Hollywood transformations often look like magic, but the process behind Matt Damon’s physique for his role in The Odyssey is purely disciplined labor. I spoke with his personal trainer, Gabe Stump, to get the specifics on how they prepared for the shoot.
Stump explains that the goal was a lean and muscular look. Because the character lives on a boat, the target was low body fat rather than massive bulk. The training timeline spanned five months of concentrated effort to trim fat while preserving existing muscle mass.
The routine relied on upper and lower body splits. In a typical week, the schedule included two upper-body sessions, two lower-body days, and one metabolic or cardio day. The movements prioritized standard gym staples such as dumbbell bench presses, rows, and pull-ups, with reps usually falling in the 8 to 12 range. Strength work occasionally dipped to 5 or 6 reps.
Training intensity was managed through reps in reserve. Stump rarely pushed Damon to absolute failure in every single set, preferring to keep a small buffer to ensure recovery and consistency. This principle of repeatability is central to their approach. According to Stump, short, consistent sessions produce better results over time than irregular, long workouts.
Even with a busy filming schedule, the focus remained on safety and movement quality. When filming locations changed, the plan adapted to include bodyweight exercises and calisthenics to maintain muscle. The key takeaway for anyone wanting to build muscle is simple: find a routine that you can stick to and work hard enough to remain near failure during your sets.