Celebrities working out for major roles in blockbuster movies and popular tv shows are a modern-day reality show. Considering that actors are paid the top dollar to look their best for their role in the film, it’s only natural that their physiques are also in their best condition.
For actor Tom Ellis, his part in Lucifer season 4 has fans and gym heads alike shocked over his body transformation. Tom Ellis spent most of season 3 wearing stylish and handsome suits, rarely ever appeared on the screen for a half-naked shot.
Well, season 4 definitely held nothing back, and we’re not complaining. So how does Tom Ellis workout? Is his physique achievable and can you follow his workout plan? In this article, we’ll go over Tom Ellis’s workout plan, his diet, and how you can achieve his physique and get the same results!
Disclaimer:
Before we proceed, here’s a short disclaimer.
Remember, these actors are paid huge amounts of money to look their best. With that in mind, it’s always a great idea to take their workout routine and diets with a grain of salt. Steroids or Testosterone Replacement Therapy are viable ways of increasing muscle mass by a huge margin within a short timeframe.
We aren’t saying that Tom Ellis is on steroids, nor are we saying that other actors are. Specifically for Tom Ellis, his physique is very much attainable through natural means. We wouldn’t want to discredit his effort and dedication to his role as Lucifer.
Regardless, it’s always a good idea to take celebrity transformations with a grain of salt. Not everyone enjoys working out, and, sometimes, it’s easier to take a bunch of supplements to look the part than to bust your ass off in the gym for another 6 more months.
Who is Tom Ellis?
That being said, who is Tom Ellis? While that might seem like a weird question, figuring out the objective physique of Tom Ellis helps us understand the benefits and reasons for his exercises. Factors like his initial weight, height, age, and other characteristics have a huge impact on his workout program.
The handsome Lucifer actor stands at a towering 6 feet and 3 inches (191 cm), so he’s definitely a tall guy. This is an important consideration to take note of, because taller guys put on muscle and look differently than shorter men — more on that later.
As of 2021, Tom Ellis is 42 years-old. At this age, testosterone starts to slow down in the male body, making muscle growth generally harder to achieve without the right supplements or testosterone levels.
Before Lucifer, the actor weighed around 180 pounds but has reportedly put on almost 10 pounds of lean muscle mass for Lucifer Season 4. Depending on how long he has been training for, this can be achievable within a year of working out.
Tom Ellis: His Genetics
Moving onto the next assessment of his Tom Ellis’s objective physique, it’s time to look at his genetics.
Looking at Tom Ellis from the front you can immediately see that he has wide shoulders. Although his face would make you believe that he’s a regular stud, Tom has great genetics to look like the biggest Chad. His shoulders and waist proportions are at least above average.
The secret to looking jacked is the shoulder to waist ratio, which is heavily influenced by your genetics. In contrast, for example, you can take a picture of Vin Diesel and find that although he has considerably wide shoulders, his hips and waist are wide as well. This removes the V-taper and dorito shape physique that actors like Tom Ellis have.
Additionally, Tom has great shoulder and chest genetics. His pecs are clearly defined and evenly distributed, which complements his large shoulders.
All in all, it’s fair to say that Tom Ellis has a lot going on with his genetics that adds definition and accentuates his physique.
Tom Ellis Workout Routine
It’s finally time for us to go into the meaty details of Tom Ellis’s workout routine. Listed below are not only his exercises, but his weekly rotation.
Weekly Workouts
You can schedule your workouts in many different ways. Others prefer working out every day, while some would rather workout every other day. Regardless of how you do it, Lucifer himself has a pretty commanding workout routine. The recommended frequency is 3 or 4 days a week.
Tom Ellis has an unconventional schedule for working out that helps add variety to his gym sessions. To start, he has two workout plans (Workout A and Workout B) that he alternates between.
For example:
Week 1 – Workout A, Workout B, Workout A.
Week 2- Workout B, Workout A, Workout B.
And vice versa. Contrast this to other workout plans that generally have Workout A, B, and C repeat every week, and you can see how the alternating route adds variety. With the Tom Ellis wokouts, if Monday is Workout A, then the next Monday is Workout B.
On rest days, consider adding in high intensity interval training to help burn body fat.
Sets and Reps
Tom Ellis has a lot of full-body compound movements, like the Romanian Deadlift. Furthermore, he also utilizes a program called the “reverse pyramid training”—where he starts off with his heaviest weight and works all the way down.
