- [Host] (knocks on door) Hey Yahya, it's Men's Health.
- Hey.
- [Host] We're here to see your gym and fridge.
- Really, right now?
Okay. Let me make sure coast is clear.
All right. Let's go then.
(upbeat music)
- [Host] Where are we right now?
- I am currently in Berlin,
and I'm working on a secret project.
- [Host] Let's check out your gym.
- So this is my home gym.
It's basically a little at-home setup that I made.
It's not the safest state for me to be out,
and going to the gym right now.
So I said, "Okay, well, what do I have around the house?"
I was fortunate to have this beautiful space
where I can set up and have the basic tools
that I need to accomplish all my fitness goals right now.
It's not one of those roles that I'm working on right now,
where I have to be really big and muscular.
So really the key to this setup right here
was just to make sure that I'm toned
and that I have the space to do my cardio,
and take care of my abs and things like that.
I use this space a couple of different ways, pushups.
This is one of my favorite things.
Just take a basic exercise band,
wrap it around a centerpiece,
and I can do things like this.
I can work on my back muscles here.
It's very versatile.
You can use it to do like crunches or abs.
One of my favorite ones is a crunch with the resistance.
Or I can put my heels down and do heel taps.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
A lot of these roll-outs.
(groans) That's enough.
And little areas like this where you can do dips,
oh-oh (laughs)
One, two, a thousand.
That was one.
Really proud of this one right here.
This is sorta like my strong man exercise.
I chopped down a tree and I painted it black,
so I do a simple exercise, like the DB step-ups,
but I hold the log right here.
The log is probably about 30 pounds,
and I keep it simple.
Boom.
So situations like this,
you basically want to give yourself what you need,
and improvise, right.
It's all about keeping yourself moving,
and using what you got as it comes to you.
- [Host] How often do you work out?
- [Yahya] Right now, maybe about five days a week.
So my exercise regimen changes depending on what project
that I'm doing.
For this particular project,
I want to be lean and cut,
so I'm doing a lot of cardio instead of heavy lifting.
- [Host] How do you prepare for a fight scene?
- For fight scenes, I go with a good attitude,
and just get ready to throw down.
You know it all depends on what the situation is.
Sometimes I need a bad-ass attitude,
sometimes, you know it's about having fun.
But fight is just like dance,
and it's just like choreography.
So you just go in and follow the instructions,
and just try to have a good time.
- [Host] What do you consider to be an intense workout?
- An intense work out for me
would be something with a lot of cardio.
I'm not the biggest fan of a lot of cardio.
I get tired even thinking about it (chuckles).
- [Host] Favorite exercise?
- I think all the time probably squats.
Got to get a strong base,
and a strong base helps with everything else.
- [Host] What does a week of training look like
outside of filming?
- When I'm not training,
I probably lift weights maybe two times a week,
and play basketball three times a week.
- [Host] What inspired your fitness journey?
- You know health is important.
It is important to take care of your body and be fit.
Obviously there's outward goals like looking nice,
and having muscles,
and having clothes that fit well and things like that.
But the inward goal is just as important to me.
It's a little bit of both.
- [Host] What's your morning routine?
- My morning routine is wake up, shower,
do all the face and moisturizing things,
and then I do breakfast.
For breakfast, I usually do about six eggs,
maybe four, whole eggs and two egg whites,
and a half a cup of oatmeal, every day.
- [Host] How do you keep your mind fit?
- I keep my mind fit by using it, right.
Reading, writing, making art,
just making sure that I'm sharp mentally.
- [Host] Do you listen to music when you work out?
- Definitely. I need music to work out.
Right now, I'm listening to a lot of Pop Smoke
and Jay Electronica while I'm working out.
If the workout is really, really, really intense,
then I go for complete silence.
- [Host] How do you keep motivated to stay fit?
- Oh, man.
So many things keep me motivated to stay fit.
I want to look good in my films,
I want to feel good in real life.
So between the two of those, I think that's enough.
- [Host] Do you have any scars?
- I do.
I have a scar on my lip.
I got my lip busted when I was in high school, senior year,
playing basketball and went for a rebound,
and caught an elbow.
So my lip split, split right there,
right down the middle.
I had to get stitches to get it put back together.
