JRE MMA Show #187 with Robert Whittaker
Joe Rogan talks with former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker about aging fighters, training smarter, gi versus no-gi jiu-jitsu, core strength, and why moving up to light heavyweight made Whittaker enjoy fighting again.
The gist
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Rogan argues skill work should be done fresh, with hard conditioning afterward; Whittaker uses assault bikes but says real fatigue training belongs in the sport itself.
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Whittaker still trains in the gi because it punishes positional mistakes, while Rogan paired 10th Planet no-gi with wrestling-style grips in the gi.
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Rogan started rotational cable and kettlebell work after archery caused lower back tendinitis, and says strict hanging toes-to-bar improves deadlifts, presses and chin-ups.
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Whittaker once cut 7.4 kilos on weigh-in day at 170; now walking around at 106 kilos, he cuts about 15 pounds in a warm bath.
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Whittaker says fighters often just need to talk things out with other men, and he launched a fitness app with his wife focused on longevity.
"I do it as well. I use the assault bikes and treadmills and everything else... There's been heaps of camps where I've torn a calf muscle, so I've done the back end of it just on Concept 2s, assault bikes."
▶ Play at 1:09:152 creators recommend it, including Andrew Huberman.
See all on the Assault Bike page
Joe Rogan uses it
"I'm still going to do no gi with Eddie. So I was doing no gi at 10th Planet and I was doing gi at Jean Jacques."
▶ Play at 1:15:19"If you want to learn jiu-jitsu, I'm a big believer in gi... A lot of gi guys can transition from gi to no gi. It's very hard the other way around... You can't make as many mistakes in the gi. It makes your positioning and your decision making so much more vital."
▶ Play at 1:12:07
Joe Rogan recommends it
"I think a lot of people neglect core work, like real core work, like rotational core work... a lot of heavy cable rotational work and kettlebell rotational work. I was doing it out of necessity because I kept getting injured... as soon as I started doing it, I was like, 'Why w..."
▶ Play at 1:25:44
Joe Rogan recommends it
"If you do those hanging foot-to-bar moves, that improves your deadlift, that improves your clean and press, that improves the strength of your chin-ups. It improves everything. Just that one move... it's a must, mandatory for all athletes."
▶ Play at 1:26:58What they recommend · 8 picks
Health & fitness
7 picks · Robert Whittaker and Joe Rogan
"If you want to learn jiu-jitsu, I'm a big believer in gi... A lot of gi guys can transition from gi to no gi. It's very hard the other way around... You can't make as many mista..."
"If you want to learn jiu-jitsu, I'm a big believer in gi. A lot of gi guys can transition from gi to no-gi. It's very hard the other way around... You can't make as many mistake..."
"I think a lot of people neglect core work, like real core work, like rotational core work... a lot of heavy cable rotational work and kettlebell rotational work. I was doing it ..."
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See what they all swear by Or pick your own peopleOther picks
1 pick · Robert Whittaker
"I do it as well. I use the assault bikes and treadmills and everything else... There's been heaps of camps where I've torn a calf muscle, so I've done the back end of it just on..."
Robert Whittaker
4 picks · guest
"If you want to learn jiu-jitsu, I'm a big believer in gi... A lot of gi guys can transition from gi to no gi. It's very hard the other way around... You can't make as many mista..."
"If you want to learn jiu-jitsu, I'm a big believer in gi. A lot of gi guys can transition from gi to no-gi. It's very hard the other way around... You can't make as many mistake..."
"I do it as well. I use the assault bikes and treadmills and everything else... There's been heaps of camps where I've torn a calf muscle, so I've done the back end of it just on..."
Joe Rogan
4 picks · host
"I think a lot of people neglect core work, like real core work, like rotational core work... a lot of heavy cable rotational work and kettlebell rotational work. I was doing it ..."
"If you do those hanging foot-to-bar moves, that improves your deadlift, that improves your clean and press, that improves the strength of your chin-ups. It improves everything. ..."
"So when I learned from him, I did his style... I was doing gi at Jean Jacques. So I just decided to do it Jean Jacques style... The gi is great defensively because you have to h..."
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