Michael Trucco has graced our screens for over 30 years, shooting to fame in series’ like The Guilt and Battlestar Galactica. Now super fit at 56, the able actor is busier than ever with roles in Average Joe,Citadel, and Fire Country. But despite a lackluster experience of sports in his teens, and a near-tragic car accident in his 30s, the California native loves to stay active, and credits a love of working out for maintaining his winning physique.
While Trucco tells M&F that his high school days were not a “golden era” as far as sports were concerned, the star’s athletic endeavors did prove to forge an early relationship with fitness. “I played some football and wrestled a little, because it seemed like the thing to do,” says the star. “My head and heart weren’t really in it, but it did introduce me to structured workouts and training,”
Having been encouraged by the results that he saw from weight training, Trucco’s penchant for pumping iron would serve him well as he hit his sophomore year and shot over 6-feet tall, later reaching the lofty height of 6’3” “Weight and resistance training started to help reframe my body, and gave me the confidence I sought and needed,” explains the actor who was involved in a serious car accident in 2007, leaving him with four fractured cervical vertebrae and the necessity for spinal fusion surgery. While the star did make a miraculous recovery, Trucco’s current training methods still include weights, but they also revolve around longevity and functionality. To that end, the actor also incorporates cycling, pickleball, and love of circuit training into his routine.
How Does Michael Trucco Stay Fit at 56?
“I’ve had the great fortune to work on many varied roles and projects over the years, which require a healthy amount of physicality and fitness,” reflects the star, who undertook a brutal bootcamp to prepare for the role of a U.S. Navy SEAL in the 2018 movie, Hunter Killer. Trucco says that he undertook an intensive daily routine that included basic muscle burners like pushups, situps, and squats. “I was never more ripped in my life!” recalls Trucco, who practices the winning mindset of being ready to stay ready. Still, when it comes to sustainability, the actor is never afraid to mix a range of training disciplined, combining old school techniques with efficient technology in order to maintain a physique that could be envied at any age.
“I’m all about the home gym,” he explains of his preferred training environment. “I set up a very basic but thorough exercise area in my garage with a Peloton bike, dumbbells, resistance bands, and a fairly complete universal cable machine,” he shares. “Throw in some padded mats and I’m all set.”
Trucco explains that his journey with the Peloton has been an enlightening one. “When I first got my Peloton bike, I had no idea there was this whole other treasure trove of programs and routines outside of the cycling classes,” he says. “My main two focal points right now are cycling and strength programs,” adds Trucco. “I’ve logged into many classes, utilizing almost all of the instructors!”
The star shares that he’s also a fan of the “MadMuscles” workout and nutrition app. “The programs are set to deliver a number of different exercises, usually between six and 10, to form a superset that you repeat several times… with timed intervals and rest periods,” explains Trucco. “A good example of one that I did recently is a 39=minute full body routine, which contains a super set of 6 exercises: 20 squats, 1 minute of plank, 1 minute Superman pose, 40 reverse crunches, 24 shoulder tap push-ups, and 20 short crunches. Then you repeat that super set 4 times in 39 minutes. It’s intense and relentless, but very effective!”
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Michael Trucco Loves to See the Sights When Filming on Location
While the actor loves to get his sweat on, Trucco tells M&F that he gets a mental clarity from slowing things down while traveling for a project. “My favorite city to shoot, outside of Los Angeles, is, by far, Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada,” shares Trucco. “I get outdoors however and whenever the schedule allows. Any downtime or days off, you’ll find me out on the town, usually along the seawall down in Coal Harbor or False Creek, or my favorite, Stanley Park. I’ll just lace-up and leave the hotel and start walking in any direction just to enjoy a beautiful city.”
Trucco also leaves a bicycle at a friend’s house in British Vancouver so that he can pedal his way through his version of paradise. “I take every opportunity to get out and move when the weather is nice,” he shares. “Because when its nice weather in Vancouver, there’s no finer place on earth.”
Busier than ever, Trucco will also appear in season two of the golf-based comedy, Stick, and although he did not have to pick up a club while making the show, he would have to prove his skills in the upcoming Netflix thriller, “Poser.” In one scene, Trucco had to send the ball soaring through the sky. “I was nervous, because I knew that a hundred cast and crew members would be standing around, watching this scene, and I didn’t want to fall flat on my face and look like a total hack!” Fortunately, some driving range practice paid dividends. “I ripped the ball clean, right on the sweet spot of the club!” he beams.
With sports like pickleball and golf, a home gym, and the necessity to work on his gold swing providing great opportunities for exercise, Trucco feels fortunate that maintaining his fitness has become a lifestyle rather than a chore. “My advice to anyone over 50, looking to get or stay fit, and needing a little nudge would be to first set realistic expectations. Second, and most importantly, be kind to yourself!” says the sensible star. “For me personally, perfection is not the goal here. It’s unrealistic and it’s not necessary. Instead, feeling good about yourself is the goal. So, shoot for that.”
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