Jeff Cavaliere is widely known for his immensely successful YouTube channel. He is also a fitness expert as well as a personal trainer. But before the social media fame, Cavaliere worked as the head physical therapist at NYC Mets.
He has authored several workout books and worked with celebrities such as David Beckham, Terrell Owens, David Wright, and Rafael Nadal.
Who Is Jeff Cavaliere?
He was born in Connecticut, where he also grew up. Cavaliere realized that he had a passion for fitness at an early age, and he looked up to bodybuilders, wrestlers, and action stars who had shredded physiques.
Cavaliere joined the gym for the first time after entering high school. His goal was to improve his physique to become better at his hobby sports such as soccer and baseball. In college, he became a New York Mets fan and worked on his dream to work as a physical therapist in this industry.
Cavaliere has a BA in physio neurobiology from the University of Connecticut, plus a Master’s Degree in Physical Fitness. Further, he has certifications in strength and conditioning.
He worked for three years as the head of physical therapy and assistant strength coach for New York Mets. However, he resigned because the travel demands of the job were taking a toll on him, and he was also newly married.
Upon this resignation in 2009, Cavaliere shifted his focus and energy into authoring workout books and created a training system that has grown to become one of the most famous online fitness guides.
He currently works as a coach working with some of the top-tier athletes. Due to the pandemic, he has shifted to online coaching. He also has a line of supplements.
Cavaliere is also a writer for Men’s Fitness. He posts videos on matters around fitness on his YouTube channel that has more than 12 million subscribers and is considered an influencer. He works using the brand name AthLEAN-X.
Jeff Cavaliere Workout Routine
Cavaliere used to be skinny as a child. With the help of his father, he began his transformation journey. Cavaliere doesn’t start his workouts early because he wakes up at around 8 am. He also doesn’t work out for hours, only spending 45 minutes a day.
Below is a brief on how his chest and back workout routines look like.
Chest Workout
He includes six exercises for his chest routine. Each involves three to four sets of 6 – 15 reps. Some of the chest workout exercises he does include:
- Barbell benchpress
- Band crossover or horizontal cable
- Inclined bench press
- Weighted dip
- Weighted push-ups
- Band crossover push-ups
Back Workout
- Warmup deadlifts
- Weighted chin-ups
- Wide grip pullups
- 2 – 3, 10 – 12 Barbell dead rows
- 2-3, 10 – 12 alternative high cable row
- Barbell shrug ladder
Jeff Cavaliere Body Home Workout
Cavaliere has workout programs for everyone though he primarily works with celebrity athletes. He personalizes workout schedules and diet plans for his clients and follow-up on progress.
His workouts can be done at home or the gym with limited equipment. All you need is to be determined.
He recommends 2 – 3 rounds of the below exercises, following each for a minute with the maximum possible number of reps. A pair of rounds will take around 35 minutes. Here are the workout exercises recommended by Jeff Cavaliere for everyone.
Lower Body Anterior Chain
- Shifting between low box squat and single-leg high. Cavaliere advises beginners to perform high squats while experienced ones should perform low box squats.
- 1.5 bottomed out squats
- Jump squats
Squats are basic, but there have tons of benefits. They can help one burn fat while building muscles. In addition, squats strengthen the core, lower back, and legs, therefore, improving flexibility and preventing injuries.
Upper Body Pushups
He recommends two versions of upper body exercises depending on whether one is an expert or beginner.
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Power push away | Handstand push-up |
Knee cobra push-ups | Cobra push-up |
Knee rotational push-ups | Rotational push-up |
If you want to build body strength, push-ups are one of the best and most effective methods. They work on the biceps, chest muscles, and shoulders. However, push-ups need to be done correctly. Else, they can lead to injuries.
Upper Body Pull
Just as with the upper body push-ups, Cavaliere recommends two types of upper body pulls depending on one’s experience level. These exercises are effective in the building, plus strengthening arms, back muscles, and shoulders.
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Sitting pull up | Normal pull up |
Bodyweight sliding pulldown | Human pullover |
Inverted chin curl | Inverted chin curl |
Lower Body Posterior Chain
This exercise focuses on lunges. Lunges are an effective method of building muscles and strength besides toning the physique. Lunges involve several muscles, including hamstrings, calves, abs, quadriceps, back muscles, and abs.
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Alternate kickstand heel touch squat | Alternate single-leg heel touch squat |
Alternate sprinter lunge | Alternate sprinter lunge |
High pylo sprinter lunge | Low pylo sprinter lunge |
Core Circuit
A strong core is vital for everyone doing intense workouts. He recommends reverse corkscrew, levitation, and black widow knee slide.
