Joe Rogan Experience #1618 - Mat Fraser

1. 0:00 – 15:00

   (drumbeats) Joe Rogan podcast,…

   1. NANarrator0:00

      (drumbeats) Joe Rogan podcast, check it out.

   2. The Joe Rogan Experience.

   3. JRJoe Rogan0:06

      Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night. All day. (rock music plays) Welcome. Thanks for coming, man. I appreciate it.

   4. MFMat Fraser0:15

      Yeah, thanks for having me.

   5. JRJoe Rogan0:17

      I've watched you compete. I watched that, uh, that documentary, too. What is the- the documentary called? I forget the name of the-

   6. MFMat Fraser0:21

      Uh, The Fittest?

   7. JRJoe Rogan0:22

      Yes. Yeah.

   8. MFMat Fraser0:24

      Yeah.

   9. JRJoe Rogan0:24

      Dude, that is crazy. It's-

   10. MFMat Fraser0:26

       (clears throat)

   11. JRJoe Rogan0:26

       The- the physical strain that you guys are ... What happened to the vo ...

   12. NANarrator0:30

       Sorry.

   13. JRJoe Rogan0:30

       Oh.

   14. NANarrator0:31

       I had something set so it's louder, but ...

   15. JRJoe Rogan0:32

       Oh, okay. We're back.

   16. MFMat Fraser0:33

       (laughs)

   17. JRJoe Rogan0:34

       Uh, the- the physical strain that you guys put your body through is fucking insane. And until you watch, like, you guys compete and do all the shit, like, rucking, like, running with the he- the weight vest on and ...

   18. MFMat Fraser0:46

       Everything. Yeah.

   19. JRJoe Rogan0:47

       It's insane.

   20. MFMat Fraser0:48

       Yeah. Yeah, the games ... So, like, the games are, like, the big competition. It's like ... It's- it's a wild show, 'cause it's ... Sometimes it's five days, sometimes it's three days. And we'll have, like, usually between 12 and 15 events over those days.

   21. JRJoe Rogan1:03

       Do they let you know in advance what you're gonna have to do?

   22. MFMat Fraser1:06

       Some. Like, we might find out an event sometimes a week or two ahead, uh, but then, like, we'll have others where we're literally finding out the event as we go, like, as we're competing. So we don't even know what we're doing on the competition floor. They'll be- they'll be like, "All right, start lifting that weight. We'll tell you when to stop, when you hit your number of reps."

   23. JRJoe Rogan1:25

       (sighs)

   24. MFMat Fraser1:25

       You know, stuff like that. It's, uh ... It's interesting to train for, 'cause you don't know if you're training for a one rep max or 100. Uh, you don't know if you're training for a 40-meter dash or a marathon. You know? It's ... Yeah, it keeps it interesting. Like, we've had- we've had events that are, like, 20 seconds long, and then a couple years ago, we had to row a marathon on, like, the stationary Concept2 rowers, so, like, 42,000 meters.

   25. JRJoe Rogan1:51

       So, was that 26.2 miles rowing?

   26. MFMat Fraser1:54

       Yeah. Yeah, yeah, 4- yeah, 42,000-something meters.

   27. JRJoe Rogan1:57

       How long does that take?

   28. MFMat Fraser1:58

       I think the average time was about three hours. I think a couple people were, like, three and a half hours.

   29. JRJoe Rogan2:02

       Yeah, because you can't row as fast as you can run, right? Can you?

   30. MFMat Fraser2:08

       (clicks tongue) I mean, I would prefer to row a marathon than run one.
2. 15:00 – 30:00

   Yeah. …

   1. MFMat Fraser15:00

      years. Like, if you're just a beginner, you can make progress-

   2. JRJoe Rogan15:03

      Yeah.

   3. MFMat Fraser15:03

      ... like that, but I'm like, "You've been in the sport for years."

   4. JRJoe Rogan15:05

      Yeah.

   5. MFMat Fraser15:05

      And then in the last six months, you just had this huge spike in your performance and you're like, "Oh, no, it's just because I became dedicated." It's like, I'm not buying it. I'm not.

   6. JRJoe Rogan15:13

      Oh. Dedication.

   7. MFMat Fraser15:14

      Yeah.

