Dana White is the president of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) the largest MMA (mixed martial arts) promotion company in the world.
In fact, Dana became famous for transforming the UFC into a multi-billion-dollar global sports powerhouse.
However, despite his high-pressure job, Dana puts a lot of work into his personal wellness through consistent workout routines and a healthy diet.
So, how does this business leader stay productive and healthy in the fast-paced and chaotic world of combat sports?
Explore Dana’s daily routine and learn his secrets.
How we researched this routine: We pieced together Dana White’s daily routine using information he shared in public interviews and on social media.
In his interview with Jesse James West, Dana says he gets to the gym, which is right next to his office, at 9:30 in the morning and begins his Superhuman Protocol:
Once he’s done, he begins his workout.
We’ll give you all the details about Dana White’s Superhuman Protocol and workout routine later.
From what we can tell, Dana White is a bit of a workaholic.
In the Jesse James West interview, Dana said he stays at the office until 8 – 8.30 p.m. every night.
While this doesn’t leave him too much time to spend with his family, it’s still better than back in 2009, when Dana shared that:
“Man, it’s hard, let me tell you, my kids don’t even know me anymore. It’s not easy to balance everything. It’s very hard; people don’t realize how hard it is and how much sacrifice there is. […] I was home six days these last two months. I haven’t been home this month yet at all, I’ve been on the road like crazy.”
Back then, Dana was relying solely on UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta to carry out all the work tasks he couldn’t handle himself.
However, the businessman has since come to realize that building a skilled team and working together toward common business goals is much more effective and less time-consuming.
Dana used to have a lot of health issues.
In The Secret to Dana White’s Body Transformation video, he shares that:
“I had sleep apnea. I had problems with my legs. I had problems I didn’t realize I had that doctors didn’t even tell me. So, a friend of mine (…) came to me and said ‘You gotta meet this guy, Gary Brecka.’”
Gary Brecka is a human biologist and biohacker who wants to help people live healthier and longer lives.
Dana White explained what led him to start the Superhuman Protocol in the Jesse James West interview:
“Two years ago, Gary Brecka told me I had 10.5 years to live, so I had to make a change.”
He went on to share the amazing outcomes of the protocol:
“My blood work is the best it’s ever been. (…) I’m off all my meds. I was on cholesterol medicine, blood pressure medicine, and I was on thyroid medicine.”
Here’s what the Superhuman Protocol looks like:
According to the University of Queensland, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy uses electrodes placed on or near the skin to pass an electric current through the tissue (i.e. muscle) and improve healing.
PEMF pads or mats are therapeutic devices that send low-frequency electromagnetic waves to the body.
Dana White walks us through how the PEMF pad works in his UFC YouTube video:
“I actually have this in my bed at home. So, this goes in your bed; the machine right next to it. You turn it on and you literally just lay on this thing. I sleep on it every night.”
In the same video, Gary Brecka explains that:
“Every cell in our body is exchanging with its outside environment, it’s eliminating waste, it’s repairing, it’s detoxifying, it’s regenerating. So, if we can enhance that process, you start to begin to understand the benefits of PEMF or grounding.”
In his UFC video, Dana describes cold plunges as:
“It is my version of coffee in the morning. It’s what wakes me up and gets me going and gets me excited to work out.”
Dana shares that, in the beginning, the hardest part of the Superhuman Protocol was the cold plunge:
“When you first start cold plunging, forget about the physical, it’s the mental. After you cold plunge, and you do it in the morning, you feel like you’ve really accomplished something. And then, once you get into it, it’s just like something you have to do.”
Why does Dana White do cold plunges?
According to him:
In the same interview, the businessman admits he enjoys listening to ‘I Am the Lightning’ by Des Rocs, while he cold plunges.
Fun fact: Some people believe that Dana got the inspiration to try the cold plunge regimen from his close friend, Joe Rogan, who was already practicing it.
Still not sure if you should include cold plunges into your daily routine?
Make an informed decision by reading our latest article on the benefits of cold plunges and how to prepare for them.
According to the official EWOT website, this therapy involves breathing higher levels of oxygen while you exercise.
For instance, you can use an oxygen mask connected to an O2 concentrator that produces 93% oxygen, and breathe through the mask while using the treadmill.
