“The only school I ever wanted to play at was for UCLA,” beams Thomas, looking back on his football past. “UCLA is highly regarded in my family and I had the opportunity to move on. I was part of the team and I was on the team for about four years, it was such an honor.”
Moving from high school to UCLA meant Thomas had to find a “whole new level of discipline,” he says. Thomas was tall and fast, perfect for wide receiving, but adding muscle required extra attention. “That has always been a challenge for me,” says the super-slim star. “I’ve always had a hard time building muscle. I remember all my time at UCLA, we did a weigh-in every morning and I was always 187 pounds, which is a good weight, but I wanted to look more like 215. Every day I was 187, 187, so I just told them, ‘You don’t have to weigh me, I’m 187,'” he laughs. “And really, it’s only been in the last few years that I’ve been able to put on some more muscle mass. I’m closer to 205 to 210 pounds now.”
Russell Thomas moved from the Gridiron to the big screen
It was through football that Thomas was able to act through stunt work. “My first few jobs in the industry were doing stunts as a footballer,” he explains, appearing in The Gridiron Gang film, starring Dwayne Johnson, and hit TV series, Friday evening lights. “I got to work on movie sets in my football gear and run around using my athleticism to kick-start my career,” says the skilled actor. Nowadays, Thomas himself seems to be the leading man and showed off his fit physique during a steamy scene in episode fourteen, season four of The Oval. Luckily, Thomas wasn’t surprised by the shirtless requirement, thanks to his sustainable fitness routine. “I don’t want to go through any of that,” he says of crash diets for scenes. “I’d rather stay ready to be ready.”
How Russell Thomas combines old and new practice techniques
Bench press: “The bench press is a bit like the typical football workout,” says Thomas. Yet the actor now opts for endurance, instead of ego lift for a maximum of one repetition. “I have to keep it close to me, but I try not to get too crazy with it,” he shares. “Instead of trying to use more weight, you do as many reps as possible, and that shows a different level of strength.”
Kettlebell work: One area of training that is newer to Thomas is the use of kettlebells. “Because I’ve been doing the same thing since I started playing football,” he explains about the motivation. At his local gym, the star takes several classes a week, where he can learn new disciplines and techniques. In between these lessons he also works independently on areas that he thinks require further attention. “It was a lot of fun learning to use kettlebells and the way they challenge your body in a different way,” he explains, noting that upright rows and split squats are some of his favorite moves.
While Thomas jokes that he loves and hates the kettlebell split squat in equal measure, the rewards make them worth repeating. “Doing a single-leg workout is really beneficial for balance and challenges the muscles in a different way,” he explains. “Plus, you can get a lot more focus on the muscles without having to put as much weight on your frame.”
Weighted carrier bags: One of Thomas’ favorites has him picking up some weight plates and performing Farmer’s Carry style walks. “What I notice is the importance of grip strength, as I was always weak on pull-ups,” reflects the star. “That’s why I like to focus on carrying those 45s. I make a point of carrying one in each hand, and I’ll do an extra long trek around the gym just to make sure I build that grip strength and endurance.” The actor reports that his pullup game has improved dramatically since incorporating this move.
Pocket work: For an intense mix of endurance, flexibility and cardio, says Thomas M&F that he likes to get involved in kickboxing circuits. “Doing different types of strokes and then calisthenics is a great workout,” explains the actor, who is able to sweat and drop fat at the same time. “It’s high energy, we have music, and it’s one of those things where you’re training with a group of people, so you get that kind of benefit of community and intensity. This is one of those classes that I really enjoy taking. It gets the heart rate up!”
Russell Thomas has learned to lean on protein
Because the star follows a predominantly plant-based diet, Thomas says M&F that he learned from the experts that focusing on proteins is a must to stay fit. The actor says that using plant-based products has lowered his blood pressure, but it has also increased his injuries, so he has expanded his diet to include Greek yogurt, eggs and some meat for extra amino acids. Right now, Thomas says his diet consists of about 50% vegan meals, with the other half consisting of “occasionally fish, very rarely chicken, and even more rarely red meat. I allow myself to eat it, but it’s not part of my regular diet. When I think about it that way, it’s much easier to maintain it over a longer period of time.”
While Russell Thomas continues to steal scenes as Eli Winter, the star explains that his desire to build muscle and master kickboxing techniques is all about bringing the same authenticity to future roles as he has in the past with football. “Just as one role may appear where they ask you to take off your shirt, another role may appear where they ask you to argue!” he enthusiastically.
Season six of The Oval is currently airing on BET. To continue following Russell Thomas Instagram, click here.
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