HELLBOY, GYM
BRUTE STRENGTH. RESILENT MUSCLE.
Hellboy (GYM) is the official training program used by David Harbour to prepare for his Hellboy role! The program focuses on resiliency, brute strength & power. Check down below for some behind the scene training videos.
GOAL: Resiliency, Brute Strength & Power
DIFFICULTY: Intermediate to Advanced
DURATION: 9 Weeks, 5 Days a Week w/ an optional 6th day
AVG LENGTH: 45-60 Minutes
EQUIPMENT: Barbell, Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Leg Curl, Cable Machine, Medicine Balls, Optional: Battle Ropes & Sled - Alternatives are provided.
TRAINING SPLIT:
Day 1. Lower Body
Day 2. Vertical Push & Pull
Day 3. Hellboy Day
Day 4. Horizontal Push & Pull
Day 5. Arm Day
Day 6: Optional Hellboy Day
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
App, Desktop Access, & eBook
9-Week Hellboy, Gym Program
Exercise Demonstration Videos
Weight Logging & Tracking
Nutrition Guide, Supplement Guide, & Macro Guide
Private Group Access
No subscription or reoccurring fees for the Don Saladino app. The app is FREE. Your purchased programs will be stored & accessed within your app account.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
BRUTE STRENGTH. RESILENT MUSCLE.
The official training program that transformed David Harbour into the beastly, battle-ready Hellboy. Designed for those who want to develop brute strength, resilient muscle, and unrelenting power, this 9-week gym-based training plan pulls no punches. Whether you're dragging sleds, slamming med balls, or carrying heavy iron across the gym floor, you're building the kind of body that looks like it could tear through walls.
“David brought me a photo of an Olympic shot putter and said, ‘Make me this.’”
– Don Saladino
When I started training David during Stranger Things, he wasn't looking for six-pack abs—he wanted to move like a monster and hit like a tank. At the beginning of preparing for the role, David was struggling to pull 24 kilo kettlebells off the ground due to a back injury. 9 weeks later, David pulled 400lbs off the ground for a crisp single!
🏋🏻♂️TRAINING SPLIT
+ Day 1: Lower Body – Strength, Power & Posterior Chain Resilience
+ Day 2: Vertical Push & Pull – Shoulder Dominance & Back Strength
+ Day 3: Hellboy Day – Carries, Crawls & Athletic Brutality
+ Day 4: Horizontal Push & Pull – Bench Power & Upper Body Thickness
+ Day 5: Arm Day – Bicep and Tricep Volume & Joint Armor
+ Day 6: Optional Hellboy Day – Full-Body Power & Mental Grit
🟢 Includes 3 progressive phases over 9 weeks to build brute strength & increase power output
🛠️ PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Day 1: Lower Body
+ Kick off the week by building brute lower-body strength and posterior chain resilience.
+ Includes explosive primers like broad jumps and slams, followed by squats, RDLs, and split squats to drive power, hypertrophy, and stability from the ground up.
Day 2: Vertical Push & Pull
+ Develop overhead pressing strength and vertical pulling capacity with a strategic mix of dumbbell presses, lat pulldowns, and isolation work.
+ Dynamic warmups prepare the shoulders and spine for heavy, vertical loading without compromising mobility.
Day 3: Hellboy Day
+ The ultimate functional conditioning day focused on heavy carries, bear crawls, and slams to mimic raw, real-world power.
+ Build full-body resilience, grip strength, core stability, and mental toughness—all in one brutal block.+
Day 4: Horizontal Push & Pull
+ Combine classic benching with deadlifts and rows for a massive upper body and strong posterior chain.
+ Rotational work and lateral movement patterns keep your body athletic and adaptable.
Day 5: Arm Day
+ Go full beast mode on the arms with curls, tricep extensions, and pump-chasing supersets.
+ Paired with athletic prep work and a high-intensity finisher to lock in the week’s gains.
Optional Day 6: Hellboy Day (Reloaded)
+ A repeatable chaos session to challenge your endurance, mindset, and full-body coordination.
+ Choose cardio finishers depending on your recovery—and your grit.
🚀PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
+ Built for Brute Strength – Inspired by Hellboy’s physique: dense, powerful, and unapologetically strong.
+ Real Hollywood Training – The exact style used by David Harbour to transform for his role as Hellboy.
+ Power & Hypertrophy Blend – Combines explosive movements with traditional lifts and carries for maximum output and muscle density.
+ Mental Grit Development – Carries, crawls, and finishers push you to embrace discomfort and build elite-level toughness.
+ Progressive 9-Week Structure – Each phase increases intensity, volume, and complexity to keep you progressing every week.
+ Versatile Equipment Options – Barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, cables, and med balls—plus alternatives for sleds, battle ropes & more.
Build unbreakable strength, power, & resilience —start the Hellboy Gym Program today.
DAY 1 BREAKDOWN:
🔍 LOWER BODY – Strength, Power & Posterior Chain Resilience
🧨 A BLOCK: Athletic Activation & Mobility
A1: Broad Jumps – Explode through the hips to prime for power output
A2: Med Ball Slams – Engage the upper body and core for dynamic coordination
A3: Bear Crawls – Activate the full kinetic chain and improve trunk stability
🟢 Purpose: Fire up the nervous system, build mobility, and prep for heavy, explosive lifts.
🏋️ B BLOCK: Strength – Front-Loaded Squats
B1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat – Train quad-dominant strength with core engagement under front load
🟢 Purpose: Build powerful legs while improving posture and trunk control.
🦵 C BLOCK: Strength – Posterior Chain
C1: Barbell RDL – Focus on controlled eccentric loading through the hamstrings and glutes
🟢 Purpose: Strengthen the posterior chain for durability, balance, and raw pulling power.
🔥 D BLOCK: Unilateral Strength Work
D1: DB Split Squat – Increase unilateral leg strength and hip stability
🟢 Purpose: Correct imbalances and enhance single-leg coordination and strength.
🦵 E BLOCK: Isolation – Hamstrings
E1: Seated Leg Curl – Isolate the hamstrings in a safe, supported range of motion
🟢 Purpose: Add targeted volume for muscle growth and joint support.
🏁 F BLOCK: Finisher – Conditioning & Grit
Choose one:
F1: Battle Ropes Short Wave – Total-body metabolic finisher to spike intensity
F2: Pick Your Poison Cardio – Rower, sled, bike, or treadmill sprints—your call
🟢 Purpose: Cap off leg day with heart-pounding conditioning and mental toughness.
Build unbreakable strength, power, & resilience —start the Hellboy Gym Program today.
