How Kevin Hart Is Staying at the Top of His Fitness Game at 42

No day is the same for Kevin Hart. Presently, the multi-hyphenate is splitting his time between being on location in Northern Ireland producing his latest movie, Lift, and preparing material for his highly anticipated Reality Check arena tour. His tremendous success is a result of an endless drive, which he reaffirms every morning at five o’clock during his daily workouts with trainer Ron “Boss” Everline.

“My workouts allow me to attack the day with the same energy, no matter what I’m doing,” says Hart, on set in Belfast. In his hometown gym or on the road with Everline, the 42-year-old fuels his energy by drinking C4 before training sessions. So when the company approached him about being the face of their new brain-boosting C4 Smart Energy, the fit was natural. “I felt the benefits not only in the gym, but I was able to keep that momentum going through the rest of my crazy schedule.”

We spoke to Hart about his fitness philosophies, training on tour, and getting into soldier shape to play Roland in the upcoming Borderlands movie.

Men’s Journal: How did this partnership with C4 come about?

Kevin Hart: I was well aware of C4 long before I partnered with the company. I was using their product to kick off my mornings, especially when I was putting in work at the gym because I found it brought a lot to my energy levels. It helped me not only maximize my workouts with Boss, but also keep that momentum going throughout the day ahead. So it was a part of my lifestyle before all of this came about.

How has the way you train evolved over the years?

The workouts have changed because we have changed. Boss is a phenomenal trainer, and does a great job mixing up our routines to a point where they don’t become routine, while staying productive. That’s what makes a trainer great in my eyes. Over the years we’ve progressed quite a bit, and we’re able to look back on a long list of accomplishments. We’ve done marathons, CrossFit sessions, epic bike rides, and so much more.

Leaving aside particular projects, what are your goals when you go into the gym now?

I believe the biggest goal is always to find happiness within yourself. I’m not going into a regular session just to look a specific way. My everyday goal is to be consistent. I want taking care of my health to be a part of my lifestyle, and to keep going in the right direction 365 days a year. That’s why I never want to do a workout that doesn’t allow me to move the next day. Because having that time every day where I’m paying attention to my fitness is important to my happiness.

How so?

I found that if I didn’t get a workout in at the beginning of the day, I’d be sluggish in the afternoon. Standup comedy is something that has always demanded a lot of energy from me, and I like to perform with a lot of intensity. I want to be able to perform at my highest level, especially when I’m out on the road. I’m looking to give people their money’s worth on this tour. I don’t want to half-ass it. There was a while where we weren’t able to do shows, so I’m excited to get back out there.

Do you have any jokes about working out that’s come out of your training recently?

Art imitates life, and comedy comes from life experiences. I can’t share anything that I’ve come up with recently because I need the people to pick up the tickets! We’re still adding new shows to the tour and going to some other countries, too. I’m in the world of go and I’m keeping my foot on the gas.

Is it difficult to find places to train while you’re traveling for a tour like this?

I’ve built relationships with gyms all over the world after touring as long as I have. There are a lot of places that’ve been gracious about letting me get in during off hours so I can avoid any kind of commotion. The biggest thing is diet. You can work out hard as hell, but if you aren’t eating right, then you’re fighting an uphill battle.

Speaking of your work with Boss, you guys seem to have a lot of fun. Is that important, too, as far as staying consistent with your training?

Having fun in our workouts is important. Nothing in life should be taken too seriously. There should be a little bit of fun in everything, especially when you’re doing something you love. You have to be able to smile. That’s how you lighten the load and make work easier and enjoyable. My trainer has become a brother, and our relationship is something that I feed off of. The morning rituals between us include laughter and meaningful conversation while we’re working to make ourselves better.

Do you have any music you like to play during those sessions?

Lots of Bon Jovi.

Do you have an accomplishment in your fitness as it relates to your film projects that you’re most proud of?

I can’t say that I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve achieved that. There’s still a lot more that I plan to do. I’m still making movies and producing movies. My role in Borderlands was different. I found a lot of fun in that challenge.

We’re very excited for Borderlands—and so are all those fans of the video game from Gearbox. You worked with Navy SEALs and trained in hand-to-hand combat for it. What can we expect from your performance as Roland?

Expect to be shocked. I don’t want to share too much because this is one of those projects where there’s an amazing fanbase already built in because of the game, and I want them to experience it fully in the theater. There were some reservations about the casting choices, but I think people are going to have their minds blown. Our director and the rest of the cast did an amazing job. Just wait until you see what we all did together.

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