Since DJ’s been training for so many years, did he have to unlearn or adjust any of his typical training habits to prepare for this role?
Not particularly. Constantly with training, you have to evolve what you’re doing so you’re not doing the same thing you were doing, say, five years ago. A lot of my focus with training is longevity, so creating exercises or programs that are really efficient, maybe three or four sets per exercise and ensuring those working sets are at or close to failure but in a manner in which we’re lifting smart and intentionally but not with crazy weight where you could potentially get injured. For me, injury prevention is huge. If DJ gets injured, then he can’t do what he needs to do, and it throws everything off. I can’t say there’s anything we particularly avoided from the past, but like I said, it was just a continued evolution of training throughout the process.
Does DJ have any exercises he particularly hates or really likes to do?
I don’t know any exercises he’s actually told me that he hates doing. I will say he loves training legs. He’s a big fan of leg day. He also loves back training. It’s funny nowadays with social media because people will see DJ doing something where they don’t understand the technique he’s using. They’re just looking at the weight he’s pulling. For example, he’s doing a dumbbell row on an incline bench, pausing at the top with 80 pounds in each arm, then controlling the negative for three or four seconds. I don’t think people understand the intensity behind doing an exercise in that manner. So I would say for DJ, he just loves all the training and training intensity. The weight room is definitely his happy place where he can centre himself.
Is there anything you’re doing to help DJ maintain sustainable, long-term performance, or is it all just him pushing through?
I really try to structure the training program in a manner that’s sustainable long-term for him. So we have our phases where we’re going to go more intense and then understanding phases where we need to pull back on volume and intensity so that he can continue on. But he’s very diligent about it. He understands it. He knows that he’s at certain phases where he’s got to push. Even right now, when they’re doing the crazy press tour for this film. He’s got these moments of crazy travel and then he’ll have a little lull and then I believe he goes into filming the next Jumanji. So he’s able to balance it all pretty well. I will say I’m always impressed.
Are you helping him train for Jumanji?
Everyone’s been seeing him, and he’s obviously downsized a bit. He took that on himself. He’s got another role coming up with Benny so he’s shifting more into dramatic acting, where he doesn’t need to maintain as much size. He took that on his own. He told me he wanted to learn his body and understand how it responds to different diets and things. But we just recently connected to get the idea of what Jumanji is going to look like. But for the most part he’s in a good spot. He feels good with this physique.
What’s one thing about Dwayne’s discipline and worth ethic that you think people still underestimate these days?
I would say it’s consistency. I think consistency is very underrated, especially as we’re talking about fitness goals. With Dwayne, regardless of what his travel schedule is like, what he’s doing, how busy he is – he’s always going to train. He’s always going to get his workouts in. I think the results speak for itself when you’re that consistent but I don’t think people understand the level of discipline that takes to maintain that consistency long term. I just know when I structure a training program, he’s going to execute. I don’t have any doubts in his mind that he’s not going to work out, he’s not going to miss the workouts. So that said, I’m always really impressed with just how consistent and committed he is and disciplined in that regard.