Dwayne Johnson worked out at Toronto gym and staff were starstruck

Staff at a local Toronto gym were delighted by a surprise appearance from wrestling-turned-movie star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Johnson, who is in town for the Toronto International Film Festival and promoting Benny Safdie’s new film, The Smashing Machine, maintained his intense workout regimen at local fitness establishment Fit Squad Training Gym on Peter Street.

Gym staff were clearly overjoyed by their encounter with one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, crowding around to snap photos with the 53-year-old.

In the caption of an Instagram carousel of photos showing Johnson posing with staff, Fit Squad wrote, “When someone like The Rock chooses to train here, it’s a pretty surreal reminder of what we’re building.”

Aldo Frixione, co-owner of Fit Squad, was on-site during the visit and tells blogTO that “It was an absolutely surreal experience to have The Rock visit our gym.”

“We’ve all grown up watching WWE and his movies; he’s definitely one of those people that transcends to more than just a celebrity,” says Frixione.

Frixione adds that Johnson arrived “locked in to do his workout,” and after getting his reps in, “he took the time to take some pics and share some laughs.”

“We were all very excited to have him. All day long, our members couldn’t believe the Rock worked out at the same gym as them.”

When asked if any special celebrity accommodations were requested, Frixione explains that Johnson “came in almost as a regular client with a quick inquiry from his team: if we would be open to have him come in. He was very humble and respectful, didn’t interrupt the regular routine of the gym in any way and didn’t try to draw any attention.”

“Given that Fit Squad is a high-end strength-focused gym, every staff and gym member who trained there at the time respected Mr. Johnson’s privacy, and no one interrupted him during his training in any way,” Frixione says.

He explained the star simply “stayed for a full workout session and, in the end, invited the members of the team and clients for a few photos and went on his way.”

As for how Johnson decided on which gym to visit in Toronto, Fit Squad is located just a few blocks from the film festival’s epicentre at King and John, and maintains a five-star rating on Google with almost 300 universally positive reviews.

Dwayne Johnson at the TIFF red carpet for The Smashing Machine. Fareen Karim

Fit Squad is located at 111 Peter St., Unit 102.