Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is absolutely smashing the action movie genre with some of the biggest
box office hits. Up next for the WWE star is Black Adam, which officially picked up filming in April
2021 after numerous stallings. Let's break down all the ways Johnson got ready for Black Adam.
For Johnson, prepping for Black Adam doesn't just include sculpting his body. He's also
studied the lore and origins of the infamous DC Comics villain.
Johnson noted in a February 2021 Instagram post that he enjoyed learning the mythology behind the
character, which he described as "fun." We also know he prepped by studying a lengthy script,
which he showed a copy of on his Instagram page, complete with watermarks of his initials. Three
weeks away from filming, Johnson noted he was up past midnight learning his lines,
ready to give us the best Black Adam he can. He's constantly repeating his character's mantra on
social media, amping up fans around the globe who are finally excited to see him on screen:
"Well, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day. And tell the world that everything's
okay. But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back."
"'Til things are brighter… I'm the Man In Black."
Anyone who follows Johnson on Instagram knows that much of his time is spent in the Iron
Paradise. This is the name given to his gym, which he's reconstructed at all of his homes,
in addition to the traveling gym that comes with him when he's on location filming different
movies. Johnson has noted several times on his feed that the Iron Paradise contains around
40,000 pounds of steel and iron, and this setup is a necessity for him when preparing for a project.
According to Garage Gym Reviews, the Iron Paradise normally seen on his Instagram feed
is at his Miami residence, though he also has a nearly identical gym on his Virginia ranch. The
gym is equipped with dumbbells that go up to 150 pounds, as well as 12-sided iron-grip plates. The
Iron Paradise also includes a Kabuki Transformer Bar, as well as equipment made by Star Trac.
What's not in the Iron Paradise is just as important as what is. Johnson's gym is free
of televisions, towels, and even water stations. When the actor hits the floor,
it's go time; there's no room for distractions or vanity.
Johnson isn't a one-and-done when it comes to stepping into the Iron Paradise. He's all
about two-a-days, and sometimes three-a-days. The actor is in and out of his gym constantly,
with no time of the day off-limits. He always starts his training days the same way: with a
morning cardio workout. These morning cardio sessions are absolutely crucial to the rest of
his day in the gym, and he has no issues waking up at the crack of dawn to get things going.
Johnson goes back and forth between 30-50 minutes on either the treadmill or elliptical,
which sends him into a solid sweat. Johnson told Body Building in mid-2020,
"I love putting in that hard work as early as possible to get my day started off on the right
foot, mentally and physically. [...] I usually smash out about 30-50 minutes on the elliptical
cross trainer first thing in the morning, whether I'm at home or at a hotel, after drinking a cup
of coffee. But when I'm at home, I like to hit the road as well. And after cardio, I eat breakfast."
Johnson is in the gym six days a week, which means there isn't enough time to dedicate a whole day to
one zone of his body. Therefore, the superstar has mastered the art of the split workout. Each day,
Johnson will focus on two to three body zones and put all his energy into getting those areas
to their peak. Since Black Adam is remarkably shredded even among the toned physiques of most
comic book heroes, Johnson can't slack. The actor really prepped for the DC movie during quarantine
in 2020, sharing his weekly split workout with his over 341 million Instagram followers.
After his morning cardio sessions, Johnson breaks down each of his days as follows:
Monday: Chest, calves, and abdomen. Tuesday: Back, neck,
and abdomen. Wednesday: Deltoids and abdomen. Thursday: Arms, calves, and abdomen. Friday:
Chest, back, and abdomen. Saturday: Legs, calves, and, you guessed it, abdomen.
In one of his official Black Adam training Instagram posts, Johnson broke down his entire
workout for his chest, as well as his triceps. For the former, the actor does three giant sets
with four exercises per set to hit all parts of his chest. The sets start with fly movements,
which involve fully extending the arms and rotating them in circles while keeping the
elbows from bending. Following that up are chest presses, then incline presses,
and then the real killer: bodyweight dips. Regarding the bod dips, Johnson says:
"The work is very hard but it's why we play the game."
He notes that rest between these workouts should be minimal,
or only long enough for a brief recovery.
In a midnight training session for Black Adam, Johnson explained his entire leg workout on
Instagram. He noted that this is his hardest workout, which is why he saves it for last on
Saturdays. The Ballers star made sure to tell his fans that stretching before leg
days is imperative, suggesting 20-30 minutes when you're tackling a workout this intense.
These giant sets start with leg extension and
curls and are followed by compound pressing movements, chain lunges,
shark pit squats, and barbell squats. In regards to the leg sets, he said,
"Multiple rounds of these giant sets. These are a
real b---- so get your mind right and push yourself."
Then it's time to focus on his hamstrings and calves. He said,
"It's a lot of hard work (especially balancing everything else life throws our way) but I really
enjoy the challenge of new goals. New things to build. Pushing myself. It gets my blood going."
Johnson's shoulder days are all about maximizing the blood volume, which he noted in an Instagram
post dedicated to that area of his body. Johnson says it's all to fine-tune and stretch the
muscles, which need to keep their fullness and their hardness, especially given his strict diet.
According to Muscle & Fitness, these shoulder workouts include dumbbell lateral raises, EZ
bar front raises, shoulder presses, and a second set of lateral and bar front raises to follow.
