Building superhero muscle takes time, dedication, and the right moves.

Ryan Reynolds has long graced the silver screen, from his earlier romantic comedies like Just Friends to his more recent roles as the antihero Deadpool and the superhero Green Lantern. He works with his personal trainer, Don Saladino, to stay in shape and help him prepare for his upcoming roles. Don Saladino has trained a number of celebrities and remains a renowned and innovative personal trainer, always challenging himself to build muscle and strength without gaining body fat. 

Don shares his workouts and workout tips on his Instagram and recently with Business Insider. He also offers programs and challenges on his website. Don’s training routine includes hockey, strength and interval training, and sauna and cold plunge for recovery. Let’s look at some of the top ways Ryan Reynold’s celebrity fitness trainer stays in the best shape of his life in his 40s, with better body composition than when he was in his 20s. We can look at the benefits of incorporating these types of workouts into your schedule.

Weightlifting

Of course, weight lifting is on Don Saladino’s list at least four times a week, including both upper and lower body movements. He powers through moves like bench presses and low bar back squats. Don also fits in pulling moves, such as pull-ups, and pushing moves, like overhead presses.

Weightlifting is a form of resistance training where you use external resistance in the form of kettlebells, barbells, dumbbells, resistance bands, or weight machines to help fuel muscle strength and growth and aid fat loss. Resistance training can reduce your risk of osteoporosis, improve muscle mass, and improve bone health and quality of life. 

Here are some more examples of resistance training exercises:

• Resistance band bicep curl
• Dumbbell bicep curl
• The dumbbell row
• Chest press machine
• Leg press machine

Playing sports for fun

Playing sports doesn’t feel like working out, but you get plenty of benefits from moving your muscles and fine-tuning your agility. Don Saladino plays hockey twice a week. You can choose from plenty of different sports until you find what suits you best. Playing sports that involve a lot of sprinting or fast movements, such as hockey, basketball, or soccer, are considered vigorous activities that raise your heart rate, promote fat loss, and enhance your overall fitness. There’s also a sense of community when you get involved with sports teams.

Interval training and steady-state cardio

Don Saladino incorporates interval training and steady-state cardio to help enhance his cardiovascular fitness. He performs tough and short interval workouts twice a week, such as using a SkiErg or sprinting on a curved treadmill. High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is an excellent way to burn calories, boost your metabolism, and generate results.

Here are some examples of HIIT moves:

• Burpees
• Sprints
• Kettlebell swings
• Mountain climbers
• Flutter kicks
• Plyo push-ups

Don makes sure he fits in one steady-state cardio workout every week and uses a stair mill or goes jogging. Mixing up your workout routine with vigorous exercise, steady-state cardio, and fun sports maximizes your results and motivates you to stay on track with your fitness goals.