How Jay Ellis Trained for His Epic ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Stunts
Jay Ellis didn’t start to get serious about fitness until he got his “dream role” in Top Gun: Maverick. The 40-year-old actor is best known for his lead role as the maligned boyfriend Lawrence in HBO’s popular dramedy Insecure. Did he have a dedicated fitness regimen during the show? Ellis admits, “Lawrence didn’t work out much.” For his character in Top Gun: Maverick, though, he had to look the part of a trained jet pilot.
Playing alongside Tom Cruise, Ellis knew he had to be able to keep up with an actor known for doing his own stunts. Ten weeks of workouts and 45 hours of flight training aided him in filming intense flight scenes in the film that apparently left some of Ellis’ co-stars puking. “There are scenes where many of my cast-mates and I are truly pulling seven g’s in the back of an F-18, cameras rolling, and we’re acting through it,” Ellis says in his MH cover story.
Ellis took it all with a smile despite the filming challenges. But when it comes to working out, Ellis isn’t the one flashing his pearly whites. That’s his trainer, Julian Bah, who Ellis says loves to torture him. “This guy’s a beast. I think he doesn’t like me, to be very honest with you,” Ellis told the MH team. “Because he makes me work really really hard, and he smiles while he does it.”
For his fitness goals, Bah decided Ellis should do supersets, which are exercises done back to back with little or no rest in between. Bah explains supersets are great for metabolic endurance, and help to pack in as much work into a limited amount of time. Ellis didn’t need to bulk up, so it was the best workout style for his regimen.
Jay Ellis’ Top Gun: Maverick Superset Workout
1A. Half-Full Leg Press
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
2A. Weighted Pullup
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
2B. Arnold Press
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
3A. Bulgarian Split Squat
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side
3B. Bird Dog Row
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side
3C. Hollow Body Floor Press
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
4A. Single-Leg Deadlift to Knee Drive
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side
4B. Dumbbell Pullover
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
4C. Single-Leg Lateral Raise
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
5A. Triceps Pressdown
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
5B. Dumbbell Biceps Curl
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
5C. Body Saw
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
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