Dolph Lundgren, the Swedish actor, director, martial artist, and fitness icon, has inspired generations with his movie roles and fitness transformations. From his debut as a KGB henchman in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill to his breakthrough role as the imposing Ivan Drago in Rocky IV (1985), Lundgren has consistently showcased an impressive physique and dedication to fitness. This article explores the training and diet regimens that have shaped Lundgren's physique throughout his career, from his early days as a martial artist to his current approach to fitness at 66.
Early Life and Martial Arts Background
Hans "Dolph" Lundgren was born on November 3, 1957, in Stockholm County, Sweden. Growing up, he described himself as a "runt" and an insecure child. His father's temperament often led to frustrations being vented onto Dolph, his brother, and his mother. Instead of being insulted, Dolph used this as motivation to prove himself.
At the age of seven, Dolph began practicing judo, switching to Gōjū-ryū karate a few months later. He practiced these disciplines for three years, gradually improving his strength and physical abilities. As his physical abilities improved, so did his self-esteem. Seeing his progress in the mirror, Dolph became "hooked" on improving his strength and size, leading him to start lifting weights in the gym after his karate training.
By 18, standing at 6' 4" and weighing 180 pounds, Dolph began to accumulate an impressive series of full-contact knockouts, largely due to his powerful legs. He won kick-boxing titles in Europe and Australia, gaining a reputation for regularly sending opponents to the hospital. "I had to start lifting weights as I grew into a heavyweight," Dolph explains, "because I was so bloody tall and lean it was too easy for little powerpacks to knock me down with one shot."
The "Rocky IV" Transformation: Building the Big Red Machine
Sylvester Stallone needed a formidable opponent for Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV. He needed someone who could match and exceed the impact of Rocky's past adversaries. Dolph Lundgren, with his background in chemical engineering, kickboxing, and acting, fit the bill.
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Initially turned down for being too tall, Dolph persevered. He recalls, "The minute I heard about the part I knew it was for me. I was determined to get it." After getting his picture to Stallone, he was invited to Los Angeles. Stallone thought he had a chance if he could gain some muscle weight. Dolph returned to New York and began intense bodybuilding training at John Perretti's Madison Avenue Muscle. He needed serious muscle and he needed it in a hurry.
Intense Training Regimen
Dolph had about three months to train before his screen test. He learned bodybuilding techniques from various sources, including Harold Poole, Lydia Cheng, and fitness magazines. He increased his protein and caloric intake and cut back on cardiovascular activity to gain muscle weight as quickly as possible.
"I gained a lot of size fast," he says. "I tried to get as defined as possible. I starved myself for about 10 days, ate high-protein and low carbs. I didn't really know what I was doing. I never learned how to get muscular with diet and carbs up later. But my metabolism is so fast I was able to rip up anyway."
By the time of the screen test, Dolph weighed an impressive 248 pounds. He secured the role and had only five months to prepare for filming. "I never trained harder in my life than during those five months," says Dolph. They trained two hours a day at the Santa Monica Bodybuilding Center, and then went to a boxing gym Sly had built a few miles away in Culver city and worked out hours more. They were coached in boxing by Richard Giachetti, who had worked with Larry Holmes, increasing their time in the ring as the start date for the movie approached, eventually sparring for an excruciating four hours a day.
In the beginning, their first priority was building mass, so they trained heavy in the gym, not too many sets and reps, and kept their boxing to about two hours a day. Later, when they wanted more definition and muscularity, they trained faster and lighter in the gym and increased their sparring time. When It was almost time to film 'Rocky IV,' their bodybuilding workouts consisted of only a few heavy sets for each bodypart, but then they went all-out with the boxing.
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Diet for Mass and Definition
While Dolph was no stranger to training, the idea of serious dieting, eating to maximize muscularity and definition, was a new experience. Stallone, having learned from bodybuilders like Franco Columbu, understood how diet could affect the body's appearance.
