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Dolph’s daughter Greta, 18, and Emma met for the fi rst time recently, when Greta was able to visit their home in LA. BY DANNI LEVY PHOTOGRAPHY BY PER BERNAL Action star Dolph can’t expect to have a youthful body and judo was an internal journey without the mindset to match.” as well as a physical one. As I got Lundgren has made over older, I started to do a lot of medita- 70 movies and at 62, he’s Dolph fi rst took up martial arts in tion. I’ve always continued with that his early teens and it was at this time spiritual journey. not done yet! he began to explore the relationship between his body and mind. “I had a very tough time dealing with With a new approach to the trauma of my childhood up until “I think the dichotomy between be- about fi ve years ago or so. I sort of life, a beautiful young ing a fi ghter and my laid-back nature went in both directions because of it, fiancée, and even more is perhaps what helps to keep me I guess. Most people who know me, young,” he says. “Most people know know that softer side and the people film projects on the me for saying ‘I must break you’ (as who don’t know me, don’t.” horizon, the Swedish- Ivan Drago) and running around with an assault rifl e, but I guess I “I had a very tough time born Rocky IV star is have two sides. My childhood was looking and feeling abusive, and my dad beat me a lot. I dealing with the trauma think a lot of kids who were beaten of my childhood up until better than ever! by their dads go into contact sports or the military because they’re some- about five years ago or “I think it’s a combination of things,” how trying to be strong and make up so.” “Most people know me for saying ‘I must break Dolph says when I hastily attempt to for that. On the other hand, I have a chip into his secret to eternal youth. certain softer side to me and a search With over 70 movies under his belt, you’ (as Ivan Drago) and running around with an If Zoom had a baby face fi lter, I’d for the inner truth. believe he had it switched on! Dolph attributes this professional creativity to his ability to suppress “I started martial arts when I was assault rifle, but I guess I have two sides.” pent up emotion and anger. But he “When you’re talking about some- 14 years old and I had to learn to be wasn’t born into a creative family one’s looks, there’s the facial struc- a fi ghter, but I also had to practice and was encouraged to take an aca- ture and the muscles and all that the spiritual side of it. This seemed demic career path. kind of thing, but looks come from to give me some kind of inner peace the inside as well,” he says. “You and inner calm. Practicing karate Make-up by Natalie Malchev “I studied chemical engineering to Hair by Apollo Barragan Stylist Elisabettea Rogiani ROGIANI.COM muscle and health | winter 2020 | Pg 10 www.muscleandhealth.com | Pg 11 try to appease my dad,” he says. advocates a clean eating approach work and never took a break, and “My older brother was an engi- to fueling his body and mind. He then after work go out drinking neer and I wanted to impress my has recently developed a work-life with friends. It was a vicious dad and get his love and accept- balance that he believes can slow never-ending cycle and I had to ance too. I was intelligent as a kid the aging process. stop because of various injuries and I channeled that into engi- and also I knew I couldn’t go on neering. I got a scholarship to his “I’m usually super organized, but like that. Two months ago, I was favorite school, MIT, and at that lately I’ve been trying to be a little prepping for an exhibition fi ght point I thought ‘well I’ve proven more free fl owing with it all,” he in Vegas so then I was boxing myself now’ and I started to do says. “I meditated more or less two-to-three times a week, but some acting. I knew that engi- every day for six years or so, but that couldn’t take place because neering wasn’t for me. It was a now I give it a break every once of the COVID pandemic, so now nice way to get out of Sweden, but in a while. On a typical media- I do about 15 minutes warm- it wasn’t what was going to make tion day, I get up anytime from up and then 10 x three-minute me happy. say 6am. I used to get up at 4am, rounds once a week, either with but that was like a masochistic the bag or shadow boxing. I then “I knew that approach! I try to mediate for do push-ups and sit-ups for three 30-45 minutes depending on how minutes on, three minutes off . It engineering wasn’t much time I have, check some varies but right now I am doing for me. It was a nice way emails, and then train either be- one day a week or two and then fore breakfast if I’m doing some hiking. Since I’m 62 ½, I don’t to get out of Sweden, cardio, or after breakfast with necessarily want to train every but it wasn’t what weights. If I’m fi lming, some- day all the time. I think it’s better times I’ll train after work. Lately for your body to have a day off .” was going to make me I’ve been going for a hike before happy.” breakfast or doing my cardio, Having undergone double hip re- then trying to chill for a bit on the placement surgery in April 2017, couch and watch the news. I do Dolph bounced back determined “My analyst (therapist) said, ‘you some strength training 2-3 times to maintain his strength and can either hijack an emotion and a week, then go hiking or do stamina. use it as a fi ghter in a ring for a boxing 2-3 days a week, so I train real fi ght, or you can use it for a about fi ve days in total. “I had some more surgery fi ve movie character’. The problem weeks ago, so I’m in the build-up is, you can hijack an emotion and “Food wise, I try to eat three clean phase at the moment,” he says. use that, and you feel good for a meals a day and two snacks. I try “I have a fi lm starting in fi ve while, but then three days later it to keep my protein intake over weeks with the British actor Scott comes back, and it starts running 100 grams a day. I don’t eat meat- Adkins, he’s a martial artist I’ve your life. In my case, I was very I eat fi sh and eggs. I’m pescatari- made a couple of fi lms with. It’s self-critical and self-destructive. an and I do use supplements about two guys who’ve become There was a time in my life when and take protein shakes and bars unlikely partners in this kind of I was drinking too much and sometimes too. heist they’re involved in and I’m doing dangerous physical feats. directing and because of that I If you asked me to do anything am working on packing on some a little bit dangerous I’d have “There was a time in muscle.” said yes! Had I not have become my life when I was an actor, I’d have been far more destructive for sure, and that drinking too much Dolph is performing would have ruined my life and my and doing dangerous a 3-day split routine kid’s lives. If you look at fi ghters “I remember when I first started, I read an article and you look at their private lives physical feats. If ahead of his next movie they’re usually not very stable. about Chia-Hui Liu— he’d made over 100 movies and you asked me to do role “I’ve made over 70 movies now anything a little bit which is amazing. I remember dangerous I’d have Day one: Back & Biceps I’d made one. I read this article and I was going, when I fi rst started, I read an article about Chia-Hui Liu— he’d said yes!” Day two: Chest, ‘holy sh*t, I’ve made one and I’ve got 99 left!’ but made over 100 movies and I’d Shoulders & Triceps made one. I read this article and “I try not to stress too much I was going, ‘holy sh*t, I’ve made because that ages you more than Day three: Legs now I’m creeping up on him.” one and I’ve got 99 left!’ but now anything. I was very stressed for I’m creeping up on him.” many years. I’d get up and imme- “I like doing supersets, especially diately go for a run, immediately for triceps,” he says.

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