Our journalist John T catches up with Hardcore’s most muscular DJ and producer, Lil Texas, at this year’s Ubbi Dubbi Fest. They discuss how he maintains his impressive physique while balancing touring and life on the road. In an environment filled with late nights and poor food choices, Lil Texas reveals his essential tips and offers insight into his fitness routine. If you’ve ever wondered how this hardstyle king fills out that gray muscle shirt so well, this article is for you!
Those who follow you on social media know you’re into health and fitness. What started you on your fitness journey?
I’ve always been into working out, but I was never really serious until the pandemic happened. So, I’m like 31 or 30 years old, and I was like, dude, I need to see what my abs look like! It was vanity, man, pure vanity. I was stuck inside the house because of Covid and whats interesting is I actually hit you up, because you were friends with my other friend and you gave me some workouts I could do from home, and dude they worked and I learned how to diet from a pro body building friend of mine and I got the abs and the rest is history.
Speaking of diet, I know a few years back you were working on a recipe book. Did you ever complete and or publish that project?
So I finished it, but I never really shared or published it. Honestly, I just got sidetracked. The music kind of took over… Bodybuilding is a serious passion of mine. I’m a very passionate hobbyist. Music is always number one, but I’ll probably share it eventually.
Can you share an example of Lil Texas’ current workout routine? What does your gym split look like these days? [ A gym split is how a person divides up or splits his workout routine during a given week ]
My current split is five days a week: Chest, Back, Rest, Legs, Shoulders, Arms, Rest. It’s just kind of your regular bro split. I do chest one day, back the next, a full leg day, a full shoulder day, and a full arm day. I just do what I like that keeps me in the gym. I’m sure I could do something more optimally, but for me, this just keeps me going.
Kind of tying into my previous question, how do you balance working out and being on the road?
Yeah, it’s tough. The reason why I have shoulders and arms at the end of the week is that I can do them on Friday and Saturday from a hotel gym. I always put a hotel gym on my rider, so you gotta book me with a place that has a gym. Usually, airport hotels have a gym, which makes travel convenient. I just get in there, hit the free weights, grab some 25 or 30 lbs dumbbells, and get a good workout in.
So I see you’re a Gorillamind athlete. How did that all come about?
Shout out to gorillamind! A friend of mine, Yosuf, another DJ who tours with me, is also sponsored by gorillamind. One of the reps from the company was at my concert one night, and we met each other and talked for a bit. I think they wanted to bring in more DJs onto their influencer/promotional team, and we kind of went from there. I have always loved using their products, so getting to work with them was great. What they do is really solid, man!
What all supplements does Lil Texas use to get so jacked in the gym?
My favorite one is the pre-workout stacks, with an added scoop of nitric, which is an oxygen booster and gives you that good pump. It’s super clean and doesn’t make you feel all cracky. Their pre-workout I believe does not contain beta-alanine, which makes me feel much crisper during the workout, and I feel great afterwards post-workout. Other than that basic things like protien and creatine.
Side note: “What’s really the most important thing for those who’re listening is recovery. Recovery is what builds the muscle. It’s not all about what you do in the gym; it’s when you’re sleeping at night. I prioritize sleeping. For those who are artists and traveling a lot, and sleep gets jeopardized, I really, really prioritize sleep during the week. Getting that full eight hours is a must.”
I see that the need for speed tour is almost at an end. Is EDC the final stop?
The final club dates are next week in Florida. We’re going to Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Jacksonville. After that, we’ll embark on a full European Tour, which I plan to announce this week, actually.
How do you balance eating healthy food on the road?
Man, I got my hacks, ya know? You just gotta count your calories. The hack for me is eating sort of like fast food-style places where you can count the calories because they’re standardized food measurements. Not healthy, but at least you know what you’re eating, calorie-wise or macro-wise.
My biggest hack of them all is Chipotle. Salad, white rice, double steak, that’s it. About 50-60 grams of protein, bing bang, you’re ready to go!
What’s your favorite body part to train?
Legs and back! Those are my good body parts. I also find them to be the most rewarding days. Its easy to do chest or shouulders and get a good pump and look into the mirror all flexed. Back you cant see your back, and legs sucks. But when you do them you feel more accomplished. Yeah I’m a G I train legs hard AF and I train back hard AF!
Lastly, what would you say to someone who’s looking to start their own fitness journey?
I would tell them to find a gym or something physical that they’re going to enjoy doing. You don’t necessarily have to train like me. You don’t have to train like Phil Heath or some of the other builders; maybe your thing is CrossFit or distance running like David Goggins… Whatever you want to do, discover what will motivate you to keep coming back day in and day out. Ultimately, consistency is better than doing nothing.