To play the role of Prince Adam – better known as He-Man – in Masters of the Universe, actor Nicholas Galitzine says he had to put on ‘as much size as possible’. And he knew it would involve a huge amount of work.
‘I was pretty fit when I was playing rugby,’ he says. ‘But I’d never packed on that amount of size in so little time.’
So Galitzine, 31, got to work, training with Los Angeles-based fitness coach Jason Walsh. Walsh, who has also worked with the likes of Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal, focused on the basics with Galitzine and describes him as ‘really cool’ to train.
‘Nick played rugby, so he’s got some athleticism,’ says Walsh. ‘But he’d never really lifted like this before.’
Walsh adds that he appreciated how receptive Galitzine was throughout the process.
‘Usually guys come in with their own mindset. It’s very macho,’ Walsh says. ‘They say, “I know how to do this, I know how to do that.” I didn’t need to do that with Nick, which was really cool.’
What to read next
Up to five days a week, the pair trained together at Walsh’s West Hollywood gym, focusing on the fundamentals: squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses and rows. With less than three months to add He-Man-level size to Galitzine’s frame, those basic movements proved essential.
That led to a training programme built around two key ideas: classic compound lifts and isometrics (think planks, dead hangs and holding the bottom position of a squat or push-up). According to Walsh, these were far more valuable than marathon training sessions or rushing into ultra-heavy weights too soon.
‘I wanted him to understand good technique and movement patterns,’ says Walsh. ‘Every week we progressed all that stuff. It’s very basic – but it’s also critically important.’
The isometric holds offered several benefits. They helped Galitzine develop full ranges of motion while building grip and core strength, but they also strengthened tendons and connective tissue, helping prepare his body for a rapid physical transformation and a stunt-heavy filming schedule. Just as importantly, they taught proper positioning and body awareness in the most challenging parts of an exercise.
‘The guys who just go in and start doing bodybuilding-type stuff are going to be injury-prone,’ says Walsh. ‘Do the basics. Get functional, get resilient and learn how to recover. These are your tools.’
By building things gradually, Walsh ensured Galitzine would arrive on set muscular, pain-free and ready for action.
‘People want to go from 0 to 60,’ says Walsh. ‘You’ve got to learn how to go 10 miles an hour first.’
None of that means Galitzine’s training was easy. Try this total-body workout from his Masters of the Universepreparation, which combines isometric holds, supersets and a brutal conditioning circuit to finish. Complete a brief warm-up beforehand – think 1 minute each of planks, reverse lunges and star jumps.
The Workout
Do the moves in order. Rest about 90 seconds to 2 minutes between each superset.
Superset 1:
A1. Isometric Zercher Squat – 4 sets x 8-sec hold
A2. Zercher Squat – 4 sets x 6 reps
Superset 2:
B1. Isometric Inverted Row – 4 sets x 8-sec hold
B2. Pendlay Row – 4 sets x 8 reps
Superset 3:
C1. Dumbbell Bench Press Iso Hold – 4 sets x 8-sec hold
C2. Dumbbell Bench Press – 4 sets x 8 reps
Dumbbell Complex:
D1. Dumbbell Upright Row – 5 sets x 6 reps
D2. Dumbbell Snatch – 5 sets x 6 reps
D3. Dumbbell Overhead Press – 5 sets x 6 reps
D4. Dumbbell Bent-Over Row – 5 sets x 6 reps
D5. Dumbbell Snatch – 5 sets x 6 reps
How to Do the Exercises
Zercher Squat Superset – 4 sets
This one blasts quads, glutes, and hamstrings. The overcoming isometric primes your quads to attack the Zercher with proper technique and helps you own the bottom position of every squat rep.
Isometric Zercher Squat
Stand holding an unloaded barbell in the crooks of your elbows, abs and glutes tight, feet slightly wider than shoulder width, near a secure squat rack. Then lower into the bottom of a squat.
