Channing Tatum may be known for his work in Hollywood favorites like Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street, and She's The Man, but he's equally respected for his incredible body!

Maintaining a busy acting schedule alongside an intense fitness routine isn't easy, but he manages to pull it off better than just about anyone else in the industry.

If you're wondering how you can score rock-hard abs like Tatum, stay tuned because we have all the secrets for how to burn fat and gain lean muscle mass!

Channing Tatum’s Workout Routine Explained

The Channing Tatum workout routine is nothing to balk at, and is challenging to even the most regular gym goers. While Tatum's physical prowess is certainly a help, each day's workout routine is designed to push him in order to yield impressive results quickly.

While the following is just a taster workout, it’s very close to the actual Magic Mike workout and Tatum’s workouts on a regular basis. He is now training completely on another level, not taking any rest days in order to maintain a certain level of fitness and maximize results.

Tatum bunked with his trainer, Arin Babaian, at Tatum's Ojai ranch. Ojai is a bit out of the way of Los Angeles, so it would be a hassle to make the commute on a daily basis. Not to mention, the California ranch has a ton of mountains and natural beauty, perfect for outdoor workouts.

In addition, you’ll see that with the push circuit and pull circuit, he lifts moderately heavy weight rather than maxing out. There are times when he’ll sit on an exercise ball to do some lifts like the shoulder press, tricep extension, dip bar exercises or bicep curl to further engage the core and burn calories.[1]

To start out, he will do some cardio like skipping rope, a light jog, and then do some long-distance work on the days he isn’t doing resistance work.

The ab-crushing circuit was crucial for his Lost City, GI Joe workout, as well as just about every other role that required him to take his shirt off. To really develop and etch those abs, it is important to put them under a weight-bearing load. For example, he would do sit-ups while holding a weight or at an incline for an added challenge.

Related Article - Best Isometric Ab Exercises

Channing Tatum Full Upper Physique

Monday: Bench Press Focused Chest & Cardio

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Jumping Rope

1

100 Skips

120 secs

Push-Ups

3

25

20-30 secs

Military Press

3

25

20-30 Secs

Bench Press

3

20

20-30 Secs

Tuesday: Long Cardio

Exercises

Reps

Long Distance Bike Ride Or Jog or combination


Bike

At Least 5-10 Miles

Jog

At Least 3-5 Miles

Wednesday: Squats Focused Legs & Cardio

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Pull Ups

3

10

25-35 secs

Push Ups

3

20

20-30 Secs

Leg Raises

3

25

20-30 Secs

HIIT Training

1

20 Minutes

5-10 minutes

Alternating 1 minute walk & 1 minute sprint

1

20 Minutes

5-10 minutes

Squats

5

12,10,8,5 & 3

20-30 Secs

Leg Press

3

10

20-30 Secs

Hack Squat

3

10

20-30 Secs

Weighted Step Ups

3

10

20-30 Secs

Calf Raises

3

20

20-30 Secs

Thursday: Long Cardio

Exercises

Reps

Long Distance Bike Ride Or Jog


Bike

At Least 5-10 Miles

Jog

At Least 3-5 Miles

Friday: Military Press Focused Shoulders & Cardio

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Pull Ups

3

10

20-30 Secs

Push Ups

3

20

20-30 Secs

Leg Raises

3

25

20-30 Secs

HIIT Training

1

20 Minutes

5-10 minutes

Alternating 1 minute walk & 1 minute sprint

1

20 Minutes

5-10 minutes

Military Press

5

12,10,8,5 & 3

20-30 Secs

Dumbbell Shrugs

3

20

20-30 Secs

Arnold Press

3

10

20-30 Secs

Dumbbell Front Shoulder Raises

3

12

20-30 Secs

Barbell Shrugs

3

10

20-30 Secs

Shoulder Flys

3

12

20-30 Secs

Saturday: Long Cardio

Exercises

Reps

Long Distance Bike Ride Or Jog


Bike

At Least 5-10 Miles

Jog

At Least 3-5 Miles

Sunday: Deadlift Focused Back & Cardio

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Pull Ups

3

10

20-30 Secs

Push Ups

3

20

20-30 Secs

Leg Raises

3

25

20-30 Secs

HIIT Training

1

20 Minutes

5-10 minutes

Alternating 1 minute walk & 1 minute sprint

1

20 Minutes

5-10 minutes

Deadlift

5

12,10,8,5 & 3

20-30 Secs

Wide Grip Pull Ups

3

10

20-30 Secs

Lateral Pull Downs

3

12

20-30 Secs

Cable Rows

3

10

20-30 Secs

Dumbbell Rows

3

10

20-30 Secs

Channing Tatum Magic Mike Movie Still

Channing Tatums History - Who Is This Celebrity?

