Quick Link: | Jocko Willink Supplement Stack » |
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Country of Origin: | United States of America |
Occupation: | Former Navy Seal, Entrepreneur, Podcaster, Author |
Best Known For: | "Extreme Ownership" Concept & Book |
Online: | JockoPodcast.com, FB, Instagram, @jockowillink |
Who is Jocko Willink, and what is he known for?
Jocko Willink is a decorated former U.S. Navy Seal commander. He retired in 2010 after 20 years of service. He is the Founder of Echelon Front, a leadership training program, and he is the co-host of the Jocko Podcast.
Since his retirement from the Navy, Jocko has since written several books such as Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual. His most recent book is a children’s book called Way of the Warrior Kid 3: Where there’s a Will… (A Novel). It is designed to give children the tools to overcome life’s challenges with fun and inspiring stories that they can relate to. Jocko is a frequent guest on prominent podcasts like The Tim Ferris Show and The Joe Rogan Experience.
As a navy seal, Jocko has experienced the peak of physical fitness and mental sharpness. Even though he is no longer serving as a seal, Jocko is still an avid fitness enthusiast, and he takes his health and wellness very seriously. He is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and he is the owner of Victory MMA and Fitness, located in San Diego, California. He has been known to train with professional fighters there.
Along with a heavy fitness regimen, Jocko maintains a hectic schedule full of speaking engagements, podcast appearances, and running his entrepreneurial ventures. Naturally, he has to travel quite a bit. Maintaining a healthy diet can be a challenge when on the move, which led Jocko on a quest to find supplements he could rely on to fuel his workouts.
Jocko can be a bit particular about how he wants things done, which became an issue when he couldn’t find any supplement brands that met his standards. This challenge inspired him to start his own line of supplements, Jocko. As he explains on an appearance on ECRM tv, since Jocko created the products for his own consumption, his customers can rest assured that he did not cut corners as far as quality is concerned.
What supplements does Jocko Willink take regularly, and why?
As one would expect, Jocko uses supplements from his own line of products, especially since that was one of the primary reasons behind the creation of the company. All of the products are one hundred percent made in the USA, and there have no preservatives. The products are all flavored naturally with monk fruit instead of refined sugars, not affecting blood sugar levels. Also, they go through very little processing.
Here are some of the products from his own supplement line that Jocko regularly uses, as he mentioned on the ECRM tv appearance & on the Jocko Podcast.
Jocko Willink’s Recommended Supplement Stack:
Keep reading to find out how all of Jocko’s recommended supplements (and teas) work and why he uses them…
Jocko White Tea
Full of natural energy, flavor, and antioxidants, Jocko White Tea is a refreshing and organic alternative to sugar-laden sodas and energy drinks. You can drink as many of these as you want with no guilt. It is compatible with keto, paleo, or other low-carb diets.
Jocko White Tea contains organic hibiscus, which is loaded with antioxidants, and it may lower blood pressure, and boost liver health [1]. It also includes organic white tea, which might reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve skin health [2].
Jocko Joint Warfare
Jocko Joint Warfare is designed to help athletes that are recovering from joint injuries by reducing pain and speeding up the healing process. Many athletes, or people like Jocko that are continually putting their body through stress, take Joint Warfare daily to support and protect their joints.
Joint pain not only keeps athletes out of the gym but also makes it challenging for them to get sleep, further delaying the recovery process. Joint Warfare combines anti-inflammatory compounds with a joint support formula. It contains Boswellia Serrata, an ancient tree from India, which has been shown to have some anti-inflammatory effects [3]. It also contains turmeric and curcumin extract, both of which have some evidence to back them up as being useful in alleviating symptoms of arthritis [4], although further research is needed [5]. Another ingredient, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), prevents the breakdown of cartilage in the joints.
Jocko Super Krill Oil
Krill oil, like fish oil, contains the omega-3 fatty acids DHA are EPA, which are considered to be essential elements of a healthy diet. However, krill oil is considered to be more eco-friendly, and there is some evidence to suggest that it might be better absorbed by the body than fish oil. Jocko Krill oil provides all the benefits of omega-3s such as improved joint health, especially when taken in conjunction with Joint Warfare. Omega-3s also improve cardiovascular health, promote cognitive health, and fight inflammation [6].
Jocko Molk
Jocko explained on ECRM tv that one thing he was very particular about was the taste of his supplements. He refused to create products that didn’t taste good because he knew people wouldn’t take them consistently. Jocko Molk protein is a result of that thinking, with delicious flavors like Mint Chocolate Chip, Choco Peanut Butter, Strawberry and Vanilla (Gorilla). Molk is even suitable for kids. According to Jocko, it might be the only product in the market that both kids, and their parents, approve of.
