Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson Opened Up About His Facial Injury and How It Happened

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been seriously into fitness for decades, but a recent experience shows that even the pros don't always get that gym moves right.

The actor and former pro wrestler shared an Instagram video to reveal injuries to his face that happened during a workout.

"Alright, look. Sometimes, well oftentimes, things get intense here in the iron paradise, but we ain't playing tiddlywinks and we ain't reciting nursery rhymes," the 48-year-old said. "You get lumped up every once in a while and things happen."

During the video, a trickle of blood ran down one side of his face. Did The Rock get a first-aid kit to clean himself up? Hell, no. He used a finger to wipe away some of the blood, then stuck the finger in his mouth and licked it clean.

"That's good. That's real good," he said. "Back to work."

In the post's caption, Johnson explained what caused the injury. "Threw around my 50 lb chains for a drop set—I got lumped up and need stitches," he wrote. "Taste your blood, keep training and stitch up later—rules of the house. And I can confirm my blood tastes like Teremana, calluses, and BlaMoan (Black and Samoan) Hot Sauce."

The star ended the caption by wishing his followers a "productive week." "Keep it light and a lil' fun, but get after it like a MF," he said.

Johnson and his family tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year, and in a video posted on Instagram in early September, the Moana star described it as "one of the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure as a family."

With more of us working out at home thanks to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, this might be a good time for a recap of some safety tips, so you don't score an injury like Johnson's. Besides taking particular care with those heavy chains, of course, it's important to make sure you have adequate space to exercise.

"Check that you're in the clear by putting your arms up and out to the sides and doing a 360-degree spin," Derek Ochiai, MD, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine doctor at Nirschl Orthopaedic Center in Virginia, previously told Health. Clear away all trip hazards (like shoes, books, and toys), and keep weights in front of you so you can see them.

Take your workout slow if you're a beginner or getting back into exercise after a long break. "If you try to get too ambitious and start a workout routine that you think will push you a lot and then do that for a few days in a row, you could get overuse injuries, then you'll likely stop and won't do it again," Ochiai said. Instead, he suggested starting with something you're familiar with or a workout tailored for beginners.

When it comes to your workout gear, comfort is key—and it's important to think carefully about how safe your footwear is. Sneakers are your best bet, but going barefoot is fine provided you don't have anything on the floor you could potentially run into. And if you really want to work out in socks, Ochiai recommended the ones with grips on the bottom, like socks with zero slippage.