Jeff Cavaliere’s workout plan can be adopted by almost everyone; adjust the routine to fit your needs and level of expertise.
Jeff Cavaliere Diet Plan
Cavaliere is quite strict with his diet plan. He believes that abs are made in the kitchen.
As such, he eat six meals a day to keep his body energized. His mainly comprise of lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. However, he also eats carbs that are healthy and high in fibre and nutrients.
Cavaliere also takes protein shakes daily, and his favorite drink is sparkling water. He eats whole, natural foods, vegetables, eggs, fruits, chicken, fish, beans, pumpkin, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, whole grains, and greek yogurt.
Jeff Cavaliere Diet Plan Guiding Principles
Timing Is Vital
This certified physical therapist eats after every few hours. He believes that doing soo keeps his metabolism high and his energy levels up. His protein shakes, and meals are timed to give his body optimal nutrition, high energy, and quick muscle recovery.
Powerful Breakfast
Cavaliere believes in the power of having a powerful breakfast. He feeds his body with everything it needs in the morning to get his day started right. His contains skim milk, fruits, pumpkin oatmeal, and scrambled eggs.
Light Sacking
Simple snacks in between meals keep his energy up and help hinder fatigue. He snacks a day thrice.
Light Lunch and Dinner
He often eats chicken for lunch with veggies and complex carbs such as whole wheat and sweet potatoes. As so dinner, he switches the chicken with fish. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce swelling while facilitating a night of better sleep.
Hydration
To him, drinking plain water feels like a chore. He opts for sparkling water, which he finds easier to drink. He says that it is the easiest way for him to ensure that he drinks enough water daily. However, his sparkling water should not be flavored or have any additives.
Now that we know, what guides the choice of meals Jeff Cavaliere decides to have and the foods he eats, let’s have a look at what his meals often look like.
Breakfast at 8: 30 am
- Kiwi Slices
- Pumpkin oatmeal
- Scrambled eggs and salsa
- Skimmed milk
Snack at 11 am
- Protein shake containing strawberries and a banana
Lunch at 1:45 pm
- Cajun grilled chicken wrap plus sundried tomatoes, hot sauce, and grilled vegetables
- Greek Yoghurt
- Sparkling Water
Snack at 4 pm
- Onion soup, black beans, and vegetable soup
- Sparkling water
Dinner at 7 pm
- Grilled Cajun asparagus
- Sesami tuna steak
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Sparkling water
After Workout Snack at 10 pm
- Protein shake
What He Avoids
- Refined Sugar
- Processed Foods
- Junk Food
- GMO Food
- Trans Fats
- Artificial Ingredients
- Chemical Additives
Jeff Cavaliere’s Supplements
Cavaliere has a line of supplements under his brand name AthLEAN-X. Here is a list of the supplements he takes to achieve his physique.
Pre Workout. His pre-workout supplements contain tyrosine, beta-alanine, electrolytes, I-citrulline malate, and caffeine. They help him achieve optimal performance during his workouts, enhance his endurance levels, and help him stay focused, especially during intense workouts.
Post Workout. His after-workout protein contains proteins from egg whites and whey, and also betaine and creatine. This supplement helps him recover faster and build stronger muscles.
BCAAS. This supplement is quite known among athletes and bodybuilders due to its effectiveness in aiding muscle growth, improving stamina, and reducing post-workout body soreness, therefore, speeding up recovery.
Omega 3s. Cavaliere emphasizes the essence of Omega-3s. Even though his diet is high in fish, he still takes fish oil to bridge any deficit gap. Fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties and enhances brain health. Besides, it can also improve energy levels and help with weight loss.
Joint Recovery. Intense workouts expose body muscles and joints to wear and tear. Due to this, Cavaliere takes joint recovery supplements containing hyaluronic acid, chondroitin, Boswellia, winged treebine root, and glucosamine.
Muscle Recovery. His muscle recovery contains leucine and glutamine together with other ingredients that promote lean muscle growth, quick recovery, and boost immunity. He often takes this supplement 30 minutes before his bedtime.
Conclusion
Eating right and exercising don’t come easy. It takes determination, hard work, and dedication. There will be days when one is likely to be tempted to opt-out. But, people like Jeff Cavaliere are proof that it is possible and it can be done.
Cavaliere’s diet plan and workout routine are not complicated. They can be easily achieved without straining. For instance, his workout routine doesn’t require any special equipment. If you are inspired to follow Jeff Cavaliere’s diet plan and workout routine, take time to model it to fit into your schedule.
Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is through constantly challenging yourself.