Sacha Baron Cohen's iconic character, Borat, stays miles away from fitness, but in real life, staying fit is a must for the 54-year-old, and he doesn't mind sharing the secrets with his followers.

While speaking to Men's Fitness UK in July 2025, Cohen opened up about several experiences related to his fitness and also shared his postulates and activities to keep himself ripped even at this age. His celebrity trainer, Alfonso Moretti, opined after their first meet, “He looked like a ruler, straight up and down.” However, he also saw some untapped potential in him.

The Borat star initially feared that his workouts would stretch for hours, but the reality was different. Alfonso kept Cohen on a tight 25-minute HIIT routine.

“In the past, I would’ve thought you needed hour-long sessions,” Cohen told Men’s Fitness. “But the short sessions made it so much easier to stay consistent — even with the demands of being on set.”

Moretti prioritized intensity over duration. Initially, he asked Cohen to start with 100 bodyweight pushups and gradually build a short, highly focused workout program. Alfonso's approach was simple.

• Consistency over duration
• High-effort movements in a short time frame
• Core-focused training
• Minimal equipment, mostly bodyweight

Well, Cohen is not a huge dude, but he maintains a toned physique, and most of his exercises are bodyweight-based. As per him, his favourite workout is X-ups, which challenges the entire body, especially the core.

“I’ve always found core workouts challenging, as I’m blessed with the core strength of an arthritic jellyfish,” he joked. “Being able to do them now is a reminder of how far I’ve come.”

However, is it that easy to get a physique like the Borat star? Well, yes.

Can You Actually Follow Sacha Baron Cohen’s Routine and Get Shredded Too?

The simple answer to this question is a big yes. Most of his workouts are bodyweight-based, and he doesn’t really use weights much. Alfonso is experimenting with calisthenics with Cohen.

“We kept it simple,” Alfonso says. “Bodyweight exercises, pull-ups, push-ups, squats. Minimal equipment. Sacha is very strong – he can do 10-12 solid pull-ups and chin-ups no problem, which for someone 6ft 3in is rare. But by no means would you have looked at him and said, ‘He works out.’”

His diet isn’t complicated either. The Borat star doesn’t count calories; he focuses on getting his nutrition right. “High fibre, low sugar, plenty of protein – nothing fancy, nothing extreme. We didn’t count calories. We focused on smart choices,” said Alfonso.

Well, Sacha Baron Cohen believes in a simple approach to fitness, and it has paid off pretty well. That said, will you be willing to follow his routine?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Souvik Roy