guardianactual
MuscleChemistry Registered Member
by Matthew Power And Aundre Jacobs, TRAIN Magazine
After watching Hercules" in theaters on July 25, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wants you to come away with one thing on your mind: that you've just witnessed the biggest, meanest, baddest and, more importantly, most definitive version of Hercules ever seen on the big screen.
For the majority of Hollywood's action stars, the task of realistically portraying an ancient Greek demigod would be more challenging than combining all 12 labors the mythical son of Zeus had to undertake. Many have tried in the past, and many have failed. Even for Johnson, with 260 pounds of muscle already clinging to his massive 6-foot-5 frame, it would prove no mean feat.
But after spending the majority of his life in the gym training to be a professional football player, world-renowned pro wrestler, and one of Hollywood's highest-ever grossing movie stars, it was a labor he had all the weapons to overcome.
Here, in his own words, Johnson reveals how he obtained the skin-stretching muscle he needed for his starring role as Hercules, and explains why nutrition is the most important facet of getting big.
HERCULEAN EFFORT
When you're an athlete-turned-actor who already has a physique idolized by millions around the world, you might think it would be easy to rest on your laurels. Not so with Dwayne Johnson. That's why he was Hollywood's highest-grossing movie star of 2013, with his four films pulling in $1.3 billion at the box office.
If there's one thing life has taught the former national championship-winning footballer, it's that you only get what you're willing to put in. That's why he dedicates so much of his time and energy to making sure he's at his physical peak when he steps onto the movie set.
For different roles my condition and training and diet does alter," Johnson states. "Depending on the role, it will really dictate the type of training I do. For 'Hercules,' it was a 22-week diet, while for 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' it was about a 14-week diet, and for 'Pain & Gain' I wanted to come out looking bulky, big, and dangerous, so we adjusted accordingly.
"WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING A CHARACTER LIKE THE SON OF ZEUS, YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT."
"For 'Hercules,' I went for the demigod look: big and mean. When you're playing a character like the son of Zeus, you only get one shot. The intensity of the training was definitely up, as was the volume of training. I really wanted to make it the definitive version of Hercules. We wanted to make it darker in tone and we based it off Steve Moore and Admira Wijaya's 'Hercules: The Thracian Wars' graphic novel, which is pretty dark."
He adds: "And then the intensity of preparation for the movies depends on the role. The training, nutrition, fight choreography, weapons training, and stunt planning are all altered accordingly. I always go in committed and try to make it the best it can be. For 'Hercules,' I wanted to respect the mythology, or with "Fast & Furious," I wanted to respect this massive franchise. For the G.I. Joe movies, it was similar because it's already an established brand and already an established character. You've got to look the part."
To look the part for "Hercules," Johnson elevated his training significantly, using a six-days-on, one-day-off schedule for six months to help him bulk up. At the beginning of each morning, Johnson would complete a 50-minute cardio session before working on a specific body part depending on what day it was, with his legs being the only muscle group that received more than one workout per week.
"I start working out pretty early, around 4 a.m. When I'm filming, I do cardio and I lift before going to set. I train about six days a week, and even when I'm not filming I get up between 3 and 5 a.m. just to train. I love training when the sun is coming up because it allows me to put on my headphones and step off the crazy treadmill that is everyone's life. I have my headphones on and I'm listening to my music, and I'm 100 percent focused. There's no wasted time or effort when it comes to me and the weights.
"I work out for about 90 minutes, or maybe an hour and 45 minutes. When I hit the gym, I'm coming! I train hard, I come to kick ass—clanging and banging. With something like "Hercules," I was in costume and make-up for a few hours before shooting, so I'd have to get in the workout early."
And while other actors may slack off with their training schedules once they've got a movie in the can, Johnson is among the minority of people who is in the gym all year round.
"Working out anchors my day," he says. "For me, training is my meditation, my yoga, hiking, biking, therapy all rolled into one. I love it. Generally, I'm always shooting or preparing to shoot for something, so that's why I like keeping my conditioning in a certain zone. But even if I wasn't it would launch my day. It makes me feels good."
CLANGING AND BANGING WITH DWAYNE JOHNSON
To prepare himself for the role of Hercules, Johnson took on a six-month training schedule which would have challenged the most dedicated athletes and bodybuilders. TRAIN and Bodybuilding.com offer you an outline of Johnson's workout regimen. Remember to do an hour of cardio before you hit the weights.
