Politics is usually a game of suits, ties, and carefully scripted podium moments. Then there’s Bobby Kennedy. Back in the summer of 2023, the internet collectively lost its mind over a video of Robert Kennedy Jr no shirt, pumping out incline bench presses and pushups at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach.
He was 69 at the time.
Most guys his age are worried about their golf swing or whether the grandkids will call. RFK Jr. was busy looking like he’d been carved out of granite. It wasn't just a quick blip on the radar; it became a defining image of his "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement. Honestly, it's kinda rare to see a political figure lean so hard into the "jacked" aesthetic. It changed the conversation from policy papers to pull-up counts almost overnight.
The Viral Moment: Pushups and Power Moves
The original footage showed Kennedy at the legendary "Mecca of Bodybuilding," working through a set of incline presses. A few days later, he doubled down, posting a video of himself doing pushups in jeans—no shirt, of course—with the caption that he was getting in shape to debate then-President Biden.
People had thoughts.
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Critics called it a stunt. Supporters called it "based." Fitness influencers like Sol Brah and Jason Helmes started tweeting that Kennedy looked like a "tank." It was a masterclass in raw, unfiltered branding. By showing up shirtless, Kennedy wasn't just talking about health; he was acting as a walking, breathing billboard for his own platform.
Why the Jeans?
One of the weirdest parts of these videos wasn't the lack of a shirt; it was the denim. RFK Jr. is almost always seen working out in blue jeans. It looks uncomfortable. It looks impractical. But he finally cleared the air on this recently.
Basically, it’s a habit of convenience. He spends his mornings hiking with his dogs—usually a 3-mile trek uphill and downhill. After the hike, he goes straight to the gym. To save time, he just keeps the jeans on. It’s become such a signature look that during his "Pete and Bobby Challenge" with Pete Hegseth in late 2025, he was still rocking the Levi's while Hegseth wore standard gym shorts.
The Actual Routine: How Does a 71-Year-Old Get That Way?
You don't get a physique like that by accident, especially in your seventies. Kennedy has been pretty transparent about his "anti-aging" protocol. It’s a mix of old-school iron and modern medicine.
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- Strength Training: He hits the gym for about 35 minutes, four days a week. He uses a "bro split"—chest one day, back the next, then legs, then a miscellaneous day.
- No Rest Sets: He claims he never relaxes in the gym. It’s high-intensity resistance training (HIRT), moving from one exercise to the next to keep the heart rate pegged.
- The Cardio: Every single morning starts with that 3-mile hike. It’s about 72 minutes of moderate-intensity movement before most people have finished their first cup of coffee.
- The "Secret Sauce": Kennedy has openly admitted to being on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). He’s quick to clarify he doesn't use anabolic steroids, but he views TRT as a vital part of his doctor-supervised anti-aging regimen.
Diet and the "MAHA" Philosophy
The Robert Kennedy Jr no shirt photos aren't just about vanity. They’ve become the visual foundation for his tenure as the Secretary of Health and Human Services in 2026. He’s been on a warpath against ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and seed oils.
His own diet is built around 18/6 intermittent fasting. He usually stops eating by 6:00 PM and doesn't have his first meal until noon the next day. He's also a big advocate for "ending the war on healthy fats." While the USDA used to tell us to fear butter and tallow, Kennedy’s 2026 dietary guidelines lean into whole-food fats from pasture-raised meat, eggs, and avocados.
He’s even gone after Froot Loops and artificial dyes. He’s famously pointed out that the versions of these cereals sold in Europe don't have the same chemical additives as the ones in the U.S. It's a crusade for "clean" eating that resonates with a lot of people who are tired of feeling sluggish and over-medicated.
The Body Language of Politics
Body language expert Patti Wood noted that the shirtless workout videos were a deliberate power play. In a world of aging leaders, physical vitality is a form of currency. By showing himself in the gym, Kennedy was projecting strength, discipline, and a certain "outsider" energy that suits his political brand.
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It wasn't all praise, though. Some medical experts have voiced concerns about the messaging. While exercise is objectively good, the heavy emphasis on TRT and "anti-aging" protocols can be a slippery slope for the general public if not handled by a professional. And then there are the family dynamics—his cousin Caroline Kennedy and others have publicly questioned his fitness for office, though for reasons usually unrelated to his bench press max.
What You Can Learn from the RFK Jr. Approach
Whether you're a fan of his politics or not, the "Kennedy Method" offers some pretty solid takeaways for anyone trying to stay fit past 50.
- Consistency over duration: He only spends 35 minutes in the gym. The key is that he's been doing it for 50 years. Sustainability beats a three-hour marathon session every time.
- Combine modalities: He does the "boring" cardio (hiking) and the "flashy" lifting. You need both for heart health and bone density.
- Watch the "Hidden" Ingredients: His focus on gut health and the microbiome is actually backed by a lot of emerging science. Cutting out added sugars and artificial preservatives is a low-hanging fruit for feeling better.
- Medical Guidance: If you're looking into hormonal support like he uses, do it through a doctor. Don't buy "testosterone boosters" off a random Instagram ad.
To truly understand the impact of the Robert Kennedy Jr no shirt phenomenon, look at the 2026 fitness trends. We're seeing a massive shift toward "functional longevity." People aren't just trying to lose weight anymore; they're trying to stay "jacked and tan" well into their senior years. Kennedy didn't start the fire, but he certainly threw a lot of gasoline on it.
If you're looking to replicate some of these results, start by evaluating your own "food environment." Look at the labels on your favorite snacks—if it has more than five ingredients and you can't pronounce three of them, it’s probably one of the ultra-processed foods Kennedy is trying to regulate out of the American diet.