If John Cena’s nude showing at the 2024 Oscars taught us anything, it’s that age really is just a number. Despite being well into his forties, the 16-time World Wrestling Champion proved that he is in better shape than men half his age and it’s not by accident. With ties to powerlifting, hypertrophy and strongman training, John Cena’s workout and diet plan is one of the most expansive and dynamic celebrity regimes in Hollywood.
Over more than two decades in films and TV, the professional wrestler-actor-tv-personality and philanthropist has made a big impression, in more ways than one. To put it bluntly, John Cena’s body is one of the biggest and broadest we’ve seen grace the silver screen, as evidenced in roles as varied as the DC superhero Peacemaker to his work in the Fast and Furious franchise. He’s certainly not the first jacked A-lister we’ve looked at, but both John Cena’s diet & workout plan are definitely worth copycatting.
Who is John Cena?
John Cena was born and bred in Massachusetts, the second eldest of four male siblings. Since a young age, Cena was fascinated with bodybuilding and took up the sport in his late high school years at a private boarding school. He later studied exercise physiology at Springfield College, graduated and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in in the sport, working as a security guard and limo driver to make ends meet.
In 2000, Cena made his amateur debut in the world of entertainment wrestling and wrestled under the ring name The Prototype. His professional debut didn’t come until 2005 when answering to a call-out fight by Kurt Angle; his career soared from there. Today, Cena is a four-time world tag team champion, 16-time world champion and a record-holding 13-time WWE Championship. The wrestling icon is also a Hollywood superstar, having taken up acting in 2006 in The Marine, however, the big dog is currently suiting up for the upcoming blockbuster F9, the latest instalment in the hit Fast and Furious franchise.
A professional wrestler, veritable hulk, adept trash talker, tv personality, philanthropist and all-around top bloke beloved by millions worldwide; what’s not to follow about this guy? His charisma and work ethic continue to stretch beyond the ring and into the lives of admires.
Age: 48 years
Height: 185 cm/ 6 ft 1 inch
Weight: 114 kg/ 251 Ibs
Wrestling career: 1999 to the present
Acting career: 2006 to the present
John Cena’s Diet Plan
To many of the gym junkies dieting when weight training, there’s a disclaimer to following Cena’s diet regime: it’s somewhat bland — but that doesn’t mean you can’t switch it up a bit. Described as being “heavy on protein, light on flavour” by MensHealth, the seven-meal-a-day diet comes to an estimated total of 3,600 calories, comprising 450 grams of carbs, 290 grams of protein and 65 grams of fat. The diet he’s constructed is to replenish the body after his gruelling workout sessions. The Cenation Leader’s diet plan provides all the daily dietary requirements of clean meats, fruits, vegetables, grains & cereals and supplements.
Here’s what John Cena’s daily bodybuilding diet looks like.
Meal 1
- 4 scrambled eggs
- Swiss cheese
- Bacon
- Sautéed vegetables
or - 100g oatmeal with raisins and apple sauce
- 6 egg whites
- 2 whole eggs
Meal 2
- 200-250 calories protein bar
or - 2 scoops of whey protein & 2 cups of water
Meal 3
- 2 chicken breasts
- 100g of brown rice
- Vegetables or salad
Meal 4
- Whole wheat pita bread
- Tuna
Meal 5
- 200-250 calories protein bar
or - 2 scoops of whey protein & 2 cups of water
Meal 6
- Pasta or brown rice
- Vegetables or salad
- Chicken or fish
Meal 7
- Low fat cottage cheese
- Casein protein shake
John Cena’s Workout Routine
For a man whose catchphrase is “you can’t see me”, his brawny physique and athleticism can’t be overlooked. The secret to his aesthetically insane body is the fusion of challenging training sessions that he completes five days a week. And despite the longstanding impression that it’s thanks to his genetic edge that he’s that well-built; interestingly, before taking up weights, the 251 pounds (114 kg) WWE heavyweight was a measly 120 pounds (54 kg) in high school.
But thanks to an unwavering passion for bodybuilding, a strong work ethic and a lot of elbow grease in the gym, Cena has forged an impressive physique. His workout routine is voluminous and hypertrophic (aimed at promoting size more than strength).
In recent years, Cena has moved further into the powerlifting arena, sharing a number of videos demonstrating his awesome feats of strength. In 2017, footage emerged of Cena squatting a whopping 277kg (611lbs), benching 210kg (463lbs) and deadlifting 295kgs (650lbs). These traditional compound strength movements may be core to Cena’s one-rep-maxes, it’s unlikely that they form the basis of his daily routine.
Instead, Muscle & Strength outlined a regime that incorporates light to medium weights, typically of 3-4 sets, with high repetitions (15-20). His training routine is advantageously made up of compound exercises with some isolation exercises to focus on body muscles that need that extra work. Through this regiment and diet, a well-proportioned and shredded body awaits its follower. One’s athleticism will also be enhanced and this helps boost performance in physical contact and combat sports.
Cena does a 5-day split with a 2-day rest interval every week. But be warned; his workouts aren’t for the faint-hearted.
- Monday – Legs and Calves
- Tuesday – Chest
- Wednesday – Arms
- Thursday – Shoulders
- Friday – Back
So without further ado, we give you Cena’s hardcore workout routine.
Monday: Legs & Calves
- Seated Calf Raises – 10 sets of 10-20 reps
- Standing Calf Raises – 4 sets of 25 reps
- Standing Single Leg Curls – 4 sets of 20-25 reps
- Leg Press – 5 sets of 20 reps
- Leg Extension – 4 sets of 15 reps
- Squats – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Hack Squats – 3 sets of 15 reps
Tuesday: Chest
- Incline Machine Press – 3-4 sets of 20 reps
- Incline Bench Press – 3-4 sets of 20 reps
- Machine flies – 3-4 sets of 15 reps
- Cable flies – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Bench Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
Wednesday: Arms
Biceps
- Standing Barbell Curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Preacher Curls – 5 sets of 12 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Standing Cable Curls – 3 sets of 12 reps
Triceps
- Rope Press downs – 3 sets of 20 reps
- Single Arm Cable Pushdowns – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Lying Tricep Extension – 6 sets to failure
- Overhead Skull Crushers – 3 sets of 20 reps
- Seated Barbell Tricep Extension – 3 sets of 20 reps
- Tricep Dip – 4 sets to failure
Thursday: Shoulders
- Rear Delt Cable Flyes – 5 sets of 20 reps
- Machine Overhead Press – 5 sets of 20 reps
- Machine Side Lateral Raises – 5 sets of 20 reps
- Seated Overhead Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 3 sets of 12 reps
- Seated Military Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Standing Barbell Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
Friday: Back
- Lat Pulldowns – 5 sets of 20 reps
- Barbell Rows – 5 sets of 12-20 reps
- Arm Dumbbell Rows – 5 sets of 12-20 reps
- Deadlifts – 4 sets of 8-15 reps
- High Pulls – 4 sets of 20 reps
- High Rows – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Pull-ups – 4 sets to failure
- Shrugs – 4 sets of 20 reps
Thinking that we’ve forgotten to include his abs workout? Think again. Cena’s finishes off each training session with a light abdominal workout. So to get abs like his, here’s what you’ll need to do:
Abs Training
- Abdominal Crunches – 1 set of 60 reps
or - Planks – 3 sets of 1 minute
- Knee to Elbow Planks – 3 sets of 15-20 reps
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