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When he enters the ring, he salutes as a sign of respect for his fans and soldiers of the American army. He then runs to the ring, takes off one of his jerseys, throws away his cap, all accompanied by his own song with the distinctive name The time is now. Some people love him, others hate him because they perceive him as a favoured wrestler in the sport’s top organization, WWE.
John Cena is one of the most successful wrestlers in history, who has also established himself as an actor, rapper, and even a writer. He has become a world wrestling champion 16 times, which is why his videos on YouTube have a total of hundreds of millions of views. In the article, we will introduce you to John Cena’s life, diet and training routine.
Childhood
In his adolescence, John Cena was often bullied for his weak expressive language ability and way of dressing. Home exercise has served him as a therapy for psychological abuse since the age of twelve. He then asked his parents to buy him a weight bench for Christmas. He did not open the door of the local gym for the first time until three years later when he was fifteen. And this decision changed his life… [1]
John Felix Anthony Cena was born on April 23, 1977, on the east coast of the United States in a small town called West Newbury near Boston. He is the second eldest of five sons. His father is of Italian descent, while his mother, Carol, is of half French-Canadian and around half English ancestry. In interviews, he likes to talk about his bright and crazy childhood. He had a relatively close relationship with his siblings, especially with the oldest of them – a policeman, to whom he has great respect. [2-4]
John Cena decided to study at the well-known private school Springfield College in Massachusetts, where he continued to cultivate his love to sports. He successfully completed the study of exercise physiology and human anatomy. He represented the university in American football, and eventually became a captain of his team. Despite a promising career and family support, he decided to quit the sport, which he justified by lack of height. Cena was getting more and more passionate about bodybuilding. [5]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Cena_(29894939113).jpg
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Moving to California
With a few hundred dollars in his pocket, he decided to look for happiness on the other side of the country. He traveled to Los Angeles and settled on the iconic Venice Beach in California. At the local Gold’s Gym, where Arnold Schwarzenegger also spent his best years, he started making money by washing and storing towels for a minimum wage. For a while, he even slept in his old car due to a lack of money. He later made a living as a limousine driver. He probably regretted his decision to leave his hometown a few times at that time. His passion for bodybuilding deepened, but his results were not excellent. Before the end of the millennium, there was a moment that definitely changed his life. [6]
In an informal interview, Cena agreed with a friend from the fitness center to start attending Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) courses – the predecessor of today’s most prestigious wrestling organization, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). His decision to try wrestling with theatrical elements was probably due to the fact that his father, John Cena, was a wrestling announcer. During his childhood, Cena often watched performances of the legends of this sport on television – Hulk Hogan or Shawn Michaels. [7]
Ambitious John Cena did not wait long for his premiere chance. Performing under his wrestling alter ego Prototype, which was a combination of human and robot (cyborg), he won his first wrestling title at UPW in 2000. At that time, the management of the most prestigious organization of the sport, WWE, noticed him, and a year later, he signed a contract with them. [8]
WWE – from debut to record
After signing the contract, Cena made his WWE debut in June 2002. He entered the match as a replacement for The Undertaker (Mark William Callaway), who was ill back then and was already known in the highest wrestling organization. John Cena made his debut with the Olympic champion Kurt Angle. Although Cena dominated the whole match in the ring, he eventually lost to his opponent. However, quality performance in the premiere match between the elite wrestlers opened the door to further matches for him. [9]
In the following years, it was a great journey for John Cena in the most prestigious wrestling organization. In 2005, he won the Wrestlemania title for the first time, but it was his second victory that became iconic. From a height of about five meters, in a sold-out hall in Toronto, he won against Adam Copeland from Canada, known by the nickname “Edge”. This event had a distinctive name – Unforgiven. [10]
Many consider him the greatest figure in wrestling in the last twenty years. The overview of John Cena’s achievements is truly remarkable:
- a 16-time world champion (absolute record)
- has 5 US champion titles
- won 25 championships in WWE
- won the team competition four times
- is a triple “Superstar” of the year [11-12]
Despite this success, John Cena also has many enemies. In addition to having disputes with other popular wrestling stars, such as Dwayne “Rocky” Johnson and CM Punk, they blame him that his success in wrestling is mainly due to being favourable among the WWE leadership.
In addition, his unpopularity with some fans is also due to the already mentioned humiliating win over another popular face of wrestling – Edge, or the fact that he is increasingly engaged in other (commercial) activities beside wrestling.
