The American Psycho Body — How to Train Like Patrick Bateman

💼 Scroll down to download the full Patrick Bateman Training Plan for free!

Patrick Bateman vs. Christian Bale — Whose Routine Actually Works?

In American Psycho, Patrick Bateman shows off his infamous morning routine — skincare, a thousand crunches, and at-home workouts that seem more about obsession than effectiveness. It’s iconic, but it’s also not a great way to actually build muscle or achieve his lean, sharp look.

Christian Bale — the actor behind Bateman — took a very different path. Before American Psycho, Bale had never lifted weights. To transform, he spent months bulking with full-body strength training three times per week and added high-intensity cardio on alternate days. His plan was far from perfect (low training volume and strength-focused rep ranges aren’t ideal for muscle growth), but it worked because he was new to training.

If you want a Bateman-level body today, you’ll need a smarter, more efficient approach.

The Ultimate Patrick Bateman Training Plan

I’ve taken the best parts of Bale’s and Bateman’s routines and built a simple, two-phase plan that works for real people:

Phase 1 — Build Muscle (3–6 months):
Train five days per week.

• Three full-body strength workouts with bodyweight moves like push-ups, pull-ups, and split squats.

• Two cardio & core sessions with skipping, planks, and other fat-burning, ab-focused work.

Your goal is progressive overload — gradually making each workout harder over time. Push each set within 2–3 reps of failure and aim for 8–12 hard sets per muscle group each week. Eat in a slight calorie surplus and get 1g protein per pound of body weight per day to grow muscle efficiently.

Phase 2 — Get Lean (3–6 months):
Keep the same five-day structure, but shift into a calorie deficit while keeping protein high. Workouts get slightly harder to match your progress, but the focus is maintaining muscle while dropping fat so your physique becomes sharp and defined.

This method gives you the same clean, chiseled look as Bateman — but without wasting time on gimmicks or endless crunches.

💼 Download the free Patrick Bateman Training Plan below for the full workouts and step-by-step guidance.

Disclaimer:
This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Always consult a medical professional before starting any new fitness or nutrition program, especially if you have existing health conditions or injuries.