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WE SH IP TO ALGERI A VIE W D E TAILS

6 Week Hercules Workout - Build A

Powerful, Commanding & Functional
Physique

Are you ready to go to war? Brad Borland presents a six week

program designed to conquer your goals. It's time to build a
god-like body and have the strength-levels to back it up.

Workout Summary

Main Goal Build Muscle

Workout Type Full Body

Training Level Beginner

Program Duration 6 weeks

Days Per Week 3

Time Per Workout 60-75 minutes

Equipment Required Barbell, Bodyweight, Dumbbells, EZ Bar,

Machines

Target Gender Male & Female

 Recommended Supplements Whey Protein, Creatine, Vitamin Pack, Intra-
Workout

Author Brad Borland

Workout PDF Download Workout

Workout Description
Brad Borland is a strength & conditioning specialist, cancer survivor and the founder of
WorkoutLab.

Hercules: The Thracian Wars tells the incredible story of the infamous son of Zeus and
the challenges he faced solidifying himself as a mythological legend. Replete with the
skills for battle and mountains of muscle and strength to boot, Hercules was well-suited
to exist in such a world of lore.

A similar comparison can be made of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s prep for the role.
No stranger to social media, The Rock took to Twitter and Instagram detailing, motivating
and firing up his fans during his grueling 5am training sessions each and every day.
“Focus” was a term often stressed keeping his fans on their toes as well as on the
weights.

You can’t help but get motivated to the nth degree by both Hercules and the real life
Rock smashing the weights and some heads. If you’ve followed the first Hercules
Workout at all you know what it takes to build real, brutal muscle, quickly. By now you’ve
built an impressive physique of raw muscle and strength with that program. Now it’s time
to continue on your saga with more mass in mind, but with a slight shift.

Not only will you build more muscle mass with this Hercules-inspired workout, you will
now challenge your mettle by refining that mass a bit accomplishing more muscularity
and a brutal calorie burn.

The New Rules of War

Enough with the formalities, let’s get to work on your Hercules physique in the making.
The “keep it simple” mantra will still apply here – complication equals frustration and you
have more important things to worry about, like surviving the program.

Multi-joint, compound movements are also still in full force as the absolute best mass
builders around. These moves give you the biggest bang for your buck packing on the
mass quickly and efficiently while not wasting any of your time in the gym. Some single-
joint moves will be implemented, but they will be basic in nature. No biceps pose cable
curls here.
 1. This program will have you training in two, three week phases. The first is heavy,
brutal and will lay the foundation for what is to come. The second phase will have
you working in a higher rep range, but that is no excuse to go light. If you’ve done
the first Hercules program you know how you will need to push yourself.
2. You will train three days per week such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday or any
other combination. Just be sure these specific training days are on nonconsecutive
days.
3. In weeks 4-6, two days per week you will perform a high-intensity conditioning
workout. This will help keep your metabolism ramped up and unveil all that muscle
you’ve built.
4. Always execute proper form and technique. Leave your ego at the front door of the
gym and use weights you can actually handle. Heaving up too much weight you
have no business lifting is a surefire recipe for disaster.
5. Another essential requirement for this program is the warm-up. Priming the body
for the work to come is imperative for long-term success. Without a proper warm-
up injury isn’t just a thought, it can become a quick and unwelcome reality.
6. Try the program for six weeks or repeat it again for your own twelve weeks of labor
with a week off or low intensity between.

The New Six Week Hercules Muscle and Strength

Program
As stated earlier, this six week program will have you training to add muscle for three
days per week and a metabolic conditioning primer two days per week in weeks 4-6.
You will hit it hard and heavy the first three weeks and then for the second three weeks
your reps will increase along with the pace. The key is to stay consistent and plow
through the program. Try increasing the amount you use or reps each session gradually
with good form and technique. Time to go to war!

Dynamic Warm-Up
Perform the following warm-up prior to each session to prep the body and raise body
temperature for the work ahead. This will be in addition to your body part-specific warm-
up sets.

Do one or two rounds of:

Push-ups – 15 reps
Prisoner squats – 15 reps
Inverted row – 15 reps
Burpees – 15 reps
Hanging leg raises – 15 reps

Weeks 1-3
For the first three weeks you will alternate between each exercise pairing. Not
necessarily a superset per se but for example: You will do a set of one exercise, rest and
then a set of the other exercise and then rest again. Keep alternating between the two
moves and rest after each set and then move on to the next pairing.