Tom Ellis’s Workout A plan involves: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps and Abs
- Inclined Bench Press – 3 Sets x 6-10 reps
- Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press – 3 Sets x 6-10 reps
- Cable Lateral Raise – 3 Sets x 6-10 reps
- Tricep Rope Pushdown – 3 Sets x 6-10 reps
- Hanging Knee Raises – 3 Sets x 8-12 reps
His Workout B plan involves: Back, Biceps, and Legs
- Weighted Pull Ups – 3 sets x 6-10 reps
- Squats – 4 sets x 6-10 reps
- Dumbbell Hammer Curls – 3 sets x 4-8 reps
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Face Pulls – 4 sets x 12-15 reps
Whew! Lucifer definitely busts his ass off in the gym. Although these exercises aren’t that intense compared to other Hollywood actors, there are a lot of nuances to go over here. First off, let’s start by going through Workout A.
Workout A: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, and Abs
Thankfully, we can see some familiar names in Workout A. It’s generally a great idea to workout similar muscle groups at the same time, especially with compound exercises that target more muscle groups than one.
If you don’t have access to weights, you can consider substituting with body weight exercises. However, the best results in terms of muscle mass will always com from lifting heavy weights.
Incline Bench Press
The bench press is a staple workout for muscle growth in the chest. You start by laying down on a bench and press either a barbell or dumbbell upwards perpendicular to your laying down position.
In layman’s terms, you push a weight upwards while keeping your arms straight in front of your chest. On the other hand, Tom Ellis does an inclined bench press, which is a bench press while your body is in an inclined position. This is done by adjusting your bench about 30 degrees up. Lay your back on the bar, as if you were laying down on a rocking chair, and push the barbell above your head.
This targets the upper pectorals much more, together with the anterior deltoids—your front shoulders—and the triceps. At 3 sets of 6-10 reps each, you can bet that your shoulders will be on fire after this exercise.
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press
The next exercise on this list is the seated overhead dumbbell press. It’s a mouthful, I know. This exercise starts with a dumbbell at head level, with your arms spread open. You should look like you’re surrendering or under arrest, except with a bunch of weights in your hand.
From there, move both your arms up and over your head until the weight is right above you and your arm is outstretched. As you lower the weight down, do it slowly and keep the weights under control. One rep should take about four seconds with one second to go up and three seconds to go down.
This workout will target your anterior shoulders, triceps, and a bit of your back. Tom Ellis does this for 3 sets at 6-10 reps.
Cable Lateral Raise
Another shoulder workout, the cable lateral raise is one of the best exercises you can do for your lateral deltoids or “side shoulders”. This muscle group gives your shoulder the most definition among the three muscles: anterior, posterior, and lateral.
If you want a great v-taper, you’ll want to workout your lateral shoulder muscles the most. To do a cable lateral raise, simply stand next to a cable machine and pick up a cable handle from near your feet. The motion should begin with your arm facing directly downwards, resting next to your hips. While keeping your arm straight, start raising your arm directly to your side until your hand is at shoulder height before slowly going back down. Your hand should be raised parallel to your shoulders.
The cable lateral raise is a great exercise for isolating and developing your lateral deltoids or shoulders. Do this for 6-10 reps for 3 sets before proceeding to the next exercise.
Tricep Rope Pushdown
Isolating exercises is a great way to focus on a muscle and develop it even further. Tricep rope pushdowns specifically develop and target the tricep using a cable machine.
Start by grabbing a cable rope with both your hands. The resting position of this exercise should start with your arm in a 90 degree position, with your elbows locked close to your sides. From there, pull down the rope while keeping your elbow in place. Don’t stop pulling it down until your elbows and arms are straight for the full range of motion.
A very simple exercise but extremely effective at targeting and putting your tricep under tension. Don’t forget to take it slow on your way up! We’re stronger with eccentric movements, so take advantage of that by doing negatives after you think you’re done with 3 sets at 6-10 reps each!
Hanging Knee Raises
Finally at the last exercise of Workout A, the hanging knee raises is a calisthenic exercise that’s made to target your core or abs. At the same time, it’s also a great exercise for your forearms to train your grip strength.
Jump on a bar that’s long enough for you to dangle on without touching the ground. After that, pull your knees next and close to each other before raising it up to your stomach. If you’ve never tried a calisthenic exercise before, do this slowly since it will feel a bit wonky at first. Trust me, you don’t want to be that guy in the gym that looks like a flopping fish. Take your time and do it slowly.
