Jessica Biel is consistently ranked among the most athletic figures in Hollywood, and her physique in 2026 backs that reputation completely. At 42, she trains five days per week with a program built around functional movement, outdoor conditioning, and progressive resistance work.
Her longtime trainer is Jason Walsh of Rise Movement gym in Los Angeles, a coach known for athletic-first programming rather than aesthetic-only approaches. Walsh's method focuses on movement quality, real-world strength patterns, and outdoor sessions that keep training engaging rather than repetitive.
Biel's goal has never been purely aesthetic. She has stated publicly that she wants to be capable and athletic, not just lean, and her program reflects that priority through compound lifts, trail runs, and full-body circuits that build genuine performance.
The Jason Walsh Method: Athletic Over Aesthetic
Jason Walsh, Hemsworth's trainer since his early Thor preparations, designs programs around functional movement patterns rather than pure bodybuilding splits. His Rise Movement philosophy centers on functional patterns: hinge mechanics, lateral stability, rotational power, and locomotion-based conditioning that translates to real physical capability.
For Biel specifically, Walsh programs sled pushes, loaded carries, step-up variations, and circuit sequences that blend strength and cardiovascular demand into single sessions. The outdoor element is consistent: hiking and trail running in the Santa Monica Mountains and Griffith Park area feature regularly in her weekly schedule.
"I want to be able to do stuff. I want to be athletic, not just thin." - Jessica Biel
That philosophy drives every programming decision Walsh makes for her. The training is built to produce capability first, with the physique being the natural result of consistent athletic work.
Weekly Training Split
| Day | Primary Focus | Secondary Work |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lower Body Strength | Glute activation, sled push finisher |
| Tuesday | Outdoor Cardio | Trail run or hill hike, 45-60 min |
| Wednesday | Upper Body Strength | Pressing, pulling, rotational core work |
| Thursday | Full-Body Circuit | Loaded carries, kettlebell flows, conditioning |
| Friday | Outdoor Cardio | Trail run, bodyweight movement outdoors |
| Saturday | Active Recovery | Yoga, light walking, mobility work |
| Sunday | Rest | Full recovery |
Lower Body and Glute Training
Biel's lower body sessions are the centerpiece of her weekly program and the reason her physique is so frequently cited as a benchmark. Walsh programs hip hinge patterns, single-leg work, and sled variations that develop the glutes and hamstrings together as a functional unit rather than isolating them artificially.
Key movements in her lower body sessions include Romanian deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, hip thrusts, lateral band walks, and cable pull-throughs. Sessions typically run 45 to 55 minutes with short rest intervals to maintain metabolic demand throughout.
Circuit Training and Conditioning
Walsh uses circuit formats heavily because they match Biel's stated preference: training needs to stay fun and dynamic or consistency breaks down. Full-body circuits combine resistance movements with locomotion drills, keeping heart rate elevated and reducing the monotony of straight sets.
A typical circuit session might include goblet squats, sled pushes, TRX rows, medicine ball slams, and box step-ups, each performed for time rather than fixed reps. Rest is minimal between exercises and structured between full rounds.
"I try to keep it fun. If it's not fun, I'm not going to do it." - Jessica Biel
Outdoor Running and Trail Work
Two of Biel's five weekly sessions are dedicated to outdoor cardiovascular training rather than gym work. Trail running in the Los Angeles hills provides both aerobic conditioning and lower-body strength stimulus from uneven terrain and elevation changes.
Sessions typically last 45 to 60 minutes at a conversational to moderate pace, with hill repeats incorporated periodically for intensity variation. Hiking replaces running on lower-intensity recovery days within this block.
Upper Body and Core Training
Biel's upper body sessions follow the same functional-first logic as her lower body work, emphasizing pulling strength, pressing mechanics, and rotational core stability over isolated aesthetic movements. Walsh programs rows, pull variations, landmine presses, and anti-rotation core drills as the primary movement categories.
Core work is integrated throughout every session rather than relegated to a finisher, using exercises like Pallof presses, cable woodchops, and dead bugs that build genuine trunk stability for real-world and performance demands.
The System
Jessica Biel's program in 2026 is the product of over a decade of consistent work with a coach who prioritizes athletic capability over aesthetic shortcuts. The combination of structured strength sessions, outdoor conditioning, and genuine enjoyment of the training process is what makes the approach sustainable across years rather than months.
Walsh's programming gives her a framework that adapts to her schedule, energy levels, and role-specific demands without losing its core identity: move well, build real strength, get outside. The results are visible and consistent because the process is built to last.
For anyone building a program around similar principles, the non-negotiables are the same as Biel's: prioritize functional strength patterns, add outdoor work to break monotony, and protect recovery with sleep and proper nutrition. Those three elements drive everything else.
Explore Similar Routines
- Taylor Swift's Workout Routine. Another celebrity who builds training around performance demands rather than pure aesthetics, with a mix of cardio and strength work.
- Teyana Taylor's Workout Routine. One of Hollywood's most cited physiques, built through dance-based conditioning and dedicated strength training.
- Megan Thee Stallion's Workout Routine. A glute-and-leg-focused program with documented gym sessions and a strong emphasis on lower body development.
- Mark Wahlberg's Workout Routine. A similarly trainer-driven approach to Hollywood physique maintenance with an emphasis on functional strength and early-morning consistency.