Monday: Chest
Dumbbell Bench Press
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Flat Bench Cable Flye
3 sets to failure
Barbell Bench Press
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
5 sets of 10-12 reps
Low Cable Crossover
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Barbell Incline Bench Press
3 sets of 10-12 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Tuesday: Legs
Leg Press
4 sets of 25 reps
Barbell Walking Lunge (or with a weighted vest/dumbbells)
4 sets of 25 reps
Leg Extension
3 sets of 20 reps
Seated Leg Curl
3 sets of 20 reps
Smith Machine Calf Raise
3 sets to failure
Thigh Abductor
3 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Lunge (on the smith machine)
3 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Wednesday: Abs And Arms
Barbell Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Hammer Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Spider Curl
4 sets to failure
Triceps Pushdown
3 sets of 10 reps
Dips
3 sets to failure
Hanging Leg Raise
4 sets of 20 reps
Rope Crunch
4 sets of 20 reps
Russian Twist
4 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Thursday: Back
Lat Pulldown
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Deadlift
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Shrug
4 sets of 15 reps
Pull-Up (wide grip)
4 sets of 15 reps
Hyperextension (Back Extension)
4 sets of 15 reps
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4 sets of 15 reps
Inverted Row
3 sets to failure
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Friday: Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Front Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Side Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Standing Military Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Reverse Flye
3 sets of 10-15 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Saturday: Legs
Leg Press
4 sets of 25 reps
Barbell Walking Lunge (or with a weighted vest/dumbbells)
4 sets of 25 reps
Leg Extensions
3 sets of 20 reps
Leg Curl
3 sets of 20 reps
Smith Machine Calf Raise
3 sets to failure
Thigh Abductor
3 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Lunge (on the smith machine)
3 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Wednesday: Abs And Arms
Barbell Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Hammer Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Spider Curl
4 sets to failure
Triceps Pushdown
3 sets of 10 reps
Dips
3 sets to failure
Hanging Leg Raise
4 sets of 20 reps
Rope Crunch
4 sets of 20 reps
Russian Twist
4 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Thursday: Back
Lat Pulldown
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Deadlift
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Shrug
4 sets of 15 reps
Pull-Up (wide grip)
4 sets of 15 reps
Hyperextension (Back Extension)
4 sets of 15 reps
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4 sets of 15 reps
Inverted Row
3 sets to failure
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Friday: Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Front Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Side Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Standing Military Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Reverse Flye
3 sets of 10-15 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Saturday: Legs
Leg Press
4 sets of 25 reps
Barbell Walking Lunge (or with a weighted vest/dumbbells)
4 sets of 25 reps
Leg Extensions
3 sets of 20 reps
Seated Leg Curls
3 sets of 20 reps
Smith Machine Calf Raise
3 sets to failure
Thigh Abductor
3 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Lunge (on the smith machine)
3 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Sunday: Rest Day
CAN YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKIN'?
Although Johnson didn't have anything in his diet quite like the blood of the Nemean lion Hercules had to kill, that didn't stop him from taking on the tough "12 Labors" diet, which included several protein-packed meals that helped him portray his character's legendary strength on screen.
PT 2
After watching Hercules" in theaters on July 25, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wants you to come away with one thing on your mind: that you've just witnessed the biggest, meanest, baddest and, more importantly, most definitive version of Hercules ever seen on the big screen.
For the majority of Hollywood's action stars, the task of realistically portraying an ancient Greek demigod would be more challenging than combining all 12 labors the mythical son of Zeus had to undertake. Many have tried in the past, and many have failed. Even for Johnson, with 260 pounds of muscle already clinging to his massive 6-foot-5 frame, it would prove no mean feat.
But after spending the majority of his life in the gym training to be a professional football player, world-renowned pro wrestler, and one of Hollywood's highest-ever grossing movie stars, it was a labor he had all the weapons to overcome.
Here, in his own words, Johnson reveals how he obtained the skin-stretching muscle he needed for his starring role as Hercules, and explains why nutrition is the most important facet of getting big.
HERCULEAN EFFORT
When you're an athlete-turned-actor who already has a physique idolized by millions around the world, you might think it would be easy to rest on your laurels. Not so with Dwayne Johnson. That's why he was Hollywood's highest-grossing movie star of 2013, with his four films pulling in $1.3 billion at the box office.
If there's one thing life has taught the former national championship-winning footballer, it's that you only get what you're willing to put in. That's why he dedicates so much of his time and energy to making sure he's at his physical peak when he steps onto the movie set.
For different roles my condition and training and diet does alter," Johnson states. "Depending on the role, it will really dictate the type of training I do. For 'Hercules,' it was a 22-week diet, while for 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' it was about a 14-week diet, and for 'Pain & Gain' I wanted to come out looking bulky, big, and dangerous, so we adjusted accordingly.
"WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING A CHARACTER LIKE THE SON OF ZEUS, YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT."
"For 'Hercules,' I went for the demigod look: big and mean. When you're playing a character like the son of Zeus, you only get one shot. The intensity of the training was definitely up, as was the volume of training. I really wanted to make it the definitive version of Hercules. We wanted to make it darker in tone and we based it off Steve Moore and Admira Wijaya's 'Hercules: The Thracian Wars' graphic novel, which is pretty dark."
He adds: "And then the intensity of preparation for the movies depends on the role. The training, nutrition, fight choreography, weapons training, and stunt planning are all altered accordingly. I always go in committed and try to make it the best it can be. For 'Hercules,' I wanted to respect the mythology, or with "Fast & Furious," I wanted to respect this massive franchise. For the G.I. Joe movies, it was similar because it's already an established brand and already an established character. You've got to look the part."
