Joe Manganiello Workout Routine
You can now add the “Werewolf” to Ron Mathew’s list of popular workouts. Manganiello’s towering physique is also famous from his roles on One Tree Hill, ER, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, and Spiderman 3. Magic Mike opened June 29th.
The Joe Manganiello workout is performed twice a day, 6 days a week: (Morning cardio and weightlifting). The diet uses a strict diet of 2,500 calories per day. Chicken breasts are the staple of almost every meal. Cardio workouts are done in the morning, at low-intensity, and on an empty stomach. Low-intensity ensures that the Werewolf burns fat, not muscle. Empty stomach exercise used to be unpopular. Now, studies are showing to get rid of fat, you don’t want to eat before a workout.
“You get cast as a shifter on True Blood, and you know that nudity is on its way. Aside from not wanting to embarrass my family, I wanted the character to be ripped. I didn’t want an extra ounce of fat on me. I wanted to be the animal.”
Joe Manganiello was already ripped when he began training. Ron Mathews wanted Manganiello to lose some flab to show off the definition he already had. Manganiello had been doing heavy weight bench and squats. So the goal of the Joe Manganiello was to sculpt down his 240 pound body into a more chiseled look. Joe Manganiello’s diet was crucial in helping him get there.
As a werewolf, he also wanted to be able to move a certain, more agile way. Mathews had Manganiello do minimal rest time between lifts. They used a low-weight, high-rep, cardio-intensive workout. The Joe Manganiello splits morning workouts between elliptical training and interval treadmill training. Manganiello dropped 12 pounds and lowered his body fat from 18 percent to 8 percent.
“Everybody is looking for this fad diet or something, but there really is no secret. There is no fad. Just exercise. Get in there and break a sweat every day. That’s my secret. My secret is, ‘There is no secret.’”
Joe Manganiello is often asked about his workout routine. The key to Joe’s body is that he is always working the ends of each muscle. If you work the bulky part of the muscle, it gets bigger. When you work the ends, you create more definition. The perfect example is the Finger Tip Pull Ups Joe does. This pull up exercise variation helped Joe Manganiello chisel down his back.
The Joe Manganiello workout is a program that he and his trainer have shared in:
- The New York Post
- In Style
- Men’s Fitness UK
- Details Magazine
Joe Manganiello Workout Monday Routine
- 1 hour cardio on Elliptical Machine
- 1.5 hours weightlifting (Chest, Legs):
Joe Manganiello Workout Monday Routine
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | Bicep Curls | in between sets |
| Incline press | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | Bicep Curls | in between sets |
| DB Chest Flys | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | roll DBs across the | ground between sets |
| Cable Flys | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| One Legged Squat | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | KB Goblet Squats | in between sets |
| Leg curls | 3-4 | 12 | 60 secs | Plyo Squat Jumps | in between sets |
| Leg extensions | 3-4 | 12 | 60 secs | ||
| Stiff-Legged Deadlift | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Calf raises | 3-4 | 15 | 60 secs | ||
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3-4 | 12 | 60 secs | Bench Hip Ups | Superset (if you can) |
- Bench press (with bicep curls in between sets)
- Incline press (with bicep curls in between sets)
- Chest Flys with Dumbbells (roll them across the ground)
- Cable Flys
- One Legged Squat (This increases balance/strength/agility)
- Leg curls
- Leg extensions
- Calf raises
- Hanging Leg Raises (hold onto a pullup bar and then have your feet touch your hands)
Joe Manganiello did not say how many reps/sets he performed. If you’re looking for muscle building reps and sets, the latest research says to do 3-4 (sometimes even 5) sets of 8-12 reps. Aim for a weight where you begin to fatigue at 8 reps. If you can do more, try to get to 12 reps. Do not compromise proper form.
Trainer Ron Mathews says about the Joe Manganiello Workout on Chest day:
“The way you have to lift for this is literally almost no rest. We’d do a set of chest, then go right into a set of biceps, and then go back into a set of chest, so your chest is resting while your biceps are working and vice versa. But your heart rate isn’t resting at all. So after about 20 minutes, it feels like you’re doing sprints.”
Joe Manganiello Workout Tuesday Routine
- 1 hour cardio on Treadmill (Interval Training)
- 1.5 hours weightlifting (Back, Biceps):
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lat pull-downs | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Seated Pulley Rows | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Pullups | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | finger tips only | (if you can) |
| Bicep Curls | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Bicep Curls w/Twist | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Hammer Curls | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Functional Cable Curls | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Tire Throws | 3 | 15 | 30 secs | ||
| Crazy Crunches | 3 | 25+ | 30 secs | do more if you can | go till failure |
Workout Descriptions:
- Lat pull-downs
- Seated Pulley Rows
- Finger Tip Pullups
- Bicep Curls
- Bicep Curls with a Twist
- Hammer Curls
- Functional Cable Curls
- Tire Throws
- Crazy Crunches
Trainer Ron Mathews says about the Joe Manganiello Workout on Back/Biceps day:
“Every time he did a functional cable curl, we’d change the direction that the arms were coming together, so it was stimulating slightly different fibers every time. We were always trying to work the ends of the muscles so you can see the separation and the definition instead of just working the belly of the muscle, which makes you look bigger and bulky in size.”
