Forget The Odyssey’s extensive A-list cast and spellbinding special effects.
The breakout star of Christopher Nolan’s epic blockbuster has undoubtedly been Matt Damon’s 4’ 6” tall stunt double Devyn Dalton.
The 35-year-old’s impressively muscular physique has made headlines ever since Damon singled her out for having “the greatest arms I’ve ever seen”.
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“Apparently my arms have their own career now,” she tells Fit&Well, exclusively sharing the workout she used to prepare for the role.
So what does she credit for her success—and leading man-worthy biceps and triceps?
“There really isn’t one secret exercise,” she admits.
“They’re the result of years of consistent training and doing a lot of different things. I strength train, but I also do calisthenics, boxing, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu and stunt work, so my upper body is constantly being challenged in different ways.”
Her mix of strength and conditioning, she explains, has allowed her to build muscle while maintaining the athleticism, endurance and mobility needed for her work.
“I also think people underestimate consistency,” Dalton continues, speaking while on set in New Zealand on another major film project.
“You don’t need to destroy yourself in the gym every day. You need to train intelligently, progressively challenge your body, recover properly, eat enough to support your goals and keep showing up.”
Plus, she adds, “having Matt Damon publicly compliment your arms is pretty good motivation to never skip an upper-body day again”.
Here is how Dalton shaped up to “add some size and definition” for Homer’s legendary leading man.
The 25-move workout Devyn Dalton used for The Odyssey
Once Dalton discovered she had been cast to double as Damon’s Odysseus, she finetuned her training to add muscle and definition, while staying athletic and mobile.
“I focused on progressive strength work, higher-volume upper-body training and making sure my nutrition supported what I was asking my body to do,” she explains.
“For me, the goal is never just to look strong. I need to be able to move, perform, repeat choreography, take direction and keep doing it take after take.”
Her upper-body sessions mixed heavy compound lifts such as pull-ups and overhead presses to build strength, with higher-rep bodyweight moves to build muscle.
“That gives me a combination of strength, muscle endurance and definition rather than training purely for size,” she says.
She would also prioritize good technique and keeping her muscles under tension rather than always trying to lift more weight.
“One of my biggest training tips is that heavier isn’t automatically better,” says Dalton. “Technique, control and time-under-tension matter.”
And she certainly didn’t train arms every day.
“Recovery is part of training. Muscle needs time and adequate nutrition to rebuild,” she says.
Ready to embark on Dalton’s epic arms workout yourself? Here’s how to tweak the routine.
How to adapt Dalton’s epic arms workout for a beginner
Dalton’s signature arms workout for The Odyssey combines five blocks:
- Block #1 – Warm-up
- Block #2 – Strength
- Block #3 – Arms and shoulders
- Block #4 – Bodyweight burner
- Block #5 – Finisher
To complete the full routine, you’ll need a set of dumbbells, a long-loop resistance band, a pull-up bar and dip station. For most people, this will mean heading to the gym.
If you’re a relative beginner, you can try performing just one set of each exercise, rather than running out of puff halfway through the first few sets.
For example, do one round of block #1 then move onto one round of block #2 and continue to the end.
Adapt each move to suit your fitness level, too. When you come across these moves in the workout, we recommend the following adaptations:
- Scapular push-up: If you can’t maintain a plank position in a scapular push-up, do scapular push-ups from your knees.
- Push-up: Make them more achievable by performing an elevated push-up or wall push-up.
- Pull-up: If you have a bar for pull-ups but can’t do a pull-up, do banded pull-ups and choose the resistance that allows you to complete all the reps with your chin over the bar. If you don’t have a bar for pull-ups, perform a bent-over row.
- Dips: Without a dip station or parallel bars, do bench/couch dips (bend your knees to make them easier).
- Plank shoulder tap: Perform knee-plank shoulder taps if you can’t maintain a high-plank position.
As your strength and recovery improve you can start to add extra rounds to match Dalton’s full routine.
Block #1 – Warm-up
Spend five to eight minutes preparing your upper body for action.
Band pull-apart
Sets: 2 Reps: 20
Band external rotation
Sets: 2 Reps: 12 each side
Scapular push-up
Sets: 2 Reps: 10
Arm circles
Sets: 1 Reps: 30sec each direction
Push-up
Sets: 1 Reps: 10-15
Block #2 – Strength
Dalton does four rounds, resting 60-90sec between rounds.
Pull-up or chin-up
Reps: 6-10
Dumbbell or barbell overhead press
Reps: 8-10
Dips
Reps: 8-12
Block #3 – Arms and shoulders
Dalton performs three rounds, resting 45-60sec between rounds.
Alternating dumbbell biceps curl
Reps: 10-12 each side
Hammer curl
Reps: 10-12
Lateral raise
Reps: 12-15
Overhead triceps extension
Reps: 10-12
Triceps push-up
Reps: 8-15
Dalton says: “I keep the movements controlled here. Don’t swing the dumbbells through curls. I like a slow lowering phase, taking roughly three seconds, because keeping tension on the muscle makes a relatively simple exercise much harder.”
Block #4 – Bodyweight burner
Dalton likes to do three rounds, resting 45sec between rounds.
Push-up
Reps: 10
Close-grip push-up
Reps: 8-10
Plank shoulder tap
Reps: 10 each side
Mountain climber
Reps: 20
High-plank hold
Time: 20-30sec
Dalton says: “Try to move through this section with minimal rest between exercises while maintaining good form.”
Block #5 – Finisher
Complete one round with minimal rest between exercises.
Full-range biceps curl
Reps: 10
Bottom-half biceps curl
Reps: 10
Top-half biceps curl
Reps: 10
Full-range biceps curl
Reps: 10
Lateral raise
Reps: 10
Front raise
Reps: 10
Lateral raise hold
Time: 20sec