Written by Tyler DiGiovanni | BSBM
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-founder
FACT CHECKED
Do you want to feel like you're Kenough? Getting a physique like Ryan Gosling might help you on your journey. Gosling made waves with his abs that looked like they came straight from a factory mold. No, it wasn't movie magic; Gosling busted his ass in the gym and on the dance floor to get into amazing shape.
Forgoing a traditional bodybuilding routine, he instead focused on functional movements, Pilates, and a brutal 9-minute ab workout that will have you shaking like a leaf by the end of it.
Ryan Gosling Workout
This workout isn't a typical gym-bro split and instead will focus on full body strength work along with enough core exercises to give you some seriously strong abs. This will follow three days of strength training circuits and two days of Pilates interspersed between strength sessions.
For the strength circuits, you will be running through all of the exercises top to bottom, taking a rest once all exercises are done, before repeating an additional 3-4 times.
Day 1 - Strength Circuit #1
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 15 Reps |
| Lat Pulldown | 15 Reps |
| Shoulder Press | 15 Reps |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curls | 15 Reps (each arm) |
| Lunges | 15 Reps (each leg) |
| Triceps Pushdown | 15 Reps |
*Rest for 2-3 minutes, repeat the entire circuit 3-4 more times.
- Ab Workout - See Below
Day 2 - Pilates
There are so many Pilates workouts available, but lucky for you, we have a full-body one that you can follow from here. Check out our post the 8 Best Pilates Exercises For A Full Body Workout.
Day 3 - Strength Circuit #2
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Squats | 15 Reps |
| Bent-Over Rows | 15 Reps |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 15 Reps |
| Lateral Raises | 15 Reps |
| Hammer Curls | 15 Reps |
| Skull Crushers | 15 Reps |
*Rest for 2-3 minutes, repeat the entire circuit 3-4 more times.
- Ab Workout - See Below
Day 4 - Pilates
Gosling used Reformer Pilates for at least one of his workouts, but that is a pretty niche piece of equipment that most gyms don't have. Instead, you can try this Wall Pilates workout.
Day 5 - Strength Circuit #3
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Deadlifts | 15 Reps |
| Cable Flys | 15 Reps |
| Cable Rear Delt Flys | 15 Reps |
| Preacher Curls | 15 Reps |
| Dumbbell RDLs | 15 Reps |
| Overhead Triceps Extensions | 15 Reps |
*Rest for 2-3 minutes, repeat the entire circuit 3-4 more times.
- Ab Workout - See Below
Ryan Gosling 9 Minute Ab Workout With 7 Exercises
Let's be honest. Most of you are here to find out what Gosling did for that six-pack. Just like the rest of his workout, this is a beast. This workout will take you about nine minutes of straight abdominal abuse. And when I say nine minutes straight, I mean it.
Each exercise is performed for one minute straight before proceeding to the next one.
Because we're such nice people, to make your life a little easier, we'll put a description underneath the workout for each exercise.
- Rollback
- Crossed Leg Lift (1 minute for each leg)
- Two Step Crunch
- Crossbody Crunch (1 minute on each side)
- Rope Climb
- Windshield Wipers
- Static Dead Bug
1. Rollback
This is starting off relatively easy. Sit on the ground with your legs extended then rollback (get it?) onto your upper back, and then return to the starting position. Yep, that easy. But you'll be surprised how rough it can be after a minute.
2. Crossed Leg Lift
This is a twist on the classic leg lift. Lay on your back and cross one foot over the other—it doesn't matter which one because you'll be doing it the other way next. Bring your crossed legs up like a normal leg lift. Once you're at the top slowly bring your legs back down to the ground. Repeat for a minute, then, like I just said, cross the other foot over and do it again.
3. Two Step Crunch
This is a fun one that requires some serious control. A crunch already has a pretty limited range of movement, and we will break that down into two parts. You'll come up about halfway, pause for a second, then go the rest of the way up and pause for another second before going back down.
4. Crossbody Crunch
You might know these by another name, but we're going with crossbody crunches. Lay on your back, hands on the side of, not behind, your head. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee, going across your body (they really make these names on the nose), then return to the starting position. Stick with one side for a minute, then switch to the other.
5. Rope Climb
Gonna have to use your imagination for this one. Lay on your back with your legs in the air. Reach for your toes like you're climbing a rope up to them. Once you're at the top, reach right hand to left toe, then left hand to right toe, and repeat before laying back down. Now, do that for a minute.
6. Windshield Wipers
If they aren't yet, get ready for those obliques to be on fire. Start in the same position as the rope climb: legs in the air, feet together. Bring your legs down to a side, touching the side of your foot on the ground before bringing them back to the center, then down to the other side. Your upper back should stay glued to the ground throughout the entire motion.
7. Static Dead Bug
This one is a little different because you will hold for 30 seconds on each side rather than moving the entire time. Start laying on your back with your legs flat and arms stretched out overhead. Bring one knee up to 90º and bring the opposite arm down to meet it. Hold that position for 30 seconds before switching arms and legs.
Related: Pilates Body vs Gym Body
Ryan Gosling's 3 Diet Tips
Now that you have the workout with that nine-minute ab gauntlet, here are some tips to follow so you can actually see those abs.
1. Stay away from plastic
If it comes in a plastic wrapper or container, you most likely shouldn't be chowing down on that. That means NO PROCESSED FOODS. Very simple. Don't eat crap. Whole food sources such as lean proteins, healthy carbs (rice, sweet potatoes), and fats from nuts, avocados, etc.
2. Intermittent Fasting
Gosling follows a 16-8 intermittent fasting schedule to ensure his metabolism stays in overdrive. That means not eating anything for 16 hours and then eating all your meals for the day in that other 8-hour window. It does take a little getting used to, but guess what? You're in luck because we have a 16/8 7-day meal plan for you to follow.
3. Cardio
Ok, so it's not exactly a "diet tip," but this will help you make sure you're burning enough calories to help get rid of that excess weight hiding that washboard. Get active!
Whether it's steady-state cardio, dancing, playing basketball, or swimming. Get your body moving! Yes, the strength circuits will have you breathing heavily, so think about doing cardio on the Pilates days and one of the other days off, leaving a full day for rest. Try to get at least an hour of cardio done on those days.
Related: 10 Cardio Workouts At The Gym
Wrap Up
Alright, now you have enough information to become your own real-life Ken. The only thing left is to commit to it and do the work. This workout plan is no walk in the park, and if you want to see results, you will have to stick with it. Eat clean, hit the gym hard, and you'll see the results you're looking for in no time.
Want to train like other celebrities? Check out our full Celebrity Workout collection.
Tyler DiGiovanni
Author