John Cena is one of the most decorated athletes in WWE history, with a career spanning more than two decades.
After retiring from the ring late last year, the 49-year-old is now looking ahead to the next chapter of life by prioritizing longevity.
“The goal is to be physically active until they put me in the dirt,” he told Business Insider. “I would like to be active enough in all capacities, spiritually, mentally, and physically, where I can enjoy the whole ride for as long as I can.”
Cena spoke with Business Insider in an interview tied to his partnership with Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, the makers of a medication called XDEMVY, which he used after a recent health scare.
The former pro wrestler said he was struggling with itchy, red eyes and vision problems before being diagnosed with Demodex blepharitis, a condition related to eye mites.
The treatment is part of his overall approach to better caring for his body and mind for the long haul.
Cena shared his top strategies for long-term health and the biggest longevity lessons he learned from his WWE career.
“I’m into doing things correct, protecting my health and body,” he said. “I want to be able to bury a squat when I’m 85.”
From heavy lifting to longevity training
Cena said that as a pro wrestler, his persona was built around being as strong as possible. He trained accordingly, often lifting big weights at the expense of straining his back or knees.
“Resistance training is heavy, hard, dull, repetitive. It’s trench warfare,” he said.
That kind of challenge has always been Cena’s comfort zone, he said. The real struggle for him was the transition from chasing PRs in the weight room to future-proofing his body.
“It’s a little bit more cardiovascular health, a whole lot more mobility, and a whole lot of knowing when to pump the brakes,” he said.
For instance, Cena said he used to hate stretching, but learned to love how it made him feel afterward.
“Mobility and warming up, cooling down, all those things may seem tedious and docile until you find your why,” he said. “After 45 minutes of static stretching, I feel excellent. I stand tall, I walk smooth. For a second, I feel 20. All the BS to get there is for that one second. So that’s the win.”
Cena still lifts weights and hopes to keep doing so for decades. He said he particularly loves squat exercises — front squats, back squats, and overhead squats — because they build strength and muscle while improving balance and stability as he ages.
“If done correctly, it’s a great full range of motion movement that moves a lot of joints and a lot of muscle and activates most everything,” Cena said. “For me, it’s a mobility as well as strength and performance benchmark.”
Learning to take a rest day
With a career spanning decades from the WWE to acting, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy, Cena said he’s learned the importance of adapting through tough situations.
“The consistent schedule of physical performance after physical performance after physical performance in a different location every night, you can’t really get any stasis. It allows for a great amount of independence and malleability. You can kind of put me anywhere, and I’ll figure out how to get myself comfortable,” he said.
The tradeoff is that after a 30-hour stint of travel, media interviews, and other work, he has to carve out time for recovery.
Cena said he typically loves going to the gym to unwind, so it’s a red flag if he shows up to work out and isn’t feeling it, as he did recently after a particularly hectic schedule.
“That is essentially your body’s dashboard with every warning light on. Do not drive the car,” he said. “I turned right around and went to sleep.”
The one regret from his WWE career
Cena said he wouldn’t change a thing about the past few decades, since even the biggest challenges in his life became learning experiences.
The one thing he’d do differently, however, is ask for help sooner, particularly regarding health conditions like hair loss and skin cancer.
“It’s only in recent years I’ve been brave enough to ask for help, especially in concern to my health, and it’s worked wonders,” he said.
Cena has been open about being diagnosed with skin cancer twice after years of not wearing sunscreen while living and training in sunny Florida. He’s also been candid about a hair transplant that he wished he had gotten sooner.
“There was just that acceptance of like, ‘This is never going to change,'” he said. “Unless you ask for help, you’re right, there’s nothing you can do. It doesn’t have to be like that.”
Most recently, he was concerned about red, itchy eyes and vision problems he thought were related to too much screen time or aging.
He was diagnosed with Demodex blepharitis, inflammation caused by an overgrowth of eye mites. He said he’d never have guessed the condition or managed it on his own, underscoring the importance of seeking expert advice.
“I think it’s very important to know that you’re not indestructible, you’re not alone, and you’re not perfect. And anytime you have an ailment, asking for help is not a weakness, that’s a strength,” Cena said.
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