Why is it important to stay physically fit as an actor?

There are casting directors, acting coaches and talent agents who tell us we must “keep the instrument tuned” by continuing our training. Wise advice, however, what I have found is that there is something missing that is a very important part of keeping the instrument tuned.

Some time ago, a director reached out to me for a last minute opportunity to be a lead in her film. Although the role had a significant amount of dialogue and would require me to be on set a number of days, I took the offer.

After looking at the dialogue several times and trying to memorize the bulk of it, I had a mental block and couldn't memorize a damn thing. So with a last minute idea, I recorded my dialogue on my phone and went to the gym. (The gym has always been my sanctuary to alleviate stress, anxiety, aggression, and more). I started to recite my lines when doing various exercises and memorize the majority of it. Yes, some of my fellow athletes at the gym thought I was crazy but I didn’t give a shit. It determined how badly I wanted to succeed versus who was making fun of me. Therefore, when it came to game day, the inevitable happened. I was able to succeed with confidence when performing my dialogue in my scenes.

It also helped me to remember what was really important… tuning the instrument means keeping the mind sharp and keeping the body fit.

As a Personal Trainer, I find the most important reason to be physically fit is to maintain the vitality necessary for the requirements of an actor such as, taking risks on stage, listening to gut instincts and memorizing lines when filming, erudition of a new language, choreography, vocals, etc. It empowers us as actors to condition ourselves to be on set for long periods of time or perhaps numerous performances weekly. It lets us actors ascend to the next level of our finest work.

Yes, nutrition and sleep are essential but don’t sleep on physical fitness, Physical fitness builds the foundation of strength. We use our full body to fabricate, to conspire, to portray fictitious characters and to tell stories. Vitality and strength help us to be captivated towards our craft.

Remember my fellow actors, diamonds are made from extreme pressure and we actors are athletes. Stay tuned for my next blog, “Health is Wealth”, where I will give you more health and fitness hacks to get to your ultimate fitness goals. I am now taking on new clients virtually and face to face, so please contact me at the link below for a free consultation. You aren’t going to want to miss out on this opportunity.

Personal Trainer Page Link: https://www.michaelajazi.com/personal-training