Men's Health October 2, 2025 0 Comments

Unlock the Divine Blueprint: The Untold Workout That Sculpted Jesus’ Legendary Physique

Ever wonder what it truly takes to walk the walk when you’re stepping into the sandals of Jesus of Nazareth? Jonathan Roumie, the 51-year-old actor famed for playing Jesus in The Chosen since 2017, literally takes that journey—logging a minimum of 10,000 steps a day—to shape his physique into something that mirrors iconic religious imagery. It’s not about breaking into a sweat during high-intensity cardio sessions but about staying consistent with the basics, proving that sometimes simplicity trumps fancy workouts. Partnering with trainer Braden Morrow, Roumie crafted a flexible program to build a strong, muscular back—right from hotel gyms and beyond—losing 20 to 25 pounds in the process. His fitness philosophy? Your body’s a temple, and treating it as such has been a revelation on his path to embodying the role of Jesus. Ready to see exactly how he did it? LEARN MORE

TO PLAY JESUS of Nazareth, actor Jonathan Roumie walks the walk—literally.

That’s not just an idiom. The 51-year-old actor, who has portrayed Jesus Christ on The Chosen since 2017 (much longer than the three-year period of Jesus’s ministry in the Bible), says he focuses on simply walking in order to mold his body into a physique that aligns with popular representations of Christ throughout religious history. “I would get a lot of steps in and actually not do a lot of high intensity interval training, not a whole lot of high intensity cardio,” Roumie says. “We boiled it down to really basic things, like getting all my steps in—minimum 10,000 steps.”

Along with all the walking, Roumie teamed up with trainer Braden Morrow of Iron Faith Fitness to create a program that would allow him to achieve his goals—namely, building a muscular back—while also allowing for flexibility, since the actor was often training out of hotel gyms with limited equipment.

The result: Roumie says he was able to accomplish everything the pair set out to achieve, and he dropped between 20 and 25 pounds over the year training period. “At the end of the day, it comes down to this: You’re body’s a temple,” says Roumie of his fitness philosophy, echoing scripture. “That’s what I’ve really come away with throughout this last year of my life in committing to the training needed to get into the shape to play Jesus.”

Here, Roumie and Morrow demonstrate the back and biceps routine they used to build up back muscle.

Jonathan Roumie’s The Chosen Jesus Back Day Workout

Wide Grip Pullups

3 sets to failure

Single-Arm Cable Pull

3 sets of 10 to 15 reps

Dumbbell Row

3 sets of 12 reps (or to failure)

Chest-Supported Dumbbell Rows

3 sets of 8 to 12 reps (or to failure)

Incline Dumbbell Curl

2 sets of 8 to 12 reps (or to failure)

Hammer Curl

2 sets of 8 to 12 reps (or to failure)

Want more celebrity workout routines? Check out all of our Train Like videos.

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