What does it take to look like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson? The muscle machine shares his tips

WHAT does it take to look like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? The muscle machine reveals how he got into extraordinary shape for his Hercules film role.

FOR six long months, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s alarm clock rang at 3am everyday to signal the start of his rigorous workout routine.

The actor and former wrestler has described the physical preparation for his latest movie role, Hercules, as the most intense he’s ever experienced.

In the middle of the night while most people were sleeping, Johnson would “roll out of bed” and head straight to a cardio machine in the corner of his hotel suite in Budapest, the 42-year-old told Access Hollywood.

Epic ... Dwayne Johnson as Hercules. Source: Supplied.

With the assistance of a cup of coffee, he’d go hard for 35 minutes before showering and crowing down on a healthy breakfast.

That breakfast consisted of steak and egg whites plus cream of wheat, Johnson, 42, said. It was the first of seven meals across the day, which amount to about 4,000 calories.

DWAYNE ‘THE ROCK’ JOHNSON reveals he ate the same seven meals every day for six months to prepare for Hercules

When a 2yr old asks HERCULES to play patty cake on set.. well.. he plays patty cake. #HERCULESMovie pic.twitter.com/vCHPbSi70G

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) July 20, 2014

After breakfast, it was off to the gym for more training.

Johnson, whose ripped frame was intimidating enough before this film, shared his fitness journey with his fans on social media.

But good luck to anyone keen to follow along. His chest exercises alone include a bench press of nearly 200 kilograms.

Johnson’s intensive workout regime of weights and muscle training was just the start of a very long and gruelling day, he revealed.

Going home ... Johnson leaving the gym to head to set. Picture: Richard Gosling

Going hard ... Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, hitting the gym. Source: Supplied.

“I would go to set for 12 hours,” he said. “It was a lot. From day one to 95, that was my schedule.”

Despite a long list of former physical jobs including professional football and wrestling, Johnson said getting ready to film the blockbuster — and the shoot itself — was “epic”.

“But, you know, when you want to make something epic, and it starts with that goal — that goal is epic and defining and cool, and hopefully you make a movie — well then, the effort has to match that, right?”