Gear Behind the Man: Michael Chernow

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Multi-Hyphenate Fitness Pro Michael Chernow Reveals His Go-to Workout Tools

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Welcome to Gear Behind the Man. Here we check in with physical trainers and athletes to discover the gadgets and gear that they’ve come to rely on. Whether you consider the gym your second home or you have aspirations to work out in the near future, let this guide serve as inspiration to elevate your experience.

Being a multi-hyphenate can often serve as a workout in its own right. But when part of your work involves fitness and physical activity directly, it’s a whole different story. This is why we wanted to catch up with the ultimate multi-hyphenate Michael Chernow to discover just how he keeps his body well-fueled and well-conditioned in order to take on the demanding career of a restauranteur, entrepreneur, and fitness personality.

In addition to being the founder of Seamore’s restaurant in NYC, co-founder of The Meatball Shop, co-founder of WellWell functional health beverages, the host of the Born or Made podcast, a bodybuilder, marathon runner, fitness influencer, and family man, Chernow also happens to be launching a fitness training program.

While it’s hard to fathom how one person can take on that many roles and still find the time to eat well and stay active, Chernow is a great example of what commitment, discipline, routine, and no fear of failure can do for the body and mind.

His fitness journey kicked off in 2005. After struggling with alcohol addiction, he was introduced to Muay Thai and fell in love. From there, for 10 years, he’d wake up in the morning, go straight to AA, and then to the gym to train. Now, several years – and numerous commitments – later, he is just as dedicated to his training as he was then.


Michael Chernow’s Workout Tips


  • Morning Is Ideal: Wake up early and work out first thing in the morning, morning training has always set me up for better days. Additionally, the later it gets in the day, the easier it is to procrastinate and potentially skip workouts.
  • Stay Solo: I tend to like to train alone. This way I am actually able to focus, stick to my plan, not waste time talking about what you did last night, etc. Also, when you have a training partner and they cancel or can’t make it, which they do, it tends to throw off timing and potentially even gives you a good reason to not show up as well.
  • Keep Track: Track your workouts, the only way to get better at something is to know the work you are putting in every time and try to progress with every workout. I use the My Workouts + app to track all of my workouts.
  • The Kitchen Counts: There is only one way to SEE results in the gym, and that happens in the kitchen. If you are not eating well, then it really doesn’t matter how much time you put into training, the results you are looking for will all be determined by what you put into your body. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a burger, fries, ice cream, or cookies, but if you are doing it all the time you don’t stand a chance reaching your goals.

I track my macros. That is not for everyone, however, I am very happy to make the sacrifice and do it because I know it’s really the only way I can get the results I want, which is to look and feel good. I use My Fitness Pal to track my macros.


RELATED: Best Exercise Bikes for Home


Michael Chernow’s Go-To Fitness Gear


Ladder Sport Plant-Based Protein Powder

Ladder Sport Plant-Based Protein Powder

I don’t have the strongest stomach when it comes to digestion, I don’t do dairy or gluten well, so I stay away from both. I have tried MANY plant-based proteins, and Ladder Sport is without a doubt the best protein I have used, and I use a ton of it.

$35 at Amazon.com

Rogue Echo Bike

Rogue Echo Bike

To complete my garage, I purchased a Rogue Echo bike. I have a love-hate relationship with it. I use the bike for most of my cardio these days, and whether it’s HIIT (high-intensity interval training) or LISS (low-intensity steady state) the bike gets the job done and is made with serious craftsmanship and also happens to look really cool in my gym.

$775 at RogueFitness.com

Athletics Greens Powder

Athletics Greens Powder

I have been using Athletic Greens for years, it is the first thing I put into my body every morning as a way to make sure I am getting the vitamins and minerals we all need to ensure health and wellness.

$97 at Amazon.com

Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells

Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells

I have been using these space-saving dumbbells forever. I get from 5lbs to 52.5lbs dumbbells in a very small space, they have never failed me, and they allow me to get an amazing workout in if I have nothing else around.

Prices vary at Amazon.com

Jaybird Vista Wireless Ear Pods

Jaybird Vista Wireless Ear Pods

Amazing quality ear pods that actually stay in my abnormally small ears. The sound quality and noise-canceling ability are second to none. I have tried many many ear pods and have yet to have a problem with these. I listen to audiobooks/podcasts and, of course, music when I train, I cherish the ability to consume content during my gym time, the Jaybirds make this a seamless experience.

$159.99 at Amazon.com

Whoop

Whoop

I am a huge fan of Whoop. It is a fitness tracker that tells me more about my recovery than my training. I don’t need a tool to tell me how hard I’ve trained, I know I train hard, the beauty of Whoop is that it tells me how well I’ve recovered. Recovery is essential for anyone looking to optimize their fitness and wellness goals, Whoop gives me all the data and guidance to crush my goals…. If I listen to it.

Find out more at Whoop.com

Ten Thousand Apparel

Ten Thousand Apparel

Ten Thousand is a men’s fitness apparel brand that simply makes the best gear period. The best quality, the best fits, and the best technology to last a long time. I only wear Ten Thousand shorts to train in and being that I train six days a week, what I wear means a lot to me.

Find out more at TenThousand.cc

Powerdot Muscle Stimulator

Powerdot Muscle Stimulator

I use Powerdot every day, it is an at-home, easy-to-use muscle stim system that helps me recover from my intense workouts. Now that I am working from home and am sitting at the desk a lot, I use Powerdot a ton. I use it all over my body and it seems to help me out a lot with any fatigue I incur while training.

$349 at Amazon.com

Normatec Compression Boots

Normatec Compression Boots

Normartec is another recovery tool I use regularly. For years I would only use them in some gyms where they were available, but about six months ago I invested in a pair for myself. When I am reading, emailing, or watching Netflix, I throw on the boots and let them work their magic.

From $995 at Amazon.com

Black Magic BZRK Pre-Workout and EAA

Black Magic BZRK Pre-Workout and EAA

I am shamelessly a fan of a strong pre-workout supplement. BZRK is a STRONG pre-workout supplement, but it uses ingredients that I can stand behind. It is a small boutique supplements company developed by a chemist, I just love the stuff, and the flavors! Its sister company Chemix is also a great supplement company. I never have a crash from using its products and the EAA formula is fantastic.

$44.99 at Suppz.com

Vans Authentic Sneakers

Vans Authentic Sneakers

I have loved Vans sneakers for as long as I can remember. I love them for almost anything, however, I have found them to be the best and most comfortable training shoes to wear when lifting weights. Outside of squatting, only because I use squatting shoes, I wear Vans Authentic’s in the gym. They have flat, rubber souls, a simple canvas upper and get better with age.

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