Nick Jonas Is a Sucker for a Simple Dumbbell Workout
NICK JONAS DOES not like cardio. He has a good reason for that, though. Jonas has Type 1 diabetes, and finds it can be a challenge to manage his glucose levels with that type of exercise in the midst of everything else he has going on as a touring musician and actor. He's not just hating on treadmills because he thinks they're boring.
'[Glucose level] not only affects my basic health, but my emotional state, mental state,' Jonas told the MH crew when he dropped by to talk through his experience with fitness and working out. His condition isn't a limiting factor for Jonas; he simply has more variables to consider when he goes about managing his training plan.
Fitness and staying active has always been a part of Jonas's life, whether he was playing sports or appearing in musical theatre productions, which he considered to be similarly beneficial to his health. Once he got older, he started lifting weights – but then was diagnosed with diabetes at age 13. That was difficult for Jonas, who says he lost about 20 pounds in just three weeks shortly afterwards. Thankfully, he was able to build back up to his body, and continues to manage his condition today.
Jonas says another major boon for his fitness experience was the TV show Kingdom, which ran on the Audience Network from 2014 to 2017. He played an MMA fighter, and called the physical prep he underwent for the role 'really intense.' Jonas recalled doing weight training in the morning, followed by cardio and a four-hour training block on MMA mats. 'It was a really fun thing to test myself,' he said of the whole Kingdom experience. 'I am glad that I don't have to train that hard anymore, though.'
Now, Jonas has different fitness needs as a touring musician. He loves yoga and golf, but also values his rest because he knows that he's going to be running around on stage performing for up to three and a half hours, and 'that's a workout enough.' Jonas likes making his training fun by gamifying his workouts – and he said this is a way to bring other people into the activity to make it more social. Those other people are sometimes his brothers (and bandmates), even though he admitted that the trio all have their own preferences. 'Joe likes to be headphones on, getting a real sweat going, and Kevin's more about mobility,' he said.
There is one major inspiration Jonas has that has no bearing on his performing career. 'My current fitness goal is to be able to lift my daughter with ease,' he said. 'As a parent, it's a lot of hip hinges down and can be kind of strenuous on the forearms as she gets older and bigger.'
Check out the video for more details about Jonas's nutrition plan and how he manages his Type 1 diabetes. In the meantime, the musician showed off a simple dumbbell circuit workout from trainer Matt Blank that he uses when he's training in a hotel gym.
Nick Jonas's Dumbbell Circuit Workout
Perform each exercise for 8 reps, then move to the next one with little to no rest. Rest for 70 seconds after completing all five movement. Repeat for 5 total rounds. For extra work, jog or set a treadmill at an incline for a 15 to 30 minute walk.
Pushup
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
Hammer Curl to Shoulder Press
Front Squat
Plank Row
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