   8. JRJoe Rogan15:14

      So important to be dedicated. (laughs)

   9. MFMat Fraser15:18

      (laughs)

   10. JRJoe Rogan15:18

       Now, how often do they test everybody?

   11. MFMat Fraser15:20

       I mean, pretty often. Like-

   12. JRJoe Rogan15:21

       Do they show up randomly?

   13. MFMat Fraser15:23

       Yeah, yeah. So we have out-of-competition drug testing. Um, you know, it's ... Like, when I did weightlifting, we, we were on, like, the NAN program, so no advance notice. So you had to give-

   14. JRJoe Rogan15:33

       Hm.

   15. MFMat Fraser15:33

       ... if you're in the Olympic sports, you're tested by the Olympic Association, you have to give one hour a day of where you are, and they show up, they don't call, nothing. So, like, everyone put from, like, 5:00 to 6:00 AM, I'll be in my dorm room. And, like, if you're leaving for the airport at, like, 4:50, you'll see someone sitting outside the dorm room just, like, looking at their watch, waiting for 5:00 AM to hit and give the knock. And, like, they'll follow you. They come with you to school, work, doesn't matter what you're doing.

   16. JRJoe Rogan16:05

       Will they m- make you miss a flight?

   17. MFMat Fraser16:08

       Uh, yeah, probably. I, I'd assume they would.

   18. JRJoe Rogan16:12

       (sighs)

   19. MFMat Fraser16:12

       But, I mean, like, I remember having to talk to professors of like, "I have an exam and, like, I didn't have to pee," so I'm like, "You guys gotta come to class with me."

   20. JRJoe Rogan16:20

       (laughs)

   21. MFMat Fraser16:21

       And having to, like, explain to a professor of like, "Hey, like, these guys are here for drug testing. I compete in a sport. Is it okay if they just sit there?" And-

   22. JRJoe Rogan16:29

       Wow.

   23. MFMat Fraser16:30

       Yeah, so the CrossFit-

   24. JRJoe Rogan16:31

       How creepy.

   25. MFMat Fraser16:32

       I mean, it's weird. Like, I've had it before where they showed up at 5:00 AM, I didn't have to pee, and I'm like, "Yo, it's 5:00 AM. I'm going back to bed." And they're, they're like, "Yep, we'll sit right here."

   26. JRJoe Rogan16:43

       So they just sit in the room while you're sleeping?

   27. MFMat Fraser16:44

       Yeah, they just pull up a chair and they'll just sit there as you-

   28. JRJoe Rogan16:47

       Just stare at you while you're sleeping.

   29. MFMat Fraser16:47

       ... go back to bed. (laughs)

   30. JRJoe Rogan16:48

       How can you sleep while this guy-
3. 30:00 – 45:00

   (laughs) People, people that…

   1. MFMat Fraser30:00

      I didn't even do that much research on it. (laughs)

   2. JRJoe Rogan30:03

      (laughs) People, people that are like so meticulous about their, their supplements and their train- you're probably screaming right now, "Ah!"

   3. MFMat Fraser30:09

      Oh, I mean, like, I mean, even at the games, every year it's like everyone has their pre-packaged food, like they're weighing out their chicken, their white rice, their broccoli.

   4. JRJoe Rogan30:17

      Mm-hmm.

   5. MFMat Fraser30:17

      And I'm just scarfing down Snickers bars.

   6. JRJoe Rogan30:20

      (laughs)

   7. MFMat Fraser30:20

      Like, as soon as I come off the floor and it's like, well, I worked with experts in like each of these divisions of like, you know, this guy who trains triathletes, like he's a scientist that shows these guys how to be optimal. And he's the one telling me, he said, "Yo, if you're doing a 60-minute workout, like Coca-Cola and a, and a Snickers bar as soon as you're done." I was like-

   8. JRJoe Rogan30:41

      Isn't that crazy?

   9. MFMat Fraser30:42

      I was like, "Oh." (exhales) Okay. So I like, I can never eat a Snickers again.

   10. JRJoe Rogan30:47

       (laughs)

   11. MFMat Fraser30:47

       I've eaten so many over my career for the last, like, three, four years.

   12. JRJoe Rogan30:50

       S- Floyd Mayweather was always drinking Coke or Pepsi after he trains.

   13. MFMat Fraser30:55

       Yeah.

