I don’t think a week goes by where, as a personal trainer and strength coach, someone doesn’t ask me how to achieve a body like Dwayne The Rock Johnson.
So, over the past couple of years, I’ve put together dedicated workout routines for different parts of the body.
For this post, I’m going to focus on a leg day routine, which is possibly one of the toughest out of all of them.
Let’s take a look at The Rock's leg workout routine.
Quick Summary
- Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, has carefully planned his physique over his entire career.
- To avoid the lollipop effect where bodybuilders work on their upper body more than the lower, The Rock has perfected a leg routine with a difference.
- By carefully planning the workouts, sets, reps, and weights with his conditioning coach Dave Rienzi, he has built up to working with an insanely heavy amount of weight.
The Rock’s Stats
- Born: May 2, 1972
- Height: 6' 2”
- Weight: 262 lbs
- Chest: 50 Inches
- Waist: 35 Inches
- Biceps: 23 Inches
Dwayne Johnson Leg Workout
I can tell you right now that this is an absolutely brutal leg training regime. Prepare to have legs like jelly by the time you’re finished with Dwayne Johnson's leg exercises.
Start the day with a 20-minute warmup, including some core work. Since Dwayne has suffered a torn quadriceps, this is a vital part of his training.
Leg Extensions
Get yourself set up in the leg extension machine and make sure that your legs and knees feel comfortable in the start position.
How much weight you add is dependent on your current strength levels, but aim to complete 8-12 reps per set.
But remember, you need to add weight after every set, so don’t pile on too much from the start.
In his own words, he recommends doing “Slow, intense, controlled reps with multi-second negatives - increasing weight every set.”
Leg Press Machine
The leg press is a great way to continue warming up your body before you do squats. Get into the starting position with your feet shoulder-width apart and pressed firmly on the footplate.
Keep the movement slow and steady, and don’t rush it. You will also be adding weight after each set and completing 8-10 reps.
And make sure that the last rep burns.
Romanian Deadlifts
This is another great workout to build yourself up to squats. Your starting position is with your hands on the Olympic bar in front of you with your knees slightly bent.
Then slowly raise the bar up while keeping your back straight. Once you get to the top position, slowly lower the bar down again and bend your knees.
But don’t bring it all the way down; instead, hold it just above the ground for two seconds.
Back Squats
This is one of the best compound exercises for your legs [1]. Set up the squat rack for your height and strength.
Then bring your body underneath the bar and rest it on your shoulders.
The idea is to squat down as far as you can go to activate every muscle in your legs.
Repeat the squats for 8-12 reps.
Lying Leg Curls
You’re heading back to the leg machine to do some lying leg curl. This is a great way to do a hamstring isolation exercise. Set up the gym equipment to get into a comfortable starting position.
Perform the movement slowly to add more time under tension [2]. Make adjustments depending on your fitness and strength levels, and make sure you complete 8-12 reps per set in this workout.
Calf Raises
Make sure you add designated time to each calf muscle. Ideally, find a solid exercise block or a step so that you can dip your heels below your toes.
You can do the calf raise with dumbbells or a barbell and aim to do about 15-20 reps in each set.
You can also adjust your toes to point inwards or outwards to further add targeted strain.
Weighted Glute Bridge
And finally, glute abductions with a barbell will add some targeted strain on your buttocks.
Be careful with your back, and make sure you keep a neutral curve on your spine. And to spice things up some more, try doing some single-leg glute drives.
One other thing I would suggest is adding a rest exercise between sets. Keep a jump rope handy to make sure your legs remain loose.
Dwayne Johnson also does some giant sets where he goes for 15-20 reps in the last set of a workout to bring on some additional burn.
Related articles:
- Is "The Rock" Doing Steroids?
- What Supplements Does the Rock Take?
- The Rock Workout Routine Diet Plan & Supplements
- The Rock Chest Workout Routine
"Truth is, over the years I've actually learned to train HARDER. But, in order to train harder, I had to learn how to train SMARTER."
- Dwayne Johnson
Are You Going To Try The Rock's Leg Workout?
It’s now time for you to raise your personal bar and exercise your legs as you’ve never done before.
This is going to be tough, but doing this just once a week as part of your overall routine will have a huge impact on your fitness and strength.
And to boost your performance a bit more, check this great selection of men's pre-workout supplements.
These aren’t magic pills that will give you muscle bulk within days. But if you consistently train that little bit harder, you’ll notice the difference within a few weeks in your fitness and strength.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4592763/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3285070/
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