To look the part for "Hercules," Johnson elevated his training significantly, using a six-days-on, one-day-off schedule for six months to help him bulk up. At the beginning of each morning, Johnson would complete a 50-minute cardio session before working on a specific body part depending on what day it was, with his legs being the only muscle group that received more than one workout per week.
"I start working out pretty early, around 4 a.m. When I'm filming, I do cardio and I lift before going to set. I train about six days a week, and even when I'm not filming I get up between 3 and 5 a.m. just to train. I love training when the sun is coming up because it allows me to put on my headphones and step off the crazy treadmill that is everyone's life. I have my headphones on and I'm listening to my music, and I'm 100 percent focused. There's no wasted time or effort when it comes to me and the weights.
"I work out for about 90 minutes, or maybe an hour and 45 minutes. When I hit the gym, I'm coming! I train hard, I come to kick ass—clanging and banging. With something like "Hercules," I was in costume and make-up for a few hours before shooting, so I'd have to get in the workout early."
And while other actors may slack off with their training schedules once they've got a movie in the can, Johnson is among the minority of people who is in the gym all year round.
"Working out anchors my day," he says. "For me, training is my meditation, my yoga, hiking, biking, therapy all rolled into one. I love it. Generally, I'm always shooting or preparing to shoot for something, so that's why I like keeping my conditioning in a certain zone. But even if I wasn't it would launch my day. It makes me feels good."
CLANGING AND BANGING WITH DWAYNE JOHNSON
To prepare himself for the role of Hercules, Johnson took on a six-month training schedule which would have challenged the most dedicated athletes and bodybuilders. TRAIN and Bodybuilding.com offer you an outline of Johnson's workout regimen. Remember to do an hour of cardio before you hit the weights.
Monday: Chest
Dumbbell Bench Press
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Flat Bench Cable Flye
3 sets to failure
Barbell Bench Press
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
5 sets of 10-12 reps
Low Cable Crossover
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Barbell Incline Bench Press
3 sets of 10-12 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Tuesday: Legs
Leg Press
4 sets of 25 reps
Barbell Walking Lunge (or with a weighted vest/dumbbells)
4 sets of 25 reps
Leg Extension
3 sets of 20 reps
Seated Leg Curl
3 sets of 20 reps
Smith Machine Calf Raise
3 sets to failure
Thigh Abductor
3 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Lunge (on the smith machine)
3 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Wednesday: Abs And Arms
Barbell Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Hammer Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Spider Curl
4 sets to failure
Triceps Pushdown
3 sets of 10 reps
Dips
3 sets to failure
Hanging Leg Raise
4 sets of 20 reps
Rope Crunch
4 sets of 20 reps
Russian Twist
4 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Thursday: Back
Lat Pulldown
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Deadlift
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Shrug
4 sets of 15 reps
Pull-Up (wide grip)
4 sets of 15 reps
Hyperextension (Back Extension)
4 sets of 15 reps
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4 sets of 15 reps
Inverted Row
3 sets to failure
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Friday: Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Front Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Side Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Standing Military Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Reverse Flye
3 sets of 10-15 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Saturday: Legs
Leg Press
4 sets of 25 reps
Barbell Walking Lunge (or with a weighted vest/dumbbells)
4 sets of 25 reps
Leg Extensions
3 sets of 20 reps
Leg Curl
3 sets of 20 reps
Smith Machine Calf Raise
3 sets to failure
Thigh Abductor
3 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Lunge (on the smith machine)
3 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Wednesday: Abs And Arms
Barbell Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Hammer Curl
4 sets of 10-12 reps
Spider Curl
4 sets to failure
Triceps Pushdown
3 sets of 10 reps
Dips
3 sets to failure
Hanging Leg Raise
4 sets of 20 reps
Rope Crunch
4 sets of 20 reps
Russian Twist
4 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Thursday: Back
Lat Pulldown
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Deadlift
4 sets of 10-15 reps
Barbell Shrug
4 sets of 15 reps
Pull-Up (wide grip)
4 sets of 15 reps
Hyperextension (Back Extension)
4 sets of 15 reps
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4 sets of 15 reps
Inverted Row
3 sets to failure
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Friday: Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Front Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Side Raise
4 sets of 12 reps
Standing Military Press
4 sets of 12 reps
Reverse Flye
3 sets of 10-15 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Saturday: Legs
Leg Press
4 sets of 25 reps
Barbell Walking Lunge (or with a weighted vest/dumbbells)
4 sets of 25 reps
Leg Extensions
3 sets of 20 reps
Seated Leg Curls
3 sets of 20 reps
Smith Machine Calf Raise
3 sets to failure
Thigh Abductor
3 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Lunge (on the smith machine)
3 sets of 20 reps
*Printable Page***PDF Document*
Sunday: Rest Day
CAN YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKIN'?
Although Johnson didn't have anything in his diet quite like the blood of the Nemean lion Hercules had to kill, that didn't stop him from taking on the tough "12 Labors" diet, which included several protein-packed meals that helped him portray his character's legendary strength on screen.
PT 2
