This isn’t Neal McDonough’s first rodeo, however after coaching for his function as a rodeo legend, the veteran actor is now shifting with the identical vitality he confirmed on pitching mounds of Syracuse College greater than 4 many years in the past.
At an age when most actors start their evolution into grizzled grandfathers, McDonough, at 59, has re-sculpted himself right into a chiseled motion hero. He can proudly tear off his shirt mid-scene—he’s bought the abs to show it. And all through this body-transformation journey, he’s grow to be re-energized, including mixture of energy and stamina that permits him sustain with actors, and even some athletes, half his age.
“I didn’t know that I may have a six-pack at this age—I didn’t suppose it was potential,” he admits. “After I ripped my shirt off and I may see all of the younger rodeo guys, like, whoa, I didn’t see that coming. That was my badge of honor.”
McDonough’s profession has ranged from loyal 1st Lieutenant Buck Compton in Band of Brothers to a futuristic crime fighter in Minority Report. Followers of the hit collection Yellowstone could know him greatest as Montana energy participant Malcolm Beck, a task that cemented his standing as an on-screen drive.
However for his current rodeo function as Joe Wainwright—a retired champion bull rider who decides to experience yet one more time with the intention to pay for his grandson’s life-saving mind surgical procedure—McDonough needed to up his recreation within the gymnasium. At first, he had some doubts about nailing the look of a legit skilled bull-riding grandfather in the Final Rodeo. “I used to be apprehensive I may by no means have that Clint Eastwood physique, that I might by no means appear like a man who was a one-time absolute deadly badass on a bull,” he admits.
Going from Yellowstone cowboy to a champion bull rider required McDonough to go all-in on a whole bodily and psychological overhaul. He enlisted the assistance of a private coach, dedicated to a months-long early morning exercise routine, and completely revamped his diet. The outcomes: a leaner, stronger physique—and, after all, the on-screen six-pack.
“I used to be so happy with that particular second, as a result of we constructed as much as it,” he says. “After I wrote it within the script, once I rip off my shirt, that second was at the back of my thoughts.”
He’s now extra muscular than he’s been in many years and might now declare his motion star standing. By his personal admission, nevertheless, McDonough is much from competing with the likes of match 50-something actors equivalent to Frank Grillo and Jason Statham for display screen time. As a substitute, the down-to-earth actor’s motivation for extra muscle is directed towards household longevity slightly than movie legacy. “I need them to see that their dad’s 59 years outdated, he’s nonetheless taking part in ball, and he’s nonetheless robust as nails,” he says. “If anyone messes with the household, he’s going to be the primary one to leap in and throw a punch. And that’s type of who I’m.”
Neal McDonough’s 40-12 months Health Evolution
A long time earlier than McDonough’s health method was formed round sustaining macros and different muscle-building methods, his old-school routine was partly molded by the archaic “run until you puke, then run some extra” mentality as a Syracuse pitcher. “Our job as pitchers was simply to run stadiums for so long as you possibly can,” McDonough recollects. “My coach would say:
‘McDonough, what did you might have for lunch?’
I’d say, ‘Roast beef sandwich, sir.’
‘I wish to see it.’
And he was useless critical—when you weren’t throwing up operating, you then weren’t doing all of your job exhausting sufficient.”
In the present day’s athletes could also be spoiled by post-workout luxuries equivalent to infrared saunas, ice baths, and pink gentle remedy. In these days, McDonough says restoration was simplistic and probably harmful. “Six aspirin and a six pack—that’s the way you fastened your self up after,” he jokes. “We didn’t have all of the bands or dietary supplements gamers have now. I used to be simply throwing something in my system aside from steroids that might get me as massive and as robust as potential.”
By 2025, the shift in methods applies to diet as nicely. Sober since 2016, McDonough has seen a optimistic change in how his physique features within the gymnasium, even earlier than connecting with St. John. The mixture of extra coaching and no beer, nevertheless, has elevated his health to an excellent higher degree.
“Beer was my factor,” he says. “I drank up an excessive amount of beer, and would get bloated, and was carrying round an additional 15 kilos of fats. As quickly as I began giving up beer, I began feeling my physique and mindset altering.”
