June 19, 2024, 2:11 am | Read time: 5 minutes
The now 47-year-old wrestling legend John Cena wants to remain active even after his WWE career. The American is leaving nothing to chance: He has revealed how he plans to maintain his fitness level into old age. FITBOOK author Tony Poland explains exactly how Cena intends to achieve this.
With 16 World Champion titles in WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), John Cena is among the greatest wrestlers of all time. For nearly a quarter of a century, the muscular giant, who also made it to Hollywood with roles in “Fast & Furious 9” and “Suicide Squad,” has been competing in the world’s largest wrestling organization. In January of this year, he announced the end of his career. However, the exact date of his retirement is still uncertain. Despite several injuries during his career, he remains in top form for his age. With age-appropriate training and mindset, John Cena aims to maintain this. His goal: to still be able to do squats at 90!
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Overview
Why WWE Star John Cena Started Training
In an interview with the U.S. celebrity magazine “People,” John Cena recently explained how his attitude toward training has changed over his life. “When I was 12, I wanted to look muscular so I wouldn’t get beaten up. And as a later teenager, I wanted to be strong to play sports,” he said. “And in my 20s, I wanted my body to look aesthetic and be disciplined.”
His professional wrestling career began in 1998, which led John Cena to focus on his role as “a strong and over-the-top entertainer”–and the show included a muscular body achieved through daily training to the limit. “My training used to be based on the goal of being as strong as possible every single day,” he revealed.
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Cena Wants to Stay Active as Long as Possible
Today, his focus is entirely different. That’s why it’s easy for him to change his program. “Now I have my eyes set on the next 40 years. And I love to train,” he said. With age, John Cena now places much more emphasis on balance and adjusted training.
He still exercises every day of the week. But today, the athlete relies on a mix of four days of strength training per week, with three days of rest. Then, John Cena works on his mobility and flexibility. This means he listens to his body and gives it the necessary time to recover. This way, he aims to stay fit and mobile even in old age.
“At 47, my goal is to be physically active as long as I can. I’ve set my mind on being physically active into my late 80s or 90s.” He wants to be able to “do a parallel squat in my late 80s!”
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At 47, at the Peak of His Health
There is no doubt that sports and exercise will continue to be a significant part of John Cena’s daily life even after his active wrestling days. “I know my WWE journey is coming to an end. But fitness has been a part of my life long before the WWE journey began,” he made clear. “Fitness will remain a part of my life, hopefully as long as my heart beats.”
Additionally, he claims to feel better today than ever before. Despite countless matches in the wrestling ring and hours in the gym, there are no signs of physical wear and tear. “I feel like I’m in my prime when I talk about health.”
He has always adhered to his principle from his senior year in 1999 at Springfield College (Massachusetts). The motto back then was “Spirit, Mind, and Body.” “It’s not just about how you look, but also about how you think and what’s going on inside you,” said John Cena.
Twelve Weeks of Intense Training: His Workout Plan
Seven Meals a Day
To build muscle mass effectively, John Cena used to train with split training for focused muscle growth five days a week. And that was for three months straight! But that wasn’t all: He also paid attention to his diet. His meal plan included seven protein-rich meals, and he also monitored his carbohydrate intake.
For breakfast, there were oatmeal with applesauce and raisins, along with two whole eggs and six egg whites. Later, a protein bar followed, then brown rice with vegetables and two fillets of chicken breast. He then ate a whole-grain flatbread with tuna, later a banana and a whey protein shake.
John Cena ended the day with pasta or brown rice with vegetables or salad with poultry or fish. Finally, low-fat cottage cheese along with a casein protein shake was on the meal plan.
John Cena’s Full-Body Training
Between meals, intense training was on the agenda. On the first day of the week, the bodybuilder focused on his legs and calves. He performed exercises such as leg presses or squats. On the second day, the focus was on the chest. Classics like bench presses were, of course, included.
On the third day, it was time for arms, with exercises like preacher curls and triceps dips. John Cena worked his shoulders (day four) with shoulder presses. On the fifth day, the focus was on building a strong back. This meant exercises like deadlifts and pull-ups were on the plan.
After each training set, the WWE star performed 60 crunches to strengthen his abs.