Born in Alabama in 1980, Tatum moved to rural Mississippi when he was just 6 years old. He was always athletic, even attending Glenville State College on a football scholarship before dropping out.

Around this time, he eventually began working as a stripper in a local nightclub and later moved to Miami, where he was discovered by a model scout.

After being cast as a dancer in a Ricky Martin music video, he started working as a model for some big names before heading into TV commercials.

In 2006, he starred alongside Amanda Bynes in She's the Man and later in Step Up, which is widely considered his breakout role. He's since played many roles, including in the romance drama Dear John.

Another massive success for Channing Tatum's career was the Magic Mike film which was based on his experience as an exotic dancer. The Channing Tatum shirtless scenes certainly didn't hurt his reputation, nor his impressive dance skills.

Since then, he’s gone on to become a versatile go-to actor in Hollywood, a filmmaker, and a businessman.

Current Body Stats

Stat

Measurement

Height

6’1”

Weight

187 lbs

Age

42

Biceps

15 inches

Waist

32 inches

Chest

44 - 45 inches

Channing Tatum Body Stats

Channing Tatum’s Workout Principles Explained

The Channing Tatum workout plan relies on intensity and consistency, which can be hard to maintain. He works with close friend and long-time Hollywood PT Arin Babaian to achieve his goals.

These goals vary, depending on his character's lifestyle. For example, the Magic Mike workout would be more involved, focusing on obtaining a lot of definition and to achieve those famous Channing Tatum abs.

For the film Foxcatcher, the film Babaian is most proud of, they had an absolutely grueling workout routine where at times they were training in a tent in the rain in the middle of the night after filming all day. Foxcatcher involved a lot of wrestling training which is quite rigorous and was very different from other workout programs other roles demanded.

Babaian explains that the actor never does the same workout routine more than once in the same week. Channing Tatum's workout routine typically involves a push circuit one day and pull circuits the other.

This gives those muscles the chance to rest and recover a bit.[2] Circuit workouts are great for cutting body fat as they keep the heart rate up by minimizing rest time.

The actor relies quite a bit on working outdoors as well, taking advantage of the fact that he's always been a full-on athlete.

These address the whole body, like mountain bike rides, swimming in the open ocean, and other methods to get into incredible shape. He, unfortunately, did have to battle injuries, so Babaian explains that he had to try to resolve that or work around them.

Related Article - Best Exercise Bikes Under $300

Channing Tatum Before And After

Accomplishments, Awards and Nominations

Athletic Scholarship

One of Channing Tatum's first big accomplishments is earning a full-ride football scholarship to Glenville State College in West Virginia. While it is clear he's always been a talented athlete, he had other passions that took priority.

First Music Video

His big break happened when he worked as a dancer in superstar Ricky Martin's music video for the international hit "She Bangs."

2013 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards

Nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy; this was one of his first significant industry nominations, but he did not end up winning.

2015 Independent Spirit Awards

This was Channing Tatum's first big award, and in this case, it was the 'Special Distinction Award.' The same year, he was also nominated for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy, but didn't win.

Gijón International Film Festival 2006

Tatum was nominated as Best Actor for his work in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and ended up winning. That year, he was also nominated for Breakthrough Actor at the Gotham Awards.

Hollywood Film Awards

In 2014 and 2015, he won the Hollywood Ensemble Award for his role in Foxcatcher and The Hateful Eight, respectively.

MTV Movie & TV Awards

In 2014, Channing Tatum won the MTV Trailblazer Award, and in 2015 won for Best Comedic Performance for his role in 22 Jump Street.

People’s Choice Awards

While Channing Tatum's no stranger to being nominated at the People's Choice Awards, he didn't win until 2016 for Favorite Movie Actor.

Sundance Film Festival

Easily one of the most significant awards for Channing Tatum's career, he won for Best Ensemble Performance in 2006 for A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.

