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Ask anyone to come up with a list of their favorite celebrity physiques, and there’s a very good chance that the muscular bodies of Dwayne Johnson and Henry Cavill will sit at the top. But did you know that their superhero statures are the result of working with celebrity trainer and kinesiologist, Dave Rienzi?
In an interview with Men’s Health, Rienzi explains how he began working with Johnson in 2010. Back then, The Rock was looking for a trainer who could also manage his injuries, sustained from years of playing football (non-round oval) and competing in pro wrestling. Since then, he’s also taken on Cavill as a client, and says that while the pair have great genetics, their size is also down to hard work.
“Genetics definitely plays a role but it’s also hard work and discipline. I also think a lot of people don’t understand the importance of nutrition, and like if you want to gain muscle you have to eat and you have to eat constantly”
Says Rienzi.
“I think it’s a combination of genetics, but the hard work and passion they put into it, and the priority they have towards their fitness goals.”
Still, what’s the point of reaching such heights if you can’t provide a shortcut or two huh?
And here is what Rienzi gave as shortcut:Â 5 exercises to prioritize above all others. That is if he, and by extension Black Adam and Superman, could only do 5 exercises for the rest of their lives, these are the moves they would choose.
Use this information for good not evil!
1) Barbell Hip thrusts
How:
- Lie with your upper back resting on a bench and your feet on the floor in front of you.
- Place a barbell over your hip crease and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Hold for a count and then slowly return to the starting position.
“It’s such an effective exercise for isolating the glutes. The glutes play such a key role in athletic performance, minimizing the risk of injury and reducing the risk of lower back knee pain. So I would put the hip at the top. of gluteal posterior chain exercises.”
2) lunges
How:
- Stand up straight with your hands at your sides, palms facing your body. Step forward as far as you can with your right leg, bending your knee so it almost touches the floor.
- Use the heel of your right foot to push your upper body back to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg.
- You can perform this exercise holding dumbbells to make it more difficult.
“For legs, I’m a big fan of lunges. I love the unilateral movement. So I love the challenge. It’s an exercise where you get a really nice deep stretch and it isolates the legs very well. It’s definitely my favorite leg exercise and one that I’ve found has given me the most results.”
3) Bench press with dumbbells
How:
- Lie on a flat bench holding two dumbbells over your chest with an overhand grip.
- Push up until arms are straight, then lower under control.
“For chest, I have to go with a dumbbell bench press, a good flat dumbbell bench press. I love the movement and I love the stability. Interestingly, you’ll see that in our Black Adam. In workouts, I like to do high-rep stuff with the flat press. Doing 20 sets of moderate to moderately heavy weight is extremely challenging and really gets a lot of blood pumping into the muscle.”
4) T-Bar Rows
How:
- Load one side of a bar with weight and fix the other end in a corner of the gym.
- Stand astride the bar and grab the weighted end. Pull the barbell toward your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
- Lower to the starting position and repeat.
“T-rows are one of my favorites. There is just something about this exercise; really, really target the lats and hit the lats hard when you come up to the top and pause and hold that max contraction. You really feel the muscles working. It’s a great general exercise for increasing the size of the lats.”
5) Dumbbell Lateral Raises
How:
- Pick a pair of dumbbells and place them at your sides, palms facing your body. Keeping your upper body still, meaning not swaying, raise the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Raise until your arms are parallel to the floor, then slowly lower back to the starting position.
“For shoulders, I love dumbbell lateral raises. This shoulder cap is really well understood. I do a lot of techniques with this where I alternate them from a static hold, so you really maximize the tension on the lateral deltoid. It’s also a pretty crazy burn when done right.”