Do this for 3 sets of 8-12 reps and that’s it! You’re done with Tom Ellis’ Workout A. Go ahead and take a rest, even a cold shower, and get ready for Workout B the day after tomorrow.
Workout B: Back, Biceps, and Legs
Moving on to the next workout plan, Workout B targets the back, biceps, and leg muscles. Backs and biceps are excellent muscle groups to combine, since there are a lot of compound exercises that you can do to target both muscles. And lastly, of course, never skip leg day!
Weighted Pull Ups
Pull ups are arguably one of the coolest calisthenic exercises out there. They look great, and the act of pulling up your entire body’s weight feels really empowering. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of progression you can do with basic sit ups—besides gaining weight yourself. Luckily, weighted pull ups are a thing!
If you’re new to the gym, you’ll want to start with just a simple pull up. I suggest practicing on a pull up machine, because those have platforms you can step on that push you up for added assistance. Pulling your weight above a bar requires a lot of strength, and figuring out the right form for pull ups isn’t the easiest thing to do, especially since we aren’t intuitively used to working out our back muscles.
Start by grabbing the bar with your hands about a meter apart from each other. This might be shorter or longer depending on your height. Once your hands are in position, practice engaging your back muscles before pulling yourself up. You should feel it contract together with your biceps. After you’re comfortable enough and have a feel for the motion, start pulling yourself up until your chin is over the bar. Lower yourself down slowly for some eccentric action.
Congratulations! You just did a pull up. Now, do 6-10 reps for 3 sets for a complete workout. To follow Tom Ellis’ weighted pull ups, you’ll want to buy a chain or belt where you can attach additional weights to.
Squats
Urgh. Leg day. Although legs might not be everyone’s favorite muscle group to exercise, squats are an incredibly fun workout to do. Squats are a certified powerlifting exercise that target the quads and calves.
With a barbell on the squat rack, rest the bar behind your neck and on top of your shoulders. Hold the bar with your arms one feet away from your shoulders. If you’re not familiar with this exercise, start off with just the bar and no weights. Let your friend spot you for that extra safety measure. Bring up the bar out of the squat rack and bend your knees just like a regular squat. Make sure your butt is at least lower than your knees and that your knees are aligned with your toes. Slowly stand back up to complete the squat.
Squats are a great way to exercise your quads, calves, and hamstrings. It’s a staple compound exercise that provides body-wide muscle building. Do this for 4 sets of 6-10 reps each.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
A variation of the standard bicep curl, hammer curls are great exercises for targeting the forearm while building your biceps.
The form for this is pretty simple. Start by lifting up the dumbbells in the same orientation as you would hold an ice cream cone. Bring this up while locking your elbows next to your sides. The dumbbell should come closer to your front deltoid or shoulder, barely touching it. Lower it down slowly to maximize the eccentric tension.
Do this for 3 sets of 4-8 reps with heavier weight and you should be good to go. This exercise will fire up your forearms together with your biceps, even going as far as activating a bit of your back muscles.
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts
The Romanian deadlift is a type of deadlift that primarily works out your glutes and your hamstrings. Unlike the traditional deadlift where you lift the barbell with your knees at first, the Romanian deadlift is a static exercise that stretches your glutes and hamstrings.
Although this is typically done with a barbell, you can start off with two dumbbells in front of your feet. Bend your hips over without buckling your knees and pick up the weight. If you aren’t flexible enough to grab the dumbbells, then cheat a little bit and buckle your knees. Once you’ve picked up the dumbbells, straighten your knees out as much as you can. You should feel your hamstrings stretch. With the power of your buttocks and your hamstrings, slowly pull the dumbbell up until you’re fully standing up just like a normal deadlift. Lower down the dumbbells for the eccentric motion without bending your knees.
Repeat this motion for 10-12 reps for a total of 3 sets. This is a static exercise, so the longer you hold the weight and burn your muscles the better the workout.
Face Pulls
Finally, Tom Ellis’ last workout is one of Jeff Cavalier’s favorite exercises: the face pulls. If you want a workout that isolates your lateral and posterior deltoids, this is the one for you.