The career of a singer, actor, and writer
As we mentioned in the introduction, when John Cena enters the ring, the music that accompanies him is his own song with the distinctive name The time is now. It is the most famous song from the hip hop album You Can’t See Me, which was released in 2005. More than 143,000 copies of this album were sold already in the first week, and a few years later Cena confirmed his multi-talented nature in cinema. [11]
Big, strong, and, of course, successful athletes attract the attention of Hollywood directors. It was also the case of John Cena, who, after the release of his rap album, starred in several films, mostly action movies, such as The Marine and 12 Rounds. Legendary, a sports drama, is considered to be the peak of his acting career. In the 2010 film, Cena played a character that was largely based on his own life. He played a wrestling legend there, who helps his younger brother and deals with bullying by fighting. [13]
Next year, Cena will appear in the ninth sequel to the famous film series Fast and Furious. The premiere of this film was supposed to take place in May this year, but due to the pandemic, the film’s release was postponed to April 2, 2021. Cena will be play Jakob Toretto, the long-lost brother of the main character Vin Diesel. [14]
Cena is also known for comedy films such as Bumblebee and Blockers, which, however, did not convince the audience with their quality. [15]
Cena does not stop to amaze us with his versatility. He also established himself as a writer, writing mainly books for children. He became known to the public through the Elbow Grease picture book series, which became a bestseller of the prestigious New York Times. Again, it can be assumed that it was inspired by his own destiny. This book is a story of five sibling cars, from which the small off-road monster truck Elbow Grease tries to assert himself thanks to his courage and self-confidence.
Moreover, Cena is preparing his debut in the field of motivational literature. A few days ago, he announced the release of a book called “Do your best everyday to do your best every day” on his Facebook. It should be available in early April next year. [16]
Personal life and charity
Personal life seems to be among the darkest aspects of John Cena’s life. He first married in 2009, when he got engaged to his high school love Elizabeth Huberdeau. For the second time, he proposed to the star of women’s wrestling, Nikki Bella. It was in 2017 and just the way they like it in Hollywood. In front of 70,000 spectators after one of the winning matches directly inthe wrestling ring. [17-18]
However, their happy relationship lasted less than a year. Nikki Bella justified this at the time by saying she could not make John happy because she was not ready for a baby. Only recently, more precisely in October, Cena married for the third time. He married a Canadian engineer with Iranian roots, Shay Shariatzadeh.
Of the three marriages, John Cena has no children yet. Nevertheless, he loves kids, which is reflected in his charity activities. He helps the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a non-profit organization, to fulfil the wishes of seriously ill children. John has already managed to fulfil more than 650 such wishes, which is the record for the organization. As a result, he has been able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help children. In addition, he contributed $500,000 during the pandemic to help with the California wildfires. [19-20]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Cena_October_2016.jpg
John Cena’s diet
What does the diet of one of the greatest legends of wrestling look like? He provided information on his diet and training plan to Muscle and Strength. Although he weighed only about 55 kg at high school, today the weight of John Cena, thanks to good genetics and a healthy diet, is between 110 and 115 kg.
John Cena’s body measurements:
- chest – 127 cm
- waist – 92 cm
- biceps – 49 cm [21]
His diet is quite nutrient-rich and varied. It includes a lot of chicken breasts and fish and complex carbohydrates such as whole-grain pita bread and brown rice. A regular John Cena’s diet plan consists of 7 meals:
- meal – Oatmeal with apple juice and raisins + two whole eggs along with six egg whites
- meal – Protein bar
- meal – Chicken breast (or fish) with brown rice and vegetables
- meal – Wholemeal pita bread with tuna
- meal – Protein drink with banana
- meal – Pasta/brown rice with vegetables, salad from chicken breasts or fish
- meal – Cottage Cheese with casein protein
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John Cena has one of the best muscular figures in the world of wrestling, so he would seem to despise any form of simple sugars. However, the opposite is true, which he confirmed in the show of the famous singer and songwriter Kelly Clarkson. He admitted that 20 minutes before the match he often consumes 10,000 calories in the form of Tic Tac candies!
A similar calorie bomb is equivalent to consuming more than 2.5 kg of Tic Tac candies. And although a wrestling match lasts on average “only” up to ten minutes, it is almost impossible to “refuel” the body like this just before the peak performance. However, the whole conversation took place in a relaxed atmosphere and friendly spirit, so let’s consider this statement to be slightly exaggerated. Otherwise, John’s metabolism, taken into consideration his body shape, would be worthy of being entered in the Guinness Book of Records! [23]
John Cena’s training plan
Cena claims that even after demanding flights and hundreds of kilometres driven by car, he is addicted to exercise and goes to the gym regularly. Muscle and Strength offered a summary of exercises that he includes in his training plan. Cena focuses on volume training and after each of them, he also does 60 push-ups.
