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Men's Health

Chris Meloni Shares the Workout That Helped Him Fall in Love With Squats

Brett Williams, NASM
2 min read
Photo credit: NBC/Men's Health
Photo credit: NBC/Men's Health

Christopher Meloni only just recently fell in love with squats. That sounds absurd, given the prominence of his backside online—you'd think he lived in a squat rack, knocking out heavy reps and maybe even adding thrusts to grow those famous glutes.

"I'm ashamed to say, they're kind of new to me," Meloni says of squats, which are considered by some to be the king of all lifts. "I've been working out many years, and I always shied away. I either did the sled—everything but squats. And the reason why is because they're very tough."

The 60-year-old actor, best known as the Law & Order universe's Elliot Stabler, has morphed from a solid TV procedural fan-favorite to an internet age Zaddy recently thanks to some particularly juicy pictures of his posterior from the set of his new show, Law & Order: Organized Crime. Throw in a few cheeky photo shoots and a splashy Men's Health cover spread, and you've got the makings of a physical phenomenon.

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But that butt wasn't built by squats—at least not until Meloni started working with his trainer Matt Pietrantonio, NSCA-CPT. "They've paid dividends as far as me being reconnected to my physicalness and the stuff I have to do for the show," he says. "I'm now a huge proponent of squats and I love them."

Photo credit: Men's Health
Photo credit: Men's Health

Squats are just one of the glute-building moves in his training arsenal. The actor worked with his trainer to create a program that would help him to get bigger, which resulted in a four day per week split filled with heavy loaded compound movements. Give this posterior-chain focused session a try to put some size onto your backside.

Christopher Meloni's Posterior Chain Workout

  • Barbell Back Squat

3 sets of 6 reps

  • Lat Pulldown

3 sets of 10 reps

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  • Hamstring Walkout

3 sets of 12 reps

  • Good Morning

3 sets of 12 reps

  • Kettlebell Pullover

3 sets of 12 reps

Want more celebrity workout routines? Check out all of our Train Like videos.

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