Brad Pitt’s Fight Club Workout

Probably one of the most admired physiques, as far as Hollywood characters is concerned, is Brad Pitt’s Tyler Durden in Fight Club.

Weighing in at only 150-155 pounds and with only 5-6% body fat, Pitt maintained this physique by focusing on one muscle group per day, allowing for full recovery and maximizing his muscle growth potential over an extended period of time, similar to a bodybuilder’s periodization schedule.

Saving the cardio till the end of the week, Pitt would work at the maximum target heart rate with an intense session to burn off any unwanted fat, without sacrificing muscle.

For his next role in Snatch, Pitt eased off from his intense workout schedule and gained weight for a more healthy 8% body fat.

Workout Schedule

Most of these exercises were performed at 3 sets of 15-25 reps, weight is in pounds.

Monday – Chest

75 push-ups

Bench press – 165, 195, 225 (25, 15, 8 reps)

Nautilus press – 80, 100, 130

Incline press – 80, 100, 130

Pec deck machine – 60, 70, 80

Tuesday – Back

25 pull-ups

Seated rows – 75, 80, 85

Lat pulldowns – 135, 150, 165

T-bar rows – 80, 95, 110

Wednesday – Shoulders

Arnold press – 55

Laterals – 30

Front raises – 25

Thursday – Biceps & Triceps

Preacher curls machine – 60, 80, 95

EZ curls cable – 50, 65, 80

Hammer curls – 30, 45, 55

Pushdowns – 70, 85, 100

Friday – Cardio

Treadmill 60 minutes – 80-90% MHR

Saturday – Cardio

Treadmill 60 minutes 80-90% MHR

Sunday – Rest

Nutrition Plan

Sticking to a high protein diet with six smaller meals spread out through the day, Pitt stuck to a clean diet supplemented with whey protein powder and protein bars.

Breakfast

Eggs – 6 whites, 7 yolks

75 g oatmeal with raisins

Depending on his schedule, Pitt would substitute the eggs for a protein shake.

Mid-morning snack

Tuna on wholewheat

Lunch

2 chicken breasts

75-100 g brown rice or pasta and green veggies

Afternoon Snack (pre-workout)

Protein bar

Whey protein isolate shake

Banana

Post-workout Snack

Whey protein shake

Banana

Dinner

Grilled fish or chicken

Brown rice or pasta

Veggies and salad

Evening Snack

Whey protein isolate shake

Or low fat cottage cheese (slow release protein)

A Note on Protein

Protein powders are an excellent way of providing the body with the nutrients it needs to perform well before and after training. Protein powders are the secret weapon in any serious trainer’s arsenal. Whey protein is a rich source of essential amino acids and is a natural, pure and high quality protein. Whey protein isolate, such as that used in ISOFLEX, is the purest form of whey protein and provides high performance nutrition for the body to help with cellular repair, muscular growth, healthy bones, increased energy and metabolic maintenance. Whether you want to bulk up or lose weight, dietary supplements will help you reach your goals faster, safer and with better results.