This specific workout was tailored by Johnson's personal trainer,
Dave Rienzi. Rienzi designs his buddy's workout specifically for The Rock's body and his needs,
depending on the film he's shooting. In a post the trainer shared on his own Instagram timeline,
he reminds his followers that not everyone should attempt these rigorous workouts. Rienzi stated,
"DJ's content is created through an actual workout that I structure
in advance depending upon his physical state."
The famous Hollywood trainer has also worked with
the likes of Henry Cavill as he geared up to play Superman.
As Johnson heads to the Iron Paradise on Mondays to, quote:
"clang and bang," as he says, he prepares for all supersets for his back and biceps.
According to Men's Health, this back workout consists of pull-ups,
dumbbell bent-over rows, lat pulldowns, seated cable rows, and dumbbell shrugs.
For his biceps, it's all about the reverse curls, spider curls, standing bicep curls, and tricep
extensions to finish it out. Johnson calls it a, quote, "insane pump and intense workout."
Johnson has made it clear that he starts his morning cardio off on an empty stomach, so
that means there's lots of intake after his second workout of the day. The first thing he inhales is
his recovery beverage, which includes 65-70 grams of protein powder, 35 grams of carbohydrates, one
whole apple, one scoop of electrolytes, creatine, water, and ice. Johnson reminded his fans,
"Don't overlook the importance of getting in your protein/carb/sugar immediately
after your workout. It's that critical time where your muscles will optimally
absorb these nutrients after you've torn the muscles down from your workout."
About an hour after he drinks his smoothie, Johnson will have his last meal of the night,
which he says is rather "boring." This includes chicken breast, greens, and two cups of rice,
which leads us to one of the biggest factors in prepping for Black Adam: the diet.
Johnson's diet is just as imperative to his prep for Black Adam as his workouts are,
and he's got the science down to a T. When talking with Body Building,
he broke down his meals and what some of the most important staples are when it comes to his diet.
"Diet-wise, I generally eat five meals a day. I'm very prepared and organized, and everything
is planned out in advance. It's all measured depending on what I'm training to achieve."
He also broke down some of his staples in the kitchen, saying,
"The other staples in my diet include chicken, steak filets, egg whites,
oatmeal, broccoli, halibut, rice, asparagus, baked potato, leafy salads,
peppers, mushrooms, and onions, and then also some casein protein."
In a March 2021 Instagram post, Johnson said that all of his food is weighed and measured
so all his, quote, "conditioning can come in on point." A traditional breakfast during
Black Adam training for Johnson includes whole eggs and egg whites, beef tenderloin,
oatmeal and blueberries, and gluten-free Ezekiel English muffins with smart butter.
Johnson's followers on Instagram have come to love his cheat meal posts, where he shares the
absolutely insane, over-the-top indulgences as he finally gets to scarf down after waiting all
week. Cheat meals come on Sundays, his day off in the gym, and can be for any meal of
the day. These meals are so important to someone like Johnson training for a huge role, as they
offer a sense of normalcy in a time otherwise dedicated to rigorously strengthening your body.
Per dozens of posts on his Instagram feed, Johnson's cheat meals often
include several pounds of sushi, double cheeseburgers, peanut butter pancakes,
ice cream, various cookies, turkey subs, and fudge brownies. The actor loves a, quote,
"midnight sugar train," which is evident in the choice of many sweet delights. His
cravings also change based on where he's currently residing, as he has many favorite local hotspots.
"Hahaha! Cheers!"
With only so many hours in the day, Johnson needs to plan out his 24 hours carefully,
and that means cutting back on sleep. The actor has to make sure there's no wasted time,
meaning he only allows himself about three to five hours of sleep a night,
according to an interview with Variety. Johnson said,
"The only thing that's regimented is I have to wake up before the sun gets up,
and I have my two hours alone when no one else is up and the house is
quiet. I often sacrifice two hours of sleep just so I can have the quiet
two hours that I need before the whole house wakes up, including the animals."
During this time alone, he likes to meditate and lay out his plans for
the day. He also mentioned that time alone is crucial to prepping himself mentally.
Recovery doesn't just mean a cooldown period after leg presses, but also how Johnson takes
care of his body as a whole. While he's known for sharing his workouts and cheat meals on Instagram,
the action star also shares photos of himself taking care of his body in special ways.
In an Instagram post where he showed off the gnarly circles on his back
after a round of cupping treatment, Johnson used one of his mottos:
"We only get one body, so we gotta take care of it."
The more he can heal his body and keep it feeling fresh,
the more he can push it in the gym, giving us the best Black Adam we can get.
In a post where he documented an acupuncture session, the superstar also mentioned all the
issues his body has faced over the years, and why taking time out to heal is so important.
Maintaining one's mental health is critical, and Johnson takes it seriously while embracing a new
role or business venture. The actor takes time out of his very busy schedule to get some much-needed
family time with his children and wife, while he tackles his preparation for Black Adam.
Every once in a while, Johnson posts a sweet video
with himself and one of his daughters on social media.
"Do we have peanut butter flavor?"
"Yeah, we do!"
"Great!"
In one of The Rock's funniest Instagram posts,
the girls try to figure out what's wrong with his calloused hands.