There’s a stable probability that when NewsNation Decision Desk 2024 completes its seven-hour broadcast early Wednesday morning, Chris Cuomo nonetheless received’t be sure who our subsequent president might be. In that case, whereas many states will nonetheless be counting ballots the subsequent day, information media’s most powerfully constructed energy participant might 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 not too long ago grow to be one in every 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 right this moment 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 relation to health priorities, self-importance now shares equal billing with longevity. Strolling and different new mindset methods have performed a task in redefining Cuomo as a extra well-rounded wellness professional.
“At my age, health is about doing much less extra typically,” he says. “And likewise you need to undertake boring modalities. You must stroll, and you need to discover a cause to love strolling, and strolling quick.
A give attention to 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 could be seen this Tuesday night time when he cohosts NewsNation Decision DeskC 2024—has given the community a constant increase in scores. On Tuesday night time, he’ll be cohosting the community’s election protection.
Though election night time stands out as the exception, Cuomo is never seen today sporting a tie, which provides off a extra relaxed vibe as he comfortably settles into his new solo spot on NewsNation. Nevertheless, Cuomo attributes the casual look as extra of a necessity—it’s important to keep away from the discomfort of getting a tie tightly wrapped round his thick neck. “My boss tells me frequently that I look too large,” he says.
However, whilst his wellness repertoire expands, Cuomo nonetheless stays the weightroom warrior who dabbles in searching, fishing, and can by no means be too shy throw all the way down to defend a member of the family. In different phrases, in Cuomo’s world, a great pump nonetheless beats political TV protocol.
“We stay in a world of the beta male proper now in media,” Cuomo says. “You don’t see lots of guys my dimension 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 defend myself and others.”
Chris Cuomo Now Trains for the Lengthy Recreation
Strolling is probably not the head of Cuomo’s coaching evolution, nevertheless it very properly could characterize a seismic shift in his muscle mindset relationship again to his teenage days. Rising up in Queens, Cuomo was no completely different than some other highschool athlete searching for the eye of faculty scouts. So as 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 needed.
“[In high school] I used to be strolling round with two pairs of pants on in order that my legs would look thick,” Cuomo recollects. “Now I’ve acquired child pores and skin from my groin to my knees as a result of my legs have been rubbing a lot again then. That’s the best way God laughs at us.”
Since shedding a number of layers, the previous Yale rugby athlete has prided himself on taking a shot at a complete big selection of health disciplines—from bodybuilding style training to martial arts to finishing a triathlon. He even had a brief stint as a fitness writer 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 may very well be the explanation 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 in an effort to keep away from pointless injury that might maintain him away from coaching. He additionally says the adjustment helps maintain him as ready as attainable within the occasion a scenario will get uncontrolled. “It’s all about practicality,” he says. “What’s going to occur in my life? How do I do away with that threat instantly? It’s simply drill, drill, drill, so if, God forbid, one thing occurs, it’s one thing I’ve finished 1,000 instances.”
Within the weightroom, full-body exercises have grow to be one of many major parts of Cuomo’s self-programmed coaching routine. He’ll incorporate dumbbells, kettlebells, you title it—and bang out presses, squats, in fact biceps curls. His coaching concept is to try to hit each main muscle group in a exercise. This enables him to get the work finished in a shorter, extra environment friendly method, permitting him to get well faster and maintain going. “At our age, you started working at this age, nothing comes straightforward 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 cut back on working. (“My soleus can’t take the pounding,” he says. Cuomo is, nonetheless, planning on including dash work to his coaching in an effort to keep explosiveness at his superior age. “You may have to have the ability to exert energy, so you must 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 grow to be so divisive and polarizing in 2024? In line with Cuomo, it’s not as a lot about political philosophy as individuals might imagine. As an alternative, it could 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 continually immersing us in all of this stuff we don’t management. The era earlier than us had us considering our brains have been fried on two to a few hours of tv a day. I’ve by no means binged a single day in my life as a lot media as my youngsters absorb each day.”
Cuomo is properly 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. Nevertheless at instances the trash discuss 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 adore it 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. Loads of it’s going to be exaggerated. So it’s vital for me to search 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 every day walks are only one ingredient in serving to him restore optimum cognitive vitality ranges. He additionally begins his mornings by learning philosophy from all spectrums. Cuomo is cool with reciting something from historic stoicism to quoting beast mode soccer icons.
“Marshawn Lynch gave us an incredible phrase—your ‘mentals,’” he says. “You bought to handle your mentals. And that’s about strolling, exercising the mind, studying philosophy. It’s about occupied with why you proceed to f**ok up in the identical conditions, or why you repeat errors.”
He’s swapped out alcohol—largely as a result of it doesn’t go properly along with his prescribed long-COVID medicines. As a replacement 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 gentle, and I actually adore it.”
Serving to him in his journey has been his spouse, Cristina. As a wellness professional 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 numerous types of meditation.
Nevertheless, a very powerful 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 scores since his arrival two years in the past. He additionally has a YouTube collection, the Chris Cuomo Project, wherein he’ll focus on, along with politics, well being, wellness, diet, even self-motivation ideas.
At NewsNation, which manufacturers itself as an outlet for impartial voters, his present usually characteristic 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 largely 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 period. 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 good thing about what I do.”
Along with his position, nonetheless, comes an unwritten assure that a minimum of 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 go well with, and even independent analysis concerning 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 fashionable—you are usually not a star,” he says. “You aren’t supported by your followers. If you’re saying what they like, they such as you. If 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 business 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 could 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 may very well be demanding, however for Cuomo, the haters won’t ever get in the best way 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 greatest self. That’s why we’re all right here.”