Lead actor of the hit Amazon Prime show details how testosterone replacement helped him get season 2 ready
In the original novels written by Lee Childs, Jack Reacher is described as ‘extremely tall’ and ‘extremely broad.’ While it is easy to write that down on paper and find a tall actor to play the part, it is not as easy to find someone who is tall AND built like an absolute tank. However, there was one man that was perfect to complete the task, Alan Ritchson. You may have seen him as “Thad” in the show Blue Mountain State, but he has officially taken on the role as Jack Reacher, and he plays the part well.
Ritchson stands at 6’5” tall, and usually weighs around 205 lbs. However, for taking on the role of Jack Reacher, he put on 30 lbs of muscle and stepped on screen at 235 lbs. That’s not a pudgy 235 lbs either, he is absolutely shredded. You also may have noticed that between season 1 and season 2 of the show, Ritchson looked noticeably bigger, and his body fat percentage did not go up.
Recently, Ritchson has been speaking to Men’s Health UK about how he went about getting into shape to play the absolute unit of a hero. Alan Ritchson also dives into why he decided to take a different approach, using testosterone replacement therapy, ahead of the show’s second season. Let’s dive in.
Who is Alan Ritchson?
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Full Name: Alan Ritchson (Actor) |
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| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 205-235 lbs | 6’5″ | 1982 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| None | 2010s, 2020s | American |
Born on November 28, 1982, Alan Ritchson is an American actor known for breakout role in the Amazon Series, REACHER. Ritchson first made his acting debut as the superhero Aquaman, also known as Arthur Curry, on The CW superhero series Smallville (2005–2010). This is where Ritchson appeared as a guest star between the fifth and tenth seasons of the show.
Ritchson gained further recognition for portraying Thad Castle on the Spike TV sitcom Blue Mountain State (2010–2012). He then reprised the role of Thad Castle in the 2016 film sequel. In 2018 Ritchson returned to the superhero side of television as Hank Hall, also known as Hawk on the DC Universe, HBO Max series Titans.
Alan Ritchson’s Muscle Mass
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Before filming the first season Reacher, the now 41-year-old actor Alan Rtichson was given the task of putting on 30 lbs in eight months, something that is extremely difficult to do, especially when aiming for it to be all muscle mass. Ritchson has explained in previous interviews how he built himself a home gym so he could put himself through the most intense workouts, and he certainly got the work done. However, he recently revealed to Men’s Health that these intense workouts had come with some consequences.
Alan Ritchson said that he had “ravaged” his body to get in shape for season one of Reacher, and that left him pretty much in shambles. He also was left with a hormone imbalance in his body. Now, many people speculated that Ritchson was on steroids for season one, but he emphasizes that it was not until after that season that he had started with testosterone. This was due to the stress and fatigue that followed that season, which were consequences of building that physique. Putting yourself through vigorous workouts at that age can really take a toll, as it can almost be overtraining.
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Ritchson knew that his body wasn’t the same after that first season, and he needed some help if he was going to continue playing Reacher for years to come, and this is one of the reasons why he has become a proponent of men looking to explore TRT as they enter middle age.
Ritchson stated that getting on testosterone replacement therapy was huge for him, as he had none by the time he was done filming season one. This is due to the intense workouts over stressing his body, and at his age it is harder to recover. That being said, he knew he wanted to play the character of Jack Reacher for years to come, and did not want to have surgeries after every season, and in order to do so he needed some help. In this case, testosterone replacement was his help.
He went on to add that he is a big advocate of testosterone replacement, especially for men who are in their forties or above. Ritchson stated that not many people know it is out there, but it could be really life changing as testosterone can act as a mood stabilizer, amongst other things other than just making you buff.
However, Ritchson did not take his foot off the gas when it came to training, as testosterone replacement does not replace hard work.
Ritchson stated that with a clinical dose you will not notice much more than a well functioning testosterone production. However, if you increase it a little bit, which Ritchson stated that he has, you can start to put on more muscle mass. The Jack Reacher star says that he has never taken higher doses, like 600 milligrams a week, as he is unsure if he could handle that. However, if you take a little bit and then work your butt off in the gym like you normally would, you’re going to see huge results.
Is Testosterone Replacement for Everyone?
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When it comes to testosterone replacement, it is not something that everyone wants to do, nor will their doctor prescribe it. For example, the scale for “normal” testosterone ranges is 200-900 nanograms per deciliter, and if you are within that range, many times a primary care physician will not prescribe TRT. The problem with that is that every person is different, and while someone may have the levels 500 ng/dL and be fine, another person may have the same levels and be absolutely suffering.
That being said, testosterone replacement is not something you will always get, and truly depends on your symptoms, levels, and your doctor.
Who is Testosterone Replacement Therapy for?
- Those with low testosterone
- Middle aged men
- Those who have medical conditions that may lower testosterone
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Luckily, if you are not able to get prescribed testosterone, there are other options, such as over the counter testosterone boosters. These are typically pills or capsules packed with natural ingredients that are designed to boost your testosterone levels.
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Alan Ritchson Wrap Up
Overall, Alan Ritchson has absolutely killed it as Jack Reacher so far, and we are glad he has decided to make his health a priority and do something that can keep him in that role for years to come. We are excited to see what the future holds for Reacher.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
