Rob McElhenney Shares His Jacked Mac Workout
There are certain people we expect to have muscles. As superhero movies have become the dominant format for popular culture, that has led a particular group of men in Hollywood – a disproportionate number of them named Chris – to bulk up to nearly inconceivable proportions.
Every now and then, a wildcard joins this group. First was the least likely of the Chrises (Pratt), then Jim from The Office became an action star, and most recently Kumail Nanjiani, best known for schlubby nerd striving in HBO' Silicon Valley, got ridiculously ripped for a Marvel movie.
All of these guys were funny, and all of them got jacked to go serious (or at least to look convincing for action sequences). Enter Rob McElhenney, the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator and star, who transformed his body into a lean, ripped physique, too – as a bit for his comedy show. That's a big stretch from bulking up to save the world.
McElhenney caught the fitness and training bug after the dramatic transformation – about which he spoke to business partner and honorary Men's Health scribe Ryan Reynolds at length for an expansive cover story interview – so even though he's no longer as big as his Jacked Mac peak, he's still dedicated to working out as a part of his lifestyle. McElhenny specifically credits his exercise routine as a major tool to combat the stresses of the pandemic over the last year, calling it "a huge part of my mental health." He says the one perk of the period was that he was able to do whatever workout he wanted, since there was project he needed to train to mould his body to fit.
The actor and trainer Arin Babian met up with the MH crew to break down his chest day routine—one that he says his trainer would allow him to do under normal conditions. There's bench, there are dumbbells, and most importantly, a big weight lifting challenge issued to McElhenney's Alway Sunny co-star Danny DeVito.
Rob McElhenney's Fire Hydrant Workout
Warmup
2 sets of 20 reps
Cable Internal Rotations
Cable External Rotations
The Workout
Bench Press (Smith Machine)
7 rounds of descending reps with higher weight
Incline Dumbbell Press
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Machine Cable Fly
4 sets of 10 reps
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