How Pedro Pascal, 51, Uses Core Training and Bodyweight Movements to Stay Strong and Lean at 51
Few actors have been busier than Pedro Pascal in recent years. Since the pandemic, the Chilean-American star has become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand leading men – and his schedule shows no sign of slowing down.
Over the next year alone, Pascal is set to appear in two of cinema’s biggest franchises: The Mandalorian & Grogu in the Star Wars universe and Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday. Not bad for an actor who has already crossed the 50 mark.
With a workload packed full of action-heavy roles, maintaining his fitness has become essential. That responsibility largely falls to personal trainer David Higgins, who has worked closely with Pascal to shape his physique for projects including The Last of Us.
Rather than building excessive size, Higgins says the goal is to create athletic, capable movement – something that suits characters like Joel, Din Djarin and Reed Richards far more than bodybuilder-level muscle.
Speaking to British GQ, Higgins explained the foundations of Pascal’s training.
‘Lots of core work and mobility combined with calisthenics, focusing more on movement than aesthetics,’ he said.
That means less emphasis on lifting heavy weights and more attention placed on functional strength, core stability and longevity. Calisthenics also allows Pascal to train both upper and lower body simultaneously through bodyweight exercises like push-ups, lunges, planks, pull-ups, squats, glute bridges and mountain climbers.
The latter stages of Pascal’s workouts also place extra focus on the back – an area Higgins says becomes increasingly important with age, particularly for someone balancing long filming schedules and physically demanding roles.
Avoiding injury is a major priority.
Higgins knows that even a minor setback could disrupt Pascal’s packed production calendar, so the training is designed to keep the actor strong, mobile and resilient rather than constantly pushing maximal intensity.
At 51, Pascal appears to be in some of the best shape of his life. But while Higgins has helped guide the actor’s training, he says much of the credit belongs to Pascal himself.
‘Pedro is naturally very athletic and has a huge amount of potential,’ Higgins said. ‘Honestly, I don’t even think he realises how good he is.’
Guille Galindo is a journalist specialized in movies, series and entertainment, with extensive experience in the audiovisual sector. Over the years, he has conducted interviews with national and international artists, actors and directors and has analyzed the latest trends in the industry.
With a degree in History and Journalism from the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid, Guille began his professional career in various soccer and basketball media, two of his greatest hobbies. Later, he took the first major turn of his career, moving from sports journalism to lifestyle journalism focused on young audiences. It was there that he acquired his skills to detect trends and, at the same time, improve his knowledge in other areas such as fitness and technology.
Passionate about cinema, his jump to eCartelera allowed him to fulfill one of his great dreams, to become a cultural journalist. A dream that continues now at Men’s Health, where he works as digital entertainment editor within the Healthy Unit of Hearst Magazines. The versatility acquired throughout his professional career enables him to report on the habits of the actors who appear on the cover of Men’s Health every day without losing sight of the current movies and the series they star in.