So his day is organised down to the second. He has exactly 90 seconds to make it from Live to On Air, which is why the radio studio was built right below the Live set. And he has exactly 14 minutes, from 12:02 to 12:16 pm, to eat lunch during an On Air commercial break.
But none of that is on his mind on this Monday afternoon as he sits on a foothpath in the rain, thrashing his arms to make waves with two battle ropes while doing twisting sit-ups. He grimaces only after his set. “Man, they’re heavy when they’re wet,” he says.
Not that it bothers him. Workouts like this one at Dogpound, one of Seacrest’s favourite Manhattan gyms, are precisely what keep him going. The way the 44-year-old sees it, the more he concentrates in the gym, the more energy he’ll have when he leaves it, surfing an endorphin wave the rest of the day and into the next.
“I really have to focus on exercise, as well as eating and sleeping right,” he says, “so that I can make it through the day without being less than energetic, or even falling asleep.”
And TV’s busiest man can never have an off day. He got into training as a kid, partly because he was a “chubby young adolescent” who hated taking off his shirt. But now his workouts are even more important, which is why he aims to do two of them a day. His TV/radio gauntlet wraps up at 2pm, and his first stop is often Gotham Gym, a boxing spot, for 45 minutes of bag work.
Then he heads to Dogpound to meet trainer Rhys Athayde, making sure to leave his phone in his locker. It’s the earliest he can find time to exercise.
Seacrest is disconnected from his jobs when he trains, which ensures that he can have fun. Between sets, he paces about the space, cracks jokes with Athayde, and tells the gym staff to switch up the tunes.
“Turn up that Bublé!” he chirps between reps of cable flies as the Canadian crooner’s “Home” blares across the space. “It sort of eases the brain,” he says.eases the brain,” he says. Seacrest goes hard for the rest of the workout, battling through bench presses one moment, sprinting 200m intervals on a SkiErg the next. He wraps things up by smacking a massive tire with a 10kg sledgehammer. And immediately after the last smack, he shakes a few hands, gives Athayde a hug, then catches a cab.
“Broke a little sweat,” he says. “So I can feel satisfied with that.”
Time to get back to work
Break of Brawn: Seacrest's workout
How does Seacrest train on the road? By taking a run, or by working through hotel-room burners like this seven-minute, no-equipment crusher from Rhys Athayde, his Dogpound trainer. Try it when you need a dumbbell-free sweat.
START BY BURNING FAT IN 3 MINUTES
Do each move for 20 seconds. Do 3 rounds.
1. PUSH-UP
Start in push-up position. Lower your chest nearly to the floor. Push back up.
2. V-UP
Lie on your back, legs straight and arms extended overhead. Raise your legs as high as possible; simultaneously touch your hands to your toes.
3. MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
Set up in push-up position. Keeping your core tight, drive your right knee to your chest, then return to push-up position; repeat with your left knee.
DO THIS 1-MINUTE CORE TORCHER
Start in push-up position, focusing on keeping your core tight. Hold for 30 seconds. Now tense your core even more and lift your right hand; touch it to your left shoulder. Return it to the floor and quickly lift your left hand; touch it to your right shoulder. Repeat this pattern for 30 seconds, fighting any urge to let your hips shift up and down.
FINISH WITH THIS 3-MINUTE BURN
Set a timer for 3 minutes. Try to complete the circuit below as many times as possible. Rest as needed.
1. SQUAT TO TUCK JUMP
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at the knees and hips until your thighs are parallel. Stand back up and jump, tucking your knees to your chest. That’s 1 rep; do 30.
2. BURPEE TO JUMP
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then shift into push-up position and touch your chest to the floor. Stand back up explosively and jump. That’s 1 rep; do 20.
3. PLANK TO PUSH-UP
Start in plank position, core tight. Keeping your hips level, push from your right elbow to your right hand, then do the same on the left side. Do a push-up, then shift back into an elbow plank. That’s 1 rep; do 10 leading with the right hand, then 10 leading with the left.