   14. JRJoe Rogan30:55

       And people are like, "This is crazy. He's ruining his body." And I'm like, "No, no, no. He's, he knows what he's doing."

   15. MFMat Fraser31:00

       Yeah.

   16. JRJoe Rogan31:00

       He's, he's dumping sugar into his muscles.

   17. MFMat Fraser31:02

       So it was this guy, I went out, um, I think it was the University of Colorado, and he has like this sports lab, like, at the university. And the typical, like, put you on a treadmill with a gas mask and heart race, wires, all this stuff, and he just keeps ticking up the treadmill going faster and faster until you drop. And it's like every three minutes, he's like pricking your finger, drawing blood, and like he's telling you where all these different levels are. And I'm like, "I don't care." Like, "You just tell me what I should do to get better. I don't wanna know where I'm weak, just tell me how to get better." And, uh, and he was telling me, he's like, "Like don't drink the bottled Gatorade. Drink, like you buy the scoop of the powder and mix a gallon worth into like eight ounces of water."

   18. JRJoe Rogan31:48

       Whoa.

   19. MFMat Fraser31:48

       And I was like, "Oh." (laughs)

   20. JRJoe Rogan31:51

       (laughs)

   21. MFMat Fraser31:51

       "That much, huh?" And so it's like you do these like 90-minute zone two training sessions where you're just on a spin bike or running for 90 minutes, and he's like, "As soon as you're done, slug that down." And it's just like sludge.

   22. JRJoe Rogan32:03

       Yeah.

   23. MFMat Fraser32:03

       And it's like, "Oh, this sucks."

   24. JRJoe Rogan32:04

       But it gets into the muscles.

   25. MFMat Fraser32:05

       Yeah. I mean, it's, I, I don't know the science behind it.

   26. JRJoe Rogan32:08

       It's weird.

   27. MFMat Fraser32:08

       I just listen to smarter, people that are smarter than me that know what they're doing, and I'm like, "Okay, cool." So he's like, "Yeah, eat Snickers bar after a workout. Slug down like this condensed Gatorade and you're good to go." I'm like, "Okay."

   28. JRJoe Rogan32:21

       Now does he want you to do the Gatorade because it also has electrolytes along with all the sugar?

   29. MFMat Fraser32:25

       I, I think it was just the sugar.

   30. JRJoe Rogan32:27

       Really?
4. 45:00 – 1:00:00

   That's right. …

   1. MFMat Fraser45:00

      their hips.

   2. JRJoe Rogan45:01

      That's right.

   3. MFMat Fraser45:01

      I don't know how they, like-

   4. JRJoe Rogan45:02

      Well, let's watch. Let's see. Race walking.

   5. MFMat Fraser45:04

      I, I don't know how they don't, like, wear out hips.

   6. JRJoe Rogan45:06

      They call it race walking now. Look at these people. This is so silly. (laughs) How do you know that, like, i- if someone's competing in that, how do you know someone's j- just not gonna run?

   7. MFMat Fraser45:16

      Well, I think there's-

   8. JRJoe Rogan45:16

      They're running.

   9. NANarrator45:17

      (laughs)

   10. JRJoe Rogan45:17

       That fucking guy in the front's running.

   11. MFMat Fraser45:19

       There's referees that are, like, making sure that you have-

   12. JRJoe Rogan45:22

       That guy is running.

   13. MFMat Fraser45:23

       ... a foot on the ground at all times.

   14. JRJoe Rogan45:25

       That guy's just running goofy.

   15. NANarrator45:26

       You get in the middle-

   16. MFMat Fraser45:27

       T-

   17. NANarrator45:27

       ... of that pack, though, you can ...

   18. JRJoe Rogan45:28

       That's so weird. They're running, man. This is so silly. Like, is someone really watching you? Th- Yeah! Y- You're running!

   19. NANarrator45:35

       (laughs)

   20. JRJoe Rogan45:35

       He's running!

   21. NANarrator45:36

       (laughs)

   22. JRJoe Rogan45:37

       Come on, those fucking people are just running poorly.

   23. NANarrator45:40

       L-

   24. JRJoe Rogan45:40

       That is running. Look at them.

   25. MFMat Fraser45:42

       I, I think I saw-

   26. JRJoe Rogan45:44

       That guy in the back is in a- he's i-

   27. MFMat Fraser45:45

       A guy, like, speed-

   28. JRJoe Rogan45:46

       ... running a marathon.

