ROBERT FITZGERALD DIGGS – better known as RZA – helped build the hip-hop empire known as Wu-Tang Clan from gritty beats, kung fu flicks, and eight other minds that spit razor-sharp poetic philosophies. Today, the 56-year-old is building something else: muscle. And just like Wu-Tang’s music, it’s precise, intense, and just a little bit unorthodox.
It’s mid-May and RZA’s at Granite Gym in Beverly Hills, surrounded by old-school steel and sci-fi-looking gear. He’s leaning forward slightly, holding a pair of cable handles, elbows behind his torso, a pair of wires attached to each of his biceps. Trainer Grant Roberts watches closely, ready to push RZA to physical mastery. “What we hittin’ today?” RZA asks, shoulders rolling like he’s about to throw a punch line.
“Bis and tris,” replies Roberts.
“A’ight. A’ight. Got this. Let’s go.”
Roberts smirks. “Wait till tomorrow.”
“Huh? What’s tomorrow?”
“You won’t be able to wash your hair.”
Minutes later, it’s on. RZA cranks out 15 reps of cable curls, his arms stretched behind him. On the third, Roberts pushes RZA to stop cheating with his shoulders.
He’s putting in all this work in advance of a busy summer. In July, Wu-Tang Clan reunites for its three-month, 27-show Final Chamber farewell tour across the U.S. and Canada. And in August, RZA reprises his role as Harry Mansell in Nobody 2. It’s all perfect gym motivation, says RZA, who admits that he’s never been consistent with his workouts. “But if I have a reason to do it, I could work out twice a day,” he says. “So I’m more of a creature of demand.”
So RZA has spent the past few weeks training three times a week with Roberts. He’ll train upper body one day, lower body another, and arms the next. Today is arms—and that involves tech. As RZA grabs dumbbells for a triple compound set of curls, Roberts begins sending tiny electrical impulses to the rapper’s biceps, supercharging his mind-muscle connection. RZA begins curling, first doing eight dumbbell curls while driving the bells to his opposite shoulder, then doing eight hammer curls, then doing eight regular biceps curls—and never resting.
After the final set, he unstraps and steps back. Out of nowhere, he delivers a lightning-fast jab, then quickly blocks, pivots, and throws a few more strikes. RZA may not hit the weights regularly, but he’s long been a devout martial artist and a huge fan of kung fu films. He plants, arms wide, and slowly brings his hands together, flexing his chest. “Bruce Lee shit!” he says with a grin.
The Rza banging out curls with his trainer Grant Roberts.
Then it’s back to biceps with 90-degree “peak curls,” as Roberts calls them. RZA lies flat on a bench, arms reached toward the ceiling, hands grasping a cable overhead, then curls toward his head, cranking out three sets of 15. He follows with three more sets of curls, then flexes again. He may not love training, but he knows how to motivate himself. Touring with Method Man, who’s well known for being jacked (and was featured in our 6 A.M. franchise five years ago), helps.
“It’s like a brotherly challenge,” RZA says. “I’m not gonna let his biceps pop up and mine don’t have something to say!”
Not that RZA’s done yet anyway. Roberts finishes him off with a series of triceps exercises, starting with dips, then working through triceps pressdowns. RZA wraps up the workout by doing three sets of skullcrushers, which have him lying on a bench, a weight overhead, then lowering the bar to his forehead and pressing back up.
By the end, RZA feels jacked. “For the beauty of looking beautiful,” he quips. And to keep up with Method Man, too, of course.
The Rza training at Granite Gym in Beverly Hills.
The road pump
While on tour with Wu-Tang Clan, RZA needs one piece of equipment to train: a single chair. Do three sets of each move and enjoy the burn.
Chair Dip
Sit in a chair. Put your hands on the seat and straighten your elbows, lifting your butt and moving it slightly away from the chair. This is the start. Bend at the elbows, lowering as far as you can, then press back up. That’s 1 rep; do 3 sets of 15. Shoulder pain? Do push-ups with your hands slightly narrower than shoulder width.
Push-up
Get in push-up position, hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Bend at the elbows and shoulders, lowering your chest to within an inch of the floor. Press back up. That’s 1 rep; do 3 sets of 20.
Crunch
Lie on your back, feet near your butt. Tighten your abs and crunch your chest toward your thighs, rounding your back as much as possible. Lower with control. That’s 1 rep; do 3 sets of 30. Want to mix things up? Hold three 45-second planks.
Arms day for the Rza at the Granite gym in Beverly Hills.
Between sets
Favourite exercise?
“I would say curls. I love curls.”
Favourite song?
“Currently it’s Nat King Cole’s ‘Love Is Here to Stay.’ That don’t sound like workout music. But that’s it right now. First it was Frank Sinatra for, like, five years. I always felt like I was on vacation when that shit was playing. Then I discovered Nat King Cole and was like, ‘Oh, shit.’ You get him and a margarita and just chill in the backyard.”
Read any good books lately?
“I’m reading Nile Rodgers’s book right now, Le Freak. I’m reading it slow, but I’m reading like I’m picturing every fucking image in it.”
Favourite cheat food?
“Lay’s potato chips. The yellow bag.”
Post-workout shake?
“After a workout, I like bananas and young coconuts. But when I’m in Europe—because they don’t have it in America—banana juice. Man, after a workout, that banana juice and coconut water…yes!”
Favourite artist growing up?
“Stevie Wonder. Probably still my favourite artist. I feel like Stevie Wonder is just the greatest artist of all time.”
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.
Related:
