Roman Reigns says bodybuilding has helped him develop the muscle control necessary to combine power with precision inside the wrestling ring.
Roman Reigns has spent years building one of the most recognizable physiques in professional wrestling, but his bodybuilding-style training serves a purpose beyond simply looking impressive on WWE television.
During a recent interview with Men’s Health, Reigns explained how bodybuilding has helped him develop greater control over his body and muscles, something he considers essential when performing inside the ring.
Reigns came to professional wrestling after playing defensive tackle at Georgia Tech, giving him experience with two very different forms of physical performance. In football, Reigns explained, athletes are often trained to unleash their power without worrying nearly as much about controlling the movement afterward.
“What I do now and why I try to utilize the bodybuilding is because you have to have so much more muscle control,” Reigns said.
According to Reigns, that represents one of the biggest differences between football and professional wrestling.
“In football, you just explode and whatever happens, happens. That guy goes flying, and that’s perfect.”
Roman Reigns Uses Bodybuilding To Combine Power And Control
Professional wrestling requires a different skill set. WWE performers have to create the appearance of tremendous force while maintaining enough control to safely repeat those movements multiple times each week.
Reigns used throwing a punch as an example.
“How can you swing at a guy and make it look like it’s coming at him like a Nolan Ryan fastball, but you have enough control to make it so where you can throw that punch four to five times a week and not kill the guy?”
That balance between explosiveness and control is where Reigns believes bodybuilding has become particularly valuable.
Bodybuilding training places a heavy emphasis on the mind-muscle connection, controlling repetitions, maintaining tension, and understanding exactly how individual muscles are moving. For Reigns, those principles can translate directly into the wrestling ring.
It is an approach Reigns has discussed previously as his training evolved from his football days. Rather than simply moving weight from one point to another with maximum power, he has increasingly focused on feeling individual muscles contract and stretch while still maintaining the strength and explosiveness required of a WWE Superstar.
How Roman Reigns Maintains His Physique and Explosive Power at 41
At 41 years old, Reigns has also adjusted his training with longevity in mind. His larger Men’s Health interview detailed how he has moved away from constantly chasing heavy weights while emphasizing mobility, functionality, and maintaining the muscular physique that has become part of his presentation.
For Reigns, bodybuilding ultimately provides something particularly useful for professional wrestling: the ability to look powerful, move explosively, and remain completely in control when it matters most.
Image embed via Instagram @romanreigns
