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FIGHTERS TRAIN ESPECIALLY hard in the lead up to their bouts, entering periods of intense, super-disciplined splits that push their limits to meet weight requirements and achieve peak skill and conditioning. Australian actor Daniel MacPherson<\/a> isn\u2019t actually a competitive fighter\u2014but he got a real taste of what a fight camp could look like when he prepped to play one for the new MMA movie, Beast.<\/p>\n \u201cThe training for Beast was the most intense thing I\u2019ve ever done in my life,\u201d MacPherson told MH from the iconic Gold\u2019s Gym in Venice Beach. \u201cI had 10 weeks to get into fight shape.\u201d The 45-year-old actor went through a rigorous process that included intermittent fasting and morning HIIT sessions paired with hours of martial arts lessons (Muay Thai, jiu jitsu, and boxing) combined with fight choreography. \u201cAll that challenge went onscreen, so we\u2019ve got this great intensity onscreen that I don\u2019t think has been matched in MMA films before.\u201d<\/p>\n Along with that intensity and skill, MacPherson says he also had to gain about 20 pounds for the role. He had a background in endurance sports\u2014specifically Ironman racing, which is no easy feat\u2014so he started the process leaner than the fighter he would have to become. He worked with a team of trainers, nutritionists, and coaches to pull it off.<\/p>\n MacPherson walked us through one of his Beast workouts and opened up about the unique challenge that came with shifting training focus in his early 40s, his dream MMA training partner, what it took to stand toe-to-toe with costars Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth, and more.<\/p>\n Daniel MacPherson\u2019s Beast-ly MMA Muscle WorkoutWarmupHip Mobility Stretches<\/p>\n 3 rounds of 3 minutes <\/p>\n Weighted Jump Rope<\/p>\n 3 rounds of 3 minutes<\/p>\n The WorkoutHanging Leg Raise<\/p>\n 1 set of 15 reps<\/p>\n Decline Weighted Situp<\/p>\n 1 set of 15 reps<\/p>\n Dumbbell Step-Up<\/p>\n 3 sets of 10 reps per leg<\/p>\n Barbell Deadlift<\/p>\n 4 sets of 8, 6, 4, 4<\/p>\n Box Jump<\/p>\n 4 sets<\/p>\n Military Press<\/p>\n 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps<\/p>\n Dumbbell Lateral Raise<\/p>\n 4 sets of 6 reps<\/p>\n Want more celebrity workout routines? Check out all of our Train Like videos<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men’s Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.<\/p>\n![\"Headshot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776283510_561_6d7305e4-79ea-4c6f-b658-2f1da9bf88ba_1653484937.file.png\" "\\"Headshot")
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