Best method to bulk up explained by ex-professional rugby player

Last week, viewers were treated by the release of the highly anticipated Gladiator II trailer. It a ttracted vast amounts of media attention both in the press and on social media.

Paul Mescal, who leads in the film as Lucius, has undergone an extreme physical transformation for the role, which hasn’t gone unnoticed. TikTok videos about Paul Mescal have even reached five million views in the past week.

With Pedro Pascal nicknaming Mescal “Brick Wall Paul”, many people have been keen to find out how Paul Mescal got so ‘ripped’.

James Laithwaite, a former professional rugby league player and Fuel Hub co-founder, has given insight into what Paul Mescal would’ve done for this transformation and gave tips for how others can achieve a similar look.

From building foundational strength, to taking the time to warm up and cool down, James has explained the best ways to achieve this look in eight weeks.

John said: “In the trailer for Gladiator II we can see Paul Mescal has undergone an impressive physical transformation. Most likely, a clean diet with protein, healthy fats, and carbs was key.

“To achieve this look he’ll have had to incorporate foods like chicken, fish, veggies, and whole grains into his diet to fuel intense training. This approach would have helped him build strength and size for the role, without getting shredded like a bodybuilder.”

To get the ‘gladiator look’, James said Mescal likely incorporated HIIT and cardio alongside strength training. This combination would’ve helped him burn fat, boost his cardio endurance VO2, and keep his heart healthy.

James also says the strength training would’ve focused on specific muscle groups to build the powerful, defined look we see in the trailer.

“The core of his workout would have been strength training, possibly including exercises like push-ups and squats to build foundational strength.

“His trainer probably started an intense strength training with a 10-15 minute cardio warm-up to get his blood pumping, followed by full body stretches and foam rolling to improve flexibility and prevent injury.

“Then they’ll have finished off with a cool-down — light cardio and static stretches or foam rolling would help his body recover from the intense training. This combination of targeted exercises, mobility work, and proper recovery likely played a key role in Mescal’s impressive transformation.”

James added: “While training is key, many focus too much on routines and forget the true foundation — nutrition. You can’t out-train a bad diet.

“Fuel your body right and the rest falls into place. Eat for results, you’ll have more energy and drive to train harder, recover faster, and build a physique Paul would be proud of.”