Session 1

Weeks 1-3

Warm Up
Exercise Work Sets Rest (Sec)
Sets
Alternate sets of:      

Partial deadlift 2x12 3x5-8 60

Lying leg curl 2x12 3x5-8 60

Alternate sets of:      

Flat bench barbell press 2x12 3x5 60

Barbell row 2x12 3x5 60

Alternate sets of:      

Dumbbell side lateral   3x5 60

Dumbbell shrug   3x5 60

Alternate sets of:      

Barbell curl   3x5 60

Lying barbell triceps extension   3x5 60

Superset:      

3-way incline board sit-up and

  3x20, 3x5-8  
standing calf raise

Session 2

Weeks 1-3

Warm Up
Exercise Work Sets Rest (Sec)
Sets
Alternate sets of:      

Barbell back squat 2x12 3x5-8 60

Dumbbell Stiff Leg deadlift 2x12 3x5-8 60

Alternate sets of:      

Incline bench dumbbell press 2x12 3x5-8 60

Two-arm dumbbell row 2x12 3x5-8 60

Alternate sets of:      

Standing military press   3x5-8 60

Single leg calf raise   3x5-8 60

Alternate sets of:      

Standing dumbbell hammer curl   3x5-8 60

Parallel bar dip   3x5-8 60

Superset:      

Hanging leg raise and crunch   3x20  

Session 3

Weeks 1-3

Warm Up
Exercise Work Sets Rest (Sec)
Sets
Alternate sets of:      

Leg press 2x12 3x5-8 60

Barbell RDL or Dumbbell Stiff

2x12 3x5-8 60
Leg Deadlift

Alternate sets of:      

Flat bench dumbbell press 2x12 3x5-8 60

Neutral grip pull-up 2x12 3x5-8 60

Alternate sets of:      

Seated dumbbell shoulder press   3x5-8 60

Dumbbell upright row   3x5-8 60

Alternate sets of:      

Standing dumbbell curl   3x5-8 60

Close-grip bench press   3x5-8 60

Superset:      

Bicycle crunch and seated calf

  3x20, 3x5-8  
raise
Weeks 4-6
For the second three weeks you will perform more superset-style workouts. The
difference here from the alternating sets will boil-down to rest periods. No rest will be
taken during supersets. You can either rest one minute after each superset is completed
or, for a more intense workout, wait until all supersets are done for the particular pair of
exercises and then rest one minute.

Session 1

Weeks 4-6

Warm Up
Exercise Work Sets Rest (Sec)
Sets
Superset:       

Barbell front squat 2x12 3x10-12 -

Dumbbell reverse lunge 2x12 3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Incline bench barbell press 2x12 3x10-12 -

Wide-grip pull-up 2x12 3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Wide-grip barbell upright row   3x10-12 -

Arnold press   3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Incline dumbbell curl   3x10-12 -

Lying dumbbell extension   3x10-12 60

Superset:       

Hanging leg raise and seated calf

  3x20, 3x10-12  
raise

Session 2

Weeks 4-6

Warm Up
Exercise Work Sets Rest (Sec)
Sets
Superset:      
Barbell deadlift 2x12 3x10-12 -

Seated leg curl 2x12 3x10-12 60

Superset:       

Flat bench dumbbell press 2x12 3x10-12 -

Barbell row 2x12 3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Standing dumbbell lateral raise   3x10-12 -

Front plate raise   3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Reverse-grip barbell curl   3x10-12 -

Parallel bar dips   3x10-12 60

Superset:      

3-way sit-up and single leg calf

  3x20, 3x10-12  
raise

Session 3

Weeks 4-6

Warm Up
Exercise Work Sets Rest (Sec)
Sets
Superset:      

Bulgarian split squat 2x12 3x10-12 -

Dumbbell Stiff Leg deadlift 2x12 3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Incline bench dumbbell

press or incline Hammer 2x12 3x10-12 -
Strength press

Inverted row 2x12 3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Standing barbell shoulder press   3x10-12 -

Bent-over dumbbell lateral   3x10-12 60

 Superset:      

Barbell spider curl   3x10-12 -

Dumbbell over triceps extension   3x10-12 60

Superset:      

Crunch and standing calf raise   3x20, 3x10-12  

Conditioning days
Two days per week in weeks 4-6 you will perform the following conditioning day.

The mode of cardio will be your choice such as treadmill, elliptical machine, bike, sprints,
swimming, sled, kettlebells, etc. or any combination.

30 minutes of HIIT-style training: 5 minute warm-up, 30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute

low intensity for a total of 14 intervals then 4 minutes of cool-down.