"Sly not only wanted us to move like champion boxers, he wanted us to have the best-looking physiques anyone ever saw in a ring," explains Lundgren. "And that meant developing muscles that boxers usually don't develop."
Dolph and Sly trained in the gym on a three-day split - chest and backs/shoulders, arms and legs - six days a week, with ab training twice a day. "Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night and do a couple of sets of abs," explains Dolph, "just so I would look that much better in the gym the next day. That's how motivated I was by Sly."
During filming, maintaining that level of conditioning was a challenge. "Bodybuilders usually have to peak for just one or two days," says Dolph, "but when you are making a movie you have to hold your shape a lot longer. Sometimes you have a scene which includes shots taken weeks or months apart. You can't look one way in one shot and totally different in another."
Stallone arranged to have his own cook on the set, and Dolph either ate with him or brought his own food. When they went off on location, Dolph would give a list of special foods and Weider supplements he needed to the prop man. Joe Weider had made up a series of supplement packs for Sly and Dolph and the results were impressive.
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Dolph Lundgren's Current Workout and Diet
Now in his 60s, Dolph Lundgren continues to prioritize fitness, adapting his approach to suit his age and lifestyle. He focuses on staying active, eating clean, and listening to his body.
Current Training Regimen
Lundgren trains five days a week, doing chest and arms one day, back the next day, and shoulders and biceps the next. He’ll train legs and core twice a week. He no longer lifts the biggest, heaviest weights he can. "A lot of people are lifting with their ego," he says.
He incorporates a varied approach to exercise, including hiking and boxing, alongside resistance training. “I like doing supersets, especially for triceps,” he says. “I don’t like to lift super heavy. I find if I go too heavy it just makes me tired, I don’t have time to recover and I don’t get any gains from it. When you’re 25 it’s okay, but when you get to a certain age it’s pointless trying to overdo it."
A typical weekly routine might include:
- Day 1: Back and Biceps
- Day 2: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
- Day 3: Legs
- Other days: Hiking or Boxing
He emphasizes the importance of core strength, focusing on exercises like side planks and forearm planks with leg lifts. He’ll also do forearm planks, then lift a foot off the ground for 2 seconds, tightening his core so his hips don’t tilt to one side. Aim to do three 30-second side planks per side and 2 sets of 10 forearm--plank leg lifts in every workout. Lundgren does hip thrusts, too, to strengthen his glutes.
For upper-body exercises, such as biceps curls, bench presses, and rows, he’ll do 4 sets and ladder the reps. He opens with a 30-rep set, then does 20 reps, then 15, and then 10. “When you start with that many reps, you get blood into the muscle,” he says. “Each set after the first one gets easier.”
Current Diet
“Food wise, I try to eat three clean meals a day and two snack” he explains. “I try to keep my protein intake over 100 grams a day. I don’t eat meat- I eat fish and eggs. I’m pescatarian and I do use supplements and take protein shakes and bars sometimes too.”
When he isn’t filming, Dolph will eat a balanced diet consisting of lean proteins, complex carbs, and fats. In regards to supplements, Dolph doesn’t take as many as he used to. He’ll have a mixture of apple cider vinegar, protein powder, vitamin C, and glucosamine in the morning to get his body started.
Dolph enjoys a varied approach to exercise, incorporating hiking and boxing into his regimen to supplement his resistance training. “I like doing supersets, especially for triceps,”
He focuses on eating three clean meals a day, aiming for over 100 grams of protein, primarily from fish and eggs. He also uses supplements, including protein shakes and bars.
Key Principles from Dolph Lundgren's Fitness Philosophy
- Listen to Your Body: Adjust your training based on how you feel. If you don't feel like doing something, don't force it.
- Train Smart, Not Just Hard: Focus on proper form and technique over lifting the heaviest weights possible.
- Balance and Self-Love: Find a balance that works for you and try to be relaxed in your approach to fitness.
- Consistency is Key: Regular exercise, even in small amounts, is better than nothing.
- Active Recovery: Walking, running, and other forms of light activity can aid in recovery and overall health.