Fitness is a lifestyle that constantly evolves-- just ask former Olympian Jake Dalton. As a retired gymnast, the Reno-born athlete is now a rising entrepreneur and public figure. With a fierce commitment to health, wellness and strength-training, Jake is an influential force in the world of bodybuilding.
The team at Rocky Mountain Barber Company couldn’t wait to learn more about Jake’s story-- not only because of his athletic resume, but because of his strong, focused mindset. We’re deeply invested in trendsetting role models like Jake who inspire healthy living. We interviewed him about his background and daily routine to learn from this well-rounded champion.
Q: Your parents owned the gymnastics club you trained at while growing up. What was that like? Did it add pressure or make training easier for you?
It was amazing. I loved growing up in the gym. There were some challenges where I felt like we lived there because we almost did, with the amount of hours we spent there, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. They really did everything they could to make the training atmosphere the best they could for me. I wouldn’t say it added any more pressure because I always put a lot of pressure on myself, so I don't think it added any more.
Jake represented the United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Since retiring, his days demand a different kind of grind. His goals have become less about performing against pressure and more about self-exploration. Spending more time as an outdoorsmen, Jake’s life is an action-packed journey of discovery. He infuses his push-hard mindset into all his adventures, whether it’s camping with wifey or making new training videos for KM Kaged Muscle, an elite supplement line.
Q: You're officially retired from gymnastics, but fitness is still a huge part of your daily life. How has your approach to exercise/training changed?
Yes I love working out and training. The main thing that has changed is that I can venture out on my training. I recently got into Olympic lifting, which has been really fun. Before, I always had to make sure my training was gymnastics-specific and I didn’t want to do something that would make my gymnastics worse. So now I can venture out and learn some new things and have some more fun. I also have more flexibility now where training is not the number-one most important thing, so that has been nice too.
Through this flexible approach to training, Jake’s workout programs feature a diverse set of skills from a range of genres. His exercise strategies span across Olympic lifting, gymnastics training and crossfit, creating an undefined workout style with a cool cocktail of challenges. Currently, Jake also has a kickass YouTube channel, documenting his day-to-day fitness lifestyle and workout tutorials.
Q: Are you able to tell us a bit about your experience with American Ninja Warrior? How did you do and how much did your experience as a gymnast help?
American Ninja Warrior was a crazy and amazing experience. I found out about 30 days before I was accepted to be on the show. So it's a fast ride but really fun. The crazy part is filming so late at night so that was new and the obstacles in real life are much bigger than I thought!
Before appearing on American Ninja Warrior, Jake posted YouTube videos about his mobility training preparations. While conditioning himself for the course, Jake takes us through his shoulder and arm workouts. So for those who don’t have access to a ninja gym, you can achieve a similar experience by following Jake’s intense circuit workout. You can check out the video below:
When browsing through his videos, you might be in store for one of Jake’s health talks. The style of his videos are mellow yet informative and valuable. As an honorable mention, we’ll applaud his meal prep efforts and his noble attempt at making a nutritious egg Mcmuffin.
Q: Some of your interests outside gymnastics include camping and hiking. What are some of your favorite places you've been able to discover and explore while camping and hiking?
Yes, I love getting outdoors now. I haven’t been able to do as many as I would like yet, but my favorite hike right now is Mt. Rose up by Lake Tahoe. We try to do that once every year now. But I love getting out anywhere we go camping and just exploring.
Q: What's your morning routine look like (i.e. wake up, hit the gym, walk the dog etc.)?
Wake up and go to the fitness gym. Then I come home and get some work done at my house, whether that’s editing YouTube videos, social media content or emails for our gymnastics club. I’ll usually take my dogs out on a walk in the trails on the mountains nearby, then I will head into our gymnastics club and help manage that. Then a few times a week, I go to our Olympic lifting gym with my wife and get in another workout. Then we head home, have some dinner and finish any work I may need to get done, and we like to wind down catch up on some Netflix and get some sleep.
Q: What’s your favorite RMBC product and why?
I love the beard oil right now. It’s pretty dry out here in Nevada with the winter so the oil has been great to keep my beard soft!
Being an outdoor-adventures guy, Jake’s skin and scruff often deals with the wilderness: wind, rain and blazing heat. To maintain his looks and fresh undercut, he prefers to use natural RMBC products as part of his pure lifestyle. Hassle-free and effective, just like his style, Jake values high standards in all areas of his routines, be it exercise, diet and even grooming.
Q: What can fans expect to see from you in 2019?
A lot more fitness! I’ll be helping out at some fitness camps, which are really fun. I teach some gymnastics stations at those. I also have plans on starting my patreon account to include more behind the scenes and exclusive content for some fans. I think that will be extremely fun to be able to provide some more exclusive content / community with them.
Pushing the limits of your potential, both physically and mentally, is an ongoing journey. And so, we raise a drink to Jake Dalton, celebrating his athletic achievements and the ones yet to come. The hustle never ends when pursuing greatness.
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