Josh Murray, the 2-time regional Emmy Award winner who recently produced and acted in the movie Gym Rat, released on March 5, 2026, opened up about his interaction with and learning from his co-star Lou Ferrigno, the former Mr. Universe, in an exclusive interview with Essentially Sports.

In the psychological thriller movie, Murray plays the role of an ex-con bodybuilder who wants to be Mr. Olympia and is driven by an unraveling obsession as an unpredictable gym boss collides with him. The character, who idolized Ferrigno as his childhood hero, confronts his inner drive after love knocks on his door.

So, when Murray asked about his experience working with Ferrigno and the lessons he learned from the legend, he said, “The lifetime of dedication” in Ferrigno’s “fitness and nutrition is a big part” of his learning, but also “Ferrigno's enthusiasm and positivity that he radiates, I think, was very instructive!”

However, the actor also admitted that instead of talking more about fitness, they “talked more about acting and chess”.

Murray added, “The thing that immediately stood out about Lou is how youthful and sharp he is in his 70's.”

Talking about his experience of working with the former bodybuilder, The Reliant actor said, “Working with Lou was a bit surreal in the best way. I didn't grow up being conscious of him, although our director Kors did. But he had always been woven into the storyline of Gym Rat, even though he wasn’t originally supposed to appear in the film.

So by the time he joined at the final stage of production, I had already spent years in the headspace of seeing him as the embodiment of the character’s hopes and dreams—this truly larger-than-life figure.”

Murray also praised Ferrigno for his dedication and commitment.

And that dedication can still be seen in his physique. The Hulk still mesmerizes his fans when he appears on the silver screen or at any event.

So, how does Ferrigno still maintain a fit appearance? The answer lies in his strategic workout routine.

Lou Ferrigno’s current workout routine

It is hard for many 74-year-old people to stay fit and maintain their health effectively.

However, Ferrigno follows a strategic workout routine that still helps him stay fit.

His workout routine includes:

• Warm-up: treadmill walk or jogging for 10 min
• Machine chest press: 3 sets of 12 reps
• Alternating dumbbell curl: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per arm
• Machine preacher curl: 3 sets of 12 reps
• Triceps kickback: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps

According to Men's Health, Ferrigno's training has been therapeutic and gives the veteran bodybuilder a vision for the future.

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil