It’s not every day you get to share the gym with Dwayne Johnson, “The Rock”, “The Final Boss”, “The People’s Champ”, “The Great One”, “The Brahma Bull”, and “The Most Electrifying Man In All Of Entertainment” at the same time…

… so let’s train legs!

Yes, today we’re in the gym with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson; a man who, despite being amongst the busiest humans on the planet, always finds time to start the day with a gruelling 2-hour combination of weights and cardio.

Oh, and of course, leg day just happens to be his favourite workout of the week.

“Yeah, I’ve always felt an affinity for leg day. I often save this workout for my Saturdays, kind of like a little twisted treat for myself to look forward to all week long! I love the burn, the pain, the struggle, there’s nothing else like it!”

– The Rock

Johnson’s eagerness to punish his lower body is written all over his face.

Heck, show him a new twist on an old exercise and his eyes sparkle like a child opening toys on Christmas day!

I can honestly say I’ve never met anyone so giddy with excitement at the prospect of a crippling leg workout. He fondly recalls old times of when he trained so hard he couldn’t walk for three days, and trying to down protein powder drinks which tasted like wallpaper paste in the early 2000s.

It’s clear that these early morning workouts, which he often refers to as his “anchor”, play more than just a physical role in Johnson’s life. He waxes lyrical about the “man vs iron” battle which takes place inside his head during each set, and how important these wars are in helping him to carve a minset which separates him from most people.

Of ourse, Dwayne Johnson is not like “most people”.

Let’s face it, he’s a genetic freak.

This is a guy who almost achieved stardom in the NFL, and then picked up the pieces of his broken dream and used it as fuel to become one of the most revered WWE Superstars of all time, only to leave at the height of his fame to try his hand in Hollywood, where he eventually became the highest paid actor in the world.

Heck, when we also take into consideration that he now also owns a tequila brand, a sports clothing brand, and an energy drink brand, it becomes rather clear that, at this stage in his life, The Rock is out here completing fucking side quests.

Anyway, the leg workout below is part of a much bigger training program which The Rock has used several times over the years. It helped him during the preparations for roles in Pain & Gain, Central Intelligence, Jumanji, and most recently Red One.

The Science Behind The Rock Leg Workout

The Rock has changed a LOT since he transitioned out of WWE and into movies.

Gone are the heavy weights and explosive movements, and in their place is a bodybuilding-style program which focuses on high reps, burnouts, and increased time under tension.

And it’s difficult to argue with his results, isn’t it?

Hell, The Rock looks better at 52 years old than most people ever look. He’s bigger and leaner right now than during his wrestling career in the early 2000s, and the man seems to defy the aging process.

When high rep training is done correctly it can be just as effective as low rep training for muscle growth, and it necessitates a whole different level of mental fortitude (trust me, a 20+ rep burnout set with a very light weight will humble even the most stubborn of egos – I know!).

So I guess what I’m saying here is don’t make the mistake of thinking this is gonna be easy just because we won’t be lifting super heavy.

The Rock is prepared to endure the horrible-ness of those high rep burnout sets because he knows this training style is perfectly suited to his body and his schedule.

You see, high rep phases come with the added benefit of significantly faster recovery times as they won’t fatigue the central nervous system anywhere near as much as a heavy workout (a gamechanger when you regularly work 18 hours days and do lots of travelling), and let’s not forget that his body was ravaged from wrestling (4 knee surgeries, 3 lower back disc ruptures, a ruptured Achilles tendon, a torn abductor, torn quadriceps, a hernia, and a torn abdomen!) so lowering the amount of stress which is placed upon his joints is another key factor why he enjoys this style of training.

Now it’s time to get in the gym!

The Workout

Here’s a handy infographic you can save:

Additional Training Tips

Pay close attention to the first exercise on today’s card.

Dwayne performs barbell box squats instead of regular squats because it’s easier on his knees and lower back. This is a great exercise in terms of safety, but it also allows the trainee to load the bar with a heavier weight, producing more force through the quadriceps.

Another thing you’ll notice is that the majority of exercises finish with a dropset/burnout.

Considering we’re using higher rep ranges and avoiding lifting max weights here, these are a very good way of ensuring the target muscles reach failure. After completing your final set of XX reps, you’ll reduce the weight by about 30% and immediately force out another XX reps. The only recovery time you have is however long it takes you to quickly switch the weights, so as you can imagine, these sets are the ones that’ll make your legs sore for a few days!

Further Reading:

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