Go ahead and step in front of a cable machine with ropes similar to the ones used in the Tricep Rope Pushdown exercise. Grip the rope with the balls at the end situated by your thumb. Pull the rope back while focusing on your back muscles until your hands are parallel to your shoulders and ears. Your hands should be directly on top of your shoulders, not too far or too close to your head. The muscles on your back and shoulders should burn from this exercise.
4 sets with 12 to 15 reps each is all you need to get your shoulders fired up and exercised!
Congratulations on getting through Lucifer’s workout! Tom Ellis’ workout is top heavy, focusing more on the shoulders, back, and arms. Before we end this article, here’s one thing you should consider about working out as a tall guy.
How Being Tall Affects Your Workout
This might seem like an obvious fact, but when you’re taller, your body is also longer than the average joe. Before you squint your eyes in confusion at this apparent statement, here’s the catch: we generally grow the same amount of muscle.
Individuals who are 6’2 vs other people who are 5’8 will grow generally the same amount of muscle. Since individuals who are 5’8 are shorter, they have less space for muscle to occupy. This means that 10 pounds of muscle on a shorter person will look much more impressive than 10 pounds of muscle on someone who’s taller, like Tom Ellis.
Tom Ellis has an impressive physique, but his tall genetics does limit him from putting on “visual” muscle. If you’re a tall person who hasn’t been seeing the gains affect your body yet, don’t fret. As long as the weight in your exercises have increased, you’re guaranteed to be growing muscle to a certain degree. You just won’t be able to see it as quickly as shorter men.
Tom Ellis: Natty or Not?
You may have heard of the term “Natty or Not” in YouTube videos before. For the unfamiliar, it simply means “is he natural or not?” Natural simply means that he did not take any additional testosterone or steroid supplements to increase his muscle growth.
Well, considering Tom Ellis is already 42-years-old, we wouldn’t be surprised if he took some form of steroids to increase his muscle growth by a tad. If you compare his physique in Lucifer Season 1 to 3 and his physique in Lucifer Season 4, there’s an obvious jump to his physique.
At his current age, the chances of him creating such a change through natural means is close to low, especially without at least 1-2 years of consistent training.
Tom Ellis: Realistic or Not?
For those of you who want to look like Lucifer, here’s your answer. Yes.
Tom Ellis’ physique is very much attainable through natural means. It’s a realistic physique that’s top heavy, with broad shoulders, a clearly defined chest, and big arms.
If you want to follow his workout and look like him, your biggest concern right now would be your genetics. I suggest checking out your chest insertion, fat stores, abs symmetry and insertions, and waist to shoulder ratio. These factors will have the biggest impact as to whether or not you can look just like Tom Ellis.
You can realistically maintain this physique all-year-round, since Tom Ellis is not within some obscenely low range of body fat percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tom Ellis Workout
Is Tom Ellis on steroids?
Tom Ellis has not confirmed if he uses steroids. However, considering that these actors are paid to look good, you can always take these body transformations with a grain of salt. Additionally, steroids are not all bad. In fact, TRT has been known to help with depression and other similar symptoms while still being completely healthy.
Is Tom Ellis’ workout hard?
Tom’s workout can be categorized as a standard workout program. There’s nothing too crazy with his plan, which is to be expected since he isn’t meant to be strong or perform arduous amounts of stunt work unlike Henry Cavill or Tom Cruise.
A Final Word From Energetic Lifestyle
Tom Ellis’ workout is a full plan that mainly targets the upper body, with squats and deadlifts for the lower body. An average joe can pick up this training regime with a little bit of practice and knowledge, as some of his exercises do require a moderate amount of skill.
That being said, don’t be afraid to pick up some weights and workout! You shouldn’t compare yourself to an A-class actor who has an entire studio behind his back.
If you’re uncomfortable with some of his exercises, don’t do them! There are a multitude of other exercises you can choose from that can target the muscle groups you’re trying to exercise. Remember: weight is weight. Whether you’re doing Calisthenics or free weights, resistance still counts as stress and you will grow muscle.
Follow the program for a minimum of three months and you’re sure to see amazing results.
P.S. If you liked this, you might like these other articles in the series:
- Zac Efron’s Detailed Workout Routine (for his Neighbors Transformation)
- Brad Pitt Fight Club Workout: Detailed Routine + Guide to Getting Ripped
- Tom Holland Spiderman Workout
Can’t believe this guy’s already 42??? It’s time to rethink doing exercise and avoid junk.
It’s incredible right? Well said! A lot to say about taking care of your body and the aging process.