Sylvester Stallone has officially approved a fan-made recreation of the legendary training montage from Rocky IV. More than 30 years after the film’s release, the scene featuring Balboa’s snow-based workout remains a standard for gym enthusiasts. However, one creator has adapted these classic movements into a routine that can be performed indoors without the need for frostbite.
A Russian Fighter’s Take on Balboa
Artem Puzin, a Russian boxer known as “Puzin the Motivator,” created the routine. He draws inspiration from other combat sports icons like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Alexandr Karelin. Puzin shares the workout on social media, and Stallone personally liked the Reel after seeing it on Instagram. The actor’s approval meant a great deal to the creator, who felt validated by the recognition from the legend himself.
“This is a sign for me to not just copy the workout and put it on the internet,” Puzin said. “Hard work and discipline … is seen my legends, so I’m sure everything I do is worth it.”
Recreating the Iconic Routine
The regimen begins with pullups designed to strengthen the neck and shoulders, preparing the body for impact. This is followed by barbell walking lunges to build a stable foundation for the lower body. The workout then shifts to high-intensity intervals, combining coordination with cardio through jump rope and slip rope drills.
Puzin reimagines the famous scene where Rocky hurls a bag of rocks by using a cable station. This exercise combines rope rotations with triceps extensions to target the core and upper body. The routine concludes with twisting situps and a barbell overhead press. These movements aim to replicate the primitive gym equipment seen in the movie, such as the wooden yoke bar.
The specific breakdown of the workout includes 4 sets of 12 reps for pullups and triceps extensions, 4 sets of 20 reps for lunges, and 3 sets of 3 minutes for the rope work. The barbell twist is performed for 4 sets of 30 reps, while the overhead press is done for 4 sets of 10 reps. The incline straight-leg hip raise also appears with 4 sets of 12 reps.
