This is how JK Simmons stays in impeccable shape at 70.
JK Simmons is a Hollywood icon with a remarkable acting career spanning decades. In 2016, he amazed fans when a photo of him working out revealed his incredible transformation — proof of his unwavering dedication to fitness, a disciplined diet, and a healthy lifestyle.
Even at 70, Jonathan Kimble Simmons continues to showcase a chiseled, muscular physique that defies his age. His enduring presence in the industry is nothing short of inspiring. He combines his powerful voice, seasoned acting skills, and impressive physical fitness to remain a perfect fit for the silver screen.
This article looks closely at JK Simmons’ workout routine and nutrition plan, which have been key to his health and strength. If you want to build and maintain a strong, muscular physique like this legendary actor, you won’t want to miss what’s next.
| Full Name: JK Simmons | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| (67 kg) 147 lbs | (180 cm) 5’7” | 01/09/1955 |
| Profession | Era | Nationality |
| Actor | 1980s-Till Date | American |
Who Is JK Simmons?
Jonathan Kimble Simmons is a professional actor in Hollywood and is considered one of the most established actors of his generation. He was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, attended Ferry Elementary School in Grosse Pointe Woods, and when he was 10, his family moved to Ohio.
He attended Worthington High School, where he was active in drama, music, and football. When he turned 18, he moved to Montana and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music. Simmons spent some time honing his skills in the theater until he landed his first role on Broadway in 1992. During his time on Broadway, he played Captain Hook in Peter Pan.
Later, JK Simmons made his first TV appearance, playing a patrol officer in Popeye Doyle. He also played several iconic roles on the silver screen, including the three Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, Jennifer’s Body, Whiplash, Kong: Skull Island, Justice League, The Tomorrow War, and many more.
While his work in Whiplash won him the award for Best Supporting Actor, one of his latest works with Dwayne Johnson, “The Rock,” is what had heads turning due to his physique. He played the role of a jacked Santa Claus in the Christmas holiday movie Red One.
JK Simmons’ Workout Routine
Interestingly, the secret to JK Simmons’ ripped physique is listening to his trainer. His training concept is called cumulative blood volume training. This is where he does high-volume training that focuses on the number of sets and reps for each muscle group. This helps increase muscle hypertrophy as you pump as much blood as possible.
His cumulative blood volume training is designed to be executed for at least one to two months. He groups his training into two categories: cardio and functional training. Simmons stated that when he doesn’t make time to work out, he doesn’t feel as fit or as good as he would want. His workouts are intense, with many compound and isolated exercises at a high-volume. Let’s take a look at his exercises below.
Workout 1
JK Simmons starts his exercises with warmups, which involve performing dynamic stretches and using an elliptical bike for ten minutes at 140 bpm. This study shows that doing warm-ups before your major exercises can help improve your exercise performance (1).
After his warm-ups, he performs nine different exercises of four sets each, averaging 10-12 reps. He supersets these exercises with 45 seconds of rest between each exercise. However, when doing his superset exercises, he does them back to back without resting. His first workout routine works his chest, shoulders, back, and core muscles.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Superset — Flat Dumbbell Press & Reverse Grip Dumbbell Press | 4 | 10-12 |
| Superset — Machine Chest Press & Cable Crossover | 4 | 10-12 |
| Superset — Wide Grip Lat Pulldown & Hammer Grip Pulldown | 4 | 10-12 |
| Machine Hammer Strength Row | 4 | 10-12 |
| Superman | 4 | 10-12 |
| Crunch | 4 | 12-15 |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 20 |
| Machine Ab Crunch | 3 | 12-15 |
| Lying Oblique Crunch | 1 | 5 Reps for Each Side |
Workout 2
He uses the same principles of workout one, incorporating warm-ups and supersets with little rest in between. This workout routine targets his arms, shoulders, and core muscles.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Standing Dumbbell Curl & Arm Blaster | 4 | 12-15 (Last Set is AMRAP) |
| Superset — Standing Cable Curl & One-Arm High Cable Curl | 3 | 15 |
| 3 | 15 | |
| Hammer Curl Using Dumbbells | 3 | 15 |
| Superset — Cable Rope Triceps Pressdown & Overhead Tricep Extension | 4 | 12-15 |
| 4 | 12-15 | |
| Superset — Tricep Dumbbell Kickback & Bodyweight Bench Dip | 4 | 10-12 |
| 4 | 10-12 | |
| Plank Push up | 4 | 30 Seconds |
| Forearm Plank | 4 | 30 Seconds |
| Plank Jack | 4 | 30 Seconds |
| Side Plank with a Twist | 4 | 30 Seconds |
Workout Notes
JK Simmons spends between 50-120 minutes during workouts, depending on whether he’s training for a role. His general goal is staying healthy and enjoying the muscles that come along with that. Below are key things to take away from his training approach.
Consistency
JK Simmons has been training consistently for over 15 years. He says he finds energy and vitality in the gym often. At 70, the actor is reaping the benefits of this consistency as he remains active and youthful for his age.
High-Volume Training
JK Simmons trains at high volume. He and his trainer focus on the number of sets and reps for multiple muscle groups. The goal is to pump as much blood as possible into the muscles, which is good for hypertrophy. A study shows that a higher training volume can help with greater muscle gains (2).
Compound and Isolated Upper Body Exercises
JK Simmons does a mix of isolated and compound movements, mainly targeting his upper body. Before starting his major routines, he always does warm-ups, which help with his mobility and movements for his major exercises. His warm-ups include stretches and ten minutes on the elliptical bike.
Supersets and Dropsets
When training, Simmons incorporates multiple methods for maximum strength and muscle growth. He incorporates supersets and drop sets and occasionally trains to failure using as many reps as possible (AMRAP). Research shows that supersets can increase efficiency and reduce training time (3).
JK Simmons’ Diet
Over the years, JK Simmons has been flexible in his diet. He eats a lot of lean protein and low-carb foods. He eats every three hours because he mainly snacks between meals. Occasionally, he indulges in some cheat meals. Here is what a daily meal plan for JK Simmons is like:
Meal One (Breakfast)
- Oatmeal
- Eggs
Meal Two (Snack)
Meal Three (Lunch)
- Lean Meat
Meal Four (Snack)
- Protein Shake
- Meal Replacement
Meal Five (Dinner)
- Lean Meat
- Vegetables
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References
- Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764
- Weakley, J. J. S., Till, K., Read, D. B., Roe, G. A. B., Darrall-Jones, J., Phibbs, P. J., & Jones, B. (2017). The effects of traditional, superset, and tri-set resistance training structures on perceived intensity and physiological responses. European journal of applied physiology, 117(9), 1877–1889. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3680-3
