If you watch Colin Jost on Saturday Night Live, you probably see a guy who looks like he just stepped out of a J.Crew catalog. He’s polished. He’s sharp. Honestly, he looks like the kind of guy who wouldn't want to get his hair messy. But there is a version of Colin Jost that most people don’t see on "Weekend Update," and it involves a lot of salt water, reef rashes, and surprisingly functional movement.
The workout Colin Jost relies on isn't some Hollywood "300" transformation routine. You won't find him posting "gym-bro" selfies or screaming through heavy deadlifts on Instagram. Instead, his fitness is built on a decade-long obsession with surfing. It’s a hobby that turned into his primary way of staying lean without the boredom of a treadmill.
Why Surfing is the Core of the Workout Colin Jost Routine
Jost didn't grow up on a board. He was actually a competitive swimmer as a kid, which gave him that broad-shouldered base you see when he's wearing those slim-fit suits. He didn't really catch the surfing bug until his early 20s. A friend from SNL who grew up in Huntington Beach dragged him out into the water, and it stuck.
Now, he spends a huge chunk of his off-weeks in Montauk or traveling to places like Puerto Rico and Tahiti. Surfing is a brutal workout. It’s mostly paddling, which is pure back and shoulder endurance. Think about it: you're lying on a board, arching your back, and essentially doing a swimming stroke against resistance for two hours.
The Tahiti Incident and Real-World Fitness
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jost was sent to Tahiti to cover surfing. It looked like a dream gig—until it wasn't. He ended up with a staph infection in his foot from the reef and various other "battle scars."
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That’s the thing about his fitness approach. It’s messy. It’s functional. He’s not training for aesthetics; he’s training so he doesn't get swept away by a wave at Teahupo'o. While he admitted to being a "cautious" longboarder mostly, keeping up with pros like John John Florence—even just for a segment—requires a level of core stability that a Bosu ball can't replicate.
Does He Even Lift?
He does, but it’s mostly to support his time in the water. To maintain the workout Colin Jost physique, he focuses on what trainers call "surf-strength" exercises.
He needs explosive pop-up power. That means lots of push-up variations and core work that emphasizes rotation. When you’re on a wave, you aren't moving in a straight line. Your body is constantly twisting and adjusting.
Basically, his gym time (when he actually does it) involves:
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- Pull-ups and Chin-ups: Essential for that pulling power needed to catch a wave.
- High-volume Bodyweight Squats: To keep the legs from burning out when he’s actually standing on the board.
- Planks with Rotation: Because a static plank is boring and doesn't help you balance on a moving object.
He’s admitted in interviews that he’s a "huge procrastinator." He’s not the guy waking up at 4:00 AM to hit the iron. He needs a goal or a "box" to work within. For him, the ocean is that box. If he isn't fit, he can't surf. Simple as that.
The SNL Schedule vs. Health
The Saturday Night Live schedule is famously toxic for your health. Writers and cast members routinely stay up until 4:00 or 5:00 AM. They eat terrible craft services food. It’s a recipe for a "dad bod" even if you don't have kids.
Jost has managed to avoid the "SNL Slump" by being consistent with his outdoor activities. When the show is on hiatus, he isn't sitting on a couch. He’s usually somewhere with a coastline. This "active recovery" is likely why he’s one of the longest-running cast members in the show's history without looking completely haggard.
Diet and Lifestyle
Let's be real: he’s married to Scarlett Johansson. When your partner is a literal Marvel superhero who trains like an elite athlete, some of that discipline is going to rub off. Johansson is known for intense strength training—deadlifts, military presses, the whole nine yards. While Colin might not be doing her exact 5-day-a-week grind, living in a house where fitness is a priority definitely helps.
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He doesn't talk much about a "diet plan," but he’s lean. That usually comes down to high-protein, moderate-carb eating habits that fuel his surfing without adding unnecessary bulk.
Actionable Takeaways from the Colin Jost Approach
You don't need a beach in Montauk to get the same results. If you want to mimic the workout Colin Jost relies on for his lean, athletic frame, focus on these shifts:
- Find a "Functional" Obsession: Stop trying to love the gym if you hate it. Find a sport—tennis, swimming, rock climbing—that forces you to be fit to enjoy it.
- Prioritize Your Posterior Chain: Surfing is all about the back, glutes, and hamstrings. Add movements like "supermans," rows, and pull-ups to your routine.
- Embrace Explosivity: Practice your "pop-ups." Get on the floor and try to jump to a staggered standing position in one fluid motion. Do it 20 times. You'll be gassed.
- Work on Balance: Use a balance board or even just stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. It sounds silly, but it builds the stabilizer muscles in your ankles and knees.
Colin Jost proves that you can be a "nerdy" writer type and still be in better shape than most people half your age. It just takes finding a workout that feels more like a hobby and less like a chore.
Focus on building a body that can actually do things, rather than one that just looks good in a mirror. That's the real secret behind the Weekend Update desk.