How Lamorne Morris Got Action Hero-Ready For ‘Bloodshot’

Lamorne Morris was looking for an excuse to get in shape when he snagged the role of eccentric coder Wilfred Wigans in Bloodshot, starring alongside Vin Diesel.

“I was carrying some extra weight around, and you don’t want to be the guy that shows up to the set of a superhero movie with a stomach,” says Morris, best known for his hilarious work as Winston in the long-running comedy series New Girl. “I also didn’t know what to expect of working with Vin. Was he going to punch a hole into me for nothing, while wearing a tank top and holding a beer bottle by the neck?”

Bloodshot follows Ray Garrison, as played by Diesel, who is killed in the line of duty and reanimated as a cyber-enhanced soldier. Set up as a viable franchise, the arc of Wigans left the door open for his own super-warrior status down the line, which was all the justification Morris needed to get into the gym.

So after winning the gig, Morris walked into Ultimate Performance in Los Angeles, where he mapped out his transformation goals, which included leaning out and muscling up. That morning he was paired with Eddie Baruta, U.P.’s global head of personal training, or as Morris describes him: “a shredded Romanian man who is one of the most intimidating people I’ve ever seen.”

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But beyond the first impression, Morris learned that Baruta was just the kind of person that was going to get him to his objectives. The work began with building a full-body program that utilized supersets and big compound exercises to build strength and increase output. The in-house program was elevated by including modified strongman movements, like farmer’s walks, weighted sled pulls, and prowler pushes, which Morris struggled with at first.

Lamorne Morris playing basketball between intense workouts Jonny Marlow at Early Morning Riot

“My first try, I couldn’t get the sled across the room,” says Morris. Not to be bested by an inanimate object, he bought his own for home, and drilled whenever the opportunity presented itself. That combined with a few months of Baruta’s program had him feeling like a champ. “Going back into the gym later and being able to run it around the place felt really good.”

Baruta combined those strength-building circuits with an all-around elevated energy expenditure, which Morris increased with regular runs and games of basketball. Even just the task of walking everywhere whenever possible, making sure there wasn’t a moment where they weren’t burning calories.

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The final step was getting Morris’ diet in order, and that meant cutting out a few of his favorite eats. “I knew that the hamburgers and the fried chicken were going to go,” says Morris, who would send photos of each meal to Baruta for approval. “But I had no idea how much fat were in cashews! I had been eating like a bag a day thinking I was being healthy.”

Since starting the process, Morris has shed around 40 pounds and continues to dial in the rest, improving every day. “I finally look at myself in the mirror and I see more than the ‘funny best friend,’” says Morris. “I see someone who could be an action star.”

Jonny Marlow at Early Morning Riot

A Day Inside Lamorne’s Training (Chest + Shoulders)

Superset A
Complete 4 rounds of this superset with 60 seconds rest between sets.

A1. Neutral Grip Chin-Ups: 8 reps
A2. Flat Dumbbell Press: 8 reps

Superset B
Complete 4 rounds of this superset with 60 seconds rest between sets.

B1. Neutral Grip Seated Chest Supported Row: 10 reps
B2. Incline Machine Press: 10 reps

Superset C
Complete 4 rounds of this superset with 60 seconds rest between sets.

C1. Lat Pulldown With Neutral Grip: 12 reps
C2. Lat Machine Press: 12 reps

Superset D
Complete 4 rounds of this superset with 60 seconds rest between sets.

D1. Chest-Supported Lat Raise With Dumbbells: 20 reps
D2. Chest-Supported Row To Neck: 15 reps

Finisher E

Deadmill Sprint (15 seconds on, 45 seconds off): 8 reps

Bloodshot is now available on all leading on-demand platforms (download it on iTunes here).

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