There’s a stable probability that when NewsNation Determination Desk 2024 completes its seven-hour broadcast early Wednesday morning, Chris Cuomo nonetheless received’t make sure who our subsequent president can be. In that case, whereas many states will nonetheless be counting ballots the subsequent day, information media’s most powerfully constructed energy participant can be again to counting his reps and steps.
Even when the outcomes stay unsettled, Cuomo has no plans to skip his exercise—even when train consists of a brisk, mind-clearing stroll by means of Washington, D.C. In reality, for the match 54-year-old information veteran, strolling has lately change into certainly one of his most vital low-impact coaching instruments. It not solely helps him stability out his notorious high-intensity coaching routine, nevertheless it retains him mentally in tune—particularly throughout even probably the most chaotic of reports cycles.
Cuomo remains to be jacked, maybe extra as we speak in his 50s than at any level of three-plus-decade profession. And whereas weight coaching continues to dominate the 6’2, 230-pound TV host’s coaching schedule, in terms of health priorities, self-importance now shares equal billing with longevity. Strolling and different new mindset methods have performed a job in redefining Cuomo as a extra well-rounded wellness skilled.
“At my age, health is about doing much less extra typically,” he says. “And likewise you must undertake boring modalities. It’s a must to stroll, and you must discover a cause to love strolling, and strolling quick.
A deal with each bodily and psychological health comes simply as Cuomo has discovered a brand new profession resurgence. Since 2022, he’s been internet hosting NewsNation’s Cuomo—described as a “a no-nonsense present that includes the day’s most vital information from all views.” And whereas nonetheless in its infancy, the information veteran’s addition to the startup’s lineup—which may be seen this Tuesday evening when he cohosts NewsNation Determination DeskC 2024—has given the community a constant increase in rankings. On Tuesday evening, he’ll be cohosting the community’s election protection.
Though election evening will be the exception, Cuomo isn’t seen lately carrying a tie, which provides off a extra relaxed vibe as he comfortably settles into his new solo spot on NewsNation. Nonetheless, Cuomo attributes the casual look as extra of a necessity—it’s essential to keep away from the discomfort of getting a tie tightly wrapped round his thick neck. “My boss tells me regularly that I look too large,” he says.
However, at the same time as his wellness repertoire expands, Cuomo nonetheless stays the weightroom warrior who dabbles in searching, fishing, and can by no means be too shy throw right down to defend a member of the family. In different phrases, in Cuomo’s world, a superb pump nonetheless beats political TV protocol.
“We reside in a world of the beta male proper now in media,” Cuomo says. “You don’t see quite a lot of guys my measurement on tv, and I get it, nevertheless it’s not OK for me. I get pleasure from being sturdy, bodily competent, and having the ability to shield myself and others.”
Chris Cuomo Now Trains for the Lengthy Sport
Strolling might not be the head of Cuomo’s coaching evolution, nevertheless it very effectively might signify a seismic shift in his muscle mindset courting again to his teenage days. Rising up in Queens, Cuomo was no completely different than every other highschool athlete in search of the eye of faculty scouts. As a way to get seen, again within the ’80s, lifting heavy iron was by no means sufficient. You additionally needed to look the a part of a beefed-up jock—by any means obligatory.
“[In high school] I used to be strolling round with two pairs of pants on in order that my legs would look thick,” Cuomo remembers. “Now I’ve bought child pores and skin from my groin to my knees as a result of my legs had been rubbing a lot again then. That’s the way in which God laughs at us.”
Since shedding a number of layers, the previous Yale rugby athlete has prided himself on taking a shot at an entire wide selection of health disciplines—from bodybuilding fashion coaching to martial arts to finishing a triathlon. He even had a brief stint as a health author earlier than changing into a universally acknowledged investigative journalist and host. “I used to be much less polarizing then,” he says.
His lifelong relationship with staying match might be the rationale why now, age 54, he’s simply as comfy doling out coaching recommendation on his social media channels as he’s giving political scorching takes.
Cuomo nonetheless works on self protection (he says he primarily focuses on Tony Blauer’s SPEAR System of tactical self protection). However Cuomo has minimize out sparring and shifted in approach with the intention to keep away from pointless harm that might hold him away from coaching. He additionally says the adjustment helps hold him as ready as doable within the occasion a state of affairs will get uncontrolled. “It’s all about practicality,” he says. “What’s going to occur in my life? How do I eliminate that threat instantly? It’s simply drill, drill, drill, so if, God forbid, one thing occurs, it’s one thing I’ve performed 1,000 instances.”
Within the weightroom, full-body exercises have change into one of many foremost parts of Cuomo’s self-programmed coaching routine. He’ll incorporate dumbbells, kettlebells, you identify it—and bang out presses, squats, in fact biceps curls. His coaching principle is to try to hit each main muscle group in a exercise. This permits him to get the work performed in a shorter, extra environment friendly method, permitting him to get well faster and hold going. “At our age, you started working at this age, nothing comes simple besides mediocrity,” he says. “I’ll do all plyometrics, leaping lunges, and EMOMs. For me, full-body HIIT coaching is essential.”
Foot points have pressured him to reduce on working. (“My soleus can’t take the pounding,” he says. Cuomo is, nevertheless, planning on including dash work to his coaching with the intention to keep explosiveness at his superior age. “You have got to have the ability to exert energy, so it’s good to dash,” he says. “In life, you generally want to have the ability to go 100%.”
