Hollywood heart-throb Taylor Kitsch is best known for his role in Friday Night Lights, but that’s all about to change. He’s got some major movies on the horizon, John Carter and Battleship, and keeps his workouts tough to keep up with the demands of his job. He graces the April cover of Men’s Health and opens up about his fitness philosophy, training tactics, his low-key approach to getting work in Hollywood, and settling in Austin, TX, instead of Los Angeles.
He’s got a great attitude about getting his butt up and going to the gym: “You never walk out of the gym and say, ‘I shouldn’t have gone.’”
How he gets through his cardio sessions: “People hate cardio. I hate cardio. But pick the five top songs that you love. Do your cardio during these songs, and you’re done. I’d say 95 percent of the time you don’t even know you just did it.”
Why he likes to box: “It’ll keep you honest, cause in the ring there’s nowhere to hide. It’s about pushing yourself and attempting to exceed those limits, and pushing the guy beside you. No bullsh*t! You’re here to really work hard. You knock out both cardio and weights, really, in an hour and a half, but you’re drenched 99 percent of the time. And you’re with someone.”
The cool thing about Friday Night Lights: “That’s the beauty of FNL. It’s legit. It’s real. People have problems.”
Taylor on staring in three of 2012’s mega-blockbusters: John Carter, Battleship, and Savages: “I’m an all-or-nothing person.”
Why he lives in Austin and avoids L.A: “I love to stay out of it. I don’t do the L.A. scene. I stay focused and very myopic. I don’t feel I need to prove myself or be in people’s faces, especially in this town.”
He has a low-key approach to getting work in Hollywood: “I’m not the guy who’s, like, ‘Hey, can you put me in your movie?”
Taylor Kitsch was certified as a nutritionist and trainer before he made it as an actor. Here’s his advice for maximizing your own time with a fitness coach.
1. Be clear about how the trainer can help you
Want bigger biceps? Or simply gearing up for your first 5-K? Set your goals and communicate them to your trainer. Then when things get tough, he or she can remind you what you’re working toward.
2. Take responsibility for your shortcomings
If you came home at 2 a.m. and ate half a cake, cop to it. Your trainer can work with you by taking that into account and maybe adding cardio that session. “Dude,” Kitsch says, “I’ve been there.”
3. Crank up your favorite tunes
“People hate cardio,” Kitsch says. “I hate cardio. But pick the five top songs that you love. Do your cardio during these songs, and you’re done. I’d say 95 percent of the time you don’t even know you just did it.”
4. Stay in it for the long haul
Everyone wants immediate results, Kitsch says. But it takes time for nutrition and exercise to transform a body. Don’t become frustrated if you’re not jacked overnight. ” Patience is huge,” Kitsch says. “Huge.”
5. Eat right, but don’t go crazy
Be aware of what you’re ingesting, says Kitsch. While you shouldn’t deprive yourself of the occasional pizza or beer, the idea is to have protein with every meal and eat complex carbs, especially in the morning.
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