Jonathan Majors has transformed his physique multiple times for Hollywood roles, and fitness experts are taking notice.
From his intimidating presence in Creed 3 to his bodybuilder portrayal in Magazine Dreams, the actor has showcased dedication to both training and nutrition.
Dr. Mike Israetel from RP Strength recently analyzed Majors’ workout techniques and diet protocols, offering insights into what works and what could be optimized.
The breakdown reveals surprising details about eating strategies, exercise form, and the realistic expectations anyone can have for similar transformations.
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A Naturally Achievable Hollywood Physique
When evaluating Majors’ physique for his various roles, Dr. Israetel gave high marks for achievability. “Hollywood actors wise, Jonathan Major’s body is like a 10 out of 10,” he noted, emphasizing the lean, well-proportioned build featuring developed arms, chest, delts, and back.
What stands out is the realistic nature of the transformation. At an estimated 10% body fat, this look doesn’t scream pharmaceutical enhancement. “Nothing about this screams steroid abuse or anything like that,” Dr. Israetel explained.
For those wondering if they could achieve something similar, the answer might be encouraging. This physique could be possible for maybe half or a third of folks within a few years of training and dieting, assuming proper dedication and favorable genetics.
Weighted Pull-Ups: Impressive Strength With Minor Flaws
Majors demonstrated exceptional pulling strength during his training sessions, performing weighted pull-ups with a 45-pound plate. Dr. Israetel was genuinely impressed: “This is more than I can do, and I’m apparently supposed to be good at this stuff.”
The technique on the single-plate variation was nearly flawless—complete range of motion, controlled eccentric lowering, and full stretching at the bottom. “I would just copy his technique straight up,” Dr. Israetel recommended.
When Ego Compromises Form
Things changed when Majors added a second 45-pound plate. While still impressive, the form degraded noticeably. He stopped achieving full elbow extension at the bottom and reduced the height of each rep.
People will fudge their technique to try to lift more weight to satisfy the ego. And that doesn’t make any sense.
This is a common mistake that sacrifices hypertrophy for numbers. The deep stretch position—which Majors abandoned with heavier weight—provides substantial muscle growth stimulus based on current research.
The smarter approach? Progressive overload with consistent form. Start with just 2.5 pounds added, increase by 2.5 pounds weekly, and within months you’ll reach impressive numbers while minimizing injury risk and maximizing growth.
The Diet That Built Two Different Physiques
Majors revealed significant nutritional differences between his film preparations. For Creed, his diet centered on rice and asparagus across four daily meals.
Magazine Dreams required a dramatically different strategy.
I got to have potatoes. But I would also have to eat two times more a day. So I went from four meals a day in Creed to six meals a day.
The addition of shakes brought his total to seven or eight feeding opportunities daily. This aggressive eating schedule supports the high caloric demands of building and maintaining muscle mass.
The Calorie Paradox
An interesting exchange occurred when discussing Magazine Dreams preparation. Majors mentioned getting “super conditioned” and losing body fat despite consuming more calories.
Don’t know how that happened. Trying to figure that one out.
Dr. Israetel noted this as a “cheeky nod” suggesting possible pharmaceutical assistance. Increased metabolic activity from certain compounds can create this counterintuitive fat loss despite higher food intake.
The Hollywood Steroid Question
Addressing the elephant in the room, Dr. Israetel provided nuanced perspective on performance-enhancing drug use in entertainment.
Contrary to popular belief, he estimates the fraction of celebrities using steroids is quite low because most transformations don’t require them. Additionally, actors prioritize facial appearance and skin quality, both of which suffer from anabolic compounds.
When enhancement does occur, the choice is typically Anavar (Oxandrolone):
- Creates fuller, puffier muscles
- Promotes fat loss and dryness
- Oral administration (no injections needed)
- Relatively mild side effects
- Effective in 4-8 week protocols
This compound provides that final “crispening” effect visible on screen without the dramatic health consequences of more aggressive protocols.
Dips: Shoulder Destroyer or Builder?
Majors demonstrated deep dips during training, prompting discussion about shoulder safety. Dr. Israetel challenged common misconceptions about this exercise.
Dips hurt shoulders when performed with:
- Rapid descent and ballistic reversal
- Excessive depth before proper adaptation
- Heavy loading without progressive preparation
However, controlled dips through progressively deeper ranges actually strengthen shoulder joints. Starting light, gradually increasing depth, then slowly adding resistance creates resilient, healthy shoulders while maximizing hypertrophy through stretched-position loading.
Leg Raises and Ab Training Reality
The training footage showed Majors performing hanging leg raises immediately after pull-ups without releasing the bar. While visually impressive, this approach has limitations.
Grip fatigue becomes the limiting factor rather than ab stimulation. A better protocol involves 15-30 second rest periods between exercises to maintain quality.
More importantly, Dr. Israetel addressed a common myth about ab exercises and visible definition.
If you can do leg raises like that, you’ll have abs like that. That’s probably true underneath body fat. But your abs will only show if you get lean and you can only get lean in the kitchen.
No amount of leg raises will reveal abs covered by adipose tissue. Nutritional discipline remains the non-negotiable requirement for visible abdominal development.
The Shrug Controversy
While Majors performed technically sound shrugs, Dr. Israetel questioned their inclusion for time-constrained individuals seeking optimal physique development.
Every deltoid variation—lateral raises, face pulls, upright rows, overhead pressing—heavily stimulates trapezius muscles. Adding dedicated trap work becomes redundant when deltoid training already provides substantial stimulus.
The recommendation: prioritize direct deltoid work, which creates impressive upper body width while simultaneously building traps. “Show me one person whose traps are too small for their delts,” Dr. Israetel challenged.
Key Takeaways for Natural Lifters
Jonathan Majors’ training demonstrates several principles applicable to anyone pursuing physique development:
- Prioritize technique over load – proper form beats ego lifting every time
- Progressive resistance matters – but only with consistent range of motion
- Frequent feeding supports muscle growth – though individual tolerance varies
- Deep ranges of motion build resilience – when approached progressively
- Compound movements provide efficiency – isolation work has diminishing returns
His physique represents an achievable standard for dedicated natural lifters with several years of consistent training. The combination of intelligent programming, nutritional commitment, and possibly strategic supplementation created the impressive results visible on screen.
Whether preparing for Creed 3 or Magazine Dreams, Majors’ approach emphasizes fundamentals—progressive overload, adequate nutrition, and exercise variety—proving that Hollywood transformations don’t always require pharmaceutical shortcuts.
