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Matt Damon Workout Routine, Diet Plan & Supplements

Tyler Sellers
Published by Tyler Sellers | Senior Coach
Last updated: July 21, 2023

American actor Matt Damon is one of the most famous names in Hollywood action movies. And if you don't recognize him by his name, you'll surely know him as Jason Bourne.

What’s unique about Matt Damon is his fight scenes and that he’s done most of his stunts himself.

After watching some of his movies and going through some of his interviews, I concluded that some of my clients could benefit a lot from his workouts.

So I spoke to my colleagues at the gym and my dietitian, and in this article, I outlined Matt Damon’s workout routines and diet, so let’s dive in.

Quick Summary

  • Matt Damon performs the following workouts; push-ups, dips, tricep pushdowns, skull crushers, weighted lunges, Arnold press, shrugs, hammer curls, and dumbbell rows.
  • Damon's diet comprises sweet potatoes, meat, chicken breast, eggs, milk, healthy fat sources, oatmeal, unsalted nuts, and salmon.
  • Flaxseeds, whey protein, creatine, and multivitamins are the supplements Matt Damon takes.

His Stats

  • Age: 51 years (Born on October 8, 1970)
  • Height: 5'10" (1.78 m)
  • Weight: 185 lbs (84 kgs)
  • Chest: 43 inches (109 cm)
  • Waist: 32 inches (81 cm)
  • Biceps: 15 inches (38 cm)

What Does Matt Damon’s Workout Routine Consist Of?

Matt Damon's workout routine and diet plan contribute to his athletic physique, which includes bodyweight exercises as part of his fitness regimen.

Matt Damon’s workout routine primarily consists of daily calisthenic exercises that target multiple muscle systems and train specific muscle groups on other days.

Daily Calisthenics Workout Routine

The following exercises are very basic movement patterns Damon does every day:

  • Squat Variations: 4 sets of 10 reps
  • Bear Crawl: 4 sets of 5 meters forward and back
  • Lunges: 4 sets of 20 reps
  • Farmer's Carry: 4 sets of 4 reps
  • Sled Push: 4 sets of 1 cycle

 

 

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A post shared by Matt Damon (@matt_damon_official)

​​“The crawling movement is the most important movement that the body has. You’re moving cross-laterally across the body. You’re developing muscle and coordination across the body in a way that’s very strong.”

- Jason Walsh, Celebrity Trainer

Monday: Chest and Triceps

Man push up

For his chest and triceps routine, Damon does three sets of ten reps for the following exercises:

Wednesday: Legs and Shoulders

Doing squat workout

Damon does three sets of nine reps for the following exercises:

  • Back Squat
  • Weighted Lunges
  • Leg Press
  • Calf Exercises
  • Military Press
  • Barbell Shoulder Raise
  • Barbell Shoulder Front Raise
  • Arnold Press
  • Shrugs

Friday: Back and Biceps

Man doing deadlifts

The back and biceps routine also follows three sets of ten reps.

Damon dedicates Tuesdays and Thursdays to different physical activities like running, hiking, and playing sports.

What Does The Matt Damon Diet Consist Of?

Matt Damon's strict diet contributes to Damon's strength and helps him lose weight, and he incorporates snack nuts as part of his nutrition plan.

Matt Damon's diet consists of six meals a day which he needs to fuel his strenuous workouts.

  • Breakfast: Three hard-boiled eggs, a glass of milk, and a protein shake
  • Second meal: Chicken breast or lean beef with salad and healthy fat sources like avocado and coconut oil
  • Lunch: Salmon and vegetables
  • Dinner: Sweet potatoes and steak
  • Fifth meal: Protein shake and nuts
  • Sixth meal: Oatmeal and eggs

When preparing for the Jason Bourne movies, he limited himself to 2,000 calories a day to get cut. To attain Jason Bourne’s body, Damon bulked up with the celebrity trainer Jason Walsh.

Walsh recalls that he also closely monitored his water intake. However, we don’t recommend doing this unless you’re preparing for a contest or a movie scene.

Workout and Diet Principles

Going through all the interviews and records of him talking about fitness, I’ve figured out some principles that Damon adheres to in order to maintain his figure and health.

Workout Principles

Man lifting barbell

Most of Damon’s workout principles result from his training with Jason Walsh. Out of a dozen different trainers he had, Walsh surprised Damon the most. He employed training methods that allowed him to create an athletic physique instead of just getting buff.

