With Kurt Angle being inducted into WWE Hall Of Fame at Wrestlemania, we take a look back at an interview we did about him on his fitness regimen for our January 2014 issue.

THE GUIDING MANTRA

I have had a lot of different goals in my life, whether it was winning at the Olympics (Angle won a gold in the men’s 100 kg freestyle wrestling in 1996) or becoming a professional wrestler. But, now, it is all about being healthy enough to be with my family and watch my kids grow up. My brothers were my guiding force. They were all bodybuilders, and I always looked up to them and wanted to be like them. If I had questions, I asked them first.

THE TEN-HOUR REGIMEN

I used to work out for 10 hours a day at the peak of my professional career. I never took a day off. My morning workout consisted of a mile-long warm-up run. I would then find the steepest hill in my area and do a 200-yard sprint up and down the hill. Sometimes, I used to sprint with my partner on my back. Then, I would be on the bike for 40 minutes, after which I would jump rope for 40 minutes before getting into the sauna. My four-hour afternoon workout revolved around wrestling training, including live wrestling, technique training, calisthenics, core training and conditioning. I finished the day off with a two-hour session that included plyometrics and strength training. That is the only way you can get right for the Olympics.

EATING LIKE AN OLYMPIAN

Every once in a while, I eat what I want, but I try to stick to a diet of low carbs and high protein. My breakfast includes an egg-white omelette made from 12 eggs, fruit and salmon. I have a mid-morning protein shake, and lunch is usually three chicken breasts and five ounces of rice. I have another shake mid-afternoon, salmon, veggies and salad for dinner and two more shakes before bed. I try to eat every two hours.

INJURIES

You have to work around them. I have broken just about everything in my body. If I have broken my right knee, I work the other leg harder. When I broke my left arm, I worked on the right side of my body. Your body does not like an imbalance. So, when you work out one leg hard, the other one will get strong faster when it recovers. I have broken my neck, and there are days when I cannot even feel it. I know I will have to get it fused in a few years. My knees are getting worse. I have had four surgeries on each knee, and you will have to deal with arthritis or calcium build-up as you age. I know, when I am 65, I will have to get knee replacement surgeries. But, age is in the head. Some days, I feel 85, on others, I feel 25.

THE LONG HAUL

People always want instant results, which is the wrong attitude. You have to set a long-term goal. I have seen many individuals work out for two weeks and, then, lose interest, because they don’t see changes. You will not see changes that soon. You have to be patient.