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About The Author

Brad Borland
Brad has a Master's degree in Kinesiology and is a strength and
conditioning specialist, military veteran, and cancer survivor.
View all by Brad Borland »

27 Comments + Post Comment

Posted Fri, 08/14/2015 - 20:16 LIKE 11

aamast khan
hey brad i m impressed by ur workout routine n i want to know that can i perform diz workout
routine after 1 years gap cuz on monday m goin to tak my beast mode on....n what kind of
supplement do i require to have for this routine i thot mass gainer,whey n glutamine vil b
helpful wid diz routine whats iz ur thought abt it

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Posted Wed, 02/18/2015 - 14:24 LIKE 11

John
This isn't Dwayne Johnsons Routine at all-
1.The Rock ate 6000 calories Aday.
He also did 50 minuetes of STEADY STATE cardio not 14 min of HIIT . I don't know the rocks
exact routine by heart but know this isn't it at all go visit Popworkouts.com for his real routine

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Posted Wed, 02/18/2015 - 15:40 LIKE 11

Augie
Yep, we've pretty much established the fact that Brad's workouts are not the actual
ones used by the actors in these movies.

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Posted Sat, 12/13/2014 - 15:05 LIKE 13

Alex
Hey brad could you post Joe Manganiello"s workout ? :D

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Posted Wed, 02/18/2015 - 15:29 LIKE 16

Augie
Ha, good one. :)

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Posted Sun, 10/05/2014 - 10:34 LIKE 13

Shubham Mishra
Hi Brad,
I have been an avid follower of your articles here at M&S. Love your approach! I will start
training tomorrow after a layoff of over six months and this is the workout I will follow.... going
to take it easy with the weights though. Three cheers to you from India and keep up the good
work!!
p.s : really loved the calf article on workoutlab man!!

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Posted Fri, 09/19/2014 - 09:52 LIKE 12

TNT
You are all morons. Sounds like none of you knows anything about training.

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 Posted Wed, 08/20/2014 - 11:06 LIKE 10
Marc
Guys, this may not be the exact same workout as Dwayne Johnson but what works for him
might not work for you. For example, I believe that he has knee problems so he stays away
from barbell squats. But if the conditions are right for you to squat 95% of trainers and
coaches in the world would recommend you get under a bar as research proves compound
movements like that are best for packing on muscle and improving hormone function such as
testosterone and GH. I'm not trying to start an arguement but the protocol Brad laid out for us
could give anybody great results because it resorts back to the basics. It may not be exactly
Dwayne's hercules workout but it is geared towards the same goal, building muscle and
strength. I did the first Hercules program for nine weeks and experienced great gains and I'm
really looking forward to starting this program in the fall. Thanks again guys.

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Posted Thu, 08/21/2014 - 09:02 LIKE 10

BradBorland
Thanks, Marc. Couldn't said it better myself. I am glad you got such great gains from
the first program. This one will definitely be a great challenge.
You get the point of the article. It is inspired by Hercules, so more power to you!

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Posted Sun, 08/03/2014 - 10:19 LIKE 11

BradBorland
Can't we all just get along? Just as Steve said, we are here to inspire people to get out and
train. I challenge you to give both Hercules workouts a try. If you can't because of creative
opinions, then so be it. I just know that the programs I write will and do help people reach
there goals.
I write articles like this because people get pumped up and inspired with a themed article. It's
fun to imagine yourself as a superhero or mythical character crushing the weights in the gym
and building a strong, powerful physique. If a little movie inspiration offends you this much,
simply go to my author page and find many more programs to try:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/authors/brad-borland.html
As always, thanks for reading and happy lifting!
Brad

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Posted Tue, 07/29/2014 - 11:51 LIKE 15

Terry
if this isn't the official dwayne johnson workout then why is it placed in the celebrity workout
category? agree with others that its confusing.
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Posted Tue, 07/29/2014 - 12:35 LIKE 12

Steven
We place celebrity and theme-based workouts in the same category.

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Posted Tue, 07/15/2014 - 08:19 LIKE 16

Augie
Utter BS. Can't stand it when trainers deliberately misrepresent programs as the ones used by
celebrities to prepare for a movie role. The actors used customized training and nutrition
protocols designed specifically for them. The only thing this article has in common with the
program used by Dwayne Johnson is that there were weights involved.

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Posted Tue, 07/15/2014 - 09:31 LIKE 22

Brad
Hi Augie,
No where in the article do I deliberately say this is the exact Rock workout. Take the
time to read the entire article. Thanks for visiting and good luck with your goals.

