For decades, Josh Brolin has barely had a moment away from the silver screen. Since the late 1980s, he’s starred in films including No Country for Old Men, Sin City, the Dune franchise, The Running Man and many (many) more. Over the course of these projects, the 58-year-old has had to withstand his fair share of workplace hazards – from handling firearms in Sicario to playing a firefighter in Only The Brave, and even posing a genuine physical threat to Chris Evans’ chiselled Captain America in Avengers: Infinity War.
That the actor was up to each task was no coincidence. Brolin’s career has been built on grounded, intense performances, many requiring significant mental and, at times, physical overhauls. To prepare for each role – whether exchanging rounds with terrorists or playing the Ryan Reynolds-pummelling Cable in Deadpool 2 – he’s worked diligently across multiple areas of his life, including diet, training, sobriety and overall physical preparedness.
Josh Brolin’s Diet
Proof that ‘peak physical condition’ isn’t reserved for under-30s, Brolin has kept a close eye on how he fuels himself – whether on set or preparing for a role. A balanced, varied diet does much of the heavy lifting, something Brolin has explored at both ends of the spectrum.
‘No sugar. No bread. No pasta,’ he wrote on Instagram during a particularly intense training phase for a Marvel role. ‘The machine is being built. I’m pissed off.’
During that period, his diet centred on ‘fish, rice, eggs, veggies, water, one [bulletproof coffee] in the morning.’ According to FitnessVolt, breakfast also included three eggs, toast, yoghurt and a whey protein shake, followed by a chicken salad at lunch. It’s a Spartan approach – one that helped him drop 30 lbs (roughly 13kg) in 11 weeks – but not without trade-offs. Adequate carbohydrate intake is key for maintaining energy levels, supporting gut health, cognitive function and stress resilience.
Another cornerstone of Brolin’s wellness journey is his commitment to sobriety, which he has maintained since 2013. ‘I love being sober. I have more fun,’ he told ABC News. ‘There’s nothing I go through that I’m certain wouldn’t be worse if I was drinking.’
Josh Brolin’s Training
While Brolin’s day-to-day training isn’t widely documented, he frequently highlights two recovery staples – the sauna and cold-water immersion. He often combines them with short bursts of bodyweight training to keep his heart rate elevated.
Posting on Instagram during the promotional run for Dune: Part Two, Brolin outlined his daily routine, which blends all three.
As part of his ‘morning warm-up’, he performs ‘20 squats, 20 dips, 20 push-ups in the sauna – five rounds after 225 degrees for 30 minutes, followed by a 36-degree cold plunge for five minutes after a 25-minute circuit training workout for cardio and core without rest.’
The approach is inspired by surfer and fitness entrepreneur Laird Hamilton, who uses thermal exposure to ‘boost the system’ and deliver a ‘good kick’ first thing.
There are several potential benefits here. Heat exposure can increase blood flow and may help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), while regular sauna use has been linked to reduced stress and improved recovery. Cold exposure, meanwhile, can support circulation and perceived recovery.
It’s a more measured approach than Brolin has taken in the past. In preparation for Deadpool 2, the then-50-year-old worked with former pro bodybuilder Justin Lovato, who helped build him into Cable – a physically imposing antagonist.
‘Josh sent me a few photos of Cable that he liked,’ Lovato said. ‘The character is all arms and has a huge upper body, so I knew it was going to be a lot of work.’
Training sessions lasted up to three hours a day, split between cardio, mobility and bodybuilding-style work, targeting two to three muscle groups per session.
‘A typical day for Josh Brolin was that he would turn up in the morning, we’d put him through mobility work and circuit training,’ Lovato told Men’s Health, ‘and then he’d come back in the afternoon for a bodybuilding session. We’d do this six days a week.’
Below is an example session from that programme:
Barbell Deadlift – 5 x 12-15 reps
Squat down and grasp the bar with hands shoulder-width apartKeep your chest up, shoulders back and gaze forward as you liftDrive through your heels, keeping the bar close to your bodyLift to thigh level, pause, then return under controlLat Pulldown – 2 x 12-15 then 6-8 reps
Grip the bar with palms facing away, shoulder-width apartLean back slightly and lift your chestPull the bar to your chest, then return under controlKeep your torso stable throughoutWide-Grip Cable Row – 3 x 12-15 reps
Sit at the cable machine with feet bracedPull the handles towards your torso, then return under controlPendlay Row – 3 x 12-15 reps
Hinge at the hips and grip the bar with a wide stanceKeep your spine neutral and knees slightly bentRow the bar explosively towards your hipsReset each rep on the floor before repeatingJosh Brolin’s Mental Journey
In his memoir From Under the Truck, Brolin reflects on how sobriety gave him the clarity to step off the ‘constant spin’ of Hollywood. He views ageing as a process of shedding what’s unnecessary.
‘I like getting older,’ he told The Times. ‘It’s like a great excuse to finally go, “OK, just mellow out.” I wake up with eyes wide… and shame no longer follows me like a reticent dog.’
That mindset is reinforced by his relationships. He’s often said the most meaningful measure of his health isn’t physical, but emotional.
‘Sobriety is when your children look at you and trust what they see,’ he shared on social media.
Related Stories
Ed Cooper is the former Deputy Digital Editor at Men’s Health UK, writing and editing about anything you want to know about — from tech to fitness, mental health to style, food and so much more. Ed has run the MH gauntlet, including transformations, marathons and er website re-designs. He’s awful at pub sports, though. Follow him: @EA_Cooper