McDonough doesn’t rely energy, however sticks to a routine of wholesome staples—rooster, spinach, and oatmeal, to call a number of. Not like his faculty days, and with a always busy schedule, he depends on dietary supplements greater than ever. It’s a part of the rationale why he partnered with Flip My Life. “Now, there’s simply a lot stuff over-the-counter that you would be able to keep in form with. However, you recognize, we actually didn’t have any type of protein powder like Flip My Life, that’s for sure.”
The Blueprint That Helped Neal McDonough Shred for ‘Final Rodeo’
When researching his function for The Final Rodeo, which he additionally co-wrote, McDonough underestimated the athletic look lots of at the moment’s skilled bull riders possess. Dropping layers of fats to look the half grew to become one other problem in nailing the function of Joe Wainwright.
“I met a few the rodeo guys simply once I began writing the movie, and I observed how shredded these guys are—simply high athletes,” he says. “We labored so exhausting to ensure that we didn’t cheat the viewers. We needed to be 100% plausible.”
The “we” he was referring to was coach Scott St. John. The pair of New England transplants, now dwelling in Los Angeles, first crossed paths at a sporting occasion. McDonough shared his imaginative and prescient for what he needed to realize, and from there, the 2 went to work.
“I knew Neal was an athlete, in order that made it actually easy so far as what we had been going to have the ability to do collectively,” Scott recollects. “We had a really quick window of time, so I knew it was going to be actually intense. I knew we needed to do it seven days per week, and we had been actually going to should stability the physique.”
St. John packed so much into his program, mixing loads of body weight strikes like pushups and chin-ups with heavy kettlebell workouts to maintain it difficult however not overwhelming. “You don’t want numerous tools to get into actually nice form, and also you don’t must overcomplicate it,” he says.
To maintain McDonough’s physique shifting and burning, conditioning drills grew to become a main coaching tactic. Workout routines like med ball throws, slams, and squat jumps had been commonly carried out. “We targeted in on constructing muscle, however then additionally holding the depth actually excessive for many of the exercise to assist actually crank up his metabolism.”
To simulate the chaotic actions of a bull experience, BOSU ball stability drills, split-stance deadlifts, and plyometric strikes like squat jumps and snatches had been key. Scott even included post-workout restoration yoga to take care of McDonough’s mobility.
“We put in numerous stability work, core work, power work, and explosive work that every one relate over to what bull driving is all about,” St. John says.
Whereas the method was a painstaking take a look at of coaching self-discipline, it took only one scene—his defining shirtless second—for McDonough to substantiate this system’s success.
“Nobody had seen me with my shirt off,” he says. “And there’s my snap button shirt, and I ripped it. I may see all of the younger rodeo guys, like, I didn’t see that coming. That was superior.”
Neal McDonough’s Subsequent Chapter
Because the launch of The Final Rodeo this previous Might, McDonough continues to thrive in each his profession and along with his still-shredded physique. He starred in one other movie, Weapons & Moses, and has a recurring function within the Sylvester Stallone hit collection Tulsa King.
“I couldn’t be in a greater spot in my life than I’m at this second,” he says.
He’s additionally grow to be a part-owner of the PBR’s Austin Gamblers. “To be simply immersed on the earth of bull driving is—it’s pure Americana, and that’s what I really like about it,” he says. “To be a part of the PBR household now, and to be a part of it, you recognize, proprietor of one of many groups, it’s so superior. I can’t communicate extremely sufficient about what PBR stands for, what they do for his or her followers, and the way wonderful the athletes are.”
As a longtime consumer of Flip My Life—the complement firm he’s partnered with—McDonough has seen the outcomes firsthand, particularly when the shirt comes off. He says teaming up with the model was the logical subsequent step. “It modified my physique a lot and adjusted my vitality,” he says.
Greater than a 12 months since coaching for the function of Joe Wainwright, McDonough nonetheless continues a superb portion of St. John’s routine, creating a brand new love for kettlebell coaching. “My physique doesn’t ache as a lot doing kettlebells,” he says. “You’re not simply jacking up weight—there’s a movement to it. It’s virtually like ballet with weights. It’s modified the way in which that I take into consideration exercises—it’s modified the way in which my physique seems.”
Pushing 60, it doesn’t matter what his subsequent function could also be—motion star or smart outdated grandfather—McDonough can be prepared. He could already be trying to find the following shirt to tear off. “I wish to be the perfect model of me potential for so long as I can. I’m simply getting began.”