At 53, actor Patrick Wilson is still seriously strong – and he has no intention of slowing down. Need proof? Check out the sweaty (and now viral) scene of Wilson performing explosive power cleans in Apple TV's psychological thriller Cape Fear.
He's also become a Hyrox diehard, completing 15 races across three seasons, with no plans to stop any time soon.
Wilson's approach to fitness has changed considerably over the years. During his marathon-running days, he was lean. Later in his career, he switched to bodybuilding-style training to add muscle for his role as Ocean Master alongside Jason Momoa in two Aquaman films.
Now in his 50s, his focus has shifted again. Rather than chasing extremes, Wilson prioritises a more rounded combination of strength and conditioning – and he's no longer particularly interested in max lifts or PBs.
'The physical side is risk and reward,' Wilson told Ebenezer Samuel C.S.C.S on the Strong Talk podcast. 'There are certain movements I don't want to or need to do, certainly over the age of 50.'
Exercises he previously performed during his CrossFit days – including snatches, muscle-ups and weighted good mornings – now take more out of him, with recovery sometimes lasting several days. That's one reason he shifted his focus from CrossFit towards Hyrox: he felt it offered a lower risk of injury while allowing him to recover quickly enough to train again the following day.
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That doesn't mean he's abandoned everything he learned from CrossFit. These are four of the movements and training principles that remain central to his fitness in his 50s.
Build Lower-Body Strength with Romanian Deadlifts
RDLs are a staple for building lower-body strength. The compound movement primarily targets your glutes and hamstrings, while your core and back muscles work to stabilise your spine and control the load.
You don't need to chase enormous weights to make them effective, either. Wilson gets the job done with dumbbell RDLs and relatively moderate loads.
'I don't need to do a heavy deadlift or a super heavy RDL or something,' he says.
For Wilson, good form and control now matter more than lifting the heaviest weight possible.
The movement also has an obvious real-world application, says Samuel.
'Everyone has to bend down to pick things off the ground,' he says. 'The RDL is... literally about doing that.'
Master Your Push-Ups
The push-up remains a training staple for good reason: it requires no equipment, can be performed almost anywhere and challenges your chest, shoulders and triceps. Perform it properly and your core and glutes also work hard to keep your body rigid throughout each rep.
Wilson pays particular attention to his upper body for a fairly straightforward reason.
'Anything that just works up here because this is what's on camera,' he says.
Push-ups may look simple, but good technique matters. You can brush up on everything you need to know for a perfect rep here.
If full push-ups are currently too challenging, placing your hands on a bench or other raised surface is a useful regression. Unlike dropping your knees to the floor, the incline allows you to maintain tension through your core and glutes while reducing the amount of bodyweight you're pressing.
As you get stronger, gradually lower the height of the surface until you're performing full reps from the floor.
Looking for a greater challenge? Bringing your hands closer together places more emphasis on your triceps, while pressing explosively from the floor can add a power element to the movement.
Use the Push Press to Build Power
Wilson is also a fan of the push press. He prefers using dumbbells rather than a barbell, while Samuel suggests kettlebells can also work well.
Whichever implement you choose, the push press allows you to train your shoulders while developing lower-body power and full-body coordination.
'Yes, we get to blast our shoulders, but we're also learning how to use lower body and hip power to propel a weight overhead leading to even more athletic carryover than you may expect,' explains Samuel.
Unlike a strict overhead press, the movement begins with a small dip at the knees before you explosively extend your hips and legs to help drive the weight overhead. That makes it a useful way to practise generating and transferring force through your entire body.
Don't Neglect Your Cardio
Even as Wilson's training has evolved, one thing has remained remarkably consistent: running.
'If there's been one consistent thing in the past 30 years, it would probably be running,' he explains. 'That became my thing when I would shoot a film, to run wherever I was. It was always a great place to see the city.'
For Wilson, running isn't simply a way to improve his cardiovascular fitness. It also provides a mental break, with even short runs acting as a form of meditation.
It gives him concrete fitness targets to chase, too, including completing a marathon at 40.
'Everything for me, fitness wise, has to be related to how it affects me mentally and physically.'
And there's no reason to assume you need decades of running behind you to benefit. Some research suggests men who begin endurance running later in life can still develop impressive aerobic fitness and body composition.
Running isn't your only option, either. Wilson also uses the SkiErg, which has become a familiar sight for anyone competing in Hyrox.
The machine mimics the double-pole action of cross-country skiing, with each pull challenging your arms, back, shoulders and core while driving up your heart rate. For Hyrox athletes such as Wilson, it's also one of the first stations encountered after the opening 1km run.
Wilson says he adjusts the damper setting and stroke rate to avoid burning himself out too early – another example of how his training has shifted away from simply going as hard as possible.
'In the end, the best fitness is some version that lets you be super heroic and has got some pieces of running, some pieces of cardio, pieces of strength,' says Samuel. 'If you do that, I think you'll be in a really good position.'
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, MS is the associate health & fitness for Men's Health and has previously written for CNN, Scientific American, Popular Science, and National Geographic before joining the brand. When she's not working, she's doing circus arts or working towards the perfect pull-up.
