Keanu Reeves is the focus of this week’s WednesdayWorkout blog, and we’ve got something a little different for you.
Keanu Reeves’ workout is not like most workouts, because gains and muscle development are not his only goals. What allows Keanu to perform acrobatic stunts in his films such as John Wick, is his proprioception ability and that’s what his training is centred around.
Proprioception is the ability to know where our limbs are and what they’re doing without having to physically look, and is vital in everyday movements. However, it is particularly useful when performing tasks such as driving, or in this instance, performing acrobatic stunts.
The first set of exercises in Keanu’s routine is:
- Isometric lunge with band front raise
- Alternating reverse lunge with band row
- Step forward and press punch with band
- Pallof press
These exercises target a number of muscle groups in your body, making for a great whole-body workout! Isometric movements are any exercises which are neither an eccentric or concentric movement, meaning that your muscles are worked without extending or contracting. These movements can be performed by pushing against solid, stationary objects such as a wall. The plank is one of the most common isometric movements.
The second set of exercises is:
- Standing leg swing
- Single-leg balance body lever
- Modified ice skater
- Reverse lunge knee hop-up
A main feature of Reeves’ workout routine is to work muscles without putting too much stress on joints, whilst always improving his proprioception. These movements are great for this and should be done with a band to increase resistance.
The third set of exercises is:
- Dumbbell floor press
- Isometric squat cable high rows
- Leg press
- Single-leg pistol squat hop
All of these exercises are aimed at building muscle mass, improving manoeuvrability and gaining strength, whilst putting the least amount of stress possible on the joints.
For his role in John Wick: Chapter 2, Keanu Reeves needed to gain strength and improve his overall physique as any actor would going into an action role. However, for him one of the most important things was making sure he had complete control over his entire body, so that he could perform the numerous stunts and fighting sequences in the film to a high standard.