Dave Bautista Workout Routine And Diet Plan

Dave Bautista has long been present in the entertainment industry thanks to his electrifying performance in the ring and on film.

Bautista is a dominant force in pro wrestling with an incredible six world titles. Add in his ever-growing film career, and it’s no wonder why millions around the world marvel at his impressive range and physique.

But have you ever wondered how Dave got that amazing physique and kept it through his decade-spanning career?

Today, we will discuss the Dave Bautista workout routine, including his training fundamentals, his choice to gradually go vegan, and his supplement preferences. You’ll even get sample workout and diet plans to help you get jacked like Dave.

Let’s jump in. 

Dave Bautista Current Bio and Stats

David Michael Bautista Jr. was born on January 18th, 1969 in Washington, D.C.

Bautista’s childhood was anything but ideal, growing up in poverty and living a difficult life. By age 13, Dave was stealing cars. By 17, he had become estranged from his family.

In his early adult years, he trained as a bodybuilder and worked as a nightclub bouncer before getting arrested for an altercation with a patron.

This would signify a turning point in Baustista’s life as he was sentenced to one year of probation.

During this time, Dave lacked financial stability and wanted more from his life. So, he decided to pursue a career in wrestling.

He made his introduction into the wrestling world in 1999 before signing with the World Wrestling Federation in 2000.

The coming years would be a whirlwind for Bautista as his career would skyrocket on his way to being crowned World Heavyweight Champion from 2005-2008.

He simultaneously made the decision to pursue a career in acting that would turn him into a household name.

Since then he has gone on to showcase his excellent acting chops in box office hits such as Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Spectre (2015), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and Dune: Part One (2021), all displaying his menacing and dominant physique.

• Age: 50 years old
• Height: 6’5” (196 cm)
• Weight: 278 lbs (126 kg)
• Birthday: 18th January, 1969
• Occupation: Actor
• Retired/Active: Active

Dave Bautista Workout Fundamentals

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Dave Bautista’s workout fundamentals are based on traditional bodybuilding and strength training movements.

He has his own gym where he loves to train almost every day, even twice per day.

In an interview with Men’s Health, Bautista stated, “This is my sanctuary, I come here for peace of mind, this is therapeutic for me. It’s not really something I have to do to stay in shape, it’s something I need to do to keep my mind right”.

In his early years, when he was wrestling, his training focused mainly on bodybuilding exercises as he wanted to look the part.

However, the physical demands in the gym and ring began to break his body down, resulting in injuries. 

Later in his wrestling career, he began to prioritize cardio, which is difficult for him with his asthma. Still, this gave him the ability to compete in the ring while reducing injury.

With his wrestling days behind him, he now prefers to train later in the day using a combination of weight training, boxing, jiu jitsu and the assault bike to help him stay in shape. 

Dave Bautista Workout Routine

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The Dave Bautista workout routine covers a range of different training modalities. 

Here, we will be covering his resistance training routine to help you build a muscular physique.

This program is based on a six-day training split with two different types of chest, back, and leg workouts to increase training volume and target a variety of muscle fibers.

Dave’s workout is intense, with only a rest day mid-week on Thursday.

The workout below is listed with exercises, sets, reps, and rest time, plus a weekly schedule to help you establish a solid routine.

Highlighted exercises indicate supersets. This has you combining two exercises to be performed one after the other without rest. 

Dave Bautista Workout Split Weekly Schedule

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
Back/Shoulder	Chest/Arms	Legs	Rest	Back/Shoulder	Chest/Arms	Legs

Day 1 – Back and Shoulders

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Bent-Over Row	5	8-10	30 secs
Machine Pulldown	4	6-8	30-45 secs
One-Arm Dumbbell Row	4	8-10	30-45 secs
Machine Shoulder Press	4	6-8	30-45 secs
Bent Over Lateral Raise	3	12	30-45 secs
Machine Lateral Raise	3	12	30-45 secs

Day 2 – Chest and Arms

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Machine Chest Press	5	10-12	30 secs
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press	5	10-12	30-45 secs
Pec Deck	4	10-12	30-45 secs
Push-Ups	4	15-20	30-45 secs
One-Arm Tricep Extension	3	12-15	30-45 secs
Preacher Curl	4	8-10	30-45 secs
Incline Dumbbell Curls	3	12-15	30-45 secs

Day 3 – Legs

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Hack Squat	5	6-10	30 secs
Deadlift	4	6-8	30-45 secs
Leg Press	4	8-10	30-45 secs
Lying Leg Curl	3	12-15	30-45 secs
Leg Extension	3	12-15	30-45 secs
Standing Calf Raise	3	12-15	30-45 secs
Seated Calf Raise	3	12-15	30-45 secs

Day 4 – Back and Shoulders

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Push Press	2	10	30 secs
Lateral Raises	4	10,5,3,5	30-45 secs
Face Pull	8	8	30-45 secs
Pull-Ups	3	10	30-45 secs
Machine Row	3	12	30-45 secs
Straight Arm Pulldown	3	12	30-45 secs
Cable Shrugs	3	10	30-45 secs

Day 5 – Chest and Arms

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Dumbbell Bench Press	5	8-10	30 secs
Incline Machine Bench Press	4	10-12	30-45 secs
Cable Fly	4	12-15	30-45 secs
Dips	4	8-10	30-45 secs
Skullcrusher	4	12-15	30-45 secs
Cable Curl	4	12-15	30-45 secs

Day 6 – Legs

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Squat	5	6-10	30 secs
Romanian Deadlift	4	8-10	30-45 secs
Standing Leg Curl	3	12-15	30-45 secs
Bodyweight Squat	3	12-15	30-45 secs
Walking Lunges	3	12-15	30-45 secs
Walking Lunge	4	20 yards	30-45 secs
Calf Press	3	12-15	30-45 secs

Dave Bautista Dieting and Food Preferences

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Dave Bautista’s dieting and food preferences have changed over the years as he has begun to understand how different food affects his body.

