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WHETHER IT’S HIS killer, swoon-worthy smile as McDreamy or his portrayal of hitman Angelo Doyle in his new series Memory of a Killer, Patrick Dempsey has been a nonstop presence on television. The actor keeps busy when he’s off-screen, too, thanks to other pursuits, like professional car racing (yes, really) to cycling.
It’s a lifestyle that helps keep Dempsey living in the moment and prepared to take on any challenge that comes his way. He was excited to break down how he stays in peak physical and mental shape when he stopped by our Strong Talk podcast.
Dempsey, 60, talked about more than fitness, too. He also discussed the importance of colorectal cancer screening (and questioned MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. on when he is making an appointment). Dempsey, a longtime cancer advocate, has partnered with Guardant/Shield on a new test that makes colorectal cancer screening easier.
Samuel and MH health director Marty Munson, a veteran triathlete who, like, Dempsey, also loves cycling, broke all of this down in an episode that dove deep on all Dempsey’s wellness habits (and his take on a host of trends, including fibermaxxing).
Munson and Dempsey also discussed how they manage a long ride. In words nearly every cyclist can relate to, Dempsey said, “I suffer,” adding that “the more you do it, the more you get used to being comfortable suffering.”
He mixes up his cycling workouts frequently, he says. “I’m a guy that likes to cruise. I love group rides and I love riding alone, because I have a lot of people around a lot of times,” he says, sometimes riding gravel, sometimes riding on the road. He doesn’t choose sides when it comes to riding in heavy gears or preferring to spin. When he’s been cruising too easily, he says, he’ll tell himself, “Now I need to push.” He loves riding rollers, which give you just enough climb and just enough descent to recover before the next uphill effort.
One way or another, Dempsey finds a way to train nearly every day. If he’s not riding, he’ll hit the weight room, where he generally chooses 3 to 5 exercises and works through a full-body strength circuit. His gym goal is simple: maintain lean, functional muscles and good balance as he gets older. “It’s not just about looking good and trying to match what people have on Instagram. It’s more the internal feeling of feeling better about myself,” Dempsey says.
And yes, as Dempsey said, all of this can sound daunting (especially those endurance rides!). But Dempsey has a strategy for getting through long workouts, long rides, and any tough challenges: He focuses on tackling exactly one hill at a time.
Want more deep-dive fitness wisdom from Samuel and other celebs and experts who’ve been on our Strong Talk podcast? Check out all our episodes here.
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, MS is the associate health & fitness for Men’s Health and has previously written for CNN, Scientific American, Popular Science, and National Geographic before joining the brand. When she’s not working, she’s doing circus arts or working towards the perfect pull-up.
