How Reacher Star Alan Ritchson Got Ripped For Season 2

One of the key aspects that previous book-to-screen adaptations of Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" series have been missing is an actor with the intimidating size of the beloved character. While a guy like Tom Cruise, who previously played him, could never hope to look like the massive ex-military investigator, Alan Ritchson of Amazon Prime's "Reacher" series has put in the time and work to fill out the character as best he can.

However, fans who have watched Ritchson's gradual transformation since his recurring role on "Smallville" may be wondering how the performer has managed to become so massive over the years. Fortunately, the "Reacher" star is very forthcoming about his strategies in an interview with Men's Health about how he bulked up for the role.

"Getting on testosterone was huge for me," he said. "I had none by the time I was done with Season 1 due to the stress and the fatigue and what I had done to my body. For me, it's a long game. I want to do Reacher for 15 years ... I don't want to have to have surgery after every season, and testosterone helps."

While Ritchson was adamant that he built up his impressive physique through natural means for the first season of "Reacher," the actor did admit that he needed a bit of help when it came time to reprise the titular role in Season 2.

On the other hand, the details don't exactly make it sound like a pleasant experience to undergo. "I ravaged my body," Alan Ritchson said. "I mean, I had a broken AC (acromioclavicular) joint in my shoulder, [which] I had to have repaired. There was a huge imbalance in hormones in my body. I was falling apart," he went on. "So while I made it happen, it's probably true that it shouldn't happen that fast, that way."

These details naturally go a long way to help explain why the performer went on to take testosterone for Season 2 of "Reacher," and the experience has generally been a positive one. "I'm a big advocate of it, especially for people in their forties or above," Ritchson said. "[Men aren't] aware that it's out there, but it could be really life-changing. It could be a mood stabilizer for people ... It can do a lot more than just help you be buff, but it certainly helped in my journey," he explained.

While most of us will never come close to being as big as Ritchson has become while playing Jack Reacher, tips like these do help prospective gym rats learn how they might come to accomplish this feat. Meanwhile, those who are awaiting the inevitable third season of the popular Amazon Prime series will have to wait and see whether Ritchson comes back even more jacked for Season 3.