Are you looking to level up your fitness game and sculpt a physique worthy of a superhero?
If so, start working out like Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy.
Dave Bautista, the actor who portrays Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy, is known for his impressive physique and dedication to fitness. His workout routine, fitness regimen, and commitment to a healthy diet have inspired individuals looking to achieve a similar fitness level.
To learn more about Bautista’s workout, in this article, we will take a deep dive into Dave Bautista’s training and fitness routine, exploring the exercises he does and the diet he follows to achieve his fitness goals.
Dave Bautista Early Life
David Michael Bautista, also known as Dave Batista, is an American actor, former professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and mixed art martial artist. He was born on 18 January 1969 in Washington, DC, to a Filipino father and a Greek mother.
They lived together in abject poverty, which made life hard for him. Before the age of nine, murders happened on his front lawn, and at thirteen, he became a thief, stealing people’s cars. He later moved out from his parents and started his own life at the age of 17 years.
Before becoming a professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and current actor he is Dave Bautista started as a bouncer at a nightclub. That job didn’t last long. He was arrested and sentenced to one year of probation because of his involvement in a fight that injured two people.
He was also a lifeguard before venturing into his career of bodybuilding, which turned out to save his life. Here is what Bautista told Olympia President Dan Solomon When he was interviewed:
“I don’t take this lightly when I say this, but bodybuilding saved my life. I was in much trouble, getting in the worst kind of trouble and hanging out with the worst kinds of people. I couldn’t focus anywhere and channel all my anger and aggression. And when I found a gym, it just became therapeutic for me.”
Although Bautista had a difficult life, he doesn’t blame his parents. In fact, he is proud of them. He said that his parents are honest, hardworking, and good people. They taught him the essence of working hard in life.
Dave Bautista Professional Wrestling Life
Dave Bautista’s training and wrestling career journey was challenging. He began by trying World Championship Wrestling. But he was discouraged by Dewayne Bruce (ring name Sgt Buddy Lee Parker), who told him he would never make it to the wrestling business.
He later joined the world wrestling federation, training with Afa Anoa’i in the Wild Samoan Training Center wrestling school. Upon completing the training, he made his wrestling appearance as Khan on October 30, 1999.
In 2000 the World Wrestling Championship took Bautista in and sent him to Ohio Valley Wrestling, one of their developmental territories. Later that year, he made his OVW appearance as Leviathan and, shortly after that, joined hands with Synn, where he was unbeaten for a while before being defeated by Kane with help from Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Later in his career, Batista won the OVW Heavyweight Championship. After getting promoted to WWE’s main roster a few months later, Bautista quit OVW.
In WWE, Dave Bautista won the coveted world heavyweight championship title four times and world wrestling entertainment twice, making him a six-time world champion.
Dave Bautista Acting Career
Bautista began acting in 2006 with a cameo in relative strangers. He got his breakthrough in 2012 in The Man with the Iron Fists. He starred in several Hollywood movies like Riddick in 2013, Spectre in 2015, Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Army of the Dead, and Dune in 2021. He also played the role of Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy film in 2014.
Dave Bautista Workout
Dave Bautista Current Stats
- Name: David Michael Bautista Jr.
- Birthdate: Jan. 18, 1969
- Height: 6’5″
- Weight: 278 pounds
Dave Batista follows an intense workout routine to get a good physique for his film roles and improve his fitness. He has a home gym with two separate rooms dedicated to weight training and martial art practice.
During his time as a bodybuilder, he focused on achieving muscle hypertrophy. But his training routine changed to avoid more injury upon signing with WWE. He focused on improving athleticism since wrestling demanded strength, stamina, quick movement, and agility. Here is what he had to say when interviewed by Men’s Health.
“When I first started working out in the WWE, I was very concerned about how I looked. You know, I wanted to look like a star. I wanted to look at the part. So it was very much a bodybuilder-style workout routine. Further on in my career as I started getting injured, I realized I didn’t have to put that much pressure on my body and do that much damage to my joints…So then I started to focus towards the end of my career on better cardio shape. Cardio has always been a struggle for me because I have severe asthma. I’m still medicated daily for my asthma.”
Dave Barista trains in his home gym twice daily, six days a week. He works out each muscle group twice a week, and his training includes cardio, martial arts, and weight training.
He gives his body enough time to recover on Thursday and avoids doing heavy-weight exercises to prevent more injury. The tables below show Bautista’s workout for each muscle group six days a week.
