Although Luke Macfarlane is a Juilliard-trained actor, it’s taken more than acting skills to be a Hallmark hunk, starring in over a dozen Hallmark movies, per IMDb, and a new unscripted series, “Home Is Where The Heart Is.”
On April 15, 2025, Men’s Health released a video tutorial with Macfarlane walking fans through his intense workout regimen, including pull-ups, biceps curls, and shoulder presses. His workouts, he revealed, aren’t just about staying in great shape, but also give him the stamina and strength he needs as an actor and dad of a two-year-old.
Luke Macfarlane Says Building Core Strength Helps Him During Long Days On Sets
Macfarlane, who recently filmed the second season of AppleTV+’s “Platonic,” demonstrated some of his favorite moves in a gym for the Men’s Health video. But he acknowledged that being a busy dad requires him to do time-effective workouts.
“I am a new father,” Macfarlane said of his daughter Tess, born in June 2023, “so we try to get it done as quick as possible. That doesn’t mean we don’t hit all the muscle groups.”
“As an actor, being in physically good shape (is) very important,” he told Men’s Health, noting that sometimes he has to bulk up for a role, but added, “I feel very comfortable walking around at 200 pounds.”
“As I get a little bit older, I want to lean out more so I’ve just really increased the repetition, maybe moving less weight right now than I used to,” he said.
One of Macfarlane’s tricks for an efficient but effective workout, he said while demonstrating, is to “start with my favorite exercise — the thing that I did when I was a kid because who didn’t want to be G.I Joe? I wanted to be in the military and the pull-up is the classic move, so that’s usually actually how I start my workouts — with some pull-ups.”
He later said, “I truly think every guy should be able to do 10 pull-ups unbroken without touching the ground.”
The “Catch Me If You Claus” star then moved to the floor for his next exercise — side planking — telling viewers that “core strength is a very important part of being an actor.”
“You often find yourself in uncomfortable positions for a very long time, so you really want to know how to engage (your core) and, more importantly, endure. So kind of working on endurance, working on focus and engagement. I like to try to hold plank on each side for at least a minimum of one minute.”
For His Woodworking Skills, Luke Macfarlane Focuses on ‘Grip Strength’ in His Workouts
While continuing to show viewers some of his favorite exercises, Macfarlane told Men’s Health he used to listen to music while training but has switched to podcasts and news. He also acknowledged he’s “lucky enough to work out with a trainer,” noting that it helps to “have somebody out there kind of pushing you along.”
In “Home Is Where The Heart Is,” Macfarlane gets to leverage his woodworking skills as he and co-star Olivia Westbrooks bring new life to older family homes. But even that work is on his mind as he works out.
Working as a carpenter on the show, he said, telling viewers that “grip strength is an important part of that.” Holding 70-pound weights in each hand, he did leg lunges — an exercise he said he tries to do twice a week.
“I love working with kettle bells,” he also said, “and I love working on my shoulders. It’s really important to keep them moving, so I’m working on both mobility and on muscle development.”
As of April 17, all six episodes of “Home Is Where The Heart Is” are available to stream on Hallmark+.
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Luke Macfarlane Reveals How Working Up a Sweat Helps His Hallmark Roles: VIDEO