Approaching hip-hop's 50th birthday, James Todd Smith, of course more famously known as LL Cool J, has every right to slow down, rest on his laurels, count his money and perhaps even call it quits. After all, contrary to the fact that many hip-hop artists have fairly short careers, the 56-year-old LL has spent over two decades in the limelight, including two Grammy Awards, 11 platinum CDs, a hit TV show and more than 20 feature films.
But instead of winding down, he's still doing music, still acting in TV shows and movies, and even producing a few shows behind the scenes. But reinforcing his status as one of Hollywood's very fittest, he came out with the book LL Cool J's Platinum Workout, collaborating with Scooter Honig, his personal trainer of nearly 10 years.
"Working out is a huge investment in yourself, and it builds equity in your body," says LL. "It helps in all your decisions. It helps you negotiate. It clears your mind. It gives you strength to overcome obstacles. It's a deep thing, you know?"
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One of the reasons LL Cool J looks the way he does is that his trainer combines old-school exercises like bench presses and curls with "cardio blasts" designed to produce maximum results in minimum time. LL’s book blends this unique “combination-platter” approach with free-weight bodybuilding, plyometrics, fighters' moves, calisthenics and endurance training, all designed to build muscles while burning fat. The beauty is that the added muscle and staggered cardio can make you a fat-burning machine, even while sleeping. The net result? One day you might wake up looking like an LL Cool J version of yourself!
Below are excerpted examples of his diet and explosive routines, including the workout schedule and explanations of the key moves.
What Does LL Cool J Eat to Stay Fit?
"Because of my grueling schedule, early in the day," explains LL to the LA Times. "I eat lots of protein and some carbs for energy. Sometimes I have a protein shake for breakfast. I might throw a cup of oatmeal in, and blend it really fine. Other days, I eat protein and vegetables. If I want to “lean out,” I eat a lot more fish. But when I’m filming 'NCIS' and want to bulk up to play Sam Hanna, I add chicken and some steak to my diet."
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Examples of a high-protein diet:
You can usually eat the same foods while bulking or cutting — it’s the amount, not the content, that fluctuates.
- Meats, poultry, and fish: Sirloin steak, ground beef, pork tenderloin, venison, chicken breast, salmon, tilapia, and cod
- Dairy: Yogurt, cottage cheese, low fat milk, and cheese
- Grains: Bread, cereal, crackers, oatmeal, quinoa, popcorn, and rice
- Fruits: Oranges, apples, bananas, grapes, pears, peaches, watermelon, and berries
- Starchy vegetables: Sweet potatoes, corn, green peas, green lima beans, and cassava
- Vegetables: Broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, green beans, cucumber, zucchini, asparagus, peppers, and mushrooms
- Seeds and nuts: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds
- Beans and legumes: Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans
- Oils: Olive oil, flaxseed oil, and avocado oil
"At this point, I'll sit down and eat ice cream and have some apple pie. But I'm also working out all week, and I'm in shape and still burning fat. It's a little different from someone who maybe feels like they are 15 or 30 pounds overweight. They can't cheat yet. Once you get to a certain point, you can kind of live a little bit, and that's a good thing."
What Does LL Cool J's Workout Really Look Like?
Do this circuit plan once a week for a month, replacing your normal chest and biceps sessions. Try upping your poundage and cardio intensity a bit week to week. At the end of the month, go back to your normal training for chest and biceps and use circuits for another part of your body.
Before the workout, warm up for 5 to 10 minutes using a treadmill, a stationary bike, or some other cardio apparatus. Jumping jacks or running in place will also do the trick.
Lastly, when doing a circuit, don't rest between exercises until you finish the last move. Rest for 1 1/2 minutes before doing the same circuit again. Perform both chest/cardio circuits two times each, and do the biceps/cardio circuit three times. Rest 1 1/2 minutes before moving on to the next circuit.
The Circuits
Chest/Cardio Circuit #1
(Perform two sets of each exercise, 10 – 12 reps each set)
Barbell Bench Press
Explosive Pushup
Jump Rope (1 minute at 70% of max heart rate)
Chest/Cardio Circuit #2
(Perform two sets of each exercise, 10 – 12 reps each set)
Barbell Bench Press
Cable Crossover
Treadmill Run (1 minute, 3% incline, at 70% of maximum heart rate)
Hanging Running Man
Bicep/Cardio Circuit
(Perform three sets of each exercise)
Standing Barbell Curl (4 –6 reps)
Preacher Curl (12 – 15 reps)
Mountain Climber (1 minute at 90% of maximum heart rate)
Extra Body Blasting Tip: Hold the fifth or sixth rep of each exercise in the most difficult position for 5 seconds before continuing.
The Moves
Barbell Bench Press
1. Lie face up with your back flat against the bench, unrack the bar, and raise it above you to arm's length.
2. Lower the bar for a count of three, until it touches your upper chest.
3. Without "bouncing" it off your chest, push the weight back up to the starting position for a count of two beats.
Explosive Pushup
1. Begin in the standard pushup position, with your body in alignment, arms extended, and abs tight.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your body until your chest is an inch or so off the ground.
3. Instead of returning to the starting position normally, "explode" back up--imagine trying to push your hands through the floor--with the goal of getting your hands and torso to leave the floor momentarily.
Cable Crossover
1. Stand between cable stacks with your arms extended to the sides, holding stirrup handles attached to the high pulley cables.
2. Step forward about 18 inches, placing one foot in front of the other for balance if needed.
3. Pull the handles in front of you in an arc until they meet at your chest.
4. Squeeze your pecs hard for a count of two.
Hanging Running Man
1. Grasp the handles of any two parallel bars in the gym. (Dip bars are excellent for this movement.)
2. Assume an upright position by extending your arms and locking your elbows. Raise your left knee toward your chest.
3. As you lower your left knee, raise your right knee, as if you're pedaling a bike.
4. If you want an even greater challenge, try doing dips while you're cycling.
Standing Barbell Curl
1. Stand holding a barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, at arm's length against your thighs.
2. Curl the bar up to the front of your shoulders.
3. Lower it.
4. Keep your upper arms stationary and more or less pinned against your sides.
Preacher Curl
1. Sit at a preacher-curl station and plant your feet on the floor. Resting your upper arms on the pad so its top rests snugly against your armpits, reach down and grasp the bar with an underhand grip, locking your wrists so they're in line with your forearms.
2. Keeping your body position tight, raise the bar to the front of your shoulders. Squeeze your guns at the top. Pow!
3. Lower the weight to the starting position without relaxing your biceps.
Mountain Climber
1. Assume the standard pushup position.
2. In one smooth motion, bring your right knee toward the right side of your chest.
3. Without hesitating, bring your left leg forward while extending your right leg back.
4. Continue in alternating fashion, running on the floor like an Olympic sprinter two seconds away from that finish line!
What Makes LL's Workout Different from Everyone Elses?
"It's a lifestyle," explains the legendary MC. "I think that's what separates it from all these quick fixes. You have all of these books that promise great abs in 30 seconds, that promise that you'll be in shape in three easy weeks. You see the results when you see me. I'm a walking billboard and a living witness to the fact that everything in this book is real; it's really been done."