Teen Choice Awards

Channing Tatum throws down at this awards show. He's been nominated virtually countless times, and won in 2012 in Choice Movie Actor: Comedy for 21 Jump Street, 2013 for Choice Summer Movie Star: Male in White House Down, in 2014 in the same category for 22 Jump Street, as well as 2015 for Magic Mike XXL.

The Channing Tatum Diet - What He Eats

Channing Tatum’s diet is rather simple, cutting out junk food and chemical additives and focusing on clean eating. His diet plan is comprehensive, however, with lots of lean protein and vegetables.

The proper diet required for his demanding schedule was to eat every 2 hours in order for his body to recover, provide energy for workouts, and maximize results.

As far as beverages go, he consumed mostly water and eliminated soft drinks. Channing Tatum's workout routine obviously caused him to lose a lot of water through sweat, so proper hydration was crucial.[3]

Again the diet plan would vary, depending on the role he was training for at the time. The Magic Mike diet would involve fewer calories than the diet plan that was required for a role like Foxcatcher, as more muscle was required.

  • Breakfast
    Breakfasts consist of a vegetable smoothie with kale, spinach, celery, romaine, and very little fruit. This smoothie is drank with each meal. He’ll also have some eggs for added protein and fats.
  • Lunch
    Grilled chicken and turkey is lunch, although the recipes were changed up regularly to prevent Tatum from getting bored or burnt out on the food. The grilled chicken would be seasoned differently, or he’d have turkey burgers some days, etc.
  • Dinner
    Channing Tatum’s diet for dinner would be grilled chicken again or steak with more vegetables.
  • Snacks/Meal 4
    After dinner, he’ll have some plain yogurt, organic fruits, and nuts. This combination provides minimal carbs and plenty of fats and proteins.[4]

What To Go For

  • Healthy Fats
  • Foods High In Protein
  • Complex Carbohydrates

What To Avoid

  • Processed and Junk Foods

What Supplements Does Channing Tatum Take?

  • Multivitamin
    A multivitamin is always a good idea, whether you're a world-class athlete or just starting a fitness routine. They're designed to fill in any nutritional gaps, which we often have as it's difficult to obtain perfect nutrition through food alone.
  • Whey Protein Powder
    Whey is a godsend for those looking to build muscle, maintain muscle, and even lose body fat. They’re a fantastic method for getting in those grams of protein without the extra calories that, say, a steak would involve. A scoop is typically around 120 calories and 20 grams of protein.
  • Creatine
    Creatine is amazing for gaining muscle and overall mass. However, some people report excess water retention.
  • Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
    BCAAs are a great tool for muscle recovery and overall improved athletic performance. The best part? They usually taste delicious, and you can mix them in water and drink them all day long for keeping that hydration up.
  • Green Tea Extract
    Looking to cut body fat and get really lean? Green tea extract has natural thermogenic properties to help with that.

Channing Tatum Workout Routine FAQs

How much can Channing Tatum lift when bench pressing?

He's quite skilled at weight training and is able to bench at least 225 pounds.

How much can Channing Tatum lift when squatting?

It’s not reported how much he can squat.

How did Tatum learn to dance?

While the six-pack-sporting actor may look like he’s had years of training, he reports that he first learned to dance as a teenager at a friend’s birthday party from one of their grandmothers!

Does Channing Tatum do a Keto diet?

He doesn’t follow a keto diet, as he does need more carbs to accommodate his grueling workout schedule. However, he still consumes a relatively low amount of carbs.

Does Channing Tatum do his own stunts?

While he occasionally does have stunt performers, if they allowed him to, he could very likely do all his own stunts.

Conclusion

While the fitness industry and Blockbuster films haven’t always been intertwined, Channing Tatum managed to bring them closer together, and we often get to see Channing Tatum working out on the big screen.

Fitness grew in popularity after Magic Mike, undoubtedly, as being in shape seemed to be more accessible. With this workout and diet, you too can start exercising and have his results!

References: 

  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/core-strength/sls-20076330
  2. https://www.aston.ac.uk/sport/news/tips/fitness-exercise/push-pull-legs
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/
  4. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/yogurt/
Photo of author

Andrew White

Andrew White is the co-founder of Garage Gym Pro. As an expert fitness professional (gym building nerd) with over 10 years of industry experience, he enjoys writing about everything there is to do with modern fitness & the newest market innovations for garage gyms. When he isn’t testing out products for his readers, he’s usually out surfing or playing basketball.