Day 1 and 5: Shoulder and Back Muscles
Shoulder and back workouts Number of reps and Sets
Machine shoulder press 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Dumbbell shrugs 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps
Bent over 5 sets, 8-10 reps
Seated cable rows 2-3 sets, 10-15 reps
Machine pull down 4 sets, 6-8 reps
One-arm dumbbell row 4 sets, 8-10 reps
Push press 5 sets, 8-10 reps
Lateral raise 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Face pulls 3 sets, 2-15 reps
Day 2 and 6: Chest and Arms Muscles
Chest and arms workouts Number of reps and sets
Incline dumbbell curls 5 sets, 12-15 reps
One Arm Triceps Extension 3 sets, 12-15 rep
Push-up 1. 4 sets,15-20 reps
Cable crossover 2 sets,10-15 reps
Preacher Curl 4 sets, 8-10 reps
Hanging leg raises 3 sets, 10-15 reps.
Pec-Deck 10-12 reps, 4 sets
Skullcrusher 1. 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Crunches 2 sets, 10-15 reps
Day 3 and 7: Leg Muscles
| Leg muscles exercises | Number of reps and sets |
|---|---|
| Squats | 5 sets of 6-10 reps |
| Leg Press | 4 sets of 6-8 reps |
| Standing leg curl | 3 sets, 12-15 reps |
| Standing and seated calf raises | 3 sets of 12-15 reps each |
| Conventional deadlifts | 4 sets of 6-8 reps |
| Walking lunge | 4 sets, of 20-yard |
| Leg extension | 3 sets of 12-15 reps |
| Hack squat | 5 sets of 6-10 reps |
| Romania Deadlifts | 4 sets of 8-10 reps |
Day 4. Resting
Given the intensity of this training routine, Dave Bautista rests on a fourth day to give his muscle time to recover. If you are building muscles, use your rest day to perform light recovery exercises such as cycling, jogging, and yoga.
In summary, Drax worked out his shoulder and back muscles on day one, day 2, chest and arms, day 3 legs, and rested on day four. On day five, he performs a shoulder and back workout; on day 6, chest and arm; and on day seven, legs.
Dave Bautista Diet
Before the former world wrestling champion became a vegan, he consumed high calories meals and proteins. His meals included red meat, pork, and dairy products. In 2005 he discovered that the dairy products were affecting his asthmatic condition, so Bautista cut them off. He cut out red meat and poultry from his diet in 2010. Here is what he said when interviewed by Men’s Health:
“Way back when I was bodybuilding, it was all about getting calories in and high-high-high protein. And I used to eat everything typically. And I found out in about 2005 that I was allergic to dairy, which affected my asthma, so I cut that out. And then, in about 2010, I started [jiu-jitsu] training with Cesar Gracie, and the whole team was under a gluten-free diet; most of the guys were vegetarians or pescatarians. And so I cut out red meat, and I cut out pork in 2010. So I was just eating poultry since then, dairy-free, gluten-free, and about 6-7 months ago I just completely cut meat out of my diet and went predominantly plant-based. But I do have fish a couple of times a week, and I do eat eggs….I’ll go vegan eventually.”
Batista is currently following a plant-based diet but still eats fish to keep his muscle mass. He consumes his meal after every 4 hours to maintain his muscular physique. Batista regular meals include:
Meal 1
- Pre-workout or a fat burner
Meal 2
- Oatmeals
- White eggs
- Whole grain bread
- Whey protein
Meal 3
- Post-workout Protein shakes
Meal 4
- Baked potato
- Fish
- Green peas
- Spinach
- Rice
Meal 5
- Potatoes or rice
- Almond butter
- Greens
Meal 6
- Protein shake
Dave Bautista Supplements
Since it can be challenging to combine plant-based meals, Batista uses supplements to help him meet his dietary requirement. The following are Bautista supplements you may try to fuel your energy.
As a bodybuilder, you do not use all the mentioned supplements. Feel free to choose the ones that make the most sense to you and make them an indispensable part of your fitness regimen.
Conclusion
If you want to take your fitness routine to the next level, Dave Bautista’s workout and fitness regimen is worth considering. By incorporating a combination of weight lifting, cardio, and martial arts movements, you can achieve the kind of physical strength and agility that Drax embodies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Consistency and dedication are the keys to success in any fitness program. Start with small, achievable goals and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. Don’t forget to fuel your body with healthy, nutritious food to support your training.
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