While preparing for “Gladiator II,” Paul Mescal enhanced his gym routine – but perhaps not as rigorously as you might assume.

The actor shared with the BBC that he only dedicated 45 minutes to workouts each day. While this requires effort, it’s a far cry from the extensive hours often associated with intensive training for such a role. “I was fortunate to have a sports background before this started,” he mentions, possibly alluding to his Gaelic football experience, indicating, “so it wasn’t an entirely new venture for me.” He also credited his genetics as playing a key role in his fitness journey.

Reactions flooded in on TikTok following Mescal’s comments: “The physique he displayed in ‘Gladiator’ resembles that of any diligent gym-goer with a balanced diet and good genetic factors. It’s perfectly realistic and attainable.” “Just 45 minutes of high-intensity training is usually sufficient.” “A very down-to-earth perspective.”

But is this true? What constitutes an ideal fitness routine, and to what extent do our genes play a role? The reality is that while there are universal exercise and nutrition principles, individual genetic make-up will influence the necessary adjustments you might need to make to your regimen.

You might wonder: “‘Am I doomed due to my genetics?’ The answer is no, but you may need to approach your fitness journey differently for similar outcomes,” asserts Stephen Clark, a physical therapist and Clinical Innovation Director at Confluent Health.

What’s the weekly workout requirement?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. This averages to about 30 minutes a day over five days. Additionally, it’s recommended that adults incorporate two days of muscle-strengthening activities into their routines each week.

Mescal’s daily 45-minute workout, for instance, “far exceeds the minimum recommended level,” points out Tiago V. Barreira, an associate professor at Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. “It would be tough for someone to jump into this directly, but not out of reach for someone who already maintains some level of physical activity.”

Recent studies have also shown that your body may respond more effectively to exercise based on your previous activity levels. “There’s evidence for skeletal muscle ‘memory,’ which allows muscles to grow more rapidly due to prior training experiences,” explains Marni Boppart, a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Moreover, “a systematic review in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine identified 30 genetic markers connected to an individual’s ability to lose fat efficiently,” says physical therapist Femi Betiku. “Additionally, there are 24 genetic markers linked to effectively building muscle with specific exercise regimens.”

‘A major disappointment’

However, not everyone deeply invested in fitness will achieve results similar to Mescal’s. This can be attributed in part to genetics and distribution of body weight. While you can indeed focus on increasing muscle mass in a particular area through specific exercises, targeting fat loss in that same region isn’t guaranteed.

“When performing crunches, you strengthen your abdominal muscles, but the areas where you lose fat are largely determined by genetics,” says Sam Leicht, the founder of Pridefit, a fitness app for the LGBTQ+ community, “which can be quite disappointing for those aiming to reduce fat in specific spots.”

Additionally, celebrities typically have access to elite trainers and nutritionists—resources that are not readily available to the general public. “An average person would gain significant advantages from lifting weights for 45 minutes daily,” states Michael Joseph Gross, author of the upcoming book “Stronger: The Untold Story of Muscle in Our Lives,” “but the results may not be as visually evident.”

‘Start slowly with your workouts’

If you’re looking to modify your workout routine, begin gradually – perhaps with a few hours of strength training each week, taking a 40-minute walk outside, and embracing a balanced diet, suggests Leicht.

Moreover, “It’s crucial to ensure that one’s exercise intensity, duration, and effort align with their goals,” Clark emphasizes. “So, if your aim is not to resemble a gladiator, your efforts should be proportionate. All exercise should be introduced progressively and at a pace manageable for your body to minimize the risk of injury.”