The training camp leading up to the MMA bout is often the hardest, most intense, and gruelling few weeks for a fighter. Although Dan MacPherson is an actor, he got a real taste of that grind when he prepared for his role as an MMA fighter in Beast.

Released in 2026, the action film follows the story of a retired MMA fighter, Patton James (Dan MacPherson), who is forced back into the cage to clear his brother's debts. Speaking on the Thomas DeLauer Podcast, the 46-year-old pulled back the curtains on the process.

"I was trying to learn the most intense and authentic and realistic MMA choreography while preserving muscle, losing body fat in a sometimes thousand-calorie deficit per day," MacPherson explained.

Learning a fight sequence in itself is cognitively challenging. Doing that with an extreme training regimen within a limited time was the cherry on top.

The actor's day began at around 6:30, fuelled with "loads of glutamine" to help him retain muscles. He'd usually kick off his training with full-body HIIT workouts. Martial arts and choreography sessions were in the afternoons, from around 11:30 to 3 pm.

But his day wouldn't be over yet. The 46-year-old is locked in for another gym session with heavy weights at night.

His plates were also intentionally crafted with high-protein, nutritious meals, including eggs, chicken, steak, and spinach in large quantities.

While this routine sounds nothing but brutal, the discipline helped MacPherson get in shape for the role in just 6 weeks, adding over 20 lbs of lean muscle mass.

But his life didn't stop for the grind.

Dan MacPherson on doing it all alongside life

The final scene, a title fight against a backdrop of 10,000 fans in Bangkok, Thailand, was to be shot within 6 weeks. The clock was ticking, and the pressure was only building up.

Yet, MacPherson recalls having to carry out his daily chores despite the 3 tiring sessions he was pumping out every day. Apparently, his life didn't give him a breather for the shoot.

"Still picking up my son from school, doing my own meal prep, washing, cleaning, everything that goes on with running a household," he told DeLauer.

Learning combat sports from scratch and then delivering a showstopping performance despite the odds of life is not something many people can do. And MacPherson is one of those very few.

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil