Michael Jai White revealed his secret to elite athleticism at 58 on the Men’s Health 'Strong Talk' podcast. He prioritizes acceleration over heavy weights to maintain speed.

During a podcast with Men’s Health’s Strong Talk on May 13^th, White delved into a candid discussion with Ebenezer Samuel and Dr. Pat Davidson about the training that goes into maintaining his explosive power at this age. What he revealed may come as a surprise to many.

“I’d be on a Smith machine, and I’d throw the bar up, instead of going slow. I was always working on my fast-twitch and my most dominant muscle groups by hitting the explosion of it and also training that muscle," White explains.

He goes on to elucidate how he trains explosively, even while using traditional weight machines and bodybuilding workouts. This helps not only improve speed but also raw power. Furthermore, he tells audiences how he would activate his fast-twitch muscle fibers by pushing upwards rather than focusing on slow movements with heavier weights.

White admitted that his approach to lifting weights initially was misinformed. He assumed that training with weights would make him slow or stiff. However, after he watched athletes like Joe Louis and his approach to strength training, he quickly realized the truth.

Soon, White began using strength training to his advantage, helping him enhance his martial arts and gain raw strength, stability, and balance.

This mindset comes naturally for him, coming from a martial arts background. Moving fast, reacting quickly, and staying fit are primary, and he focuses on that aspect of training, rather than looking muscular.

To achieve this without losing mobility, White has a specific training method that he has been using for years.

What We Can Learn From Michael Jai White- How to Train Explosively Without Losing Mobility

White’s training philosophy is a reminder to everyone that fitness goes beyond building muscle. Instead of trying to lift heavier weights slowly, training like White, using speed and controlled power, can be beneficial in the long run.

Host Samuel also agrees with White’s philosophy, saying, “My favorite formula ever when it comes to fitness is force equals mass times acceleration.”

Although many people misunderstand this to mean that you need to lift heavy weights slowly, this isn’t the case. In athletic training, however, lifting a lighter weight fast with intent can be much more helpful in growing strength and balance sustainably.

For everyday people, this can be a game-changer. Now, instead of focusing on lifting heavier weights, you can try to lift lighter weights, taking inspiration from White.

Does this change the way you look at strength training? Let us know in the comments below!

Follow Bodybuilding Bros for more such updates.

Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil