IN THE SHADED cool of his Los Angeles pool deck, Eli Roth jumps rope, warming up his body for the work ahead. Today’s session, like most of his workouts, is about building energy—because these days, that’s what matters most to the veteran director and screenwriter.
Fifteen years ago, he was pumping iron to layer on 40 pounds of muscle to play Sergeant Donny Donowitz in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. But nowadays, his sessions aren’t about getting jacked. The 51-year-old has a new goal: to forge stamina and spark the creativity he needs to excel in his craft—whether he’s in front of the camera or behind it, as he was to direct November’s horror flick Thanksgiving.
“I’m not just sitting in a chair all day,” Roth says. “People that can keep working into their 80s or 90s—like Clint Eastwood or Martin Scorsese—are brilliant directors, but they also have endless energy.” Rigorous training prepares Roth’s body and mind for his production schedule. It’s a habit he’s kept up ever since producing his first movie, Cabin Fever, in 2002—and a habit he takes on the road. In between shoots, he’ll hit the treadmill, lift weights, or jump rope, even if it means rising at 5:00 a.m. “Yeah, I could sleep through this every morning,” he says, “but then I know my energy on set is going to drop.”
On this day, he snoozed until 6:00, and now he’s handling his routine as he often does between projects, working out with trainer Jose Navarro. It’s one of three workouts he’ll do this week with Navarro. Today they’re focusing on cardio, boxing-mitt work, and abs.
Roth dons boxing gloves while Navarro grabs mitts and starts calling out combos. The director slams a jab, then an uppercut, each landing with precision. He takes these workouts seriously. “I always joke I want to be in better shape than the actors,” he says.
It’s not just to show up his cast. Roth also believes in setting a positive example of the power of discipline. “When you have a really strong exercise regimen, it can help you in ways you wouldn’t even believe,” he says. “Repetition and routine are the keys to success and creativity.” He admits that when he hasn’t worked out, he struggles to write. “I think creative ideas are locked in your muscles.”
He’s unlocking them right now with core work, starting with rainbow med ball slams. He hoists a med ball overhead, then slams it into the concrete next to his right foot. He lifts the ball again and slams it to his left. Back and forth he goes for 60 seconds, then he’s lying on his back, attacking his lower abs with leg lifts.
Roth finishes off the workout with what he calls “the worst part of the day.” He peels off his sweat-soaked shirt, then sits by his poolside cold-plunge tub. He slides into the icy water, only his head remaining above the surface. He stays here for three minutes. “I like pushing myself to extremes,” he says. “But right now the focus is more about creative extremes.”
He continues. “There are a lot of things I want to do, and I want to have the energy to do it,” he says. “And being in shape enables you to do everything.”
Eli Roth's On-The-Road Routine
Traveling without gym access? Try Roth’s emergency hotel circuit. Move through each exercise for 1 minute; do 3 rounds.
Jump Rope
Stand with one end of the jump rope in each hand. Hop as you bring the rope overhead and to the ground. Try increasing your speed as you go.
Shadowboxing
Get into a fighter’s stance. Throw jabs, crosses, uppercuts, and hooks into the air, in any combination.
Walking Plank
Get in pushup position. Cross your right hand over your left and walk your feet to the left; take 10 steps to the left, then 10 steps back to the right.
A version of this story originally appears in the October/November 2023 issue of Men's Health, with the title "6 A.M. WITH... ELI ROTH".
