Kellan Lutz’s Workout: Post-Twilight Workout Secrets… with Special Advice

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third installment of the mega-popular series officially opens in theaters June 30th, and it seems that the paparazzi still can’t get enough of headliners Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and last year’s fitness heartthrob, Taylor Lautner (see Taylor Lautner’s workout).

However, not to be outdone by his star-studded Twilight castmates is Kellan Lutz, who portrays the struggling “vegetarian” vampire Emmett.  The twenty-five-year-old has been earning his Hollywood acting chops since 2004 and is currently a frontline Calvin Klein underwear model.

Lutz appears shirtless – six-pack abs and all – on the cover of the July/August issue of Men’s Health.  He is currently the subject of a Men’s Health Celebrity Fitness feature by Jeff O’Connell entitled, Kellan Lutz’s Workout: Built for the Beach.

With all the attention surrounding Kellan these days, let’s have a look at what he does to stay fit, and whether his tactics hold any lessons for us.

Putting it all Together…

Think that getting into shape came easy for Kellan, then think again.  Although he had been working out for years, it wasn’t until hooking up with fellow actor Rich McDonald during the shooting of HBO’s Generation Kill (2007) that Lutz found the focus he needed to take his fitness to new heights.

In general, Kellan follows some basic workout strategies:

• A five-minute cardio warm-up.
• Some core exercises.
• A few sets of full-body movements.
• Simple, muscle-specific exercises that permit some in-training recovery before moving to more intense stuff.

Oh, You Wanted a Specific Kellan Lutz Workout?  OK, you got it!

Kellan offers up his formula for workout success below* :

• Reverse Crunch (20 Reps)
• V-UP (20 Reps)
• Barbell Front Squat to Push Press (12 Reps)
• Pushup (12 Reps)
• Incline dumbbell press (12 Reps)
• Explosive pushup (12 Reps)
• Lunge (12 Reps)
• Goblet squat (12 Reps)

Complete one set of each exercise in succession.  Rest, drink some water, and repeat.  Gradually work towards three circuits as your muscular strength and stamina increase.

Thanks to McDonald, Kellan has learned to back off when he’s feeling too exhausted.  As any competent trainer will tell you, it’s better to have the right form and technique than risk injury by overdoing it.

Nutritional Hints

Even the most dedicated workout freak knows (or should know) that nutrition is responsible for as much as seventy percent of overall fitness improvements.  So, it’s refreshing that Kellan Lutz has publicly offered these ideas for thought:

• Breakfast every day.  It’s your most important meal and keeps you energetic throughout the morning.
• Five or six small meals daily, so that you are never too hungry and less susceptible to overeating.  Lots of fresh fruit.
• Hard-boiled egg before bed to keep your metabolism high while sleeping.
• Uses a calorie counter as a motivation tool and to track your food intake.

Before Jumping on any Celebrity Workout Craze…

As a result of Lutz’ growing notoriety, fansites across the World Wide Web (WWW) continue to declare their admiration (envy?) for his lean and powerful physique.

Everyone is dying to try the ‘Kellan Lutz workout’ above, but Kellan prefers to keep things real for his fans:

1. Try and find a workout buddy, because you’ll motivate and be accountable to each other, plus buddies tend to enjoy their workouts more than solo gym enthusiasts.
2. Bring in some friendly competition.  Create fun games to play with your workout buddy to ease the workout tension.  If your partner isn’t available or you don’t have one, team up with your trainer or a friendly regular at your fitness facility.
3. Pay attention guys – take it easy on your abdominal muscles!  Work them harder, but less often.
4. Proportional body growth is the best.  That means proper training for the upper body (arms, shoulders), lower body (legs), and core (abs, back, hips) throughout the week.

Leaving aside all the crunches, lunges, etc., perhaps Lutz’ best advice for people is to have fun while staying active.  Outside the gym, Kellan Lutz enjoys swimming, hiking, and walking his dog (no running!).  Regardless of our current fitness level, moving around in daily life is always a good thing.

“Is Kellan Lutz’s workout appropriate for someone like me?”

Moving away from Twilight, Kellan Lutz seems to have his fitness and nutrition priorities straight – which should keep him busy in Hollywood for many years to come.

However, most of us don’t have the luxury of working out whenever we want, and are (unfortunately) tied down by overly sedentary lifestyle habits.

The lifestyle of a Kellan Lutz is likely out of reach.  However, you can always improve your health, eat better, and get into the type of shape that makes you and those around you proud.

* O’Connell, Jeff. “Kellan Lutz Workout:  Built for the Beach.”  www.menshealth.com.