Marlon Wayans has plenty on his plate right now. As well as touring the US with his stand-up show, he's also reuniting with brothers Keenen and Shawn Wayans for Scary Movie 6, the latest instalment in the spoof franchise they helped create 25 years ago.
So when the 53-year-old walks gingerly into Elite Performance Clinic, a gym in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, grimacing because a rib is jabbing into his upper back, you might forgive him for taking a day off.
Not a chance.
He starts with 10 minutes in a redox room, a chamber filled with mineral-infused mist designed to help reduce oxidative stress. Then it’s into a spinal decompression chair for another 10 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of meditation.
It’s the calm before the sweat storm.
‘Sometimes you’re going to need to sit,’ says Wayans, tilting his head as a smirk spreads across his face. ‘You know you can go harder after you sit.’
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This more holistic approach is relatively new for Wayans, who might be in the best shape of his life.
Previously, he’d simply head to the gym, pick a body part and grind away.
‘I’m just moving,’ he says. ‘That in itself is a win, but when you talk with somebody who knows what the fuck they’re doing, it’s different.’
That somebody is trainer Adam Quinter, who has worked with Wayans for the past 18 months. One of Quinter’s first recommendations was that Wayans build a meditation room at home. He also prescribed daily 30-minute walks alongside full-body circuit sessions featuring six to eight exercises, three or four sets and 30 to 60 seconds’ rest between rounds.
Wayans says Quinter has helped him find balance. Not the kind that slows him down, but the kind that allows him to keep pushing without burning out.
‘I just go,’ he says.
With apologies to James Brown, Wayans may be the new Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness. He’s also a father of three.
‘The frequency I move at on a daily basis is not human,’ he says. ‘Sometimes I’ll go six months without a day off. I’ve always been a hard worker, but I have to learn to be a smart worker.’
His smart work begins with a yoga flow featuring a toe stretch, child’s pose, modified scorpion and pigeon pose.
Then Wayans drops into a plank while Quinter places a 15lb chain across his back.
He holds it for 60 seconds.
Three rounds later, he’s ready for the heavy work.
The circuit begins with chain-weighted push-ups. Next come step-ups on a 20-inch box while holding 30lb dumbbells. Then the chain returns, this time draped around his neck as he grinds out pull-ups while shouting a steady stream of obscenities.
The chain adds both load and instability. Romanian deadlifts follow, along with 25-yard sled pushes targeting the legs and core.
Wayans curses throughout but leans into the discomfort, relishing the process.
Wayans says he’s learning to connect the physical side of training with the deeper purpose behind his work.
Exercise provides a release, much like comedy.
After the deaths of his parents, he channelled his grief into a stand-up special. He’s currently working on another special focused on his eldest child, Kai, who transitioned.
‘It’s about my transition – dealing with them transitioning – as a father and how I went from denial to acceptance,’ says Wayans. ‘It’s beautiful, but the journey was painful.
‘When you come from that place, you’re not just telling jokes. You’re healing people – in a funny way.’
Wayans takes a sip of water and prepares for the final five exercises.
No slowing down.
And tomorrow?
He’ll do it all again – sore rib, heavy chain, colourful language and all.
Road Workouts
Wayans spends more nights in hotel rooms than in his own bed. That’s why trainer Adam Quinter designed a simple full-body workout that can be completed in almost any hotel gym.
Goblet Squat – 4 sets x 12-15 reps
Holding a dumbbell at your chest, bend your knees and lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Drive through your heels to return to standing.
Push-Up – 4 sets x 20 reps
Start with your hands beneath your shoulders and your feet on the floor. Lower until your elbows reach 90 degrees, then press back up.
Pull-Up – 4 sets x 3-8 reps
Hang from a pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Pull your chin to the bar before lowering under control.
