WWE’s Dominik Mysterio and Sheamus Torch Calories With High-Intensity Circuit Training

In episode 123 of the “Celtic Warrior Workouts” on YouTube, WWE Superstar Sheamus was joined by a different type of gym partner. Having trained with the likes of the hulking Bobby Lashley and the big Scotsman Drew McIntyre, Sheamus partnered this time with Dominik Mysterio, the son of legendary luchador; Rey Mysterio.

The 25-year-old Dominik Mysterio dropped body fat, improved his cardio, and built strength via 15-minute high-intensity circuit training (HICT), which uses body weight and no rest between sets. So, in a tongue-in-cheek homage to his onscreen WWE character (who recently did some hard time), Mysterio re-enacted an epic “Prison Workout” with the “Fighting Irishman.” Check it out via the video below:

[Related: Jay Cutler Teaches Eddie Hall the Difference Between Training for Strongman Vs. Bodybuilding]

Dominik’s 15-Minute “Prison” Workout

In this workout, filmed on location at the Refinery Gym in Champagne, IL, Dominik Mysterio designed a workout to fit in with the 15 minutes of yard time given to incarcerated people. Below is the complete session:

Warm-Up

• Stretching

The Workout

Three rounds of:

• “Prison” Squats x 30
• Push-Ups x 20
• Pull-Ups x 5-10

Three rounds of:

• Standing Squats x 30
• Incline Push-Up x 20
• Bench-Assisted Triceps Dips x 10

The “Killer” Finisher

Three rounds of:

• Sit-Ups x 30
• Shoulder Taps x 20
• Burpees x 10

Workout Breakdown

After some stretching and a “Prison” squat variation, where hands were always kept behind heads, the WWE Superstars got down to business. The action is broken down below:

Pull-Ups & Incline Push-Ups

Mysterio breezed through his first set of 10 pull-ups. Sheamus completed seven, took a break, then completed the set — impressive for a 265-pound former world champion. With the blood flowing, Sheamus smashed 10 pull-ups without stopping in the second round. The luchador completed his third set unbroken, while Sheamus completed his third set in two parts.

Fatigue affected the grapplers’ form, but they gave the incline push-ups everything that they had. Circuit training without rest is an intense affair and brings several benefits: One 2013 Health & Fitness Journal study concluded that 15 minutes of high-intensity circuit training using body weight burned the same number of calories as jogging for twice the duration. (1)

Sit-Ups & Burpees

The boys crossed their legs during these crunches. Performing core work with crossed legs can ensure better balance to train muscles evenly on both sides. By the second round of burpees, even Mysterio felt challenged.

I don’t know if I’m ready for this one, actually.

Mysterio’s fitness routine in the last year or two on the road with WWE has paid dividends for his aesthetics and in-ring performance. His methodology in the gym is backed up by science: According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the increased metabolic rate induced by HICT using body weight encourages the lowering of body fat. (2) For those with busy schedules like Mysterio and Sheamus, perhaps HCIT is worth including in their training routine.

References

1. Klika, B., & Jordan, C. (2013). HIGH-INTENSITY CIRCUIT TRAINING USING BODY WEIGHT. ACSM’s Health &Amp; Fitness Journal, 17(3), 8-13. doi: 10.1249/fit.0b013e31828cb1e8
2. Atakan, M. M., Li, Y., Koşar, Ş. N., Turnagöl, H. H., & Yan, X. (2021). Evidence-Based Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Exercise Capacity and Health: A Review with Historical Perspective. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(13), 7201. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18137201

Featured image: @wwesheamus on Instagram