Ultra-athletes, neuroscientists, and longevity doctors have sat across from Steven Bartlett and shared the exact fitness protocols they use. Here's every workout tip worth stealing — distilled from hundreds of hours of episodes.
The Diary of a CEO isn't a fitness podcast — but some of its most powerful episodes are about the body. From David Goggins pushing through 60-hour endurance races to Dr. Gabrielle Lyon rewriting the rules on muscle and aging, the diary of a ceo fitness and workout advice from guests goes far beyond "just go to the gym."
After listening to every fitness-related episode, I've distilled the 20 most actionable workout tips — organized by category so you can build a science-backed training plan today. Whether you're a total beginner or a seasoned lifter, these are the protocols that actually work.
Source: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon — In one of the most paradigm-shifting health episodes on DOAC, Dr. Lyon flipped the script on obesity. The problem isn't that we're over-fat — it's that we're under-muscled. Muscle is the single largest organ system in the body, and it controls glucose disposal, metabolic rate, and even cognitive function as you age.
Her prescription: resistance training 3–4 times per week, prioritizing compound movements like squats, deadlifts, rows, and presses. Muscle protects you from metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, and frailty. Without it, you're aging faster than you should be.
"Muscle is the organ of longevity. Without it, you're aging faster than you should be." — Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, on Diary of a CEO
Source: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon — Most people eat almost no protein at breakfast and pile it on at dinner. Lyon explained to Steven that this is backwards. You need at least 30g of protein at your first meal to trigger muscle protein synthesis (MPS). Without hitting that threshold, the meal is essentially wasted from a muscle-building perspective.
Her go-to: eggs, Greek yogurt, whey protein, or lean meat first thing. Spread your protein across 3–4 meals, hitting 30–50g each time. If you're over 40, aim for the higher end — your body becomes less efficient at synthesizing muscle with age.
Source: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon & Dr. Peter Attia — Multiple DOAC guests have made the same point: if you have to choose between lifting weights and running on a treadmill, choose weights every time. Resistance training builds the muscle mass that protects against nearly every chronic disease. Cardio alone won't prevent the sarcopenia (muscle loss) that accelerates aging after 30.
That doesn't mean skip cardio entirely — but it should be supplementary to a strength program, not the main event. Dr. Attia recommends a 3:1 ratio of strength to cardio sessions for most people focused on longevity.
Source: Chris Heria & Arnold Schwarzenegger — Chris Heria showed Steven how calisthenics — pull-ups, push-ups, dips, muscle-ups — builds functional strength that transfers to real life. Arnold Schwarzenegger echoed this with his emphasis on compound, multi-joint movements over isolation exercises.
The takeaway: focus on movements that use multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Squats over leg extensions. Pull-ups over bicep curls. Push-ups over pec flies. You'll build more functional strength, burn more calories, and get better results in less time.
Source: Arnold Schwarzenegger & James Smith — Arnold told Steven about his early bodybuilding days when he would avoid leg day — and how it nearly cost him competitions. James Smith, the UK's most-followed personal trainer, was blunt: your legs contain the largest muscles in your body. Training them releases the most growth hormone, burns the most calories, and builds the foundation for everything else.
Minimum: squat or deadlift variations twice per week. Your legs are your engine.
Source: Multiple guests — Nearly every health expert on Diary of a CEO has emphasized walking. Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Dr. Matthew Walker, and multiple health-focused guests agree: walking is the most underrated form of exercise. It reduces all-cause mortality, improves mood, aids digestion, regulates blood sugar, and costs nothing.
Steven himself has said walking is the one habit he never skips. It's not glamorous — and that's the point. The best exercise is the one you'll actually do every single day.
Source: Dr. Peter Attia — Zone 2 cardio is exercise at an intensity where you can still hold a conversation but feel like you're working. It's the sweet spot for building mitochondrial efficiency and metabolic health. Attia told Steven it's the single most important type of exercise for living longer.
His recommendation: 3–4 hours per week of zone 2 cardio — brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or light jogging. You don't need to kill yourself. The key is consistency and staying in that moderate effort zone where your body learns to burn fat efficiently.
Source: Gary Brecka & Ben Greenfield — Brecka explained that short, intense sprints (20–30 seconds, all-out effort) trigger a cascade of hormonal responses including human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone. Ben Greenfield echoed this, recommending one high-intensity interval session per week — 4 to 8 sprints with full recovery between sets.
This doesn't replace your strength training or zone 2 cardio — it supplements them. Think of sprints as a hormonal reset button that takes less than 15 minutes.
