Joe Rogan has never been shy about experimenting with supplements and performance enhancers but one particular experience with a pre workout nearly derailed his training session. During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience with Derek from More Plates More Dates, Rogan recounted a tense moment that serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of aggressive stimulant use before intense cardiovascular activity.
The incident happened when Rogan decided to take Rip Fuel, a well known pre workout popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, before a jiu jitsu class. What seemed like a good idea for lifting weights turned into a troubling moment on the mats.
“I took Rip Fuel once for jiu-jitsu right before jiu-jitsu, and I had to stop in the middle of the class”
Rogan explained.
“I was like, I got to sit down. I pulled over to the side. I’m like, ‘Guys, my f*****g heart is beating out of my chest.'”
The moment was so intense that Rogan‘s resting heart rate immediately jumped to around 120 beats per minute. He described feeling exhausted almost as soon as they started rolling.
“Right away, like we start rolling, I was like, ‘God, I’m f*****g exhausted. My heart’s beating out of my chest'”
he recalled.
The issue, as Derek explained during the podcast, is that pre workouts like Rip Fuel are made for weightlifting and not for activities that heavily tax the cardiovascular system like jiu jitsu. These products often contain aggressive doses that can drive heart rate and blood pressure sharply upward. When combined with the high cardio demands of grappling the results can be risky.
Rogan acknowledged his mistake.
“I knew I f****d up. I did it once and I never did it again”
he said. The moment taught him an important lesson about aligning supplements with the right type of training. What works for lifting weights in a controlled environment does not always translate to the unpredictable high intensity world of combat sports.
This was not just about discomfort Rogan genuinely felt like something was seriously wrong. The combination of an elevated heart rate, exhaustion and the physical demands of jiu jitsu created a perfect storm that made him fear he was having a cardiac event. It serves as a reminder that even experienced athletes and fitness enthusiasts can make risky miscalculations when using supplements.