In his younger days, he would eat a high-protein diet, and a range of healthy foods. However, in 2005, Dave found out he was allergic to dairy and has since cut it out.

In 2010, during the time he began training BJJ with Cesar Gracie, he realized many of the others he trained with were gluten-free. They were also mainly eating a vegetarian or pescatarian diet.

Dave decided from then that he would cut out red meat and pork. A bit later, he went plant-based, but he continued eating fish a couple of times per week, with his comfort food being sushi.

Dave has an incredible amount of dedication to his diet. Although he does miss his favorite chicken adobo, he is committed to reducing or eliminating meat long term.

This discipline with food even also is etched into his acting contracts, where he states that he needs to eat every four hours.  

Below we have Dave’s wrestling-era diet and food preferences, which contained plenty of meat and animal products. We also have his current plant-based diet on his way to becoming vegan. 

Dave Bautista Omnivore Diet and Food Preferences

Meal	Food
Meal 1	Egg Whites, Oatmeal, Protein Shake
Meal 2	Protein Shake
Meal 3	Fish, Baked Potato, Green Peas
Meal 4	Grilled Chicken, Brown Rice, Cottage Cheese
Meal 5	Tuna Salad, Protein Shake

Dave Bautista Plant-Based Diet and Food Preferences

Meal	Food
Meal 1	Oatmeal, Whole Wheat Bread, Spinach, Protein
Meal 2	Plant-Based Protein Shake
Meal 3	Fish, Potatoes, Rice
Meal 4	Plant-Based Protein Shake
Meal 5	Vegetables, Tofu, Almond Butter, Potatoes, Rice

Dave Bautista Diet Plan

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Dave Bautista’s diet and food preferences have changed greatly over time, from his days eating a high-protein, meat-heavy diet to his pescatarian and progressively vegan-based diet.

To help you eat like Dave, we have made both a standard diet plan and a vegan diet plan, so you have both options to help you build your Bautista physique.  

Meal 1

• 6x Egg White Omelet
• 1x Cup Oatmeal, Brown Sugar, Berries, Banana
• 1x Scoop Protein Shake

Meal 2

• 1x Scoop Protein Shake
• Protein Yogurt

Meal 3

• Baked Paprika and Lime Salmon
• Baked Potato
• Green Salad (Baby Spinach, Tomato, Green Pepper, Red Onion, Balsamic Vinegar) 

Meal 4

• Chicken Adobo
• Jasmine Rice 
• Steamed Mixed Vegetables

Meal 5

• Grilled Tuna
• Green Salad (Baby Spinach, Butter Lettuce, Avocado, Cucumber, Tomato, Red Pepper, Red Onion)
• Protein

Dave Bautista Vegan Diet Plan

Meal 1

• 1x Cup Oatmeal with Almond Milk, Banana, Berries, Brown Sugar
• Plant-Based Protein Shake

Meal 2

• Plant-Based Protein Shake, 
• Almond Butter, Banana

Meal 3

• Mushroom Burger
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Green Salad (Baby Spinach, Tomato, Green Pepper, Red Onion, Balsamic Vinegar) 

Meal 4

• Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Protein Shake

Meal 5

• Vegan BBQ Pork, Tofu, Stir Fry
• Jasmine Rice

Meal 6

• Plant-Based Protein Shake

Whether you are going to try Dave Bautista’s standard or plant-based diet, you need to prioritize your nutrition.

This will ensure that you are hitting your protein targets to build lean mass, eating enough carbs for energy, and getting a healthy amount of fats to absorb vital nutrients. 

To do this, use our advanced calorie and macronutrient calculator.

Just put in your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level to receive a precise breakdown of your daily calorie and macronutrient intake.

Nail down your nutrition and you will achieve incredible results. 

Dave Bautista Supplement Preferences

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Dave Baustista takes a range of supplements to help him maintain his physique and improve his everyday health. 

He describes his stack as “old man health supplements”, with CoQ10, ribose, and fish oil.

However, this is also combined with supplements like whey protein and creatine to help him maintain mass.

Below is a list of Dave Bautista supplement preferences to help you bolster your nutrition and transform your physique. 

Supplement	Purpose
Whey Protein	Builds muscle and improves recovery
Pre-Workout	Increase energy and improve performance
Creatine	Increase energy and improve performance
BCAAs	Stimulate building of protein in muscle and the reduction of muscle breakdown; however, research suggests this is unwarranted
CoQ10 (CoEnzyme Q10)	Helps convert food into energy
Ribose	Small Improvements exercise performance (Limited Research)
Fish Oil	Supports cardiovascular health
Multivitamin	Fills gaps in nutrition
Vitamin B12	Maintain blood and nerve cell health
Vitamin D3	Supports bone, muscle and nerve health
Glucosamine	Maintain joint mobility and flexibility (Research indicates the results to be unfounded)

Final Thoughts

Dave Bautista’s rise to fame was anything but smooth. The struggles of his early life forged an incredible work ethic and sense of self-belief that is truly inspiring.

His dedication to training and nutrition has helped him maintain his mental health and find success in both the wrestling world and film industry.

If you are considering trying the Dave Bautista workout routine and either of his diet plans, focus on eating nutrient dense, protein-rich foods. Perform a range of training that you love.

This will ensure long-term success, with your physical transformation being the byproduct of your improved mental clarity and happiness.

So, are you considering trying the Dave Bautista workout routine and diet plan? Which part of his training suits your training goals?

Let us know in the comments.  

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