When it comes to spitting lyrics and being an absolute menace on the mic, there’s nobody quite like Eminem.

The legend born as Marshall Bruce Mathers III has been one of the best-selling music artists to ever live with a huge fan base worldwide.

Throughout his career, the real Slim Shady has faced many struggles - from addiction to obesity.

Thankfully, today, Eminem's both sober and lean, managing to keep his 5-foot-7-inch frame at a healthy 150 pounds.

How does he do it and can you do the same? Well, one glance at Eminem’s gym routine and diet should give you a good idea!

Eminem's Workout Program Explained

When it comes to Eminem's workout routine, there's no doubt that he takes his training seriously.

He works out six days a week, for at least an hour or two, making sure to focus on different muscle groups each day.

As he says,

“I needed to figure out a way to function sober. It's easy to understand how people replace addiction with exercise. One addiction for another." 

So it's no wonder he works out hard even if he has a crazy week. Guess his "insanity" won this round.

Early on, Eminem's workout routine consisted of workout DVDs, including "P90X", "Body Beast," and Shaun T's "Insanity."

"I do the Body Beast workout with free weights, bench, and pull-up bar at home. It's just me, so it helps that the Body Beast dude is over-the-top.", said Em.

It’s these exercises that have helped him form the foundation for what he does now - train for strength and endurance, focusing on each part of his body.

As evident by his upper body, Eminem focuses heavily on his bodyweight chest exercises, arms and back exercises with dumbbells.

While he isn't the biggest fan of pull-ups, he does incorporate chin-ups in his sessions to hit both his biceps, lats, and upper back.

He's not a stranger to cardio exercises either, which is not surprising, seeing how he used to run eight and a half miles in about an hour, twice a day, when he first embarked on his fitness journey.

Overall, the Eminem workout routine is fairly straightforward, aiming to train different muscle groups each day, utilizing both free weights and bodyweight exercises, such as tricep bodyweights exercises and bicep bodyweight exercises, as well as boxing.

At first, he wasn't too keen on boxing, but he claims that the discipline required to box helped him get into the proper mental state.

And with that in mind, how does Eminem work out? We have some ideas.

Monday – Back & Biceps (Sets: 4-6, Reps: 10-15)

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Deadlifts

4

10

30-35 secs

Lat pulldowns

4

10

30-35 Secs

Cable rows

4

10

30-35 Secs

T-bar row

4

10

30-35 Secs

EZ-bar curls

4

10

30-35 Secs

Hammer curls

4

10

30-35 Secs

Reverse barbell curls

4

10

30-35 Secs

Chin-ups

4

10

30-35 Secs

Tuesday – Chest & Triceps (Sets: 3-5, Reps 8-12)

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Barbell bench press

3

8

30-35 Secs

Incline dumbbell fly

3

8

30-35 Secs

Bar dips

3

8

30-35 Secs

Cable crossover

3

8

30-35 Secs

Dumbell skull crushers

3

8

30-35 Secs

Cable row tricep pushdown

3

8

30-35 Secs

Cable overhead extension

3

8

30-35 Secs

Cable standing high cross triceps extension

3

8

30-35 Secs

Wednesday – Legs & Thighs (Sets: 4 to 7, Reps 8-15)

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

15 to 20 minutes on the treadmill

4

8

30-35 Secs

Stiff leg deadlifts

4

8

30-35 Secs

Goblet squats

4

8

30-35 Secs

Dumbbell reverse lunges

4

8

30-35 Secs

Dumbbell lateral lunges

4

8

30-35 Secs

Bulgarian split squats

4

8

30-35 Secs

Box jumps

4

8

30-35 Secs

Squat thrusts

4

8

30-35 Secs

Thursday – Shoulders (Sets: 3-5, Reps: 5-10)

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Dumbbell side lateral raise

3

5

30-35 Secs

Wrap-around rear delt row

3

5

30-35 Secs

Pike push-ups

3

5

30-35 Secs

Dumbbell front lateral raise

3

5

30-35 Secs

Seated dumbbell press

3

5

30-35 Secs

Upright row

3

5

30-35 Secs

Barbell Shoulder raise

3

5

30-35 Secs

The Urlacher

3

5

30-35 Secs

Friday – Cardio training

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

High Knees

5

20 on alternating sides

30 seconds

Kettlebell Swing

5

10

10 seconds

Shuffle jump tucks

5

15

10 seconds

Pencil jump

45 Seconds 

To Failure

30 seconds

Plank Get-up

5

10 on alternating arms

30 seconds

Saturday – Core Training (Sets: 5, Reps: 5)