A Mindset Made for Taking Care of Your ‘Mentals’
Why has the world change into so divisive and polarizing in 2024? In response to Cuomo, it’s not as a lot about political philosophy as individuals might imagine. As an alternative, it might be the insane quantity of technological immersion that’s been pushed in entrance of us.
“It’s publicity,” he says. “I didn’t develop up 24/7 on a tool that was always immersing us in all of this stuff we don’t management. The era earlier than us had us pondering our brains had been fried on two to 3 hours of tv a day. I’ve by no means binged a single day in my life as a lot media as my children absorb each day.”
Cuomo is effectively conscious of being a polarizing media determine. He reads the net beatdown he usually receives from either side of the aisle. He can shrug it off at instances. Nonetheless at instances the trash speak does seep into his feelings. For that, he’s now engaged on battling the stress that comes with the job. “You bought to discover a cause to find it irresistible all,” he says. “The ache prepare is coming. Individuals are going to speak s***. Issues aren’t going to go my method. There are going to be struggles and challenges that go public. Lots of it’s going to be exaggerated. So it’s vital for me to seek out a chance [to grow] by means of all of it.”
To assist fight this, Cuomo has taken a deep dive into sustaining and maximizing his psychological well being. His day by day walks are only one ingredient in serving to him restore optimum cognitive power ranges. He additionally begins his mornings by finding out philosophy from all spectrums. Cuomo is cool with reciting something from historic stoicism to quoting beast mode soccer icons.
“Marshawn Lynch gave us an awesome phrase—your ‘mentals,’” he says. “You bought to care for your mentals. And that’s about strolling, exercising the mind, studying philosophy. It’s about occupied with why you proceed to f**okay up in the identical conditions, or why you repeat errors.”
He’s swapped out alcohol—principally as a result of it doesn’t go effectively along with his prescribed long-COVID medicines. As an alternative he’s added a milder, extra mellow mix of hemp-derived THC. “Regardless that the legalities are largely going away, I occur to have a medical marijuana use card for New York,” he says. “It’s much less controversial. It’s extra delicate, and I actually find it irresistible.”
Serving to him in his journey has been his spouse, Cristina. As a wellness skilled and writer of wellness journal The Purist, Cristina’s helped him make incremental adjustments along with his routine. He’s added respiration methods, together with field respiration to his routines in addition to varied types of meditation.
Nonetheless, an important way of life change, has been the addition of remedy to his schedule.
“There’s no shut second,” he says. “Psychological coaching is as vital as bodily coaching to me within the sense of how I work on my head and my coronary heart, and the way I cope with disappointment, failure, scrutiny disgrace and frustration.”
With Chaos and Controversy Comes Gratitude
Chris Cuomo’s profession has taken him from ABC to Fox Information to CNN prior to now having the chance to rebuild his model at NewsNation. The community has seen a close to 25% improve in rankings since his arrival two years in the past. He additionally has a YouTube sequence, the Chris Cuomo Undertaking, by which he’ll talk about, along with politics, well being, wellness, vitamin, even self-motivation ideas.
At NewsNation, which manufacturers itself as an outlet for unbiased voters, his present usually function a various vary of political commentary. His most up-to-date City Corridor together with visitor of all viewpoints together with Invoice O’Reilly, Mark Cuban, Stephen A. Smith, and even Dana White. And whereas Tuesday’s election protection stays principally unpredictable, the prolonged grind, the uncertainly and potential all-nighters are a part of the package deal newsmen like Cuomo gladly join with out reservations.
“When you make the selection, to do that, you gotta be all in,” he says. “And also you gotta be there for the length. I inform myself that getting a chance that only a few individuals do—I’m a witness to historical past. And that’s the best advantage of what I do.”
Along with his position, nevertheless, comes an unwritten assure that at the least half of the nation will at one level despise you. For Cuomo—who’s at instances confronted heavy criticism for protection of COVID or his position in serving to his brother, former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo, cope with a sexual harassment swimsuit, and even unbiased evaluation relating to the candidates, he’s used to it.
His bouts with public scorn is why he tries to inform younger journalists to not get too connected to the trolls on either side. Or to take themselves to significantly.
“I inform individuals on a regular basis, don’t get within the enterprise to be widespread—you should not a star,” he says. “You aren’t supported by your followers. Once you’re saying what they like, they such as you. Once you’re not saying what they like, they hate you and see you as a part of the issue. That’s the job, and that’s what I inform myself now.”
Even his buff physique has been the goal of trolls. It comes with the territory of posing shirtless or speaking coaching or perhaps a self-deprecating community industrial that had Cuomo urgent a 100-pound dumbbell at his desk, being swole additionally comes with accusations of the opposite S phrase: steroids.
He maintains his steroid-free innocence: “I’m needle averse as a result of I’m a p***y,” he says. “I can’t give myself a needle in any respect. It freaks me out.”
The reason might not fulfill health purists, and Cuomo is open to trustworthy debate on the subject. Sadly, he’s caught with a neverending battle with haters.
The hate might be disturbing, however for Cuomo, the haters won’t ever get in the way in which of skipping a exercise.
“I don’t suppose individuals ought to keep away from supplementation as a result of somebody says a 54-year-old’s not natty!—who provides a s***?” he says. “It’s not a posedown. It’s about motivating your self to be your finest self. That’s why we’re all right here.”
