Dwayne Johnson’s Training Regimen
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is arguably the most recognizable person in the entertainment industry today, and for good reasons:
He’s charismatic, ambitious, fun, positive, and energetic. Oh, and he’s also built like a bull. At 6’5” (196 cm) and a measly 260 pounds (118 kilos), one could say that he’s not a small man.
Now, as far as his acting goes, some of his recent projects include the movies Skyscraper, Jumanji, and, most recently, his blockbuster collaboration with Jason Statham - Hobbs & Shaw.
But enough about his filmography. Today, we’ll take a look at something that’s on everyone’s mind:
How does The Rock eat and train?
Dwayne Johnson’s Diet
First thing’s first - nutrition. It’s arguably the most important factor for fitness success, so we need to be consistent here.
It’s no secret that The Rock eats. A lot. His cheat day nearly broke the internet a few years ago, and countless people have tried to recreate it for videos and articles since then. But his day-to-day eating isn’t conservative, either.
Johnson eats seven times per day and pushes down upward of 5000-6000 calories consisting of proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, and plenty of fiber. The Rock is quite strict with his nutrition and makes it a point to get almost all of his calories from whole, nutritious sources. This is what allows him to pack on muscle with minimal fat.
Depending on his upcoming roles, The Rock modifies his diet to fit the image. For roles where he needs to be leaner and more athletic, he emphasizes protein. For roles where mass is the biggest priority, he adds plenty of high-quality carbs.
Here’s what a typical day looks for Dwayne Johnsons, spread between seven meals:
- chicken and fish for lunch, with a bed of greens
- protein shakes throughout the day
- broccoli, cauliflower, and white rice
- either chicken or fish for dinner.
- 60 grams of protein per meal
We also can’t forget about supplementation because it can play a huge role in our overall gym success. The Rock heavily relies on shakes to get enough protein, and if you’re interested in getting yourself a high-quality protein supplement, check out FuegoSupps.com
Dwayne Johnson’s Training Regimen
The Rock is incredibly popular for his amazing work ethic at the gym. The actor has said many times that his day often starts at 4 AM with a cardio session and a weight routine. His cardio often takes up to an hour, followed by resistance training for another hour and a half.
The man does over two hours of training before most people even wake up. Talk about dedication!
In the past, Johnson has used the pyramid training style in 4-week cycles. He would begin each cycle with lighter weights for more repetitions and slowly scale down to heavier weights for fewer reps.
Here’s The Rock’s typical routine:
Day 1 – Chest & Shoulder
One hour Cardio: 5 minutes warm-up, 5 minutes cooldown, 50 minutes of steady pace.
1.5 hours training, 45-second rest periods between sets, pyramid style
Dumbbell Incline press: 4 sets (both arms)
Dumbbell Incline press: 2 sets (alternating)
Chest Flys with Dumbbells: 4 sets (flat bench)
Dumbbell Bench press: 4 sets (both arms)
Dumbbell Bench press: 2 sets (alternating)
Seated Overhead Press: 4 sets (dumbbells)
Dumbbell Front Raises: 4 sets
Dumbbell Side Raises: 4 sets
Bent-Over Lateral Raises: 4 sets
Cable Flys: 4 sets to failure (superset)
Dips Until Failure: 4 sets (superset)
His progression:
Week 1: 4 sets x 12 reps
Week 2: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Week 3: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
Week 4: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
Exception for Cable Flys do 3 sets (increase weight each week):
Week 1: 3 sets x25 reps;
Week 2: 3 sets x20,
Week 3: 3 sets x15;
Week 4: 3 sets x12
Day 2 – Legs & Back
One hour Cardio: 5 minutes warm-up, 5 minutes cooldown, 50 minutes of steady pace.
1.5 hours training, 45-second rest between sets, pyramid style
Seated Leg Presses: 4 sets
Lying Leg Curls: 4 sets
Smith Machine Lunges: 4 sets
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 4 sets
Box Jumps: 4 sets
Calf raises: 4 sets
Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets
Lat pull-downs: 4 sets (wide grip)
Lat pull-downs #2: 4 sets (narrow grip)
Seated Pulley Rows: 4 sets
Barbell Shrugs: 3 sets
Heavy DB Shrugs: 3 sets (dumbbells)
His progression:
Week 1: 4 sets x 12 reps
Week 2: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Week 3: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
Week 4: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
Day 3 – Arms
1 hour Cardio: 5 minutes warm-up, 5 minutes cooldown, 50 minutes of steady pace.
1.5 hours Training, 45-second rest between sets
Triceps Push-downs: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (normal grip; get the pump)
Triceps Push-downs: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (narrow grip; get the pump)
Lying Tricep Skullcrushers: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (get the pump)
Barbell Bicep Curls: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (get the pump)
Preacher Curls: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (machine; get the pump)
Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (alternating; get the pump)
Double Crunches: 3 sets; 25 reps
Bicycle Crunches: 3 sets; 25 reps
Reverse Crunches: 3 sets; 25 reps
Day 4 – Chest & Shoulder
One hour Cardio: 5 minutes warm-up, 5 minutes cooldown, 50 minutes of steady pace.
1.5 hours training, 45-second rest between sets, pyramid style
Dumbbell Incline press: 4 sets (both arms)
Dumbbell Incline press: 2 sets (alternating)
Chest Flys with Dumbbells: 4 sets (flat bench)
Dumbbell Bench press: 4 sets (both arms)
Dumbbell Bench press: 2 sets (alternating)
Seated Overhead Press: 4 sets (dumbbells)
Dumbbell Front Raises: 4 sets
Dumbbell Side Raises: 4 sets
Bent-Over Lateral Raises: 4 sets
Cable Flys: 4 sets to failure (SSet #1)
Dips Until Failure: 4 sets to failure (SSet #2)
His progression:
Week 1: 4 sets x 12 reps
Week 2: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Week 3: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
Week 4: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
Exception for Cable Flys do 3 sets (go up in weight each week):
Week 1: 3 sets x25 reps;
Week 2: 3 sets x20,
Week 3: 3 sets x15;
Week 4: 3 sets x12
Day 5 – Legs & Back
One hour Cardio: 5 minutes warm-up, 5 minutes cooldown, 50 minutes of steady pace.
1.5 hours Training, 45-second rest between sets, pyramid style
Seated Leg Presses: 4 sets
Lying Leg Curls: 4 sets
Smith Machine Lunges: 4 sets
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 4 sets
Box Jumps: 4 sets; 20 reps
Calf raises: 3 sets; 20 reps
Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets
Lat pull-downs : 4 sets (wide grip)
Lat pull-downs #2: 4 sets (narrow grip)
Seated Pulley Rows: 4 sets
Barbell Shrugs: 3 sets; 8-10 reps
Heavy DB Shrugs: 3 sets, 10-12 reps (dumbbells)
His progression:
Week 1: 4 sets x 12 reps
Week 2: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Week 3: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
Week 4: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
Day 6 – Arms
One hour Cardio: 5 minutes warm-up, 5 minutes cooldown, 50 minutes of steady pace.
1.5 hours training; 45-second rest periods between sets
Triceps Push-downs: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (normal grip; get the pump)
Triceps Push-downs: 3-4; 8-12 reps (narrow grip; get the pump)
Lying Tricep Skullcrushers: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (get the pump)
Barbell Bicep Curls: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (get the pump)
Preacher Curls: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (machine; get the pump)
Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 3-4 sets; 8-12 reps (alternating; get the pump)
Double Crunches: 3 sets; 25 reps
Bicycle Crunches: 3 sets; 25 reps
Reverse Crunches: 3 sets; 25 reps