Jason Walsh ensured that Damon had a solid foundation with mobility, flexibility, and overall strength.

The key to Damon's strength and physique transformation is not being afraid to go ballistic with his workout routine — especially when going for a specific goal.

Before assuming his role as Jason Bourne, Damon put in hours of exercise every day for three months to build a warrior physique.

Notice Matt Damon’s workout split; it’s not just confined to the gym. Two days a week, Damon gets plenty of physical activity by hiking, boxing, and playing different sports. He also mixes it up with other physical activities of his choice.

His trainer Jason Walsh passed his deep passion for Calisthenics onto Damon. So when it came to recovery from injuries, Walsh had Damon work on natural, fundamental movement using calisthenics.

He focused on critical and basic movement patterns like the crawling movement, rolling, and planking.

When he’s not preparing for a movie, Damon makes sure he takes full advantage of rest days to fully recover and prevent injury. This is why he takes Saturdays and Sundays off.

Diet Principles

Top view of diets

Although Damon has been on various eating plans, his diet principles have remained constant.

Goal Specific

The best way to describe Damon’s diet principles is highly goal-specific. He’s gone on diets that have made him lose over 50 lbs, some that helped him put weight on, and others that gave him a ripped body.

Damon practiced strict consistency through each diet until he achieved his physique goals.

Protein Sources

With all his diets, Damon emphasized protein sources. Even when he wanted to lose a good chunk of weight for a movie, he stuck to only chicken and nothing else.

Importance of Water

Water also plays a crucial role in Damon’s diet. He cuts back on water when he’s going for the shredded warrior look. When back on a normal or bulking diet, he consumes plenty of water for high metabolism and fat loss.

Occasional Cheat Meals

Cheat meals after prepping for a big role are important to Damon. He recalls that after finishing up with Jason Bourne, he had a large pizza. Studies show that having a cheat meal once in a while has positive psychological effects that can help you with better long-term healthy dieting [1].

Does He Take Supplements?

Matt Damon takes supplements like creatine to fuel his workouts and recovery. Here’s the rundown:

  • Creatine: Research shows that using creatine may heavily reduce muscle cramping, dehydration, muscle strain and tightness, and other injuries [2].
  • Whey Protein Supplements: A 2018 analysis of 49 studies showed that consuming protein supplements may significantly improve muscle size and strength in healthy adults who lift weights [3].
  • Bodybuilding Multivitamins: These help fuel your muscles and bones, allowing them to function properly [4].
  • Flaxseed: Flaxseed is high in fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats, making it a great food for staying full and cutting weight [5].

Is It Possible to Get Damon’s Physique?

Man Damon black and white

Yes, it’s possible to get a physique like Damon’s with dedication and consistency in workouts and nutrition.

But it’s not an overnight process; it takes months of daily exercise and a very disciplined diet.

However, not all of us may have the genetic capacity to get the same gains as Damon.

Whether you’re in this category or not, I recommend considering some safe and legal steroids to help you speed up the process.

They proved to be quite effective for my clients without any negative side effects associated with conventional steroids.

Related Articles:

FAQs

How Much Can Matt Damon Bench Press?

Matt Damon can bench press at least 250 pounds. This was during the time Jason Bourne was being filmed.

Has Matt Damon Done Martial Arts Training?

Yes, Matt Damon has done some martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do, Escrima, and Kali. He trained in these for his role as Jason Bourne.

Is the Matt Damon Workout Routine Right For You?

Matt Damon includes protein shakes, push-ups, and pull-ups in his workout routine to engage his entire body, and he also incorporates whole grains into his diet plan.

Many of our clients enjoyed incorporating Damon’s workout routine into their fitness regimen, and the majority got positive results by following his strict exercise and diet principles.

If you’re having a hard time moving the needle in spite of the consistent efforts, I’d recommend you consider including some legal steroids in your fitness regimen.

These supplements contain high-quality natural ingredients, and they have proved quite effective for my clients so far,

They are not magic pills that will turn you into Jason Bourne overnight, but they can fast-track your fitness goals considerably.


References:

  1. https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jcps.2015.05.001
  2. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
  3. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2018/01/18/bjsports-2017-097608
  4. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-of-multivitamins#2
  5. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263405#tips
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