Alan Ritchson was born to play Jack Reacher. At 108kg and 6ft 5in in boots, the American actor is a near-perfect match for author Lee Child's vision of the character.
But Ritchson couldn't simply walk into the role without any preparation. After landing the part in 2021, he gained 12kg of muscle through daily two-hour gym sessions ahead of filming the first season, with a nutritionist also helping him build a Jack Reacher-worthy physique.
For the fourth season of Reacher, the 43-year-old didn't need to undergo quite such a dramatic transformation. Instead, he's relied on the fundamentals that got him there in the first place: early-morning workouts before filming and plenty of compound movements.
Ritchson's Focus on Training Intensity
Above all else, Ritchson's training approach centres on intensity. While filming season four, the man mountain shared a giant set consisting of barbell curls, overhead triceps extensions and upright rows on Instagram.
He performed four rounds of the giant set, totalling up to 240 reps, before finishing the session with leg and core work.
'Low(ish) weight [and] higher volume [equals] hypertrophy and longevity,' he wrote. 'I can’t get pregnant or injured right now. Too busy. This works for me.'
What to read next
Building a Body That Can Handle Reacher
With Ritchson having already confirmed that season five of Reacher is underway, staying strong, mobile and injury-free is essential if he wants to keep playing the role long term. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has also become part of that approach.
He first started TRT between the first and second seasons after suffering a broken acromioclavicular joint in his shoulder and struggling with the demands of balancing an intense filming schedule with his workouts.
‘Getting on testosterone was huge for me,’ Ritchson told MH. ‘I had none by the time I was done with season one, due to the stress and the fatigue and what I had done to my body. For me, it’s a long game. I want to do Reacher for 15 years... I don’t want to have to have surgery after every season, and testosterone helps.’
‘I'm a big advocate of it, especially for people in their forties or above. [Men aren’t] aware that it’s out there, but it could be really life changing. It could be a mood stabiliser for people... It can do a lot more than just help you be buff, but it certainly helped in my journey.’
How He Stays Reacher-Ready Year-Round
Ritchson doesn't abandon training between seasons, either. In April 2026, he highlighted how he stays close to Reacher-ready shape throughout the year, albeit carrying a little less size when filming stops.
'Between season check in,' he shared on Instagram. 'Somewhat similar to a during-filming-season check in. Maybe just a few pounds lighter. Because… there are no seasons when it comes to staying healthy and strong. Make it a lifestyle. That’s today’s magic pill. It may not be the one you wanted, but it tastes better than raw egg whites! No one’s ever gagged doing a push-up.'
If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.
Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.
Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_
