Do you smell what the Rock is cookin’? Although Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has taken a hiatus from in-ring competition in the WWE, the Hercules star is still laying the smackdown on a regular basis in the gym. Known for his killer physique and unparalleled conditioning in the ring, The Rock is, quite simply, one of the biggest badasses around. His take no crap, make no excuses attitude is sometimes reminiscent of an intense personal trainer or drill sergeant, but there’s just no questioning the results, so you'd better start taking notes.
Whether you’re an aspiring WWE Champion or you just want to get in better shape, take some advice from the jabroni beating, pie eating, trailblazing, and eyebrow raising People’s Champ with What We Can Learn About Gym Training from @TheRock's Instagram.
Riley Jones is a freelance writer from Charlottesville, VA and a contributor to Sneaker Report. With an unshakable affinity for basketball and all things pop culture, he can be found on Twitter @rchrstphr.
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On competition (and fanny packs):
Always be the hardest worker in the room. #AndNoFannyPacks #TeamHERCULES
On workouts with friends and fellow superstars:
Eyebrow game & sweat.. Great workout w/ my good bud and Pittsburgh Steelers beast @AntonioBrown84 Great to see his humility, work ethic and desire to become an NFL legend. #FOCUS #B2A #TeamHercules #ChasinGreatness
On powering through nausea and exhaustion:
Woke up at 430am to train heavy back. Intensity still high as a motherf*cker and extremely nauseous. Never felt better. #ClanginAndBangin #BoneyardBiscuits #KeepItDirty
On leg days:
This is a motherf*cker, but challenge and push yourself... One triple drop for your final set. Remove one plate every 25 reps. 75 reps total. Continue on w/ the rest of your leg training - squats (or hacks), lunges, curls and extensions. #IntenseAndDirty #FOCUS (and don't skip calves dammit)
On pushing 'til you feel pain:
Train insane. Fun pain. #SilverbackSoul #ByAnyMeans #KeepIt100
On first impressions:
Don't knock on opportunity's door... kick that b*tch in, smile and introduce yourself. #Sir #MrJohnsonIfUrNasty
On finishing strong:
Grab a few 45lb biscuits and finishin' up slab (back) trainin' w/ high rep weighted hypers... aka "the fun muthaf*ckas". #GorillasInTheMist #FunJungle
On birthday celebrations:
Since it's my birthday, there's only one fun & proper way to kick off the day before headin' to set...#AttackTheIron #BullBlood #BirthdaysAndBiceps
On time management:
After 22hrs of flyin' to get to Australia, first thing I had to do upon landing is hit the "slabs and baby cows".. #BackAndCalves #AussieIron #KickinJetLagsAss #JesusINeedABeer
On adding a little humor to your regimen:
Key to yellin' "FOCUS" at someone is the head shake & "f*ck" immediately after. (remember to smile so you don't look like a raving psychopath and get kicked out of the gym) #NoseDiveTheGrind #IronLunatics #SilverbackGame
On vacations:
Sweatin' across the pond... Great iron and conditioning training here in England. Some strong lads and well built (and beautiful;) ladies here. I always appreciate their energy, sense of humor and love. #KeepinTheseHandsCalloused #MyUKLoveAffair #TequilaAndDirtyJokes
On the results of hard work:
When I was 14yrs old and my family was struggling to pay the bills, MUSCLE & FITNESS was my bible. I wanted to work hard and make something of myself, cause I didn't want to see my family struggle anymore. In these pages I learned the value of commitment, sacrifice and hard ass work. Being on this cover will always mean something very special to me. #ThankU #BloodAndIron #ChaseGreatness
On fueling up:
Hell, I thought every day was National Pancake Day... #Dominator #UncleJemima
On sharing his expertise with those who may need an extra push:
Together we conquer... This successful high school football Head Coach is respected and loved... and dangerously obese at well over 400lbs. He asked me for help.. I told him to put in the work and meet me half way. Amazing day on our new TNT reality series, #WakeUpCall
On weekend plans:
Weekend's here... Time to hit the club. #SilverbackVIPSection
On being a positive influence on the youth:
Not only is he a bad ass and the hardest worker in our gym, but he inspires all of us around him to work even harder and be better. My man Hansel! Thank you for the inspiration. #DefinitionOfHeart
On forgetting the most important thing:
This made me laugh.. We all know this "you gotta be sh*tting me" moment. #PowerOfMusic #PlayMeTheWaltzOfTheSilverbacks
On Mondays:
Many ways to 'skin the cat', but only one way to be the lead dog.. 4:40am. Training starts now. #AlphaMonday #SetTheToneAndPushThePace #HereKittyKitty
On Miley's twerkin' and what he did instead of watching it:
I heard Miley was twerkin' at the VMA's, but I'm here in Budapest filming HERCULES - it's 6am - Im hittin' the iron - and a brotha ain't got time for that shit. Opening exercise: Superset wide grip pull ups w/ wide grip pull downs. 4 sets. 12-15 reps. Shout FOCUS to anyone in the gym this early & look like a complete lunatic. Smilin' is always optional. #FOCUS #ClangAndBang #HercTwerk
On scaring the sh*t outta people:
Slab training (back). High volume. 4 sets. 15+ reps. Every final set is a 2x drop set. Remember to randomly shout "FOCUS" & scare the sh*t outta people. End workout with a maniac flex & brush that dirt off your shoulders. Have fun. #SmileIsOptional #Budapest #HERCULES
