Train like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson needs no introduction. He is an American professional wrestler and actor who knows very well what it takes to get to the top. Discover the secrets of his success, which you can apply to your life so that you get closer to your fitness and life goals.

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The Rock & his Morning Madness

Johnson’s run is intense. His tank top is so wet from sweat that it could be wrang. While for most people, the idea of getting up early for the morning exercise seems to be a nightmare, Dwayne believes that the dawn break workout sets him up properly for the rest of the day. “I love the hardcore morning workouts because they help me to start the day with the right foot, both mentally and physically,” he says.

„Depending on what role I train for, I usually do 30-50 minutes on an elliptical trainer. It’s the first thing in the morning, then I eat breakfast.”

When he mentions his morning meal, a million-dollar smile flashes on his face. If there’s something he enjoys more than spending time in the gym and entertaining fans – whether it’s on a silver screen or in a wrestling ring – it’s eating. Of course, he will always makes sure that whatever he puts in his body, it will help him with the best performance.

„Eat wisely. Generally, I eat 5 meals a day. I am always ready, organized and everything is planned ahead according to what I want to achieve. I usually start the day with beef and oatmeal for breakfast,” he explains. “Other main meals in my diet include chicken, steak fillets, egg whites, oatmeal, broccoli, halibut, rice, baked potato, lettuce, peppers, mushrooms, onions, and  casein protein.”

Lifting weights

Later on, he sits in his favorite Florida gym on a flat bench with two 45 kg dumbbells. In addition to a handful of early birds doing squats, deadlifts and plyometric exercises, the gym is virtually empty. It is accompanied only by the sound of four large speakers. If you live a chaotic and busy life like Johnson, quiet time can be very rare. With no one around him bothering him or asking for an autograph, he can focus entirely on putting his best in the iron that is the center of his crazy life.

“Training is my therapy and it’s cheaper than a psychiatrist. Honestly, I can’t imagine a life without training. In training, as with everything in life, there is no substitute for hard work when it comes to achieving results.”

„After breakfast, I get started with my hardcore workout – epic pain, epic results. I place emphasis on ‘we will win together’ and ‘training for progress’, so I share it also on social media. I take training as a metaphor of life – enthusiasm, determination, desire, work ethics, success and failure – I take everything in my life.”

Johnson certainly believes in practicing what he preaches. Especially when it comes to time in the gym. Instead of following many training routines, he prefers to follow a tried and proven bodybuilding model of lifting heavy weights regularly to maintain muscle gains.

„I train 6 days a week usually in the morning, but it always depends on my schedule. Sometimes I train in the evening,” he says. “However, I definitely prefer morning training. During the trainings, I separate the body parts: legs, back, chest, biceps and triceps. I combine dumbbells, barbell, ropes and machines.“

„My workout is constantly changing and adapting, but I usually do 4 sets of 12 reps with a break of 60-90 seconds. I’m not doing any monkey business in the gym. I always try to be the hardest worker in the room and make sure I’m smashing so that I reach within my best abilities.”

Always fit for a movie

For Dwayne, training doesn’t just mean looking good without a shirt. He trains intensively so he can shoot as many pieces as physically possible and look as realistic as possible. In the blockbuster movie “Furious 7” and the catastrophic movie “San Andreas”, Johnson was involved in several fun and physically demanding pieces. As he explains while sipping a large cup of coffee after his early training, he had a vigorous training plan for last year’s movie “Hercules”, which got him in good shape for his following roles.

„Luckily, these films were a follow-up to Hercules, a role for which I had trained and worked hard like never before. It was 8 months of banging the iron,” he recalls. “I lived alone and locked away in Budapest for six months while filming Hercules, followed by Furious 7 and San Andreas.“

Due to the San Andreas movie, he had to significantly change his training to be able to handle the role that the devastating California earthquake requires. This was not an easy task.

„In San Andreas, I play the first respondent among LA firefighters. It was incredibly exciting to work with these guys and match up training and diet to fit this character,” he explains. “This role requires a lot of core strength. I have trained a lot with the rope, I have also had water and self-weight trainings. I enjoyed it a lot and my respect for the guys who do this job has grown enormously. They are real heroes in the true sense of the word.“

In Furious 7, Dwayne knew that he’ll be compared to Jason Statham in terms of physical appearance. Although Johnson is used to be being the biggest guy on the stage, he was happy to share the spotlight with Statham in their epic battles.

„The fight I had with Jason Statham in the opening scene was really something else. It was very special. Throughout all these years, I have had the opportunity to fight many men with an excellent reputation in terms of “Hollywood tough guys” and action guys, but Jason Statham was a real tough one. With all due respect to the guys I fought in the past,” says Johnson. “What Jason brings is authenticity. He’s not just acting when he’s fighting, he’s absolutely authentic. Jason is a really tough guy, trust me.“

When the day is over

As the day comes to an end, The Rock drives his gigantic Ford F-150, a.k.a. “black gorilla”, a long, winding road to his place. Despite being known for his contagious charisma, Dwayne is quiet and absent as he crosses the neighborhood. After all, most people do not get a chance to live their dreams and be an action movie star, or they do not find the time to get into their life form. Yet, The Rock has built his career on this ver thing. It’s something he likes to do and something that he keeps improving.

Johnson showed once again why no one would come close to his level playing an unbeatable action hero. “I love it,” he says with a huge smile on his face. “Creating and maintaining these kinds of figures requires attention to detail, because sometimes you have to go easy or vice versa – add cardio, train twice a day or receive more or less calories. It’s always about the constant state of the flow that makes it really exciting.”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his training plan

For years, Dwayne Johnson has worked to reach the body that men desire and to which women want to be closer. However, the secret to his success is really simple: he lifts heavy weights, trains hard and often. Check out his training plan and if you have the courage, try it out or customize it to achieve your goals.

DAY 7: REST

Eating with Dwayne

The Rock claims that lifting heavy weights and hardcore training is only half the muscle building struggle. You must also consume the right food. Unless he trains for a role like Hercules, for which he ate 7 protein meals a day, he eats 5 meals a day as a part of his diet plan.

Meal 5

• Casein protein – 20 grams

• 10 egg whites (with paprika, mushrooms and onion)

What do you think of his attitude to life? Did he inspire you? Share your thoughts on this charismatic actor in the comments. If you liked or got inspired by the article, don’t hesitate to share it.