Source: Dr. Peter Attia & Rich Roll — Rich Roll, the ultra-endurance athlete who transformed his body at 40, explained his approach to Steven: 80% of your training should be easy (zone 2, conversational pace), and 20% should be hard (intervals, sprints, heavy lifts). This polarized approach is what elite endurance athletes use worldwide.
Most recreational exercisers make the mistake of training in the "grey zone" — too hard to be easy, too easy to be hard. You end up overtrained and undertrained at the same time.
Source: Dr. Andrew Huberman — In one of the most-watched health episodes, Huberman brought the hard science on cold exposure. Cold water (11°C / 52°F or below) for 1–3 minutes triggers a dopamine release of approximately 250% above baseline — and unlike stimulants, this increase lasts 2–3 hours without a crash.
The mechanism: cold activates the sympathetic nervous system, releasing norepinephrine and dopamine from the locus coeruleus. The discomfort is the point — the mental effort of staying in cold water produces the neurochemical reward.
"Deliberate cold exposure is the most potent, natural, non-pharmacological tool for increasing dopamine and adrenaline." — Dr. Andrew Huberman, on Diary of a CEO
Source: Dr. Andrew Huberman — This is a critical detail most people get wrong. Huberman stressed that if your goal is muscle growth, do not ice bath or cold plunge immediately after your workout. Cold blunts the inflammatory response needed for muscle adaptation and repair.
Instead, use cold exposure in the morning as a standalone practice for the dopamine and adrenaline benefits, or wait at least 4–6 hours post-workout. If you're using cold purely for mental clarity and energy, time it separately from your strength training.
Source: Wim Hof — The Iceman himself sat down with Steven and explained his breathwork protocol: 30 deep breaths (in through the nose, out through the mouth), followed by a breath hold on the exhale, then a recovery breath held for 15 seconds. Repeat 3 rounds.
Hof explained that this technique alkalizes your blood, reduces inflammation, and primes your body for cold exposure. His studies at Radboud University showed that trained practitioners could consciously control their immune response — something previously thought impossible. The practical application for fitness: do the breathing before cold exposure and before intense training for enhanced performance and focus.
"The cold is your warm friend. It teaches you to go deeper into yourself." — Wim Hof, on Diary of a CEO
Source: Matthew Walker & Andrew Huberman — Both Walker and Huberman made the same point on their DOAC episodes: sleep is when your muscles actually grow. Training breaks muscle down; sleep builds it back stronger. If you're only getting 5–6 hours of sleep but training 6 days a week, you're sabotaging your own progress.
Walker's research showed that sleep-deprived athletes have a 73% higher injury rate. Huberman recommended 7–9 hours as non-negotiable for anyone serious about fitness. If you have to choose between an extra workout and an extra hour of sleep, choose sleep. Read more about their sleep protocols.
Source: David Goggins — In one of the most intense episodes ever recorded on DOAC, Goggins explained his 40% rule: when your mind tells you you're done, you've only used about 40% of your capacity. Your brain is a survival mechanism — it creates discomfort long before you're actually in danger to keep you in a safe zone.
The application for workouts: when you want to quit a set, you probably have more reps in the tank. When you want to stop running, you can probably go further. This isn't about being reckless — it's about understanding that your perceived limits are dramatically lower than your actual limits.
"I'm not talented. I just refuse to quit. That's my only advantage." — David Goggins, on Diary of a CEO
Source: David Goggins — Goggins told Steven that he deliberately seeks out things he hates doing — running in the rain, waking up at 4am, training when exhausted. The purpose isn't masochism; it's building a "calloused mind" that doesn't flinch when life gets hard.
His advice for anyone starting their fitness journey: pick one hard thing and do it every day. A cold shower. An early morning run. Extra reps when you're tired. Over time, your tolerance for discomfort expands — and that expansion carries over into every area of your life, from business to relationships. Steven has called this episode one of the most life-changing he's ever recorded — more on that in our mental toughness guide.
Source: Tony Robbins & Wim Hof — Tony Robbins starts every morning with cold water immersion followed by breathwork and visualization — what he calls "priming." Wim Hof teaches a similar principle: physical training is incomplete without mental training.
The practical takeaway: don't just go through the motions at the gym while scrolling Instagram. Be present. Focus on the muscle you're working. Visualize the outcome. Research shows that focused, intentional training produces significantly more muscle activation than distracted exercise. Build a morning routine that integrates both body and mind.