- [Host] Do you have any meaningful tattoos?
- Oh, yeah. I do.
I have a couple of tattoos.
Two of the most meaningful ones are the ones on my wrist.
On the inside, my father.
This is for my father.
And my mother, this is for my mother.
I'm probably thinking about getting a couple more,
but not until after we get finished shooting.
- [Host] Thanks for showing us your gym.
Let's head to the fridge.
- [Yahya] And here we go.
This is the fridge. I try to keep it simple.
A lot of water obviously, gotta stay hydrated.
Protein, more protein at the bottom.
I'm always working,
I'm always doing filming or superhero projects
and things like that where I have to stay in shape.
So my diet is pretty consistent.
I'm usually eating the same things around the clock.
It's kind of boring, but that's what it takes.
- [Host] What staples do you always have in your fridge?
- So in my fridge, you can always find eggs.
I eat about six to seven eggs every morning.
- [Host] Do you cook?
- I do cook.
During the holidays, I do things like pies, oysters,
clams, and things like that.
I like my seafood.
Most of the time though, I cook very simple and clean.
I do eggs, oatmeal, variation of rice, protein,
chicken breast, and vegetables.
I do that just about everyday.
- [Host] What would we never see in your fridge?
- You will never see milk in my refrigerator (laughs).
- [Host] Any food you hate?
- Black licorice.
- [Host] What's the toughest diet you've ever tried?
- Okay. The toughest diet that I've ever tried
was the Whole30 diet.
No sugar, no potatoes, no peanut butter.
If it came in a container, couldn't eat it.
So it was just basically fruit, vegetables, protein,
and air.
- [Host] How do you avoid junk food?
- I avoid turning to comfort food
by not having comfort food.
So if you see,
I got walnuts and cucumbers and peaches,
and pears and grapes out.
And these are my snacks.
If I don't have it, then I can't eat it.
- [Host] What do you grab from the fridge
if you're hungry at 2:00 AM?
- Ooh, okay. 2:00 AM and I'm snacking,
I would probably come to the refrigerator,
and I think I want
more grapes.
- [Host] What's your cheat meal?
- On cheat days, I eat basically the same thing,
but I give myself one special meal.
That special meal is a chicken and waffles.
I'll do something like grilled chicken,
with a lot of hot sauce,
and two waffles with honey or syrup.
And I do that on Saturdays.
- [Host] Do you miss food from home?
- Yes, and I'm glad you asked.
Let's walk over to this cabinet right here,
and check it out.
So when I came over,
I got a really big suitcase and I filled it up with snacks.
I've been over here for a couple of months,
and this is what's left.
Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks,
and sour candies.
I try not to eat this at two o'clock in the morning.
I try to keep it clean.
I try, I try my best.
- [Host] What's your go to snack?
- My go to comfort food is
Takis.
Takis is almost like Doritos,
but they roll it up really, really tight,
and it's just hot and it's ...
Takis should be a classified drug in the United States.
- [Host] Do you take supplements?
- Yup, I do take supplements.
I keep it pretty simple, creatine and protein powder.
My go to protein is usually a egg white based protein.
- [Host] Do you drink coffee?
- I do.
I keep it black or a flat white, shout out to Australia.
- [Host] All right Yahya. Time for rapid fire questions.
Ready?
- Yeah, I hope so . Let's go.
- [Host] Work out time, 7:00 AM or 7:00 PM?
- AM.
- [Host] Squat or deadlift? - Squat.
- [Host] Favorite song on your playlist?
- Ooh. Anything right now, anything Pop Smoke.
- [Host] CrossFit, yay or nah? - No.
- [Host] Pull ups or chin ups?
- Pull ups.
- [Host] Dumbbells or kettlebells?
- Dumbbells.
- [Host] Run on the treadmill or the great outdoors?
- Outdoors.
- [Host] Cardio or weights? - Weights.
- [Host] Big legs or big arms? - Legs.
- [Host] Biggest compliment, jacked, ripped,
cut or swole?
- Cut.
- [Host] If you could work out with anyone in the world,
dead or alive, who would it be?
- The rock.
(groans) All right (laughs).
It's been fun, peace.
Now I gotta get up outta here.
Gotta shower.
(upbeat music)