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Posted Mon, 07/28/2014 - 16:48 LIKE 15

Augie
Steve, that's like including fine print in a legal disclaimer that a product doesn't do what
it says it does. This workout references the first one that Brad wrote. And if you google
"dwayne johnson hercules workout" you'll find a link to called called "Dwayne Johnson
Hercules Workout: Build Raw Muscle And Strength". That makes it very easy to get the
wrong impression that this is the authentic training program used by Johnson in the
movie. In fact, one member even asks Brad "is that the real hercules workout?" and
Brad chose to ignore it.
Nothing has changed with sequel workout and IMO it detracts to a trainer's credibility
when they write movie/actor "Inspired" programs knowing that its misleading.

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Posted Tue, 07/29/2014 - 09:13 LIKE 15

Kurt
Augie you are starting to look foolish. "Inspired" is pretty cut and dried. Let it go.
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Posted Tue, 07/29/2014 - 09:17 LIKE 16

Steven
We do not try to deliberately mislead folks here at M&S. I work hard with the authors to
provide quality workouts and information that assist people in reaching their goals.
We do everything within our power to inspire and motivate folks to exercise. Different
people are motivated by different things. Many folks will be motivated to lift and hit the
gym after seeing Hercules. Our job at M&S is not to judge what motivates people to lift,
but to help them regardless of where they find motivation.
This is not a misleading action. We are all motivated in different ways. We want to see
everyone succeed regardless of what motivates them.
You are making a conscious choice to view us in a cynical manner. Neither myself or
Brad would ever try to mislead anyone. We are both in this industry to help folks. Brad
is a cancer survivor and outside my work at M&S I am a coach. We both understand
that motivation is critical. It's imperative to find a person's motivation and foster it.

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Posted Wed, 07/30/2014 - 23:27 LIKE 9

Augie
Not saying you're deliberately trying to mislead people. But that doesn't mean that these
workouts aren't misleading. Look at the other people here and in the first Dwayne
Johnson/Hercules program that had to ask if these workout were authentic or post
comments to let others know that they weren't. And I agree with the comment posted
earlier, when list a workout as "6 Week Dwayne Johnson Hercules Workout" then you
know that people are expecting it to be legit.

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Posted Wed, 08/27/2014 - 08:02 LIKE 11

nick
Whether misleading or not, you made a choice to come to this website and make your
cynical views. here's a idea if you dont like dont do it.

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Posted Mon, 07/28/2014 - 09:06 LIKE 16

Steven
"Not only will you build more muscle mass with this Hercules-inspired workout"
^ The word inspired implies that this is not the Rock's workout. This workout is inspired
by the movie. It was never positioned as Dwayne Johnson's workout.
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Posted Sun, 07/27/2014 - 15:27 LIKE 11

Augie
Brad, I read the entire article and nowhere does it state that this isn't a Rock workout.
But that's the implication when you post these programs using references to the
Hercules movie and Dwayne Johnson. Scroll up and you'll see that someone else
already commented about this not being an official program for Johnson. This happens
all the time when a superhero movie comes out. Trainers post programs implying that
this is the same training that's used by the actor to get their physique in hopes that
people will jump on board. It doesn't matter if it's Dwayne Johnson (Hercules), Brad Pitt
(Troy), Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Captain
America), etc., if it's not the official training program used by the actor then at least
stipulate this so you're not misleading the readers.

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Posted Tue, 07/29/2014 - 13:05 LIKE 15

Jason
I disagree. Title of these workouts clearly state 6 Week Dwayne Johnson Hercules
Workout and Hercules Workout: Build Raw Muscle And Strength. That's definitely
misleading whether it's intentional or not. If these aren't the genuine workouts then
make it clear with a disclaimer so people don't get confused.

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Posted Tue, 07/15/2014 - 10:57 LIKE 22

Steven
The article doesn't say this is the Rock's workout. It's a Hercules-inspired program
designed to help lifters achieve the goals of size and functional strength,

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Posted Sun, 07/13/2014 - 10:38 LIKE 20

Josh
The Rock posted his work out on instagram and this isn't it.

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Posted Thu, 07/10/2014 - 00:35 LIKE 14

Nathan
Do we perform the dynamic warm-up for weeks 4-6 as we do for weeks 1-3?
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Posted Thu, 07/10/2014 - 14:00 LIKE 12

Brad
Hi Nathan,
Yes.

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Posted Sun, 07/13/2014 - 10:39 LIKE 21

Josh
or you can follow the rock on istagram and get the real workout he did

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