–by Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural
“My dad always told me that if I wanted to make something special with my life, I had to go to America.”–Dolph Lundgren
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 2/7/18 – In Los Angeles, the holiday party season extends a month beyond the New Year to encompass the Hollywood party season. This year the Oscars will broadcast on Sunday, March 4th one week after the Winter Olympics end on Sunday, February 25th in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The Olympics may remind us of those pesky New Year’s resolutions about diet and exercise. Dolph Lundgren’s autobiographical training guide TRAIN LIKE AN ACTION HERO: BE FIT FOREVER, which was released on January 2nd, might be of interest to many.
Swedish-born actor/model/martial artist Dolph Lundgren, best known for his star turn as Soviet fighter Ivan Drago in ROCKY IV (1985), has created a personal philosophy of fitness based on martial arts, yoga, strength training, biochemical research, and professional sports. Like Drago, he must break you–but gently! “And remember, I BELIEVE IN YOU,” Lundgren says.
Weekly training programs and daily menu planners take the guesswork out of getting back into shape. Lundgren knows that there are no shortcuts when it comes to health and wellness and that a simple “Stone Age” diet featuring meat, fruit, vegetables, “slow” carbohydrates, yogurt, nuts, and vegetable oils still works best for modern man.
Sections titled “Briefing,” “Mission,” “Weaponry,” “Special Ops,” “Fuel & Supplies,” and “Tactics” guide the reader through the arduous process of getting fit through a combination of strength exercise, cardiovascular, and flexibility training. Lundgren’s own hectic travel schedule inspired tips for fitness on the road! The book is lavishly supplemented by over one hundred show and tell photos.
More About Dolph Lundgren:
Dolph Lundgren’s world-famous physique developed as he trained for dozens of physically demanding roles. After appearing in ROCKY IV (1986) along with Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, and Brigitte Nielsen he became an action star almost overnight.
Lundgren’s huge dimensions (nearly 6 1/2 feet of solid rock) and deep, hollow voice made him a target for parody almost from the first. However, it is hard to dismiss his sheer dedication to physical fitness. “Dolph is larger than Denmark!” Roger Moore of James Bond fame has been quoted as saying.
And in these times of rising tyranny and global terrorism, some of Lundgren’s tense performances in international thrillers are worthy of note. COVER UP (1991), in which Lundgren co-starred with veteran actor Louis Gossett, Jr., has been praised for its alarmingly realistic depiction of US-Middle Eastern relations. MEN OF WAR (1994) and THE PEACEKEEPER (1997) with their vivid and innovative action sequences also garnered critical praise for Lundgren.
Lundgren faced terrorists yet again in COMMAND PERFORMANCE (2009), a hostage action drama filmed on location in Moscow that was inspired by a concert Madonna put on for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Canadian pop singer Melissa Smith and Lundgren’s daughter Ida co-star.
On July 21st, 2017 Sylvester Stallone announced that Lundgren would reprise the role of Ivan Drago from ROCKY IV in the upcoming sequel to CREED (2015). So the Cold War rages on all around us! (Stallone is one of Lundgren’s chief inspirations for super-fitness, it is said).
Dolph Lundgren is who he is: a strong man who came to seek fame and fortune in an America being led by sensitive men like Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Phil Donahue, and Fred Rogers. Even sci-fi was being taken over the likes of Luke Skywalker rather than Han Solo.
Driven perhaps by a difficult past dominated by a physically and emotionally abusive father, Lundgren most certainly rose above his circumstances to become a pre-eminent fitness personality. “Action films are an extension of Greek myths which have been around since Homer’s ‘The Iliad’,” says Lundgren.
“Everybody’s life has some mythical quality. You struggle against obstacles, you fight to get to a higher level and there are great loves. With an action film it’s just more apparent. That’s why people will always love action movies.”
But baby steps took this big man to the top. “It’s just one hour a day, and then you can enjoy the other 23 hours!” says Lundgren of his short workouts performed six days a week.
It’s even OK to cheat with cheesecake and chemically engineered drinks every so often if you are in peak condition! So why not give Dolph Lundgren’s TRAIN LIKE AN ACTION HERO: BE FIT FOREVER a look?
