John Cena's new health goal is to keep working out 'into my late 80s or 90s'

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Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines June 17

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John Cena has always focused on fitness, but now he's got his eye on the future.

The pro wrestler-turned-actor, 47, has built a career on his muscular physique, and in a new interview he says he plans to make working out a part of his twilight years.

"When I was a young 12-year-old, it was to look muscular so I couldn't get beat up," he explained to People. "And then as a late teen, it was to be strong so I could play sports. And then as a young 20-something, I wanted to aesthetically look good just to keep myself disciplined."

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John Cena wants to continue "to be physically active until I can't." (Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images | Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images)

1998 was the year he became a professional wrestler, something he called the "job opportunity of a lifetime," and he said that at that point, his goals shifted so he could excel at that profession.

But now, Cena said, "My goal is to be physically active until I can't. I put a number in my head of like, I'd like to be physically active into my late 80s or 90s, to do a parallel squat in my late 80s."

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He added, "My training used to be based on every single day, be the strongest you can for that day. Now I have my eyes set 40 years down the road."

John Cena wants to continue "to be physically active until I can't." (Stephen J. Boitano/LightRocket via Getty Images)

While the actor used to work out much more often, his routine now is to work with weights four days a week. In the remaining days, he works on his flexibility and mobility.

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In 1998, Cena received a degree in exercise physiology from Springfield College in Massachusetts. He told People that for the college, "their ethos was ‘Spirit, mind and body.’"

"So, I would say from a spirit of mine and a body standpoint at 47, I'm the best I've been in all 47 of my years on this Earth," he said.

John Cena's outlook on fitness has changed over the decades. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

In the past, Cena has said that he won't continue wrestling past 50, and he hinted again at his retirement in his new interview.

"I know my WWE journey is coming to an end," he admitted, "but fitness was a part of my life long before the WWE journey started. Fitness will be a part of my life, hopefully as long as my heart's beating. So, the WWE has been a great chapter in my life  — it's year 23 for me — and the sun's setting on that chapter in the book, but fitness will never not be a part of my life."

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John Cena has appeared in movies like "The Suicide Squad" and "Bumblebee." (Getty Images)

For years, he's been focusing more and more on acting, appearing in blockbusters like "Barbie" and the "Fast and the Furious" franchise.

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In a 2022 interview with Adam Glyn, he shared some wisdom about making the move from wrestling to Hollywood, saying, "Just be OK with failing. This quote-on-quote transition has taken, what, 15 years now? From ‘The Marine’ on to now, and a lot of failure in there, you guys have watched."