Imagine it: You’re at the gym, you’re lifting weights, and generally feeling pretty darn good about yourself.
But then Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson swans in like a disarmingly affable demigod, and your brief moment of self-confidence plummets as you drop the weight on your toes in pure shock.
I for one always assumed Dwayne’s work-out routine involved swinging helicopters round on a lasso while leaping between the crevices of the Grand Canyon at sunrise.
However, it seems he isn’t above frequenting the gyms of Doncaster, South Yorkshire; giving patrons the biggest surprise since the Jumanji remake turned out to be pretty good.
Dwayne had been in the area filming The Fate of the Furious spin-off Hobbs and Shaw alongside fellow movie stars Idris Elba and Jason Statham.
Not exactly one to skip leg day, it was inevitable The Rock would be on the look out for a place to keep himself in fighting shape, and sought out World Fitness Gym as being ideal.
Of course, the visit was kept hush hush otherwise to stop crowds of shrieking fans descending upon the gym for a closer look.
World Fitness Gym owner Craie Carrera, 42, has described how the San Andreas star spent around an hour and a half working on his arms and stomach, which were left ‘aching by the end’.
According to Craie:
People were just working out and getting on with their own business when he walked in.
They were having kittens when they saw him, I don’t suppose they were expecting it.
I helped him with the work out and pushed him pretty hard, his arms were aching by the end.
He was a really down to earth guy, really nice and easy to get on with.
Craie had been reportedly been made aware about The Rock’s plans for his secret session by one of his bodyguards, who had snooped around two weeks prior before to check the place out.
Carrera, a professional bodybuilder who has recently been crowned Mr England, over 40’s, continued:
His team had obviously researched the gym by sending someone over two weeks before.
Dwayne has taken a look and decided that this would be a good place for him to work out.
Craie was lucky enough to get a pic with the semi-retired professional wrestler, alongside his wife Alicia and their 14 month-old daughter Destiny.
In the photograph, Little Destiny looks adorably curious as she gazes up at the famous visitor, fixing him with a humorously serious expression.
Alicia revealed:
When he turned up, he was great.
He was chatting to members, posing for photos and signing autographs and everything.
He was absolutely wonderful. One member got a shirt signed.
What other things will The Rock be getting up to while filming in South Yorkshire? Will he be visiting Elsecar Heritage Railway? Will he take a stroll around Yorkshire Wildlife Park? Watch this space…
You can catch Hobbs and Shaw in UK cinemas from August 2, 2019 onwards.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.