Have a training partner set both spotter arms about 6 inches above the bar. Begin to ascend from your squat, driving the bar into the spotter arms. You won’t be able to budge the rack; despite this, continue to contract quads and glutes and try to drive the bar upward. Hold for 8 seconds.
Zercher Squat
Reset the rack properly, then load the barbell with weight in the rack. Once again remove the barbell from the rack, holding it in the crooks of your elbows, abs and glutes tight, feet wider than shoulder-width.
Bend at the knees and hips, lowering into the bottom of a squat. Hold for 1 second, then stand, squeezing your glutes. That’s 1 rep; do 6.
Row Superset – 4 sets
This superset blasts your midback muscles and provides underrated challenge for your abs and glutes, too.
Isometric Inverted Row
Lie on the ground on your back, inside a squat rack, chest directly under a barbell set safely in the rack. Reach your hands straight up toward the bar (which should be positioned a few inches above the maximum length of your arms. Grasp the bar using an overhand grip. Keeping your abs and glutes tight, pull your torso and legs off the ground, so that only the backs of your heels are on the ground.
This is the start. Now, bend at the elbows and shoulders, pulling your ribs toward the bar. Hold for 8 seconds, then lower.
Pendlay Row
Stand with a loaded barbell close to your shins, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and push your butt back, lowering your torso until your hands can grasp the bar tightly with an underhand grip. Squeeze your shoulder blades, and make sure your shoulders are slightly higher than your hips.
Tighten your abs and glutes. Pull the bar off the ground and row it toward your ribcage. Lower back to the ground. (Aim to keep your torso as steady as possible as you do this.) That’s 1 rep. Do 8.
Chest Superset – 4 sets
This final series blasts chest, triceps and shoulders. Make sure you use a dumbbell at least 10kg lighter than your pressing weight for the iso-hold.
Dumbbell Bench Press Iso Hold
Lie with your back on a bench, abs and glutes tight, dumbbells held directly over your shoulders. Bend at the shoulders and elbows, lowering the dumbbells to within an inch of your chest. Hold for 8 seconds.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Lie with your back on a bench, abs and glutes tight, dumbbells held directly over your shoulders. Bend at the shoulders and elbows, lowering the dumbbells to within an inch of your chest. Press back up. That’s 1 rep; do 8.
Dumbbell Complex – 5 rounds
This total-body complex attacks your shoulders and raises your heart rate, too. Using 10-15kg dumbbells, do 6 reps of each move, then rest for 1 minute. Do 5 rounds. Aim to get through each round without putting down both dumbbells.
Upright Row
Stand holding two dumbbells at your hips, abs and glutes tight. Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, lift them upwards. As they near shoulder height, row pull them back and squeeze your shoulder blades, as if doing a row. Lower with control. That’s 1 rep.
Dumbbell Snatch
Stand holding two dumbbells at your hips, abs and glutes tight, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Push your butt back slightly, holding the dumbbells between your legs, arms relaxed.
Stand explosively (you may rise onto your toes as you do this), and while pulling both dumbbells upwards. Keep the weights close to your body as you do this. As the weights approach shoulder height, powerfully punch them overhead, straightening your elbows and standing tall. Lower with control. That’s 1 rep. (Struggling with this one? Do 6 single-arm snatches on each side instead of working them with both arms.)
Overhead Press
Stand holding two dumbbells at your shoulders, abs and glutes tight, knees bent slightly. Press the dumbbells overhead, straightening your elbows. Lower back to your shoulders. That’s 1 rep; do 6.
Bent-Over Row
Stand holding dumbbells at your hips. Push your butt back slightly and lower your torso until it’s at about a 45-degree angle with the ground; keep the dumbbells close to your legs as you do this. This is the start. Keeping your abs and glutes tight, row the dumbbells to your ribcage. Lower with control. That’s 1 rep; do 6.
Dumbbell Snatch
Finish things off with one more round of dumbbell snatches.
This video is currently unavailable
){kind=icon}
Title: Nicholas Galitzine | Train Like | Men's Health
