Dwayne Johnson began altering his workout strategies in his mid-forties. His longtime trainer, Dave Rienzi, claims that “the wear and tear in the joints, it catches up with you.” Creating a superhero-worthy body was one of Johnson’s most ambitious projects since becoming the global icon The Rock. And not just any comic book character—one that could stand up against the biggest actor in Hollywood. Here we will reveal the secret of Dwayne Johnson’s fitness.
Johnson turned 50 this year, a subject we also covered in our chat with him about the current men’s health cover. Rienzi uses these four techniques in his regimen to keep the icon in antihero shape for his part in Black Adam without putting him in danger of overtraining or injury.
Here’s How The Rock Stays Healthy (and Strong) at 50
1. Pre-Exhaust
Johnson makes lighter loads difficult since he doesn’t want to train with hefty loads. He frequently performs a set of isolation moves (such as a chest cable fly), followed immediately by a compound move (say, a bench press). His chest is worn out from the iso move, which makes the compound exercise challenging even with a light load.
2. Do Glutes for Days
According to Rienzi, “we really prioritize exercising the posterior chain.” To target his back muscles, glutes, and hamstrings, Johnson performs Romanian deadlifts two or three times per week. The glutes protect his lower back, which also helps him remain explosive.
3. Squat Late
Most weightlifters start their workouts with squats. They are frequently the final exercise of leg day for Johnson. This indicates that his leg muscles are already exhausted from earlier exercises (like those Romanian deadlifts! ), allowing him to exert a considerable amount of weight on his quadriceps and hamstrings.
4. Slow it Down
In every session, Johnson focuses on time under tension for at least two moves. He will take hold of a lightweight, say for a biceps curl, and then curl up, contract his biceps, and then gradually lower the weight for four seconds. Rienzi describes the exercise as “brutal: 35-pound dumbbell curls with a 4-second negative for 10 reps.” Perform 3–4 sets. Embrace the pain.