Source: Dr. Andrew Huberman — Huberman shared the fastest real-time stress reduction tool backed by Stanford research: double inhale through the nose (two quick breaths in), followed by a long exhale through the mouth. This physiological sigh shifts you from sympathetic (fight-or-flight) to parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) dominance in seconds.
Use it between heavy sets, before big lifts, or when you're psyching yourself out. One to three sighs can drop your heart rate and sharpen your focus without losing workout intensity. It's also powerful for managing anxiety outside the gym.
Source: Dr. Rangan Chatterjee — Sitting for extended periods is independently harmful — even if you exercise daily. Chatterjee explained to Steven that prolonged sitting impairs glucose metabolism, tightens hip flexors, and increases all-cause mortality. His simple rule: every 45 minutes, stand up and move for 2–3 minutes.
A walk to the kitchen. Some squats. A quick stretch. Anything that breaks the sitting pattern. This advice comes up repeatedly across DOAC health episodes — sitting is the new smoking, and the fix is free.
Source: Dr. Andrew Huberman & Gary Brecka — Both Huberman and Brecka independently told Steven the same thing: getting bright light within 30 minutes of waking sets your circadian clock, boosts cortisol at the right time, and improves both sleep quality and workout performance later that day.
Combine this with movement — even a 10-minute walk — and you've stacked two of the most powerful health interventions available. No sunglasses. 5–10 minutes on cloudy days, 2–3 minutes on sunny days. This is morning routine advice that works whether you're a gym regular or a complete beginner.
Source: Will Ahmed & Ben Francis — Will Ahmed, founder of WHOOP, explained to Steven how tracking recovery, strain, and sleep transformed his understanding of training. Ben Francis, founder of Gymshark, emphasized that progressive overload — gradually increasing weight, reps, or volume — is the fundamental principle of muscle growth.
You don't need a WHOOP band. A simple notebook or phone app tracking your exercises, weights, and reps is enough. The point is building a system where you can see progress over time and avoid the trap of doing the same workout forever.
If this guide made you want to train more consistently, start with a small set of fitness tools that support programming, recovery, and habit tracking without overcomplicating it.
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Get the key takeaways from every Diary of a CEO episode — health, business, mindset, and more — in 3-minute summaries.
Browse All Episode Summaries →If you want to go deeper on any of these tips, here are the must-watch fitness episodes:
DOAC guests recommend resistance training 3–4x per week (Dr. Gabrielle Lyon), cold exposure for dopamine and recovery (Andrew Huberman, Wim Hof), walking 10,000 steps daily, zone 2 cardio for longevity (Dr. Peter Attia), and training mental toughness alongside physical fitness (David Goggins). The common thread: consistency beats intensity.
Goggins emphasizes that fitness is primarily mental. He advocates training when you least want to, using the 40% rule (when you think you're done, you've only used 40% of your capacity), and building a "calloused mind" through deliberate physical suffering. His episode has over 5.1 million views.
According to Dr. Andrew Huberman, do cold exposure BEFORE exercise, not after. Cold exposure after strength training blunts the inflammatory response needed for muscle growth. Use cold showers or ice baths as a standalone morning practice for the dopamine and energy benefits, or wait at least 4–6 hours post-workout.
Dr. Peter Attia recommends a combination of resistance training (3–4x per week) and zone 2 cardio (3–4 hours per week) as the optimal longevity exercise protocol. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon adds that muscle mass is the strongest predictor of metabolic health and healthy aging. Walking 10,000 steps daily is the foundation.
The top fitness episodes are: David Goggins on mental toughness (5.1M views), Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on muscle and longevity (3.2M views), Andrew Huberman on dopamine and cold exposure, Wim Hof on cold therapy and breathwork, Dr. Peter Attia on longevity exercise, Chris Heria on calisthenics, and Arnold Schwarzenegger on discipline.
The diary of a ceo fitness and workout advice from over a dozen guests converges on a few core principles: build muscle through resistance training, walk daily, use cold exposure strategically, train your mind alongside your body, and prioritize sleep as part of your recovery protocol.
You don't need a complicated program. Goggins would tell you to just start. Dr. Lyon would tell you to lift heavy things. Huberman would tell you to take a cold shower first. Wim Hof would tell you to breathe. And every single one of them would tell you to be consistent.
The best workout isn't the most complicated one — it's the one you do every day. Start with one tip from this list, master it, then add another. That's how the guests on Diary of a CEO built bodies and minds that operate at the highest level.
Want more DOAC insights? Browse our complete episode summaries or explore the full blog for guides on money, mental health, and relationships.