British actor Aaron Pierre, the 32-year-old set to play John Stewart in HBO’s “Lanterns,” has built a training philosophy where grappling forms the mental centerpiece of his entire regimen.
Pierre started boxing in 2016 and picked up Brazilian jiu-jitsu three years later, in 2019. The investment paid off quickly: he won gold at his first tournament in 2023. When his filming schedule cooperates, he tries to get mat or ring time four days a week, though he’s deliberate about not layering that with heavy lifting sessions too often, since combining the two takes a real toll on the body.
For Pierre, jiu-jitsu offers something his strength training can’t. He’s described it as the most humbling pursuit he’s encountered, a discipline where he gets to approach every session like a beginner soaking up new information. That willingness to be thrown into unfamiliar, uncomfortable positions is central to how he thinks about growth, and it carries into the rest of his training too.
Pierre, who also played a former Marine in Netflix’s “Rebel Ridge,” says his priorities have shifted dramatically over the years. Where he once measured progress purely by how much weight he could move, he now cares more about sustaining his mobility and durability over the long haul, training in a way that extends what he calls his “shelf date.” His lifting history has swung between extremes: he began with straightforward compound barbell movements, later abandoned the gym altogether for a stretch of pure calisthenics, and has since settled into a hybrid approach, training roughly four to five times a week and treating bodyweight work and traditional lifting as complementary tools.
One habit stands out across both his striking and grappling work: Pierre gravitates toward the exercises and positions that give him the most trouble. Dips were once a genuine weak point for him; through repeated, deliberate exposure, they became a strength. He’s applied that same logic to jiu-jitsu, treating discomfort as a signal of where to focus. His favorite single exercise remains the humble press-up, done for muscular endurance in sets with short rests, work that builds real pushing strength through the chest and shoulders over time.
Underpinning all of it is a commitment to consistency over intensity. Pierre has said he gets his training in regardless of time zone, jet lag, or how little sleep he’s had, a habit reflecting a framework built around durability rather than burning out. For a role that demands both a superhero physique and the discipline to maintain it across a long shoot, that day-in, day-out consistency on the mats and in the weight room may be his most important tool.
Source: Mens Health
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
