# How much of this Hershel Walker article is true? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823 "2010-10-11T21:04:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/1 "2010-10-11T21:04:49Z")
> **[Nearing 50, Renaissance jock Herschel Walker breaks fitness rules - CNN.com](https://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/10/11/herschel.fitness.martial.arts/index.html?hpt=C2)** > > Javier Mendez, a mixed martial arts trainer for 32 years, scoffed when he heard that retired NFL star Herschel Walker, who's nearing 50, wanted to compete in ultimate fighting. I’m only talking about the claims about his nutritional/fitness habits. These bits sound too much like the person who says they only get a couple hours sleep a night but they really sleep 4-5, meaning that they do get less sleep but then greatly exaggerate the claim when describing it. Some relevant quotes from the article: > [@](#): > > He eats once a day, skipping breakfast and lunch. After a long, intense day of training, he eats salad and bread for dinner. He doesn’t care for meat or fuss about getting enough protein. Walker’s a vegetarian. > “It’s a mindset – something I’ve been doing for a long time,” he said. “I don’t worry about protein. I don’t worry about all that. I’m from old school. I grew up in south Georgia. They didn’t worry about cholesterol or protein. They went out and worked and lived a long time, so I don’t put a lot of worries in my mind. I just get it done.” > **Sometimes, Walker doesn’t have an appetite and will go through seven hours of wrestling, kickboxing, sparring and practicing jujitsu without having eaten for three or four days**. and > [@](#): > > At 5:30 a.m., Walker wakes up to do 750 to 1,500 push-ups and about 2,000 sit-ups. Not debating that HW is still all tore up but the claims about his routines seem dubious. 3-4 days without eating and then putting in a 7hr intense workout? :dubious: What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/2 "2010-10-12T01:55:26Z")
Put him in a lab under controlled conditions and see what happens. I’d say the claims are bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/3 "2010-10-12T02:08:11Z")
Calories in calories out. Maybe its ‘uber bread’ and he eats a ton of it. The 4 day thing I could imagine as a one off, but he’d be significantly reduced in performance Id think. Dissociative identity disorder diagnosis too, interesting. Otara ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/4 "2010-10-12T02:35:03Z")
> [@Otara](#): > > Calories in calories out. Maybe its ‘uber bread’ and he eats a ton of it. The 4 day thing I could imagine as a one off, but he’d be significantly reduced in performance Id think. > > Dissociative identity disorder diagnosis too, interesting. You got that right. It’s probably his other personalities that are eating breakfast and lunch. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/5 "2010-10-12T02:54:48Z")
I basically eat once a day. I have coffee in the morning and have my big meal at lunch then dinner I’ll eat about 200 - 300 caloires. I’ve been eating this way almost all my life. When I was young I worked in hotels and you’d get one free meal a day, so I’d fill up on it. He says he eats salad and bread? Well what’s in the salad. Beans and grains are a complete protein. How much does he eat at one sitting? Not eating for three or four days, unlikely. Oh it’s possible, people in Africa don’t eat every day. Many tribes eat every other day. It depends on their food supply. Western nations are spoiled like this. But four days straight? 96 hours without food and still not feeling effects? I doubt that. Of course you can easily go that long without food, but you’d feel it. Situps and pushup, that’s easy if you’re in shape, I can easily do 2,000 situps. I don’t do push ups but if you get a routine it’s not hard. I’m sure the claims are exaggerated a bit, but it’s nothing really extro ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/6 "2010-10-12T03:41:40Z")
FWIW that pushup/sit-up routine has been his MO since forever. Here’s one cite: [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125982/index.htm](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125982/index.htm) Never heard anything about that eating stuff. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me. Having seen him in person, I can confidently say he is a genetic outlier. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/7 "2010-10-12T04:26:59Z")
He may not eat for a few days, but he’s gotta be drinking something like gatorade to provide energy. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/8 "2010-10-12T12:55:13Z")
I got the feeling the article was based on self-reporting rather than observation, or at least the claims of his trainer. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/9 "2010-10-12T13:08:16Z")
> [@Otara](#): > > Calories in calories out. Maybe its ‘uber bread’ and he eats a ton of it. The 4 day thing I could imagine as a one off, but he’d be significantly reduced in performance Id think. > > Dissociative identity disorder diagnosis too, interesting. > > Otara Remember we frequently discuss how many calories are available in beverages when we discuss diets here also … how many calories in an 8 oz glass of whatever it is he may swill during the day? I bet he drinks soda, gatorade, perhaps even ‘power shakes’ - how many calories is there in a chocolate shake? I bet he could be drinking a chocolate shake during the day and not even thinking that it has 500 calories or more. Since he claims total disinterest over what he is eating, I would bet that he doesn’t go for diet drinks. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/10 "2010-10-12T13:43:47Z")
One thing’s for sure, he’s not like the rest of us. His physical abilities, demonstrated again and again by world class performances in a variety of disciplines, I think put him in a place where conventional expectations run some element of risk. The two artices written what, 18 years apart, are pretty consistent as to his regimen. I remember his NFL teammates talking about his 3000 sit ups/day. Seems most teammates and coaches he’s had have witnessed and accepted what rightfully leaves us incredulous. Who’s to say if every aspect as written is sacrosanct but what he does and how he does it goes orders of magnitude beyond what most will find near unbelivable. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/11 "2010-10-12T13:52:17Z")
I don’t doubt the workout routine, I’ve read about/seen too many athletes to doubt what a person can do(within reason, no violating physics). It’s the food intake claims I find impossible. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/12 "2010-10-12T14:15:42Z")
Oh I agree, that part as stated does seem to fly in the face of everything we know to be rational. It is unquoted so I wonder if the author is over-generalizing what makes a meal or if Mendez’s observations were misunderstood or what. That’s a bit of a stretch, so off to see if I can find some corroboration… ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/13 "2010-10-12T14:35:19Z")
I remember reading that earlier article when I was in high school, what, 28 years ago? Egads. But after I read it I figured I’d try to do what he did- situps and pushups during commercials while I watched TV at night. I think I lasted through maybe one episode of _The Love Boat_. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/14 "2010-10-12T14:36:45Z")
Although I was searching on the ‘not eat for days’ part, most of the articles I came across include the workout claims, the one late meal a day _“He eats one meal a day, at night,” he said of Walker’s meal plan. “He has salad, soup, maybe chicken soup, and bread, and he’s not afraid to put butter on it. He eats no meat and no fish.”_, and the relative lack of sleep. What seems to be left out of the ones I saw was exactly what we found most questionable, the “without having eaten for 3 or 4 days” part. They agree on everything else but that part’s omitted. So it’d be nice if CNN’s Madison Park was clearer as to where that came from. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/15 "2010-10-12T16:53:41Z")
If he is drinking non-diet drinks, he’s consuming calories. He might not **eat a meal** , but if he is downing sports drinks and other drinks with calories, he might very well classify that as not eating, but he could down thousands of calories just by drinking them. I would tend to say that this would make a few days without solid foods possible and not shocking at all. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/16 "2010-10-12T23:27:53Z")
Also, the ‘no meat, no fish’ bit suspiciously ignores poultry, which can handily fit into many salads. I don’t care about how remarkable and different he is from us, there’s a lot of hype in this one. Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-this-hershel-walker-article-is-true/556823/17 "2010-10-12T23:42:55Z")
“I bet he drinks soda, gatorade, perhaps even ‘power shakes’ - how many calories is there in a chocolate shake?” As far as Im concerned that would simply be lying about ‘1 meal a day’, if the majority of your calories are gained by other methods. So yes it is a possibility, but simply explains how his claims are bollocks. Otara