John Cena’s 5-day training plan:
1. Legs
| exercise | sets | number of reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated Calf Raise Standing Bodyweight Calf Raise Standing Single Leg Curl Leg Press Leg Extension Squats Hack Squat Single Leg Extension | 10 4 4 5 4 4 3 3 | 10-20 25 20-25 20 15 10 15 10 |
2. Chest
| exercise | sets | number of reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Machine Press Incline Bench Press Peck Deck Cable Crossovers Bench Press | 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3 | 20 20 15 15 10 |
3. Arms
- Biceps
| exercise | sets | number of reps |
|---|---|---|
| Preacher Curl Standing Barbell Curl Seated Dumbbell Curl Standing Cable Curl | 5 3 3 3 | 12 10-12 10-12 12 |
- Triceps
| exercise | sets | number of reps |
|---|---|---|
| Rope Pressdown Single Arm Cable Pressdown Lying Triceps Extension Overhead Extension Seated Barbell Tricep Extension Triceps Dip | 3 3 6 3 3 4 | 20 10 To failure 20 20 To failure |
4. Shoulders
| exercise | sets | number of reps |
|---|---|---|
| Rear Delt Machine Flyes Machine Overhead Press Machine Lateral Raise Seated Overhead Press Dumbbell Lateral Raise Military Press | 5 5 5 3 3 3 | 20 20 20 10 12 10 |
5. Back
| exercise | sets | number of reps |
|---|---|---|
| Lat Pull Down Barbell Row One Arm Dumbbell Row Deadlift High Pulls Pull Up Barbell Shrug | 5 5 5 4 4 4 5 | 20 12-20 12-20 8-15 20 To failure 20 |
Wherever John Cena appears, he attracts attention. With his body shape, charisma, but also a great success in wrestling. He became a legend of this sport and a popular person at social events or in the world of film.
John Cena currently lives in Tampa, Florida, where he writes books, trains, and waits for other acting roles. When an eccentric African singer Sho Madjozi was asked why she sang a song about him, she answered briefly – Because I love him. Hollywood simply wants such people. Beloved and unpopular at the same time. [24]
[1] Editors of Biography.com - John Cena Biography – https://www.biography.com/athlete/john-cena
[2] Kelly Clarkson Show - John Cena Gets Emotional Discussing Relationship With Brother – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XXv9AbK-Z0
[3] Ethnic - Ethnicity of John Cena – https://ethnicelebs.com/john-cena
[4] Feria, D. - 21 amazing facts about WWE superstar John Cena – https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/sportsphotos/21-amazing-facts-about-wwe-superstar-john-cena/ss-BBAaLVO
[5] Springfield College Athletics – https://springfieldcollegepride.com/information/ahof/HOF_Bios/Cena
[6] Andrews, A. - John Cena – https://aminoapps.com/c/wrestling/page/item/john-cena/e7H6_Id5nrrVjP600XL6elBdmxkjDX
[7] Prowrestling – https://www.prowrestling.com/
[8] Hart, D. - 10 WWE Superstars who beat John Cena and The Prototype – https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/10-wwe-superstars-beat-john-cena-the-prototype
[9] Kurt Angle vs. John Cena: SmackDown, June 27, 2002 – https://www.wwe.com/playlist/john-cena-first-month-in-wwe
[10] John Cena vs. Edge: Unforgiven 2006 - WWE Championship TLC Match – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FVpDgJJMSo
[11] 43 All-American Facts About John Cena – https://www.factinate.com/people/43-american-facts-john-cena/
[12] John Cena – https://www.thetimelines.org/tl/John_Cena
[13] Legendary (2010) – https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1563704/
[14] Sledge, P. - Fast And Furious 9: 4 Reasons John Cena Is A Perfect Addition To The Family – https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2490106/fast-and-furious-9-reasons-john-cena-is-a-perfect-addition-to-the-family
[15] Bumblebee – https://www.csfd.cz/film/357826-bumblebee/prehled/
[16] Cena, J. - Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johncena/photos/pb.9899376497.-2207520000../10157408223251498/?type=3&theater
[17] John cena Propose Nikki bella at Wrestlemania 33 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9kXLO0EPYo
[18] Gates, K. - John Cena Proposes To Nikki Bella At WrestleMania 33 – https://www.simplemost.com/watch-john-cena-propose-to-nikki-bella-at-wrestlemania-33/
[19] Traina, J. - Pandemic Can't Stop John Cena From Continuing to Grant Wishes: TRAINA THOUGHTS – https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2020/05/04/john-cena-make-a-wish-foundation-surprise
[20] Garrand, D. - John Cena donates $500,000 to help first responders fighting California wildfires – https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-cena-donates-500k-to-help-first-responders-fighting-california-wildfires/
[21] John Cena Height, Weight, Age, Girlfriend, Wife, Family, Biography & More – https://starsunfolded.com/john-cena/
[22] WWE Pro Wrestler John Cena Workout Routine – https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/john-cena-workout-routine
[23] McNulty, R. - JOHN CENA REVEALED AN UNEXPECTED, CANDY-RELATED PRE-MATCH SUPERSTITION – https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/john-cena-revealed-unexpected-candy-related-pre-match-superstition/
[24] John Cena Says Sho Madjozi 'Did The Impossible' By Starting The John Cena Dance Challenge – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElRhKFvQWGA