Joe Rogan has quite the commitment and self-discipline: “I say, ‘I have to yoga two times a week’ and ‘I have to lift weights three times this week’ and ‘I have to run twice this week.’”
The 52-year-old talks himself into working out regularly. That’s admirable, it’s how he stays in shape.
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Martial Arts
Before Joe had success in performance arts, he had success in martial arts. Rogan took up karate at 14 years old, before starting taekwondo at 15 and winning the U.S. Open Championship in the lightweight category. He went on to become the Massachusetts full-contact state champion for four years, before a brief amateur kickboxing run, holding a record of 2-1.
Joe quit full-contact striking due to headaches and the concern he might end up with permanent damage. But martial arts has continued to be part of his life, in his job, and in his training schedule. Joe regularly hits bags and does pads, and he practices full-contact Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He earned a black belt under his long-time friend Eddie Bravo and his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system.
Body and Mind
In addition to his yoga, cardio, weight training, and MMA, Joe takes a lot of supplements, including nootropics, a family of supplements that can improve brain function.
I Do Everything That I Can To Put My Body And Brain In A Good Place So I’m Keeping My Engine Smooth. I’m Changing My Oil.
— JOE ROGAN
Joe Rogan’s Diet
Joe follows a time-restricted eating routine, taking in food only during a 6-8-hour window.
This has been shown to slow down the aging process by boosting cellular repair. It’s also great for the microbiome and for helping maintain a healthy weight.
This is what Joe likes to eat:
- Game meat. Elk, elk, and more elk. Joe’s Instagram account is rife with pictures of perfectly cooked elk meat. An avid hunter, Joe kills and eats a lot of wild game meat. He loves to talk about how a diet consisting of lean cuts of meat from wild animals is incredibly nutritious. He’s not wrong.
- Vegetables. The elk is always accompanied by jalapenos. Joe also regularly enjoys avocado, which is great to eat on the low-carb diet he often promotes. He also consumes lots of greens, including kale shakes and string beans.
- Kimchi. Joe has frequently mentioned his love for Korean spicy pickled cabbage, kimchi. Properly fermented kimchi is tasty and great for digestive health.
- Eggs.Every day, Joe enjoys eating at least four eggs for breakfast, or as a snack.
- Coffee. Joe loves his cup of joe. He drinks a lot of it on his podcast.
- Kombucha. And he enjoys this bubbly, fermented drink. It’s another probiotic.
- Supplements. Vitamins, probiotics, nootropics, testosterone and growth hormone are all staple supplements for Joe. Note that the testosterone and growth hormone are prescribed and monitored by a doctor as part of a testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for low testosterone.
Putting It All Together
Training-wise, Joe Rogan’s mix of cardio, weight training, combat sports, and mindfulness exercise like yoga show that balance is powerful, as you receive the benefits of multiple disciplines. Commitment and regularity are the key to Rogan’s chiseled body, however. That and his TRT supplementation, although hormone replacement alone won’t get you in shape. If you think that your hormones might be out of whack, or that your testosterone might be dwindling, consult your doctor.
So, if you want to look like Joe Rogan, get active in a variety of ways, and train your mind. And diet-wise, eat unprocessed, whole foods, lots of different colored fruit and vegetables, and high-quality meat, fish, and seafood. Limit dairy and starchy carbs such as pasta and bread, and get yourself some high-quality supplements to make sure you’re hitting all your nutritional bases.
You might not start your own highly successful podcast, but you may find yourself to be the envy of your buddies in the gym changing room.
