October 24, 2026, 6:02 pm | Read time: 7 minutes
Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Jennifer Lopez share a significant commonality: They no longer train harder or chase records but instead manage their workouts consciously. At ages 50 to 60, they focus on recovery and have adjusted their training loads.
Dwayne Johnson (born 1972)
Anyone who sees Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in recent photos might do a double-take: gray hair, gray beard, the face of a 70-year-old. For his new film “Lizard Music,” the Hollywood star transformed into an old man and even lost 50 pounds, much of it muscle mass. Johnson has been one of Hollywood’s biggest muscle-bound stars for decades!
Interestingly, Johnson, in his mid-50s, doesn’t just train less but manages his workouts strategically. A recent Instagram post from September 2026 shows him demonstrating a chest exercise where he pushes his muscles to the limit: When a full repetition is barely possible, he takes two short breaks and then does as many partial reps as possible. It’s crucial for him to control the weights even when extremely fatigued.
According to Johnson, leg training is also on his schedule twice a week, along with endurance sessions. For his preparation for “The Smashing Machine,” his longtime trainer Dave Rienzi explained to the British “GQ” in October 2025 that he constantly adjusts the training load. Intense phases alternate with less demanding sessions to avoid overstraining the body. The goal: to remain as capable and injury-free as possible for as long as possible.1
Jason Statham (born 1967)
Did you know? Before Jason Statham became an action star, he was part of the British diving elite (though he never made it to the Olympics).2 In a 2019 interview, he talked about aging, comparing his body to an old car that requires increasingly careful maintenance. That’s why he regularly goes to physiotherapy—in addition to fitness and martial arts training.
He also expresses enthusiasm for ring gymnastics. His trainer James Moontasri explained in 2025 that Statham was already training independently on gymnastic rings before their joint sessions for the film “The Barkeeper.” He excels at pull-ups and muscle-ups. He also reports on hours-long martial arts and choreography sessions, as well as targeted recovery phases.2
Statham’s love for water has remained since his diving days. It’s long been known that he enjoys wakeboarding, windsurfing, and water skiing.3 He also has experience in various martial arts.
Jennifer Lopez (born 1969)
At 57, Jennifer Lopez doesn’t just train harder; she has shifted her focus from endurance and circuit training to muscle building and maintenance.
Now focuses more on muscle building instead of endurance training
In a detailed interview with the American “ELLE” in January 2026, she explained: “For about eight years, my training has mainly consisted of weightlifting.” She claims to feel stronger today than in her 20s and 30s.4
Her trainers Dodd Romero and Tracy Anderson revealed to “Us Weekly” in 2024 how intense her sessions are. At that time, Lopez trained with Romero alone three times a week. Her program included sumo squats with weights, lunges, and various abdominal exercises.5 A typical session includes three sets of hanging leg raises and cable crunches, according to Romero. Her exercises include sumo squats with weights and supported lunges, which are considered her favorite for toning the glutes. Romero emphasized at the time that Lopez was in the best shape of her life, worked extremely hard, and never complained.
For her spectacular pole dance performance at the Super Bowl 2020, Lopez had four to five sessions per week for months, as her trainer Johanna Sapakie later reported to “Women’s Health.”6
Mark Wahlberg (born 1971)
Standing in the gym at 4 a.m.? For Mark Wahlberg, that’s been routine for years. He demonstrated his extreme fitness regimen beyond age 50 in his 2026 YouTube series “4AM Club Challenge.” In it, he invites much younger influencers to train with him—and pushes them to their limits.
Morning ice bath, then XXL workout
Wahlberg trains five days a week, according to him. Thursday is one of his toughest days, as it’s his “Leg Day,” when he trains particularly hard and heavy. The complete workout includes 14 different exercises, from seated calf raises to riding the assault bike, leg extensions, and back extensions. Wahlberg emphasizes that you must focus on the body parts where you want to build muscle (like his legs) every day instead of ignoring them.
Before lifting a weight, Wahlberg takes a three-minute ice bath to prepare his muscles. According to Wahlberg, this immediately eliminates muscle soreness and pain, providing energy and dopamine for several hours. The unusually early workout time has a practical reason: Wahlberg wants to finish his workout before work and family demand his attention. What might be overlooked in his routine: He places great importance on getting enough sleep. He told “E! News” in April 2026 that he aims for eight hours of sleep—and goes to bed early to achieve that.7
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Hugh Jackman (born 1968)
As Wolverine in the “X-Men” films, Hugh Jackman became the epitome of the muscular superhero. The Australian actor built muscles over the years to credibly portray his comic book character’s powerful physique on screen, relying on structured strength training. This included classic compound exercises with weights that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously (such as squats, bench presses, deadlifts) to build strength and muscle mass.
Now places less emphasis on maximum weights
But his training approach has changed. As Jackman explained in a March 2026 interview with “InStyle Men,” he now consciously lifts lighter weights. Instead of chasing personal records, he pays more attention to his body’s signals and adjusts the load according to his daily condition. He can still train hard, the actor emphasizes.8
In July 2026, Jackman released a training video in which he performs push-ups with additional resistance from chains. His trainer Beth Lewis accompanies him. Also known: His leg training, which even impressed a fitness expert.
Such muscle building doesn’t happen overnight. Consistency, adequate recovery, and a diet that provides the body with enough energy and nutrients are crucial.
Matthew McConaughey (56)
Matthew McConaughey is also known for drastically transforming his body for film roles. For “Dallas Buyers Club,” the Oscar winner lost about 46 pounds, and for “Gold,” he later gained about 40 pounds. Privately, the 56-year-old has relied on varied movement and sports that he has enjoyed for many years.
This now includes tennis. As McConaughey shared in the “On Purpose” podcast in January 2026, he tries to play tennis even on days off and to break a sweat at least once. When he has enough time, he might spend two and a half hours in the gym—albeit with breaks to work on his writing projects.
In earlier interviews, the “True Detective” star talked about his love for running, swimming, mountain biking, and stand-up paddling. While running, he likes to incorporate additional strength exercises. He told the U.S. magazine “Men’s Journal” that he interrupts his runs for push-ups and crunches.9
Another method he revealed years ago to “Men’s Health” sounds particularly practical: Throughout the day, he does 20 push-ups repeatedly—for example, in the morning or between appointments. With ten such mini-sessions, he completes a total of 200 repetitions. He also integrates squats and abdominal exercises in between.10
Whether McConaughey still follows this program is unknown. However, we find his training philosophy quite admirable: Exercise doesn’t have to be complicated. Consistency and enjoyment are key.