Dwayne Johnson blends rice, blueberries, protein powder, and a hefty dose of creatine following his workouts.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has never followed the typical approach when it comes to building and maintaining his massive physique, and that apparently extends to his post-workout protein shakes.
Johnson recently shared the unusual shake he has been using following training, packing it with 70 grams of protein powder along with rice, blueberries, creatine, and plenty of water. The combination is designed to deliver protein, carbohydrates, and hydration following a demanding workout.
The 54-year-old actor and former WWE superstar has undergone a significant physical transformation over the past year, dropping approximately 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) while maintaining his strength. Johnson has been leaning down in preparation to portray the eccentric “Chicken Man” in the upcoming film Lizard Music.
The Rock’s 70-Gram Protein Post-Workout Shake
According to Men’s Health UK, Johnson combines the following ingredients:
- 70g protein powder
- 10-15g creatine
- 140-150g frozen blueberries
- 120g rice
- 1 liter of water
- Ice
- Stevia
While putting rice into a protein shake might not sound particularly appetizing to everyone, there is a method behind Johnson’s unusual combination.
Johnson explained that the shake serves as his immediate post-workout nutrition before he gets a full meal a few hours later.
“I’ll eat a real food meal 2-3 hours later, pending my work schedule,” Johnson said.
He also revealed that he is currently consuming approximately 4,000 calories per day while maintaining a body weight of 236 pounds.
“Holding conditioning and lean quality tissue very nicely with these macros,” Johnson said. “If I’m not sharp with my macros, at 6ft 4in, I can easily start to look stringy and that ain’t cute look.”
Johnson added that it is the “best I’ve ever felt.”
Why The Rock Puts Rice In His Protein Shake
The rice might be the ingredient that immediately stands out, but it provides an important source of carbohydrates following training.
Hard workouts can deplete muscle glycogen, and consuming carbohydrates afterward helps replenish those energy stores. This can become particularly important for someone training frequently and trying to recover in time for another demanding session.
Combining carbohydrates with protein also gives Johnson two major components of post-workout nutrition. Protein provides the amino acids needed to support muscle repair and protein synthesis, while carbohydrates help restore glycogen.
Blueberries add additional carbohydrates while also providing polyphenols. Research has suggested that blueberries may help combat exercise-induced oxidative stress and inflammation, with some evidence suggesting they could aid recovery following strenuous exercise.
Johnson also includes between 10 and 15 grams of creatine, which is considerably more than the traditional daily maintenance dose used by many athletes. Creatine supplementation can help support strength, power, and muscle performance, although consistently taking creatine appears to be more important than consuming it during a specific post-workout window.
Finally, Johnson adds an entire liter of water, helping him replace fluids lost during training.
The finished product certainly isn’t the standard protein shake, but Johnson isn’t exactly dealing with standard nutritional requirements. At 6-foot-4 and 236 pounds, while consuming roughly 4,000 calories per day, his rice-filled post-workout shake is another example of how carefully he is approaching nutrition while transforming his physique for his latest role.
Image embed via Instagram @therock
