Ryan Reynolds builds his Deadpool physique under trainer Don Saladino, who has been working with Reynolds since 2009 and designs the official training program for all three Deadpool films. The relationship spans more than 15 years of consistent preparation and maintenance.
Saladino's approach is structured around a five-day split that combines functional training with conventional compound lifting. The Deadpool physique is about proportionate, athletic build rather than maximum muscle mass.
This article covers the five-day split Saladino designs for the original Deadpool preparation in 2014, the training principles he applies across all Reynolds' film preparations, and how the program intensifies for Deadpool and Wolverine.
The Don Saladino Training Philosophy
"The goal is to look and feel great long-term, not just for one photo shoot." - Don Saladino, trainer
Saladino's programming philosophy centers on sustainable performance rather than peak transformation. The goal is a body that can be maintained year-round through consistent training rather than one requiring extreme preparation that declines between productions.
Each session begins with mobility and movement preparation before any loaded work. Training a body that cannot move well through its full range of motion produces injury risk and compensation patterns that undercut performance in the action sequences Reynolds' roles demand.
Weekly Training Split
"Don Saladino has trained Ryan Reynolds since 2009 and trained him for all three Deadpool movies." - Don Saladino
| Day | Focus | Primary Movements |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Legs | Squats, leg press, lunges, hamstring work |
| Tuesday | Chest | Bench press, incline press, cable fly |
| Wednesday | Arms | Bicep curls, skull crushers, tricep pushdowns |
| Thursday | Back | Deadlifts, chin-ups, rows |
| Friday | Shoulders and Abs | Bottom-up press, lateral raise, core circuit |
| Saturday | Rest or active recovery | Light movement, mobility |
| Sunday | Rest | Full rest |
Monday: Legs
"The goal is to look and feel great long-term." - Don Saladino, trainer
Monday's leg session builds the lower body foundation Saladino considers the most important element of a proportionate physique. Strong legs support heavier loading on upper body movements and improve the hormonal response to training through the large muscle groups involved.
The session opens with hip and ankle mobility work, which are the most common limiting factors in squat depth for athletes who come to training without an athletic background.
- Mobility warm-up: 10 minutes hip and ankle work
- Back squat: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Leg press: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Romanian deadlift: 3 sets x 10 reps
- Walking lunge: 3 sets x 12 reps per leg
- Leg curl: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Standing calf raise: 4 sets x 15 reps
Tuesday: Chest
"The program is focused on lean proteins and complex carbs alongside functional training." - Don Saladino, trainer
Tuesday chest work uses barbell bench press as the primary strength movement before transitioning to dumbbell and cable work for volume and definition. Saladino programs incline pressing as a secondary movement to develop the upper chest fullness that creates the visual impression of a powerful torso.
- Barbell bench press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Incline dumbbell press: 4 sets x 10 reps
- Dumbbell fly: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Cable crossover: 3 sets x 15 reps
- Push-ups: 3 sets to failure
Wednesday: Arms
"The goal is to look and feel great long-term, not just for one photo shoot." - Don Saladino, trainer
Wednesday is dedicated to arm development with balanced volume across biceps and triceps. The session uses chin-ups to pre-fatigue the biceps under functional load before moving to isolation curls, and skull crushers alongside pushdowns to develop tricep mass and definition.
- Chin-ups: 4 sets x 8 reps
- Barbell curl: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Hammer curl: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Concentration curl: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Skull crusher: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Tricep pushdown: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
- Overhead tricep extension: 3 sets x 12 reps
Thursday: Back
"Don Saladino's program is built on the conventional deadlift as the most important movement for total body strength." - Don Saladino, trainer
Thursday's back session anchors pulling work around deadlifts and chin-ups as the primary strength movements. Rows and pulldowns add the volume that builds lat width and mid-back thickness. Saladino considers the deadlift the most important movement in Reynolds' program for its ability to develop total body strength and posterior chain mass.
- Conventional deadlift: 4 sets x 5-6 reps
- Weighted chin-ups: 4 sets x 8 reps
- Bent-over barbell row: 4 sets x 10 reps
- Seated cable row: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Lat pulldown: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Face pull: 3 sets x 15 reps
Friday: Shoulders and Abs
"The bottom-up press develops shoulder stability alongside pressing strength." - Don Saladino, trainer
Friday's shoulder session uses the bottom-up kettlebell press as its signature movement. The bottom-up position requires the wrist, elbow, and shoulder to maintain alignment under load, developing the stabilizer muscles that conventional pressing does not address. Lateral raise volume is high because shoulder width is the primary visual driver of the V-taper that defines the Deadpool suit's silhouette.
- Bottom-up kettlebell press: 4 sets x 8 reps per side
- Seated dumbbell overhead press: 4 sets x 10 reps
- Lateral raise: 5 sets x 15 reps
- Front raise: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Rear delt fly: 4 sets x 15 reps
- Ab wheel rollout: 4 sets x 12 reps
- Hanging leg raise: 4 sets x 15 reps
- Plank: 3 x 60 seconds
Deadpool and Wolverine Preparation
"The goal is to look and feel great long-term." - Don Saladino, trainer
For Deadpool and Wolverine, Saladino intensifies the program to account for the requirement to match Hugh Jackman's Wolverine physique on screen simultaneously. Reynolds adds additional volume to shoulder and arm sessions and increases the frequency of conditioning work to reduce body fat below his standard maintenance level.
The dual-star requirement creates a preparation context where looking proportionate alongside Jackman, who carries significantly more muscle mass, demands both increased size and reduced body fat at the same time.
Explore Similar Routines
- Hugh Jackman's Workout Routine. Reynolds trains alongside Jackman for Deadpool and Wolverine; the two programs can be compared directly to understand how different trainers approach the same superhero conditioning goal.
- Chris Evans' Workout Routine. Evans' Captain America preparation shares Reynolds' functional approach to superhero physique building, prioritizing athletic movement quality alongside visible muscle development.
- Henry Cavill's Workout Routine. Cavill's Gym Jones program represents the opposite end of the intensity spectrum from Saladino's sustainable year-round approach, showing how different philosophies reach comparable results through contrasting methods.
- Zac Efron's Workout Routine. Efron's Baywatch preparation shares Reynolds' emphasis on proportionate athletic development rather than maximum muscle accumulation.
Saladino's program runs Monday through Friday, legs, chest, arms, back, then shoulders and abs, anchored on compound lifts and a handful of functional staples. The gear below covers the signature and most-loaded movements in the split.