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Hanging Knee Raise

5

5

30-35 Secs

Ab rollout

5

5

30-35 Secs

Oblique crunches

5

5

30-35 Secs

Planks

5

5

30-35 Secs

Push-ups to jackknife

5

5

30-35 Secs

Hollowman

5

5

30-35 Secs

Med ball side toss

5

5

30-35 Secs

KB Swing

5

5

30-35 Secs

Superman pulls

5

5

30-35 Secs

Sunday – Rest

Eminem - The Brief Story

What do you call someone that has transformed the way people see hip hop? A rap god? A hit record producer?

You can call him all those things, and you'd still be right. He's all of the above.

Personal Life

Marshall's upbringing was anything but ideal; his relationship with his mother was horrible, his marriage failed miserably, many of his friends were no longer around, and his struggles with addiction certainly didn't make his life easier. In 2007, he overdosed.[1]

We know how the saying goes, though, diamonds are made in the dirt.

Nowadays, Eminem is one of the best-selling music artists of all time and easily the most influential musician of the 2000s.

Rapper

Throughout his prolific career, Eminem has put out 11 studio albums - counting the "Infinite" from 1996, which pretty much no one has ever heard.

On top of those, he also collaborated with D12 on two of their albums, has released an album with Royce da 5'9", and has also released a compilation album and two soundtrack albums.

Fourteen of these were #1 on Billboard 200 charts, and in albums, he's second only to Jay-Z, with 10 consecutive number-one studio albums on Billboard's charts.

In 2013, he had eight albums in the Top 200 - at the same time.

On top of that, he has released countless top-ten singles and has won many awards, but more on that later.

Current Body Stats

Stat

Measurement

Height

5’7”

Weight

150 lbs

Age

50

Biceps

15 inches

Waist

32 inches

Chest

43 inches

Eminem shirtless

Eminem’s Training and Workout Principles

For Eminem, it was all about weight loss and getting his mind off the pills after he got out of rehab.

According to Eminem himself, his workouts early on were borderline obsessive.

He compulsively counted calories and did absolutely everything in his power to burn 2000 calories, per day, through exercise only.

He started running 17 miles each day on a treadmill, leading to rapid weight loss, but also some hip and joint discomfort.

Thankfully, after he lost 80 pounds, his approach took a turn.

The Eminem workout routine and his training and workout principles have long evolved from mindless running for a natural endorphin high and into a proper regime targeting all major muscle groups.

From what we know, the main principle Eminem lives, creates, and trains by is that "consistency is key."

In other words, you won't catch Eminem skipping workouts or taking a five day break because he feels sore or isn't in the mood.

After all, that is the reason he's maintained his body weight and elevated his fit body image over the last 15 years.

Eminem Before And After

Accomplishments, Awards & Nominations

You could probably write a book outlining Eminem's achievements over the last 25 years. But, since we don't have the time for that, here's a brief outline of his more-than-illustrious career.

Over 220 Million Albums Sold Worldwide

  • The Marshall Mathers LP - 2000 - RIAA: Diamond, 11x Platinum
  • The Eminem Show - 2022 - RIAA: Diamond, 12x Platinum

Academy Award

  • Best Original Song - Lose Yourself - 2003

15 Grammy Awards

  • Best Rap Album - The Slim Shady LP - 2000
  • Best Rap Solo Performance - The Real Sleep Shady - 2001
  • Best Rap Song - Lose Yourself - 2003

17 Billboard Music Awards

  • Artist of the Decade - 2009
  • Album of the Year - The Eminem Show - 2002
  • Top Rap Album - The Marshall Mathers LP 2 - 2014

And countless others…[2]

Eminem Receiving an Award at an Event

Eminem Diet Plan – What Does He Eat?

Unlike many other celebrities and their outlandish diet, Eminem likes to keep things clean and simple.

Eminem avoids alcohol, sugars, and trans fats, and is feeding his body with essential nutrients.

Breakfast

For breakfast, Eminem likes to treat himself to an egg white omelet with a green beverage on the side. Sometimes that's a kale smoothie, and other times some kind of green juice.