Jocko Discipline
For both a physical and mental boost, Jocko Discipline is Jocko’s go-to supplement. He explains that in his life as a navy seal, he had to be sharp both mentally and physically. He compares competing in BJJ as a similar experience, and Jocko Discipline helps him up his game. It contains Ashwagandha and Rhodiola, which has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve brain function, potentially increase muscle strength, and even increase fertility in men [7][8].
The Jocko Willink 100% Diet
In his book Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual, Jocko introduces readers to his Paleo-like diet regime. Here’s how Jocko described his diet in the Discipline Equals Freedom book:
“The modern diet has been around for about 10,000 years. That’s when man figured out how to plant some foods, grow them, harvest them, make theme easier to digest and store them.
These foods were grains: Wheat, rice, corn.
Our bodies have not adapted to eating grains yet.
When we eat grains they are turned to sugar in our stomachs.
The insulin level spikes and punishes our bodies internally.
So, it is better to eat what we have evolved to eat – That is the diet of the Paleolithic man, or caveman.
So Jocko’s straightforward diet is mostly made up of:
- Beef (ideally grass-fed)
- Fish
- Eggs
- Poultry (ideally free-range)
- Nuts
- Vegatables
- Fungi
- Roots
- Certain types of dairy (mostly cream, full-fat butter, greek yogurt, cheese)
- Limited fruit (as they are high in fructose sugar)
So a lot of similarities to a low carb high fat (LCHF) Keto diet or a strict paleo diet. Jocko also makes a point of avoiding certain types of foods in his diet, particularly: grains, white potatoes, refined salts, refined sugars, processed oils, beans & legumes.
No Cheat Days in Jocko’s Diet
What’s most interesting about Jocko’s diet is his approach to the highly controversial ‘cheat day’. If you follow the Jocko podcast, you will often catch the shows co-host Echo Charles leading a conversation towards some favorite guilty pleasure he enjoys on a cheat day, followed by Jocko shutting the tangent down swiftly. Here’s what Jocko says in the Discipline Equals Freedom book about when to cheat on your diet:
“Some people use the 80/20 rule, meaning they stick with the clean ‘paleo eating’ 80% of the time and then the other 20% of the time they eat whatever they want. The problem is that the 80/20 becomes 60/40, then 40/60, then 20/80, and then all bets are off.
Don’t follow the 80/20 rule. Follow the 100% rule – that might turn into the 99% rule and that is okay. But the 80/20 rule isn’t a rule. It’s a step down a slippery slope.”
I know; very Jocko! Jocko Willink doesn’t believe in cheat days, or a ‘lazy version’ of a diet like the ketogenic or paleo diet. He believes that it too easily becomes a slippery slope and so advises that you should focus on being disciplined and clean with your diet until it is the norm and doesn’t take as much will-power to stick to. Then you can enjoy a treat every once in a while, once you have built the discipline.
As Jock says on his podcast, “Back to the book“:
“Once you have spent enough time staying 100% clean and you are adapted to that method of eating both mentally and physically, you can make some excursions to the dark side. I have an occasional mint chocolate chip milkshake or some other delicious but not nutritious treat.
And I make sure I earn it beforehand with some serious, extreme physical activity.
Over time, you will realize that you have lost your sweet tooth. You will also realize that the after-effects, the sugar rush, the sugar crash, the lack of energy the next day, make excursions to the dark side highly undesirable and will encourage you to STAY CLEAN.
Final Thoughts: Everyone wants to be more like Jocko!
Joe Rogan lists Jocko Willink as one of the people that inspire him the most with his extreme work ethic, discipline, and no-excuses attitude. While the supplements undoubtedly play a role in fueling Jocko’s busy and active life, he also derives his energy from his training, nutrition, and adequate rest. If you want Jocko to inspire you just like he does Joe Rogan, be sure to follow him on Instagram.
Podcasts and videos mentioned in this article
- ECRM Interview with Jocko Willink and Emily Page on the Launch of Jocko White Tea
- Jocko Willink & Origin’s Brian Littlefield Discuss the Jocko Line of Supplements
Reference List:
- ^ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hibiscus-tea-benefits#section1
- ^ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/white-tea-benefits#section7
- ^ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3309643/
- ^ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003001/
- ^ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/msm-supplements#section1
- ^ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/krill-oil-benefits
- ^ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-ashwagandha-benefits#section7
- ^ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/rhodiola-rosea#section4