TJ and JJ Watt on Their Go-To Workout Routines, Surprisingly Simple Wellness Habits, and Their #1 Motivational Tip

JJ Watt and TJ Watt have quite a bit in common. The brothers are football legends, they love pushing themselves in Peloton classes, and they believe in the power of small, sustainable habits that lead to long-term wellness.

But while the two have plenty of similarities, they have their differences too (which fuels their friendly sibling rivalry!). TJ and JJ sat down with The Output to share the details of their exercise and recovery routines, how they challenge themselves during a workout, and the biggest advice they have for starting a new fitness routine of your own. (Spoiler alert: It’s simpler than you think.)

On their go-to exercise routines 

Given the Watt brothers’ exceptional football careers, you’d probably guess they spend all day, every day working out. As it turns out, you’d be wrong.

Outside of practices for the Pittsburgh Steelers, TJ says he usually spends about an hour in the gym during football season. “And a lot of it, especially as the season goes on, is not as much strength training as people would like to believe—more so mobility and stretching and trying to just maintain as much strength as I possibly can,” he says. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to definitely temper back from when I was younger.”

JJ knows what it’s like to adjust your fitness routine as your priorities change. After retiring from the NFL in 2023, he no longer has to use his workouts to “prepare for the weekly car crashes” like he did as a defensive player for the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals. But make no mistake: He still reserves plenty of time for movement.

“Generally, I like to get five to six days in every week, and then there’s one off day for sure,” JJ says. “For me, it’s three to four days of strength training, and then two to three days of cardio every week. I literally, just before we got on this call, was on the Peloton Tread, doing some zone 2 cardio.”

That said, JJ says he doesn’t worry too much if he takes an extra day or two off. “The beauty of being retired is that if I happen to miss a day, it’s not the end of the world,” he says. “I don’t have any games to play, so I’ll just get [my workout] in some other time. But I’m really enjoying it, and I’ve definitely had to try and find my way a little bit.”

On how Peloton plays a key role in their workouts

TJ is in the midst of his eighth season of the NFL, while JJ is approaching two years since his last game—but Peloton is a core part of both their fitness routines.

“Peloton aligns so much with what I do throughout the season, along with my off-season training,” TJ says. “I can either get on and just treat it as a flush for my legs after a game, or as the week goes on, I can use it as strength training too. And I can also control it too—so if I'm feeling a little bit more sore, I don't have to go get after it as much as I would in the off-season.”

JJ appreciates that every class is led by expert instructors who push him to give it his all, whether that’s on the Peloton Bike, Tread, or App.

“The best part of Peloton is that you don’t have to plan anything. You just show up, tell them how much time you have, and they’ll give you a perfect workout that fits that exact amount of time,” he says. “It really is so time-saving, energy-saving, and it gets you the best workout you can in the amount of time you have.”

One of JJ’s favorite ways to move with Peloton, by the way? Adding on a 10-minute Core Strength workout to his routine. “It’s great—I don’t have to think,” he says. “I just do whatever they tell me to do and it’s awesome.”

Another thing the Watt brothers love about Peloton? It lets them lean into their sibling rivalry while they compete for the higher Leaderboard rank. Watch the two face off as they find their push with Peloton:

On their biggest motivational tips for others

If you’re wondering how the pair stay motivated and driven towards their performance goals, according to them, the most motivating thing you can do to gain momentum is to get started with something seemingly “small.”

“The biggest motivating factor for me is seeing progress and feeling progress,” JJ says. “So what I always tell people is, ‘I don’t care if you start with a 10-minute walk. Just start. Just do something. Because once you accomplish that 10-minute walk, you’re either A) going to feel better, or you’re going to B) feel like you want to do more. … And both of those responses are going to make you want to do it again and again and again.”

TJ agrees. “Just find a way to get better each and every day,” he says. “There’s just so many little life alterations that you can make to truly lead to just a healthier life.” That could look as simple as going to bed 20 minutes earlier, he notes, but “you’ll feel it with each and every step that you take.”

On their self-proclaimed “boring” wellness and recovery routines

While you might think that the Watt brothers’ workout recovery routines are filled with cutting-edge regimens, TJ describes their playbooks as “nothing groundbreaking.”

After a workout, TJ says he’ll typically stretch and foam roll, hop in the sauna, do some hot-cold contrast therapy, and eat something—typically chicken, rice, green beans, and a protein shake. He’s also a fan of going to bed early (think 9 PM) and, especially during football season, visualizing himself making successful plays. “It helps me, when I’m in those moments, feel like I’ve been there before.”

JJ’s post-exercise habits are similar: He zeroes in on stretching, getting plenty of fluids, and “refueling the body so that you can do it again the next day.” His go-to post-workout meal, if you’re curious, is a form of protein (like a protein shake, chicken, or steak) and a fresh fruit bowl. (“The guy loves fruit,” TJ laughs.) 

“There’s many boring things that are just standard things that everybody knows is healthy, but they don’t necessarily want to do them,” JJ says, like drinking enough water, eating fruits and veggies, and prioritizing sleep. “I think a lot of people want to jump to the crazy things first,” he continues, such as using red light therapy. And while those practices have their time and place, “if most people would just do some of the boring, basic things first, that would change your life significantly.”

On their notable football careers

While the average NFL player stays in the league for about 3.3 years, JJ recorded 12 years before retirement while TJ is in year eight. With impressive careers under their belts, there are a few things they attribute to their success.

“I think first it just comes down to everybody who helped us get there because they taught us the way, they taught us how to work, they taught us how to play,” JJ says. “And then once we were there, we had teammates and coaches and trainers and staff who helped us as well.” 

Both brothers also know the importance of taking care of and listening to your body. “What got you there isn’t always going to keep you there,” TJ says. “As you get older, you can’t do some of the things that we did at 22, 23 years old if we want to have longevity in the league. And that’s something that JJ and I talk about extensively—and that’s just about finding different ways to train, but still have the same output on the field.”

TJ says he also appreciates having his brother’s journey to look up to, since JJ is about five years older than him. “I could learn from his mistakes and things that he wishes he could have done differently or things that he thought were really beneficial to him,” TJ says. “I didn’t have to have those learning curve experiences on my own.”

The brothers are grateful for these journeys. “We’re just very lucky,” JJ says. “We have the best job in the world and we couldn’t be more thankful for it.”

Want to work out like the Watt brothers? Get everything you need to train like an athlete with Peloton.