October 23, 2024, 12:33 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
The action thriller “Rebel Ridge” is currently in the Netflix charts – starring Briton Aaron Pierre. He plays Terry Richmond, who is unjustly targeted by corrupt police officers. Aaron had to prepare well for the action-packed scenes – FITBOOK fitness editor Janine Riedle tells us exactly how.
British actor Aaron Pierre was originally at home in the theater. He graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and initially performed in classical plays. Over time, he was increasingly drawn to the film industry: after a few smaller jobs in films and series, he landed the lead role in the Netflix hit Rebel Ridge – for which he had to prepare with intensive training.
Overview
Aaron Pierre was already sporty before “Rebel Ridge”
“When I’m not training for a specific role, I do strength training, calisthenics, and a lot of martial arts,” Aaron reveals in an interview with Men’s Health. He’s particularly fond of boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. “I thrive in situations that challenge me to develop and grow. Situations that leave me no choice but to grow.” In strength training, his preference leans towards free weights.
Training for “Rebel Ridge”
“Training for Terry Richmond in Rebel Ridge was very intense,” says Aaron. “Terry is an ex-marine, and I wanted to embody that authentically.” This involved a lot of discipline, so the actor set himself the goal of never neglecting his training. “So I make sure I stick to my schedule, no matter what time it is or how many hours of sleep I’ve had. I ensure it gets done, knowing it’s vital for my well-being and longevity,” he says, explaining why exercise is so important to him regardless of movie roles. His training goal: “I’m focusing on development, growth, and definitely longevity. I want to stay active in sports for the rest of my life.”
Training for Rebel Ridge meant a lot of work with weights, on wrestling mats, and with punching bags. However, strength training – with a particular focus on strengthening the upper body – also played a major role. In this interview, Aaron, therefore, presents his back training exercises.
1. Pull-ups
Before he starts with the equipment training, the actor completes five sets of pull-ups with ten repetitions each. “I love how it builds muscles and strengthens them at the same time.”
For this challenging exercise, you grip the pull-up bar with an overhand grip at about shoulder width. This means that the palms of your hands face away from your body. Now, pull yourself slowly and in a controlled manner towards the bar. At the highest point, start to lower yourself again.
2. Lat pulldowns
Another essential exercise in Aaron’s training plan for Rebel Ridge is lat pull-ups. He completes a total of eight to ten sets of ten repetitions each. “I really like doing this exercise after I’ve done pull-ups.”
For the lat pulldown, one can opt for a wide, moderate, or narrow grip – Aaron usually trains with a moderate to wide grip, which means he targets his shoulder muscles more intensively. The torso is tensed as you slowly pull the weight toward your chest in a controlled manner.
3. Cable rows
The next station in the Rebel Ridge star’s training is the cable pulley. Here, he performs eight to ten sets of ten repetitions of the rowing movement. With a tight grip, a straight back, and a tense torso, he pulls the weight toward him in a controlled manner while seated.
4. Dumbbell curls
This exercise is also one of the classics in strength training. You take a dumbbell in one hand and hold it loosely with straight arms next to your body. As you exhale, bring your hands towards your upper arm and turn your palms in so that they are facing your body. As you inhale, lower your forearm again.
Aaron performs this exercise with one arm and completes eight to ten sets of ten repetitions per side. However, he only approached this exercise gradually: first, he brought his arms up to elbow height. As soon as he reached this height with clean execution, he raised the barbell to the middle of his upper arm. On the third step, he lifted the barbell to shoulder height.
5. Pull-ups with weight
He bookends his workout with pull-ups, finishing as he started. However, he now adds weight in the form of heavy chains that he hangs around his neck. He performs five sets, each consisting of ten repetitions.
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Aaron pays attention to a balanced lifestyle
For the Rebel Ridge actor, training is more than just work. “Training helps me as an actor and storyteller to get myself in the best possible shape mentally and physically – but more so on a personal level. It sustains my positive mindset,” reveals Aaron. “Mental health and spiritual well-being are just as important. That’s why I put a lot of emphasis on meditation and talking about my experiences with my loved ones and people I trust.”