Lionsgate/MGM-UA
In addition to serving as the eponymous character in the Rocky and Rambo movie franchise, Sylvester Stallone has played a number of other characters who are largely defined by one characteristic: being impossibly jacked.
In order to prepare for those kinds of roles, Stallone would push his body to its limits with a vigorous training regimen that often meant two workouts a day for six days a week in the gym. Stallone says he reduced his body fat percentage to his all-time low of 2.8% for Rocky III.
Stallone changed his workout for each film for a different type of body. In Rocky Balboa, he wanted to look big, but in Rocky III his objective was to have a much leaner torso.
“I wanted to look like Tarzan – sleek, tight, almost catlike,” Stallone once said when asked about his workouts. “I wanted to forget the bulk and go for well-developed muscles.
Sly teamed up with Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu to sculpt his body into a rock-hard mountain for the Rocky IV and Rambo II films.
“I had to charge Sly a good amount for the training because he wanted to train full out, just as if he were preparing for the Mr. Olympia contest,” Columbu told Pop Workouts. “That meant two workouts a day, six days a week. I had to drop almost everything else in order to concentrate on getting him in the best shape of his life.”
What exactly does that look like? Well, here’s the plan he followed for Rambo 4, Rocky Balboa, and The Expendables series.
The Exercise Plan Sylvester Stallone Used To Get Ripped For Movies
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Mornings
Chest, Back, and Abs Workout
- Incline Bench Press (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Dumbbell Flys (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Close-grip Bench Press (5 sets, 6-8 reps)
- Wide-grip Chin Ups (6 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Bent-over One-arm Lateral Raises (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Close-grip Seated Rows (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Raised Leg Crunches (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Seated Extension (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Afternoon
Shoulders, Arms, and Abs Workout
- Military Press (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Side Lateral Raises (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Bent-over Dumbbell-Flys (5 sets, 6-8 reps)
- Barbell Curls (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Seated Incline-dumbbell-curls (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Concentration Curls (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Lying Dumbbell-raises (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Bent-over One-arm Lateral Raises (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Cable Pull Downs (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Alternate Leg Raise (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Decline Bench Sit-ups (3 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Oblique Crunches (3 sets, 6-8 reps)
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning
Calves and Thighs Workout
- Seated Calf-raises (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Standing Calf-raises (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Standing Barbell Alternate Calf-raises (5 sets, 8-12 reps)
- Incline Leg-press (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Squats (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Seated Leg-extensions (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Leg Curls (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Leg Extensions (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Stiff Leg Deadlift (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Afternoon
Rear Deltoids, Traps, and Abs Workout
- Bent-over Dumbbell Rear-Delt Raise (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Cable Crossovers (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
- Reverse Pec-deck Flyes (5 sets, 8-12 reps)
- Barbell Shrugs-front (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Barbell Upright-rows (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Flat-bench Cable-rows to Neck (4 sets, 8-10 reps)
- Ab Crunch (4 sets, 8 reps)
- Oblique Crunches (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Cable Crunch (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
Sylvester Stallone’s Bodybuilding Diet
Pre-breakfast: A glass of liquid aminos
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, half yoke, Irish oatmeal, toasted pumpernickel bread, fresh papaya, few figs
Lunch: Roasted summer squash, broiled skinless chicken, salad, figs or berries
Dinner: Salad, broiled fish, high-fibre toasted bread; occasionally eats veal
And there you have it. Now what are you waiting for? Time to get Rocky ripped!