Ask A Genius 627: Workouts, the Boring and the Doable
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2021/08/25
[Recording Start]
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: You’ve discussed various exercise routines in past interviews, including doorframe pull-ups. You also appeared on A&E’s show “Obsessed,” focusing on your fear of aging and dying, and your rigorous exercise regime. I’d like to delve more into your current exercise routine. What does it look like now?
Rick Rosner: In that episode, they highlighted my intense gym visits. At one point, I was going to the gym about 50 times a week, around seven or eight times daily. However, due to COVID, I’ve reduced it to about five times a day, with quick visits while double masked. I avoid anyone not wearing their mask properly. Besides the gym, I have a home setup for abs and leg presses, and another one in the attic for pull-ups and chest presses. I haven’t missed a day at the gym since January 20th, 1991, which means I haven’t missed a workout for over half my life. I’ve even done pull-ups on a plane once, back in the mid-90s. My routine involves about a hundred sets daily, and I visit two different L.A. Fitness gyms. I alternate between push and pull days to avoid overworking the same muscle groups. I’ve had to adjust my routine to maintain my kidney health. If certain machines are too close to people not following mask guidelines, I adapt my routine accordingly. Gyms are a mix of health-conscious individuals and overconfident people, so it balances out the risk of COVID exposure. Today, for instance, was a pull day, and I managed various sets across different exercises. I still have more workouts planned for tonight.
Jacobsen: What do experts generally recommend for a healthy workout routine? How does your routine align with or differ from these recommendations?
Rosner: Most fitness experts recommend including aerobics, but I find them boring and unpleasant, so I don’t do them. I’m skinny and have a decent pulse rate, and I take cholesterol-blocking drugs. My wife hikes daily and has a very low resting pulse. Experts suggest aerobics don’t need to be intense; even walking, like my wife does, is beneficial. At my age, 61, heavy lifting like Stallone isn’t advisable without support like steroids, which aren’t healthy. Heavy lifting can elevate blood pressure, which isn’t ideal during heart attack-prone years. I’ve been cautious with my weightlifting, avoiding straining too hard. I do too many sets and workouts, which isn’t ideal for muscle building or sleep. My OCD manifests in needing to work out multiple times a day. My diet is relatively healthy, and I avoid excessive protein, which can be hard on the kidneys. I maintain a healthy weight and don’t feel the need to be excessively muscular. That’s essentially my routine and approach to fitness.
[Recording End]
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