chasing a 200kg Deadlift
James trains with weights four times per week, using an upper- and lower-body split. But this isn’t simply about maintaining a lean, camera-ready physique. He has specific performance goals – including rebuilding his pull-ups after suffering a torn pec and damaged back.
‘He wanted to improve his pull-ups after being injured and we’ve got him to where he’s doing sets wearing a 20kg weighted vest,’ says Chen.
That’s not just ‘good for an actor’ strength. Depending on how many reps James is performing, it’s an impressive benchmark for almost anyone – especially for a man who had previously lost strength and muscle while dealing with two significant injuries.
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His deadlift has been the next major project.
‘He’s really strong, but he wanted to prioritise his deadlift to where he could lift 200kg,’ Chen explains. ‘He saw his deadlifts as a bit of a weakness, so he’s focusing in on it.’
On a more relatable note, James isn’t immune to the universal temptation to skip leg day.
‘There are certain exercises, like Bulgarian split squats, which he’ll only do if he’s training with me... He does lean into upper-body stuff,’ Chen laughed.
Getting Stronger in Your 40s
Despite chasing some seriously impressive numbers, James has also warned against ‘forming identity through your body’.
Speaking recently on Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show, James said too many men fall into the trap of believing they ‘have to be bigger and more muscular’ to gain status.
That doesn't mean he's stopped pursuing physical goals himself. James reportedly wants to become broader, stronger and more physically imposing, partly to open the door to a wider range of roles. The distinction is between enjoying the pursuit of strength and allowing your physique to determine your self-worth.
There’s a lesson here for the rest of us dads heading into our forties and beyond. Training as you get older doesn’t have to mean backing away from ambitious numbers or resigning yourself to ‘maintenance’. James has worked around serious injuries, rebuilt his strength and is still setting new targets.
Just don’t ask him to do Bulgarian split squats.
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