The Workout Plan That Got Josh Brolin Jacked to Play Cable in ‘Deadpool 2’

Josh Brolin had only 11 weeks to carve out his MCU-worthy physique for his role as Cable in Deadpool 2. He started at a husky 210 pounds, which he had put on for a role that never came to fruition, according to Justin Lavato, owner of iambuilt.com.

“Josh was kind of chunky,” Lavato says. “He also didn’t have great muscle structure in his shoulders. It was like, ‘All right, let’s see how big we can get your shoulders and arms.’”

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Brolin trained upwards of three hours per day. He’d log a morning cardio session along with a calisthenics and mobility workout. Then he’d eat and later come back for his nighttime bodybuilding training (which is what you see below). This insane split ensured that he could still move, as it was a very active role, but it also beefed up his physique. A key component: lots of lateral raises.

“He’d do lateral raises with my hands holding his elbows for added tension,” Lavato says. “It stopped him from activating his traps. He’d just fall to the fucking floor after a set. That’s how brutal they were.”

By the end of training, Brolin had lost 30 pounds (even though he looked far bigger), ending up at a shredded 181 pounds.

“The biggest thing I want to push is that he did this naturally, so others know that they can, too,” Lavato explains. “He took it very seriously.”