Goose, you look good! Miles Teller’s personal trainer Jason Walsh is revealing just how sky-high Tom Cruise’s expectations were for the cast of Top Gun: Maverick.
“I knew Tom was gonna put these guys through it and he definitely did,” the Rise Nation founder exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, June 16. “You can see it on their face. When they’re doing this, they’re not faking it. This is real.”
To get Teller, 35, in the best possible shape for his role as Rooster, Walsh had to figure out the best way to help the actor face the challenges ahead. In addition to attending flight school, the Footloose star also had to make sure he was “prepared for flight training” — something Walsh had never done with a client before.
“Tom is a huge advocate of making sure that these guys are really put through the rigors and the tests,” the fitness instructor explained. “They were actually in these jets … so [it was about] physical preparation, just getting strong, moving well, make sure physically he was very fit.”
Walsh told Us that he and the Pennsylvania native mainly focused on conditioning and fundamentals, making sure the Divergent star was as physically ready as he could be for the role — especially when it came to that iconic beach scene.
“We did a lot of conditioning a couple weeks [before] the beach scene, just to try to, like, top off, but he really didn’t need it. He was ready,” the wellness guru revealed.
Despite the extensive amount of training that went into Teller’s transformation, which included “a lot of ab work,” “deadlifting over 450 pounds” and “learning to brace for G pulls,” Walsh proudly told Us that the War Dogs actor “never threw up” and was “a good old boy” who accepted every challenge willingly.
“He took everything very seriously. He was very professional,” Walsh said of Teller’s work ethic. “You could just tell that this had this thing that was really going to require and push him to his limits physically. And the payoff was, you know, an incredible movie.”
That doesn’t mean that Walsh can take credit for everything fans loved about the Fantastic Four star while watching Top Gun: Maverick. “I definitely did not teach him that dance,” he joked. “That’s all Miles.”
For those who want to get themselves in shape and look like Teller, Walsh provided a few tips to help them progress, highlighting the importance of staying consistent in the gym.
“You’ve got to get your mind right. I would get a program and make sure that you’re keeping track every single day,” he explained. “We had a program set that was ready to go. We followed that program. We kept track of all the numbers. Every single workout there was a progression and then of course the diet side of it is 50 percent.”
The Spectacular Now star was able to work with an “in-house dietician,” but for those who don’t have that luxury, Walsh said “no drinking” and less carbs are the way to go. “Instead of having a burger bun … have it on a lettuce wrap,” he suggested.
While those who are looking to step up their fitness game can look to his Instagram for occasional tips, the celebrity trainer told Us that he mostly tries to “stay private” and “focus on the clients” at his gym Rise Nation. However, following Top Gun: Maverick’s commercial success — and Teller staking a claim as the internet’s new boyfriend — Walsh promises that people can expect more from him very soon.
“I am working on putting together an app and some stuff like that for people to have that information,” he revealed. “I think it’s time. I’ve heard the pleas. I’m gonna answer soon. Very soon.”
Reporting by Christina Garibaldi