   29. MFMat Fraser45:46

       ... speed walk marathon. And it was like, the marathon ended on the track and they had to do two laps on the track in front of people. And he was, like, way ahead of everyone, and, uh, and he got DQ'd 'cause, like, he broke stride.

   30. NANarrator46:04

       Oh, that guy just ran? The fuck?
5. 1:00:00 – 1:07:17

   Yeah. …

   1. JRJoe Rogan1:00:00

      or fighter rather, therefore is illegal. However, the Nevada State Athletic Commission will not be adopting this part of the new rules and we're stick with the old definition for a grounded fighter which means anything but the soles of the feet." Okay. So, that's why it's confusing. So, the grounded opponent thing, the fighter must have both their hands down on the ground. That's what it used to be. Whether it be palms or fists for them to be considered grounded unless a knee or other than the soles of the feet are down as well. So either way he was grounded because there was a knee down. So, it was an illegal technique all over the world. That one.

   2. NANarrator1:00:35

      Yeah.

   3. JRJoe Rogan1:00:35

      That move, which is unfortunate.

   4. MFMat Fraser1:00:36

      I mean, that's gotta suck for him of like-

   5. JRJoe Rogan1:00:38

      He was winning the fight too. That w- that's what sucked. Um, Petr Yan was, uh, he ... it looked like he was starting to gain control of the fight and I think it was in the fourth round. Was it the fourth round? It was a good fight though, really good fight, and I'm sure they're gonna have a rematch and the rematch will-

   6. MFMat Fraser1:00:53

      Yeah.

   7. JRJoe Rogan1:00:53

      ... be super hyped up and-

   8. MFMat Fraser1:00:55

      Yeah.

   9. JRJoe Rogan1:00:55

      ... you know? But he had dropped Aljamain and he had taken him down and tripped him, slammed him to the ground a f- few times, and it looked like he was in control of the-

   10. MFMat Fraser1:01:03

       Yeah.

   11. JRJoe Rogan1:01:03

       ... exchanges, but, but still, very good fight.

   12. MFMat Fraser1:01:05

       Yeah. I mean, years ago, a buddy brought me into the gym and like he does-... like, it's up in Vermont, so it's, you know, it's not that crazy serious. But he brought me in, and he asked me, he said, "Oh, you know, do you watch any sports?" I goes, "Guy, you know, I love, love MMA." And, and he's like, "Oh, I do that. Like, Sundays are open mats, like, if you wanna come in and roll." I was like, "Yes. I'm there."

   13. JRJoe Rogan1:01:27

       Really?

   14. MFMat Fraser1:01:27

       And it was-

   15. JRJoe Rogan1:01:27

       And do you have any experience at all?

   16. MFMat Fraser1:01:29

       None. None. And I was ... It, it was the most fun I've had. And it was just, like, the most JV elementary version of him. It, it was my first day. Like, he's showing me-

   17. JRJoe Rogan1:01:42

       Right.

   18. MFMat Fraser1:01:42

       ... like, "All right. If someone has you like this, you know, clamp your arm here, throw your hips here." And-

   19. JRJoe Rogan1:01:45

       Mm-hmm.

   20. MFMat Fraser1:01:46

       ... it was so much fun. And then the whole CrossFit thing kinda took off and I was like, "All right. I'll put this on the back burner." So I mean, it, it was-

   21. JRJoe Rogan1:01:54

       So are you thinking about doing it now, now that you're-

   22. MFMat Fraser1:01:56

       I mean, not, like, competing or anything.

   23. JRJoe Rogan1:01:57

       ... completely out, but-

   24. MFMat Fraser1:01:58

       But, like-

   25. JRJoe Rogan1:01:58

       ... but training, just for fun.

   26. MFMat Fraser1:01:59

       ... as a hobby.

   27. JRJoe Rogan1:02:00

       Yeah.

   28. MFMat Fraser1:02:00

       Yeah. I mean, just for, like, the workout, the mental challenge.

   29. JRJoe Rogan1:02:02

       But I wanna warn you, this is how you got into CrossFit. (laughs)

   30. MFMat Fraser1:02:07

       (laughs) You might go, "Well, I just went in. It was just a hobby. I was done CrossFit."

Episode duration: 2:56:39