The Road to WrestleMania is a journey that pushes WWE Superstars to reach their peak as they prepare to punish their opponents in the biggest pro wrestling event of the year. So when the World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk, and four-time WWE World Champion, Bayley got the chance to make some gains with legendary trainer Jay Ferrugia, they jumped right in.
Who is Jay Ferrugia?
Jay Ferrugia is a guy who gets the best of elite athletes. He has shared his knowledge with the NFL, MLB and UFC and is also a regular consultant to a number of grapplers in the WWE. But regardless of discipline, Ferrugia says all great performers have one thing in common.
“Even those who are in their profession always want to improve,” he said along with an Instagram post about their fun but functional workout.
Here’s how you can try it for yourself.
CM Punk & Bayley WrestleMania Rehearsals Produced by Jay Ferrugia
- False leg curls
- Retrofits
- Hip loss
- Leg extension
- Back loaded extensions
- Pendulum Squats
- Raise the legs
- Plank
Distribution of exercises
“It’s always a pleasure to work and spend time with these two,” commented Coach Ferruccia, after taking these grapplers though their legs. “Seeing the way they push is inspiring and brings a smile to my face.”
The session started with that sleeping legs to isolate the muscle of the back of the thigh, also known as musculus biceps femoris. Notice how Bailey’s hips stay planted on the bench, avoiding the common mistake of going so heavy that they’re forced to move up.
They were coming rear extensiontaxing gluteus maximus and hamstrings. Once again, Ferrugia guided Bailey into a wonderful form, keeping her spine and neck neutral, not long or bent. The third exercise was hip thrusts, and this is where Bailey came into her own, explaining the importance of wearing a cup for a straight back and pushing off the platform with your heels to get serious glute benefits. CM Punk also got some great advice from his WWE counterpart. “Close the hood,” she playfully encouraged.
The fourth exercise was leg extensions, and both athletes relied on heavy weights to squeeze his quads. When the group started the fifth exercise; loading back extensions, Bailey was finding both her form and her voice. “Okay Jay, just like I taught you,” he joked as a coach leading by example. Those throats really felt like they were burning.
The sixth movement was the pendulum swing, which further pressed the quads while engaging the glutes and hamstrings. They were followed by incline leg raises, which meant that as the wrestlers neared the end of the exercise, they were now activating some serious core action, in addition to taxing the glutes, glutes, and quads. Notice how Bailey did a slow, controlled ascent, focusing on the negative part as well to create good timing in the tension.
For his finisher, CM Punk hits the mat, another original mover that works the legs to boot. Planks are also a preferred exercise for high performers because they burn more calories and improve posture and joint alignment than crunches or sit-ups.
As the workout ended, both CM Punk and Bayley approached them WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, where Punk will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns and Bayley will hope to win the WWE Tag-team titles alongside her partner Lyra Valkyria. And for those not preparing for the biggest wrestling event of the year, “We can all push a little harder,” Coach Ferrugia said. Who notes?
WrestleMania 42 will air on April 18 and 19, 2026 from Allegiant Stadium stream on ESPN in USA etc Netflix internationally.
