Heroes aren’t supposed to shrink. They’re supposed to get bigger, louder, and more invincible with age. That’s the Hollywood contract. But The Rock—yes, the man who turned his trapezius into a household brand—just broke the contract. He appeared on Dr. Mark Hyman’s show, leaner, lighter, less “Godzilla in a tank top,” more “midlife philosopher with calloused hands.” The internet went wild: Did he stop lifting? Is he sick? Was it Ozempic? He must have stopped taking steroids.
Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet
I’ve seen this at the Crunch gym, where I still train some clients part-time. I’ve seen over the last few years guys come and go, and sometimes they come back with a lot less muscle.
Mr. Skeptical squints his eyes at me. “So you assume they were on TRT or steroids and then got off them.”
“Well, one man told me so. He casually admitted one day that he takes shots, and I’m not sure if he meant testosterone or roids, but he then, a few months later, looked a whole lot smaller. This happens a lot. Often, it’s a medical condition that makes one get off testosterone or steroids.
“My own son, who transitioned from female to male, took testosterone (TRT) for a while. His blood work showed that the testosterone was elevating certain blood biomarkers linked to strokes, meaning his blood was getting thicker. He has a friend whose boyfriend died from a stroke while still taking TRT. He, along with his doctor, who recommended he do so, decided recently to get off TRT.”
Mr. Skeptical adds, “Yes, I wouldn’t want to take something that increases my risk of strokes.”
Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet
The real question isn’t whether The Rock lost weight. The real question is why we’re so unsettled when muscles deflate. We treat size as permanence, but biology laughs at permanence. The body is negotiation, not sculpture.
In evolutionary terms, shrinking is wisdom. Ancient tribes revered elders not for their biceps but for their cunning, their restraint, their ability to survive winters with fewer calories and less bravado. The modern fitness industry, however, promotes the opposite: hypertrophy as the ultimate goal.
Mr. Skeptical leans in: “So you’re telling me The Rock losing mass is a good thing? Next, you’ll tell me resistance exercise is optional.”
“For men over 40, resistance training isn’t optional. What I’m saying is that the obsession with staying perpetually massive is a historically novel phenomenon. Most mammals don’t spend their 50s trying to out-bulk their 20s. Lions get leaner, gorillas mellow, even alpha chimps trade muscle for political cunning. Only humans—or rather, the Instagram sub-species—think eternal pump is a reasonable project.”
Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level
I saw The Rock’s recent interview with Dr. Mark Hyman, and he didn’t speak about taking testosterone or steroids.
Mr. Skeptical interrupts, “Didn’t Dr. Hyman ask him if he did?”
“No, he didn't, and Dr. Hyman is The Rock’s personal doctor, so if he didn’t want to get asked, he has every right to protect his medical privacy.”
“But shouldn’t a public figure disclose if they take ‘extra stuff’ to get bigger muscles?”
“In my opinion, no. The Rock is an entertainer, not a fitness trainer offering advice, nor a professional athlete with an unfair advantage. There are fitness gurus out there who take TRT, and I’m okay with that as long as they are truthful about it because they are advising others.
“What I found interesting about the interview is that The Rock looked into his health more closely because his digestive system was a wreck due to taking too many antibiotics.”
Mr. Skeptical puts up his hands and dramatically says, “Please don’t give us another lecture on messing with Mother Nature.”
I ignore his irritating comment. “Well, it reminded me of years ago when I was in my 40s and no doctor could figure out my stomach issues, and one hospital (Mount Sinai in Miami Beach) wanted to remove my gall bladder.”
Mr. Skeptical comments, “You’ve mentioned this before, where you never got your gall bladder taken out, but instead you fasted, right?”
“Yes, and the fasting worked. Even more interesting, The Rock also had what appeared to be plaque buildup in an artery, and was told by an MD that he needed to get on life-long medication right away.”
“Did he ignore the advice?”
“No, he presented the findings to Dr. Hyman, who suggested more testing before getting on the medication. An AI scan revealed it was an anatomical anomaly, and there was, in fact, no need for the medication.”
“You had a similar situation when doctors told you that you needed to get on a statin, right?”
I nod in agreement.
Practical Suggestions and Conclusions
Mr. Skeptical leans back and folds his arms. “But isn’t he supposed to be the role model for strength and resilience? If he shrinks, what hope is left for us mere mortals?”
“Ah, but there’s the paradox. The Rock’s new physique may be the most resilient version of him yet. That hulking look in his prime came at a cost: joint stress, recovery debt, perhaps even chemical “assistance.” Now, leaner, he moves easier, recovers faster, and avoids the trap of being imprisoned by his own brand.
“Science backs the pivot. Studies between 2023–2025 confirm that hypertrophy doesn’t require max loads or maximal size—it requires consistency, intensity to or near failure, and enough protein. Muscle quality, not sheer quantity, drives longevity.”
Mr. Skeptical sips his sugared coffee and adds, “Many others and I were shocked when we saw him so skinny.”
I take a sip of my buttered coffee and add, “The Rock is skinnier. And maybe, for the first time, he’s heavier with wisdom.”
Be aware.
Other links related to this post:
Doing Hard Things
Alternatives to Heavy Lifting
My Cholesterol is 450/336. Should I Worry?
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