A great man once said, “If something stands between you and your success, move it. Never be denied.” That man happens to be an acting idol and fitness god, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Here is someone who inspires people of all ages, genders, and fitness levels around the world to get moving and never stop aspiring towards their health and wellness goals. From his respected diligence in the gym to his continuous transformation as an actor and fitness professional, here is everything you need to know to train like Dwayne and build that rock hard physique.
The Rock’s Daily Routine
Before getting into the intense workout that Johnson commits to 6 days a week, you need to follow his daily routine. In the morning, around 4:00 am, he rolls out of bed, ties up his running shoes, and heads outside for an early run. Johnson doesn’t always run around the neighborhood, though. When he is filming abroad, he will be on the elliptical or treadmill at the hotel. Once he’s completed about 30-50 minutes of a heart-pounding cardio session, he eats breakfast.
After breakfast, Johnson gets around to “clangin’ and bangin’” in the gym. Every day he is in the gym, he commits a full sequence to a specific area of the body. While the routine is always adapting to what he needs for a specific role or goal, Johnson usually sticks to 4 sets and 12 reps with a 60-90 second rest period (unless it’s leg day).
The Rock’s Workout
If you want to train like Dwayne Johnson, you have to go hard every single day. Here’s a look at the fitness regimen of the Rock:
Day 1: Legs
- Running 30-50 minutes – outside or on a treadmill
- Barbell Walking Lunge – 4 sets x25 reps
- Leg Press – 4 sets x 25 reps
- Leg Extensions – 3 sets x 20 reps
- Barbell Squats – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Hack Squats – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Romanian Deadlift – 4 sets x 10 reps
- Seated Leg Curls – 3 sets x 20 reps
- Thigh Abductor – 4 set x 12 reps
Day 2: Back
- Running 30-50 minutes – outside or on a treadmill
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Bent Over Barbell Row – 4 sets x 12 reps
- One Arm Dumbbell Row – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Barbell Deadlift – 3 sets x 10 reps
- Pull-Ups – 3 sets
- Dumbbell Shrug – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Inverted Row – 3 sets
- Hyperextension – 4 sets x 12 reps
Day 3: Shoulders
- Running 30-50 minutes – outside or on a treadmill
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Standing Military Press – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Front Dumbbell Raise – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Side Lateral Raise – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Reverse Machine Flyes – 4 sets x 15 reps
- Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Raise – 4 sets x 12 reps
Day 4: Arms/Abs
- Running 30-50 minutes – outside or on a treadmill
- Dumbbell Bicep Curl – 4 sets x 15 reps
- Hammer Curls – 4 sets x 15 reps
- Spider Curl – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Triceps Pushdown – 4 sets x 15 reps
- Overhead Triceps – 3 sets x 15 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise – 4 sets x 20 reps
- Rope Crunch – 4 sets x 20 reps
- Russian Twist – 4 sets x 20 reps
Day 5: Legs
- Running 30-50 minutes – outside or on a treadmill
- Barbell Walking Lunge – 4 sets x 25 reps
- Leg Press – 4 sets x 25 reps
- Leg Extension – 3 sets x 20 reps
- Barbell Squat – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Hack Squat – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Romanian Deadlift – 4 sets x 10 reps
- Seated Leg Curl – 3 sets x 20 reps
- Thigh Abductor – 4 sets x 12 reps
Day 6: Chest
- Running 30-50 minutes – outside or on a treadmill
- Barbell Bench Press, medium grip – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Flat Bench Cable Flyes – 4 sets x 15 reps
- Incline Hammer Curls – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Dips, Chest Version – 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 7: Rest
The Rock’s rest day is usually comprised of refueling his muscles with epic cheat meals on worthy of the Herculean force he is.
So, if you dare, you can try training as hard as the Rock by following these workouts to a T, or you can adapt the days to where you are right now. The important takeaway from this routine is that you need to push hard and stay determined to get results.
As the Rock has said: “Success at anything will always come down to this: Focus and Effort. And we control both.”
Can You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking?
To maintain a bulk as impressive as Johnson’s, there is a continuous need to feed the body. If you follow his Instagram account, you will see some of the meals that Rock consumes, as well as the impressive platters of “cheat meals” that you eat in a single day. The Rock eats meals every 2 to 3 hours, about 5 to 7 times a day.
Here’s a sample of what the Rock cooks up throughout the week:
- Meal 1 – 280-gram steak filet, 4 egg whites, 140-gram oatmeal, 1 glass of watermelon juice
- Meal 2 – 220-gram chicken, 2 cups white rice, 1 cup broccoli or a mixture of bell pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, and a protein shake
- Meal 3 – 220-gram halibut, 2 cups white rice, 1 cup asparagus
- Meal 4 – 220-gram chicken, 1 cup broccoli, 350 gram baked potato
- Meal 5 – 220-gram halibut, 1 cup white rice, 1 cup asparagus
- Meal 6 – 280-gram steak filet, 250 gram backed potato, 1 salad
- Meal 7 – 20-30 gram casein protein supplement, 10 egg whites
As Johnson has told Bodybuilding.com in a 2018 interview, “Diet-wise, I generally eat 5 meals a day. I’m very prepared and organized, and everything is planned out in advance. It’s all measured depending on what I’m training to achieve… [Staples] in my diet include chicken, steak fillets, egg whites, oatmeal, broccoli, halibut, rice, asparagus, baked potato, leafy salads, peppers, mushrooms, and onions, and then also some casein protein.”
Final Thoughts
The Rock didn’t just rise above hardships and achieved his goals, he crushed those goals into dust and kept moving mountains time and again. Whether he is training for a new movie role or simply working out in the gym, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is an idol. He is proof that if you push hard enough, you can make incredible gains—and we’re not just talking about muscular gains either. Use the workouts and nutrition samples in this article to carve out your own legend in the gym and in life.
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13 comments
Hi rock I am your fan ok mate
Keep up the good work Rock! You’re a true inspiration.
I’ve always been inspired by The Rock, but seeing his transformations throughout time has given me hope. Hope that as long as I keep my determination and will strong enough I myself may one day move mountains. Thank you.