Jade Cargill Opens Up About Chyna Inspiration And Past Neck Injury

Jade Cargill Reveals How Chyna Inspired Her Physique And Opens Up About Past Neck Injury

Jade Cargill has built her reputation in WWE around having one of the most recognizable physiques in professional sports entertainment, but maintaining that level of fitness involves both intense discipline and overcoming physical adversity.

In a recent workout feature for Women’s Health, the WWE Superstar walked viewers through her core training routine while opening up about her mindset toward fitness, the wrestling legend who originally inspired her look, and how she bounced back from a scary neck injury.

Fitness Mindset And Looking Good Naked

During the video, Cargill explained that exercising has become an essential part of her everyday life that helps clear her head, before noting that the aesthetic physical results are a welcome side effect.

“I get my best ideas when I work out. I get really hyped when I work out. Working out is my therapy, but looking good when you’re naked is a bonus as well.”

Cargill puts in extensive work to maintain her condition, training her core five days a week with movements like Russian twists, bicycles, in-and-outs, and planks. According to Cargill, those movements aren’t just about aesthetics—they directly power her signature in-ring maneuvers.

“If you ever see me pick somebody up for a stalling suplex, just know it is all core.”

She also recalled pushing herself through physical challenges, including a personal benchmark on planks.

“I actually did this for 3 minutes one time and I was very proud of myself at 34 years old that I could do a three-minute plank. And you never know how strong you are until you push yourself to that limit.”

Chyna’s Legacy And Collegiate Strength Training

Cargill revealed that her desire to build an imposing physique started long before she stepped into a wrestling ring, fueled heavily by watching WWE Hall of Famer Chyna command respect on television.

“All my life, I’ve been muscular, and it’s something that I just wanted to put the pedal to the metal. I looked up to the great China. I seen her. She was a woman that walked in, owned the room, and I wanted to do the exact same thing.”

That inspiration carried into her college years, where discovering her school’s strength coach accelerated her goals.

“So, I got in college, seen we had a strength and conditioning coach, and I just said, ‘That’s what I want to do, and I want to look strong as ever.'”

While Chyna remains her foundational fitness role model, Cargill explained that the women she currently shares the locker room with in WWE keep her motivated on a daily basis.

“My biggest gym motivation or inspiration, I would say, was China. Just seeing her embody and go out there and just shine so bright, I was like, that’s exactly what I want to do. but also all the women athletes that we have in our company really motivate me.”

She admitted that standing alongside fellow elite athletes prevents her from ever getting complacent.

“And when I feel like I’m slacking and I’m in the ring with these women and they look just as phenomenal, I’m like, ‘Okay, I got to get back in the gym and go a little harder.'”

Overcoming A Pinched Neck Muscle

While Cargill makes lifting opponents look effortless, she admitted that maintaining her power game hasn’t been without major roadblocks. During the interview, she revealed dealing with a pinched muscle in her neck approximately two years ago that severely hindered her ability to lift opponents.

Because her wrestling style relies so heavily on raw power, overcoming that setback changed her perspective on simple gym milestones like pull-ups.

“A move in the gym that I do that makes me feel strong is actually pull-ups. I had an injury about 2 years ago with my neck. I had a pinched muscle. I could barely hold people up. So, me being able to do that and continue at least to get to 10, to get to 20, it means the world to me these days.”

Bulletproofing The Body Through Recovery

To protect herself against future setbacks amidst WWE’s relentless schedule, Cargill now places a heavy emphasis on recovery and longevity rather than constantly chasing heavier weights.

“How I go about bulletproofing my body is stretching. It’s something that I really put an emphasis on and I really take my time in doing now as I’m getting older, especially in the sport that we do and we’re taking all these bumps.”