Steve Aoki Fitness
How Partying All Over The World Doesn't Stop This Famous DJ From Being Healthy
When people want to get clubbers pumped up, they play Steve Aoki. The DJ is the prolific hit-maker of hi-tempo, drop-heavy EDM that, in short, makes people lose their shit. So it’s surprising to learn that, far from popping molly in the club or even knocking back a few Jägerbombs with the rest of the crowd, Aoki is teetotal.
But that doesn’t make his attitude – or his music – any less breakneck. “At the end of the day, life is energy right?” Aoki tells us. “When you become lethargic you fall into a stagnant place and it’s no fun. Even the idea makes me sad.” This tireless philosophy also explains Aoki’s commitment to fitness – the DJ is a CrossFit fanatic, runs an ‘Aoki Bootcamp’ for his friends, and even requests raw broccoli on his rider.
And, in line with the current generation’s preoccupation with gym-going, fitness trackers and health apps, Aoki says that more and more DJs are spurning drugs and wild behaviour for a cleaner lifestyle. “There’s always going to be hard partying,” he admits. “You can’t take that away from nightlife culture and music, it exists hand in hand. But I do agree that there is a surge of artists [becoming more health-conscious].”
We wanted a peek into the mysterious world of clean living, super successful DJs, so we asked Steve to give us the lowdown on his own diet and training regime.
Teetotal
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"I didn’t really get into drugs but I did use to drink heavy, party and have fun. But in 2009 I made a conscious decision to not be part of it any more, because it’s easier for me to say “I don’t drink” than “I’m not drinking tonight”. Back then I was doing 300 shows a year – if you’re drinking 300 nights a year, you’re pretty much an alcoholic! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a big night, it’s just being responsible."
Training
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"I like those high intensity, interval training sessions. It’s perfect for someone in my world because I don’t really get a chance to build a routine based on sleeping or waking up at a certain time. When I’m touring, it’s really easy for me to land in a random city, jump into a CrossFit gym, power through a 20-30 minute exercise and feel accomplished for the day."
Diet
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"You should see my rider, it’s all healthy. Instead of Oreos and chips, I’d rather surround myself with vegetables and green juices and protein powders. Because if you’re going to grab whatever’s in front of you, you want it to be healthy. When I’m super hungry and I want to have some really heavy food, the first thing I’ll do is eat something that I know is better for my body, and try to eat as much of that [as possible]. Then my craving for something really bad changes because I’ve already fulfilled my appetite."
Supplements
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"There’s a really great supplement I was taking called Celergen for cellular health – I got Diplo on that too. It’s quite expensive but I like anything with the word ‘cell’ in it. That’s what we’re made of, and if you can feed your cells the right stuff to make them robust and strong then you’ll live a longer and happier life."
Aoki Bootcamp
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"I created a challenge system called ‘Aoki Bootcamp’ where we place bets on pushing ourselves to a certain limit, with all the money going to charity. Everyone has their own bar – so you can only do 5 pullups at a time? OK, from now on you have to do 7 and if you can’t reach that, you have to pay £10 to the charity of my choice. I have a little group that travels with me and sometimes I’ll bring other DJs and artists, and enlist them into Aoki Bootcamp. Me and [rapper] Waka Flocka Flame went on tour together and the afterparties weren’t what you expect – they were just pretty much just us working out and having a ‘no carbs on the bus’ rule!"
Music
"I’ve started making these Aoki Bootcamp mixes and I mix in music that I would want to work out to. I feel like it pushes you and gives you energy. The great thing about chart music is it’s all based on keeping a steady beat the entire time, so you can just pick the tempo and be in that world."
Check out Steve Aoki's exclusive AskMen workout playlist above, and his new single with Felix Jaehn "Can't Go Home Like This" featuring Adam Lambert, out now via Relentless. You can also catch Steve's performance at Creamfields 2016 on Sunday 29th August.
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Music
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Training