Joe Manganiello Workout Wednesday Routine
- 1 hour cardio on Elliptical Machine
- 1.5 hours weightlifting (Shoulders, Triceps):
Joe Manganiello Workout Wednesday Routine
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military press | 3-5+ | 8 | 60 secs | drop sets- keep going | lowering weight |
| Lat Dumbbell Raises | 3-5+ | 8 | 60 secs | drop sets- keep going | each set |
| Triceps press-downs | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Cable Flys | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | focus on shoulder | and triceps |
| Medicine Ball Slam | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Diamond Pushups | 3-4 | 8 | 60 secs | ||
| Dips | 3-4 | 15 | 60 secs | Hanging Leg Raises | between sets |
| Plank Pushups | 3 | 15+ | 60 secs | till failure | |
| Ab Crunches | 3-4 | 25+ | 60 secs | till failure |
Workout Descriptions:
- Military press
- Lateral Dumbbell Raises
- Triceps press-downs
- Cable Flys
- Medicine Ball Slam
- Diamond Pushups (narrow grip works triceps)
- Dips with Leg Raise
- Plank Pushups with Exercise Ball
- Ab Crunches
Trainer Ron Mathews says about the Joe Manganiello Workout on Shoulders day:
“We did a lot of drop sets where he would start heavy and I’d keep lowering the weight until he couldn’t lift even the lightest of weights anymore.”
Joe Manganiello has such an awesome body, I want his ability to turn into a wolf though. His workout looks tough, nice to have a celebrity trainer there motivating you though. Must be nice.
I was a track and field athlete at Indiana University and I’ve used this type of workout to inspire my post college full fitness plan. It’s here if you want to see it
Joe is 6’5 and 35 years old. I’m only 6’2 so I’m doing what I can, but this guy looks how we all want to look. It’s all about not settling when you’re good, but pushing through until you are perfect.
One does not simply waltz into Jacked City…
Wow workout tips from captain upper-body? People shouldn’t be reading his workout, he has some awesome chicken legs.
“Ron Mathews wanted Manganiello to loose some flab” – It’s “lose” ….. not “loose”
Fixed. Thanks, SP.
hello friend
how many sets and how many rep, thank you, bye bye
Great question. Joe Manganiello and his trainer did not disclose how many reps/sets they do. That’s why I didn’t list them. But I should list something for you to try. I’ll add a table with suggested reps/sets for you real soon.
I look …..thanks
Hey Chris,
I see above you stated that you would try to come up with a rep/set table for this workout but I was wondering if you had gotten to it? I want to try this workout.
The Joe Manganiello workout has been updated with tables, reps and sets. Have at it–let me know if you have questions!
Hi i cant do the dumbell rollouts its so difficult Can i change tha move for push ups?
Yes, you can sub in wide grip pushups. The wide grip will help mimic the rollouts.
Thanks Chris you are the best :D
Also, make sure to check out the new Magic Mike workout that shows how Joe Manganiello got his six-pack and more.
This can’t be exactly what Joe or Ron said. In one paragraph you talk about diet. That there is no secret. Just go to the gym and exercise. Wtf? A diet is what you eat. Nothing about weights at the gym. Also, he must be doing 10 sets to be working out for 2 hours. Plus he weughed 260 and is now 220. Not your 12 pounds from 18 to 8% percent bodyfat. 12 pounds is not a jump in 10% bodyfat. No way! And one big advantage like me is that being tall looks the best when you get ripped.
This is exactly what Joe said in Mens Fitness UK:
“Everybody is looking for this fad diet or something, but there really is no secret. There is no fad. Just exercise. Get in there and break a sweat every day. That’s my secret. My secret is, ‘There is no secret.’”
What he means is there is no fad, just hard work. Believe in the exercises, coupled with a proper diet. He uses a strict diet of 2,500 calories per day. Chicken breasts are the staple of almost every meal.
In the magazines, he claims he started at 240. He could have been higher at some point later. he admits to falling off the wagon. You can’t measure pounds to body fat, without thinking about the combination of muscle gained vs. fat lost. Joe Manganiello told the magazines the workouts were 2 hours. But, in his recent book he says 1.5, so I have adjusted the workout based on his book, Evolution.
For a much more detailed look at Joe Manganiello’s transformation see the Magic Mike workout here.
Any substitute for the tire throws and medicine ball slams? Thanks Chris
Rope slams are the best alternative. But, if you don’t have access to medicine balls, you may not have access to ropes, either.
Kettlebell swings, while not an exact sub, are another option. Watch a couple videos on technique before ever starting KB swings. If you don’t have access to them, get one at Amazon, or use a dumbbell instead.
i also saw on mens health uk magazine the july 2011 issue that he didnt took rest between sets to kept his body burning fat can i do the same with this workout?
Yes, Joe Manganiello does a lot of work in between sets. Check the Notes/Detail sections of Monday’s workout to see that he does bicep curls in between bench press. The key–in taking no rest–is to work 2 different muscle groups, one after the other.
You don’t want to work the same muscle group, constantly, with no rest. That doesn’t give your body enough time to recover. Also, check out the Magic Mike Workout: How Joe Manganiello Got A Six-Pack for an updated article I did after reading his book.
It has a lot of the no-rest supersets that you’re looking for.