UFC PRESIDE DANA WHITE has revealed the ‘superhuman’ approach to his training that is keeping him fit and healthy at 56. In 2022, biohacker Gary Brecka diagnosed White with extremely high triglyceride levels, giving him just a decade left to live if he failed to alter his lifestyle.
During that period, White’s diet consisted of rich foods and desserts, while in the gym he focused entirely on lifting as heavy as he possibly could, piling as much weight onto the bar with little regard to recovery. He trained alongside then-UFC head of production Craig Borsari, and told Jay Cutler on Cutler Cast how he only realised the stresses he was placing on his body after they both had serious injuries.
‘We used to do the big meathead workout every day. How much can we bench? And in Gold’s Gym in New York, I put up 355 pounds (161 kg) on the bench, I don’t know, probably 10 or 12 years ago. I was that type of a fucking meathead. Then I blew my shoulder out and he tore his pec,’ White said.
Dana White’s ‘superhuman’ fitness approach
Following Brecka’s diagnosis, White has started prioritising other aspects of his training, which don’t just involve extreme weights. And despite having to constantly travel for UFC events, White still places a great emphasis on his diet and recovery. ‘I’m 55 – now I work out for reps, trying to get leaner, eat right, cold plunge and all the superhuman shit that I do with Gary Brecka,’ White said. ‘Your goals change when you get older. And that’s what happened to me. And I’m so lucky that I met Gary Brecka and learned this shit from him.’
Part of the ‘superhuman’ approach White highlights involves eating a keto-style diet containing red meat, avocado and berries, while he cold plunges every day if possible. A 2024 Current Problems in Cardiology review concluded that ketogenic diets appear to lower blood levels of triglycerides, but can raise levels of artery-clogging LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, thus heightening the risk of heart disease. A recent study into cold plunges suggested there’s limited high-quality evidence on the general population, with a lack of long-term improvements observed.
Dana White’s new training split
Despite his loaded work schedule, White still gets to the gym four times a week, with a Saturday session a non-negotiable even though he’s required to travel for UFC events. ‘Every Saturday we’re in a new gym somewhere in the world,’ he added. ‘So it’s always different equipment on Saturday that we’re hitting ourselves with. And I love that. I love using different equipment.’
The rest of his week looks like this: ‘So, Monday is like chest, shoulders and triceps. Tuesday is back and bis. And Wednesday is legs. We do ‘death row’ every Wednesday because we’re in town. Death row is at my gym – it’s the nastiest line of leg machines that you can do. And then Saturday we do everything.’
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.
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