Gary Brecka explains how EWOT works:
“It’s taking an oxygen concentrator and taking the air, which is 21% oxygen, concentrating it to 93-95% oxygen and filling a 900 L bag full of 93-95% O2. You only do this for short periods of time. You don’t want to adapt to oxygen, so you do it for about 10 to 12 minutes while you are mildly exercising.”
In the same YouTube video, Gary shares Dana’s EWOT routine:
Dana White stands by Gary Brecka’s philosophy that: “The presence of oxygen is the absence of disease.”
He goes on to say: “I haven’t been sick in two years. […] And think about all the people that I interact with every weekend, from all over the world. […] I’m physically in the best shape I’ve ever been.”
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, red light therapy uses red or near-infrared light to treat acne, signs of aging like wrinkles, hair loss, and other conditions.
While there are different types of red light therapy devices on the market, Dana White uses a red light therapy bed.
Dana White gave Jesse James West some pointers on how to use the red light therapy bed:
“You just get in there, you adjust that thing to your head to feel comfortable. Put your arms down by your side, and then this thing closes just like a tanning bed. […] You basically stay there for 20 minutes and then it shuts off.”
According to Gary Brecka:
Once Dana White completes his Superhuman Protocol, he is ready for his workout.
Truth be told, most of us can’t afford to spend $120,000 to build our own custom gym, like Dana White.
That’s why Gary Brecka came up with some practical alternatives.
Of course, you’ll still need a gym membership for workouts, but you’ll save a lot of money using these alternatives.
In an interview with Gary Brecka, Dana shares that he does minimal cardiovascular training and mostly focuses on weight training.
However, Dana told Men’s Health that:
“I don’t do any heavyweight now. I do all lightweight.”
He gave a rundown of his workout plan in his interview with Jesse James West.
In the same interview, Dana shares that:
In the YouTube video Overcoming The Leading Killer, Metabolic Syndrome, Gary Brecka shares that:
“He [Dana] went on a keto reset diet to get his triglycerides down, which also helped with insulin and it helped with his blood sugar.”
The keto reset diet is a high-fat, low-to-moderate protein and low-carb diet.
In one of his TikTok videos, Gary Brecka mentions that:
“You have to eat exactly what is on this plan, morning, noon, and night.”
Dana White shared some of his favorite keto products in a TikTok video:
Since Dana White has achieved his health goals, his diet is no longer as strict as it was.
In fact, in an interview for Men’s Health, Dana White shows off his pantry, allowing us to take a peek at his cheat foods:
In 2024, Dana White did an 86-hour water fast and shared his experience on Instagram:
“I feel like a superhero, I feel incredible. […] Doctors have done studies on this and this thing is legit. It gives you an over 70% chance of not getting cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other nasty diseases.”
Still, you must keep in mind that Dana is not a doctor and this extreme type of fasting comes with certain risks. Hence, you shouldn’t try it without consulting your doctor first.
Dana White runs the UFC and Power Slap and owns Howler Head whiskey.
When Jesse James West asked how he manages to go through so many tasks in one day, Dana replied:
“This [referring to his gym workouts]. I’m working again like I was 30. I’m serious, it’s incredible.”
Regarding his professional goals, Dana White shares that:
“I take niche sports that people think aren’t worth anything and turn them into billion-dollar businesses. That’s what I like to do.”
In the Jesse James West interview, Dana defines success as:
He discloses that his team is the secret to his incredibly successful career:
“Your people are number one. You build a great team around you, you take care of your team, you all kick ass together. […] Some of my people have been with me for 20 years. […] We either all go down together or we don’t go down at all.”
Dana White offers the following advice to future entrepreneurs:
“There’s problems every day in everybody’s life, […] but when you’re an entrepreneur, it’s times a million. […] You have to embrace that. You have to be the type of person who loves adversity and loves to find solutions to problems. You have so many people that depend on you every day.”
Dana White says he prioritizes teamwork most of all. He is surrounded by a great team at work and they all work together to achieve success. So, he might delegate certain tasks in his daily routine.
According to a 2009 interview, Dana was struggling to balance his personal life and professional commitments. After all, being a powerhouse entrepreneur comes with a lot of responsibilities and problems that need to be solved daily.
