Sylvester Stallone once believed that over-training caused his muscles to physically shorten. A resurfaced 1994 interview reveals the Rocky star suffered numerous injuries while maintaining a razor-lean physique. Stallone balanced 1,100-calorie weekdays with massive weekend binges to fuel his legendary action-movie frame.

Stallone caught the spotlight during his prime not only for his acting in movies like Rambo and Rocky, but also for his massive, impressive physique, which in the 90s was even compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger's.

The interview was recently shared on January 21, 2026, by the official Instagram account of Retro Hollywood Rewind.

So, when the interviewer asked him whether he was more hurt during the action scenes because he had no body fat, Stallone replied, “Yes, you're absolutely right. We're hurt a lot more than a person who's not in shape. Because the more you work out, the shorter your muscles get, and if you don't warm them up, they spring.”

He even explained the consequences by saying, “I've pulled every muscle in my body, my back, my elbow”. Even reaching a glass was not easy. That's why he tried to come out of the lean phase by gaining weight and admitted to “Overdo it on the weekends.”

And for that, Stallone used a special approach that included protein during the week, and by Friday night, he started to get ravenous. He added, “Then by Monday, I’m back on the regimen. That way, my body at least is appeased a little bit. But never bulk up full. I did it once in a first, and I've never had a more difficult time in my life.”

Stallone also revealed his calorie intake. On weekdays, he used to consume 1100 calories, and on the weekend, the Rocky star started consuming nearly 9000 calories, mostly from foods like French toast and peanut butter.

However, Stallone did not follow the same routine for every movie role.

The iconic star not only focused on his own fitness but also motivated his co-workers to adopt a healthy lifestyle. For instance, Dolph Lundgren, Stallone’s co-star in Rocky IV, once revealed that Stallone influenced his training and diet and admitted that Rambo forced him to consume more calories and protein.

While Stallone reflected on the effects of becoming too lean and losing body fat, his workout routine at that time still inspires millions of fans even today.

Sylvester Stallone’s Working Plan for His Action Movies

Stallone’s exercise regimen was intense and helped him look explosive on the silver screen during his peak.

His weekly workout is mixed:

Monday:

• Incline barbell press
• Cable crossover
• Flat dumbbell press
• Wide-grip pull-ups
• Seated cable rows

Tuesday:

• Barbell curls
• Rear delt flyes
• Overhead dumbbell extension
• Seated dumbbell press
• Concentration curls

Wednesday for cardio:

• Jogging
• Shadowboxing
• Bag work
• Core circuit line, planks, leg raises, and crunches

Thursday:

• Dips
• Incline dumbbell press
• Barbell rows
• Machine chest press
• Lat pulldowns
• One arm dumbbell row

Friday:

• Upright rows
• Arnold press
• EZ bar curls
• Face pulls
• Close-grip bench press
• Hammer curls

Saturday:

• Clean and press
• Bodyweight circuits like dips, burpees, and push-ups
• Medicine ball slams
• Russian twist

Sunday:

• Rest
• Deep tissue massage
• Mobility work

So, these are the techniques Stallone used to rule the silver screen as an iconic action movie star.

Follow Bodybuilding Bros for more.

Written by

Supradeep Dutta