Parker Young’s Training and Nutrition Approach to Adding Muscle While Staying Lean
For a vampire role, actor Parker Young added about eight pounds while staying lean, using more protein, carbohydrates and a flexible workout split.
Actor Parker Young says he added about eight pounds of lean mass while preparing to play Jesse, a personal trainer turned vampire, in the CBS comedy Eternally Yours. His approach was shaped by two constraints: he wanted more size for the role, but needed to stay lean in case filming called for a shirtless scene at short notice.
More food, with room for carbohydrates
Young began increasing his training about a month before the pilot was filmed, then kept at it for another five months while waiting for later episodes to shoot. Rather than pursue a traditional bulking phase, he focused on eating more protein and making carbohydrates part of his workout fuel.
He says he had previously relied heavily on fruit and vegetables and wasn’t getting enough protein. He reports consuming between 1,500 and 2,000 grams of protein a day. That figure is what Young described in the interview; the article doesn’t provide details about how it was measured or verified. It also isn’t a general nutrition target. Protein needs vary, and anyone considering a major dietary change can discuss it with a doctor or registered dietitian, especially if they have a health condition.
Young also reconsidered his tendency to avoid carbohydrates to stay camera-ready. He says allowing them a place in his diet helped fuel his workouts. His account points to a practical tension for people trying to gain muscle while staying lean: training takes energy, and restricting food too much can make it harder to support consistent sessions.
Training with good technique and a group
Young’s interest in lifting began as a high school football running back in Tucson, Arizona. Competing with older, stronger teammates pushed him to lift heavy, sometimes beyond what he could handle safely. As he got older, he paid more attention to technique. Training alongside other people continued to help him work harder, and after moving to Coronado, California, he built a circle of friends who joined him for lifting, running, rock climbing and jiu-jitsu.
That social support matters in his account because his acting work and family life make a fixed schedule difficult. Young is a father of three, and his filming commitments can interrupt planned sessions. He describes training with friends as a source of motivation, while keeping his program simple enough to resume when time allows.
A flexible split for a crowded schedule
Young organizes his gym sessions around chest and back, legs, and shoulders and arms, adding core work to each session. He completes the three sessions and repeats them when his schedule permits. This gives him a way to revisit muscle groups through the week without relying on a rigid calendar that could be disrupted by a shoot.
His reported exercises include bench presses and incline dumbbell presses for chest, pullups for back, and Zercher squats, Romanian deadlifts with heavy dumbbells, and Bulgarian split squats for legs. For shoulders and arms, he likes the landmine press. He says he focuses on feeling the muscles contract and working toward failure.
Training to failure means continuing a set until another repetition with good form isn’t possible. It can make a session demanding, and the article doesn’t describe how Young manages load, recovery or injury risk. His exercise choices and effort level are personal details, not a prescribed program; people new to lifting or returning after a break may find it useful to ask a qualified trainer or clinician how to adapt strength work to their needs.
Recovery outside the gym
Young also describes spending time outdoors as a way to clear his mind. While filming in Montreal, he brought his family and stayed in a cabin by a lake. He enjoys using a sauna and says he also likes cold-water exposure, describing how breathing through the initial discomfort helps him feel calmer once he acclimates.
His experience doesn’t establish that sauna use or cold-water exposure builds muscle or relieves anxiety for everyone. The clearest takeaway from his preparation is the combination of consistency, a manageable training structure and enough food to support workouts. For anyone considering substantial changes to eating or exercise, a clinician or dietitian can help put personal goals and health needs in context.
Young stars as Jesse in Eternally Yours, available on CBS and Paramount+.
The source article’s guide to camping · The source article’s discussion of ectomorphs · The source article’s Zercher squat reference
