Keanu Reeves’ ‘John Wick’ Personal Trainer Reveals the Actor’s Special Workout
Keanu Reeves’ John Wick role is physically demanding since it’s packed with stunts and action. That requires Reeves to be in great shape to minimize injuries, so Reeves’ personal trainer puts the actor through his paces when training for these kinds of roles.
Keanu Reeves does most of the action in his movies
Reeves doesn’t have a lot of dull moments in the John Wick movies and since he’s over 50, it’s impressive that he doesn’t tap out and have stunt doubles doing the work for him.
“I do all of the action. I’m 90 percent of what’s happening there,” he explained during a Sunday Today interview in 2019. “I’m maintaining the connection with the audience and with the story. If it’s wacky/crazy stuff, then you’re just like, ‘Oh my god … what did I just see?’”
As for whether there’s a difference between doing an action scene for The Matrix and 20 years later, Reeves shared, “Yes, absolutely. It’s more about recovery [today], but with the experience though, you become more efficient and hopefully you get better at what you’re doing.”
How Keanu Reeves stays in shape for ‘John Wick’
As Reeves mentioned, with age comes knowledge, but there are also more opportunities for aches and pains, too. His John Wick role demands a lot from him and his personal trainer, Patrick Murphy, makes sure that Reeves is in top condition to handle whatever is thrown at him.
In a 2021interview with Men’s Health, Murphy explained, “John Wick is one of the most physical roles in cinema history. The choreography, along with the multiple fight disciplines, tumbling, stunts, horseback riding, stunt car driving, gun training and other various weapons training means KR’s body had been through hell and back.”
Murphy has designed the right training that helps Reeves perform at a high level and keeps him free from any serious pain. “It’s about being able to maintain a positive rhythm with his joints, and to reduce any pain as much as possible,” he noted.
“KR is always ready to go and kick ass in the gym,” Murphy shared. “I put together huge rep schemes and he does it without blinking an eye. There isn’t any magic to it; KR puts in the work and reaps the benefit.”
Keanu Reeves’ ‘John Wick’ training focuses on endurance and strength
During a 2019 interview with Men’s Journal, Murphy explained how he works with Reeves to minimize injuries during filming. “Keanu is an animal,” Murphy shared. “I never have to convince him to do another rep. But our workouts are designed to make him feel good and strong, not destroy him. Because he is getting so beat up during the shoot as it is.”
“John Wick needs crazy endurance, a powerful core, and grip strength,” Murphy explained. “I spent a lot of time dreaming up different combinations and pairings of exercises.”
Men’s Journal reported that “Murphy programmed huge circuits with a large volume of reps and minimal rest” and the workout provided a “variety of exercises” that had a focus on Reeves working out his shoulders because of the types of stunts he has to perform.
“I pay a lot of attention to the lines that the body naturally wants to make,” Murphy noted, with a focus on posture and alignment “which in the end gives him better leverage and strength.”
Of course, recovery is an important focus as well, including massage and acupuncture.
