Aside from being one of the humblest and most charismatic men alive, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is also a beast in the gym. Having been in the public spotlight for nearly three decades, the Rock has always had an admirable physique. But despite looking great in the 1990s and early 2000s, Dwayne Johnson is looking ridiculous today. So, many people have been asking themselves;
How does this hulk of a man train to have such an amazing physique?
Luckily for you, we will break it down today and also look at what such a workout plan looks like. Let us dive in.
The Gym: His Anchor
Though it may sound cheesy to some, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson does not see the gym as simply a place to visit for a workout. Instead, the gym is his sanctuary, his anchor. The place that keeps him in line always helps him to remember where he comes from. The gym has been his home when he did not have one, and it continues to be today when he can afford any mansion in the world. Dwayne is the humble, successful, and charismatic man we see today, thanks to hard work, determination, and the countless lessons learned in gyms across the US.
How the Rock's training Journey began
The Rock first visited a gym when he accompanied his dad – the legendary wrestler Rocky Johnson. He was no older than six, and some of his earliest memories relate to the gyms his father used to train at.
Dwayne officially began training with weights at the age of thirteen, but his parents allowed him to participate in sports years before that. He initially participated in soccer, baseball, gymnastics, and other similar activities. However, once he became a teenager, Dwayne's dad allowed him to start weight training.
By the age of sixteen, Dwayne was well over 6 feet tall and 220 pounds. So it is safe to say that he has fantastic genetics. But despite that, Johnson worked hard in the weight room and got heavily interested in American football. Sadly, his dream of playing professional football was cut short when the Calgary Stampede team dropped Dwayne just two months into his first season. Fun fact, Dwayne plays a retired NFL player in the comedy-drama TV Series Ballers.
How (and where) the Rock trains
Dwayne had to switch gears after realizing he would not make it into professional football, leading to his debut in Wrestling in 1996. And well, the rest is history. Today, the Rock is one of the most accomplished actors and entertainers in the world. He's amassed an impressive fortune, and his name opens the doors for him everywhere he goes.
Interestingly, despite his colossal success, Dwayne refuses to step off the gas pedal, and hard work continues to be his anchor. So these days, the Rock gets to enjoy perks he has worked hard for. Specifically, the Rock has a mobile gym, which consists of 40,000 pounds of workout equipment.
Since the Rock travels frequently, crews of many people move his gym and set it up for him. Despite being incredibly successful and wealthy, the Rock refuses to step off the gas pedal. The Rock gets up at 4 or 5 AM and goes to his "iron paradise." His training consists of six incredibly demanding workouts between Monday and Saturday, with Sunday being a day off. Here is how it looks:
- Monday - Legs
- Tuesday - Back
- Wednesday - Shoulders
- Thursday - Arms & Abs
- Friday - Legs
- Saturday - Chest
- Sunday - Off
As you can see, the Rock bets on the tried and true bro split and enjoys punishing his lower body twice per week.
Work out like The Rock
Let us look at how the Rock chooses to organize his training and what exercises he enjoys doing.
Monday (Legs)
As far as leg days go, the Rock probably has the most impressive (and grueling) one out there:
- Barbell Walking Lunges - 4 sets x 25 reps
- Leg Press - 4 sets x 25 reps
- Leg Extensions - 3 sets x 20 reps
- Back Squats (Barbell Squats) - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Hack Squats - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Romanian Deadlift - 4 sets x 10 reps
- Seated Leg Curl - 3 sets x 20 reps
- Thigh Abductors - 4 sets x 12 reps
Tuesday (Back)
As the saying goes, “Row to grow.” The Rock certainly takes this one to heart:
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Bent-Over Barbell Rows - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Barbell Deadlifts - 3 sets x 10 reps
- Pull-Ups - 3 sets
- Dumbbell Shrugs - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Inverted Rows - 3 sets
- Hyperextensions - 4 sets x 12 reps
Wednesday (Shoulders)
If this routine does not result in capped three-dimensional deltoids, we do not know what does:
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Standing Military Press - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Front Dumbbell Raise - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Lateral Dumbbell Raise - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Reverse Fly (Machine) - 4 sets x 15 reps
- Bent-Over Reverse Fly - 4 sets x 12 reps
Thursday (Arms & Abs)
With the Rock’s impressive arms, one would imagine that he does tons of curls and extensions every week. But compared to his overall training, this seems like a rest day for him. Still, it seems to work for him:
- Dumbbell Bicep Curl - 4 sets x 15 reps
- Hammer Curl - 4 sets x 15 reps
- Spider Curl - 4 sets x 15 reps
- Tricep Pushdown - 4 sets x 15 reps
- Overhead Extensions - 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
Friday (Legs)
You woud think one leg day is enough, but no. The Rock loves training legs, and, as you can see, he does not go easy on them.
- Barbell Walking Lunge - 4 sets x 25 reps
- Leg Press - 4 sets x 25 reps
- Leg Extension - 3 sets x 20 reps
- Back 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
Saturday (Chest)
Unlike most bros who start their training weeks with chest, the Rock ends them with it. Still, he keeps up the tradition of absolutely destroying his muscles.
- Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Flat Bench Cable Fly - 4 sets x 15 reps
- Incline Hammer Curl - 4 sets x 12 reps
- Chest Dips - 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Some final thoughts
The training program from the Rock is incredibly demanding. A glance at the six workouts from above can tell you that. But did you also know that he does between three and five hours of outdoor or treadmill running each week? So yes, aside from the incredibly high training volume the Rock does at the gym, he also runs a lot, typically before his weight sessions. For repetitions, The Rock typically does at least 20 per set on most exercises, except for some movements like thigh abductors, where he does 10 to 12. But typically, he aims for metabolic stress more than anything. And hey, if it works for him, who are we to question his approach?
As the Rock once said:
Success at anything will always come down to this: Focus and Effort. And we control both.
Thanks to his incredible work ethic and motivational persona, Dwayne Johnson has positively impacted millions of fans worldwide and Hollywood colleagues such as Kevin Hart and Zac Efron. While The Rock has access to his "iron paradise" even when traveling, we believe our highest GymFactor Score would also be perfect for some like The Rock. Just put the slider to the very right, and you will get the perfect gym in the location you are looking for.
Want to know more about other celebrities with an impressive transformations? Read our story about Gal Gadot and how she prepared herself for the role of Wonder Woman.
