JOHN CENA HAS carved himself a nice little niche of a profession. Not too many people possess the kind of brawn you can make a living off, but Cena does. First, Cena’s enviable physique propelled him to the heights of WWE, where he became a 16-time world wrestling champion and attracted numerous lucrative sponsorship deals.
While he still dabbles in the combat craft, Cena now primarily makes his money in the film industry, where he is a hot commodity. Cena’s sizeable figure makes him perfect for portraying an imposing muscleman or bruising enforcer. He’s already joined the Fast and Furious, Transformers and Suicide Squad franchises, and even made a cameo appearance as a mermaid in 2023’s highest grossing film, Barbie.
Needless to say, Cena’s physique has taken him places. Now, it’s back in the spotlight after he took to the stage to present the award for best costume design at the 2024 Oscars wearing nothing but a pair of reliable Birkenstocks. For someone whose catchphrase was “You can’t see me”, Cena made a point of being seen, leaving little to imagination in all his glory.
At 46 years of age, Cena has kept himself in remarkable shape. And besides being struck by the vulgar absurdity of Cena’s grand entrance, viewers were also struck by just how good the wrestler-cum-actor still looks. So, how does he do it?
What is John Cena’s workout routine?
Billed at 114kg and 185cm, John Cena is a hulk of a human being. But he had to work for that title and wasn’t blessed with superior genetics. Back when he was still in high school and hadn’t started pumping iron, Cena was a meagre 54kg. The 46-year-old has achieved his sizeable rig with an arduous training routine that he’s maintained for years.
Since leaving the wrestling ring, Cena has, evidently, kept in shape. He does it by prioritising size over strength. By lifting light to medium weights and aiming to accomplish greater volume with higher rep ranges, Cena has been able to increase his muscle mass. That’s important to remember when assessing this workout plan. The high rep ranges can be intimidating, but remember, the emphasis is on volume, not weight.
Cena utilises a five-day split, with each day focusing on a specific muscle group. He follows this up with two days of rest—a necessary break, considering the volume of iron he’s moving. This is what a typical week of training looks like for John Cena:
Monday – Legs
Tuesday – Chest
Wednesday – Arms
Thursday – Shoulders
Friday – Back
Saturday and Sunday – Rest
Getty Images | Ronald Martinez
John Cena’s leg day
- Leg extension – 4 x 15 reps
- Leg press – 5 x 20 reps
- Squats – 4 x 10 reps
- Hack squats – 3 x 15 reps
- Standing single leg curls – 4 x 20-25 reps
- Seated calf raises – 4 x 10-20 reps
- Standing calf raises – 4 x 25 reps
John Cena’s chest day
- Bench press – 3 x 10 reps
- Incline machine press – 3-4 x 20 reps
- Incline bench press – 3-4 x 20 reps
- Machine flys – 3-4 sets, 15 reps
- Cable flys – 3 x 15 reps
John Cena’s arms day
- Standing barbell curls – 3 x 10-12 reps
- Seated dumbbell curls – 3 x 10-12 reps
- Preacher curls – 5 x 12 reps
- Standing cable curls – 3 x 12 reps
- Overhead skull crushers – 3 x 20 reps
- Seated barbell tricep extension – 3 x 20 reps
- Lying tricep extension – 6 sets, to failure
- Single arm cable pushdowns – 3 x 10 reps
- Tricep dip – 4 sets, to failure
John Cena’s shoulders day
- Machine overhead press – 5 x 20 reps
- Seated overhead press – 3 x 10 reps
- Seated military press – 3 x 10 reps
- Standing barbell press – 3 x 10 reps
- Machine side lateral raises – 5 x 20 reps
- Dumbbell lateral raise – 3 x 12 reps
- Rear delt cable flyes – 5 x 20 reps
John Cena’s back day
- Barbell rows – 5 x 12-20 reps
- Deadlifts – 4 x 8-15 reps
- One arm dumbbell rows – 5 x 12-20 reps
- Lat pulldowns – 5 x 20 reps
- High pulls – 4 x 20 reps
- High rows – 4 x 20 reps
- Pull-ups – 4 x to failure
- Shrugs – 4 x 20 reps
- John Cena’s abs finisher
As you can see, Cena utilises a holistic workout routine with days dedicated to targeting specific muscle groups—except one, abs. Cena holds his core strength in high esteem, reserving the final portion of his daily workouts for a handful of ab-burning exercises. This is necessary, as it is especially difficult to achieve a coveted six-pack on a bulked-up frame.
- Abdominal crunches – 1 x 60 reps
- Planks – 3 sets, 1 minute each
- Knee to elbow planks – 3 x 15-20 reps
Getty Images | John Sciulli
What is John Cena’s diet plan?
You can’t workout like John Cena and build as much muscle as John Cena without chowing down on a hefty amount of calories. So, as you’d expect, Cena’s intake is monstrous—but it’s also relatively bland. But what Cena’s diet lacks in flavour, it makes up for in sheer volume. According to Men’s Health US, Cena conquers a whopping seven meals per day when he’s working out.
Cena’s diet is heavy on protein while low in carbs and fat. It also addresses the most important food groups, with healthy helpings of fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals and clean meats—as well as a few supplements here and there. Below, we’ll show you how a typical day of eating like John Cena looks.
Meal 1: Breakfast
4 scrambled eggs, Swiss cheese and bacon with sautéed vegetables
or
100g of oatmeal with raisins and apple sauce, 6 egg whites and 2 whole eggs
Meal 2: Mid-morning snack
2 scoops of whey protein and water
or
Protein bar
Meal 3: Lunch
2 chicken breasts, 100g of brown rice with vegetables or salad
Meal 4: Afternoon snack
A can of tuna on whole wheat pita bread
Meal 5: Pre-dinner snack
2 scoops of whey protein and water
or
Protein bar
Meal 6: Dinner
Pasta or brown rice, with chicken or fish and vegetables or salad
Meal 7: Post-dinner snack
Low fat cottage cheese and a casein protein shake
Getty Images | Rich Polk
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