Lunch

For lunch, Eminem likes to get his protein in. You'll often see him eat a piece of turkey or chicken breast alongside some grilled veggies.

You could also see some high-protein tacos or Italian food, like spaghetti Bolognese, on his plate during lunchtime.

Snacks

Snacks are a big part of the Eminem workout routine and diet regime. They're light and nutritious, as Em usually likes to snack on fruits and seeds or have a glass of blueberry juice or coffee.

Dinner

Dinner's protein-dense, just like lunch. Grilled meat, steaks, or some kind of Italian dish like risotto with Saffron or chicken breast.

What To Go For

  • Kale
  • Eggs
  • Grilled Meat
  • Steaks
  • Smoothies

What To Avoid

  • Sugary Drinks
  • Refined Carbs
  • Additional Additives
Eminem Eating Spaghetti at his Restaurant Mom's Spaghetti

What Supplements Does Eminem Take?

Let's talk about the supplements that allow Eminem to keep his fit and rugged physique.

  • Multivitamin
    The first supplement on the list is a multivitamin. Eminem's workout routine and diet are clean and healthy, but even the healthiest of diets can't provide all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
  • Omega-3s
    Fatty acids are essential for maintaining a healthy body, and omega-3s are some of the most important. They're great for your heart, skin, hair, and nails, and they also reduce inflammation.
  • Kava Kava
    Trouble sleeping is common with an addict's brain, which is why Eminem enjoys the Kava Kava herb, which has been shown to help with reducing anxiety and stress and therefore help cope with insomnia.
  • Passion Flower
    Another supplement beneficial for promoting relaxation and healthy sleep is the passion flower. Since you can't rely on sleep medication as a former addict, the sedative effects of natural remedies like this one are absolutely vital.
  • Magnesium
    Maintaining proper electrolyte balance is essential for energy production, muscle health, and overall nerve function, which is why magnesium is such an important supplement for Em.

Eminem’s Workout Playlist – Get Motivated!

We can't know which songs Em shreds the treadmill to, but we have to assume "Till I Collapse" is on there.

Arguably one of the best workout jams ever recorded, this 2002 anthem by Em will get you amped up and ready to tackle any workout.

And, seeing how he's close with Fifty and Dr. Dre, it's very likely some of their masterpieces are on his playlist, too.

On a related note, if you’d like to work out alongside some of the top Eminem workout songs - here’s a playlist you’ll enjoy.[3]

Eminem Workout Routine & Diet FAQs

How much does Eminem run a day?

Eminem used to run seventeen miles a day. "I started getting OCD about the calories, making sure I burned 2,000 every day. In the end, I got down to about 149 pounds. I ran to the point where I started to get injured. All the constant pounding from the running began to tear up my hip flexors", said Eminem.

Is Eminem a vegan?

No, Eminem is not a vegan. He prefers eating a clean and balanced diet and avoids junk food and eating badly.

What was Eminem's highest weight?

Eminem was around 230 lbs at his worst, which is when he began to exercise.

Why did Eminem gain so much weight?

According to Em, his addiction’s the one to blame for the weight gain.

“The coating on the Vicodin and the Valium I'd been taking for years leaves a hole in your stomach, so to avoid a stomachache, I was constantly eating,” says Shady.
When did Eminem hit his peak fitness?

After the American rapper got sober, he went all in with his workouts cutting his weight down to 149 rather quickly. Since then, he's maintained his weight and fitness levels.

Conclusion

All things considered, Eminem should be commended for getting his life back on track. It's not easy overcoming addiction, but he did it.

Now that he's sober and healthy, he wants to help others achieve the same success.

That's why he's opened up to the public and shared the "Eminem diet and workout secrets," so anyone struggling to lose weight can achieve his striking body figure.

His dedication and perseverance are nothing short of admirable. So, if there's anything to learn here, is - even if you wanna quit - don’t.

Effort and time invested are all you need to become strong and lean.

References:

1. https://people.com/music/eminem-detalis-recovery-2007-overdose/
2. https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2014/06/rap-god-a-history-of-eminems-biggest-achievements/
3. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2s74yp8ddDgJN3MoV4Mv7

Miloš Lepotic

Miloš Lepotic

Meet Miloš, a certified sports nutritionist and self-taught supplement expert whose pharmacological background and nearly a decade of gym experience make him the perfect guide for optimizing your health and athletic performance through supplement reviews and practical advice rooted in factual, science-backed information.