Chad Gable and CM Punk apparently have one of the most unexpected text threads in WWE, because these two aren’t sitting around fantasy-booking matches or talking locker room politics. Gable revealed that he and Punk have become total gym nerds behind the scenes, trading messages about workout equipment, training angles, carbs, rice cakes and all the other stuff that would put most people to sleep.
During his appearance with Chris Van Vliet, Gable broke down how much his own training has changed after working closely with fitness coach Jay Ferruggia. Gable said he now uses less volume, eats more food and relies on machines far more than he used to because beating himself into the ground every day simply wasn’t working anymore.
Gable also admitted he needs somebody keeping him accountable because his natural instinct is to push everything way too far.
“I realized that when I’m left to my own devices now I only know how to do things to 120%. That’s the only way and it just doesn’t work.”
That eventually led the conversation to Punk, who has also been working with Ferruggia. When Gable was asked whether Punk saw his results and decided to get involved with the same coach, he initially tried to leave that answer to Punk.
“You’d have to ask Punk. I hope he’s working with him now.”
Gable quickly confirmed that Punk is working with Ferruggia, then revealed how their relationship has turned into something he never expected.
“Yes, certainly he is. And the cool thing about the relationship with him, Punk, me, now we’re like geek texting about equipment and stuff on a regular basis, which I didn’t think that Punk would be someone I’d ever be texting about that stuff with, but he gets it now.”
According to Gable, something clicked with Punk once he got deeper into serious training, and now he’s completely locked in.
“And he’s like, with someone like Punk, it’s cool cuz when they go to make that shift from not really being that deep into it to all of a sudden they’re all in, the level of the light bulb just goes off and they’re just obsessed with it and to a level that now I am too.”
That means their conversations can get insanely specific about things almost nobody outside hardcore fitness circles would care about.
“So we share that and it’s like when we get talking about this stuff we just, oh man, people would be like, ‘What are you talking about? Like, who cares about the degree and the angle and the path and the range of motion and the strength curve?’ And, oh dude, it’s so awesome.”
Then there’s the food. Gable revealed that Punk is preparing his own meals, and the two can apparently be found backstage comparing carb totals and debating what qualifies as a treat.
“At the shows we’re like talking about, ‘Hey, what’s your carbs today, man? Hey, what’s your—where are your carbs at? Or like what’s your treat tonight? You have rice cake with what? A little bit of peanut butter on it or honey or what?’ We’re like, that sounds divine. Geek stuff, man. But it’s awesome.”
Gable said that shared obsession becomes its own motivation when everyone involved is just as serious about staying disciplined.
“Like when you’re into this stuff, you get it. Like it’s, uh, because it’s rewarding. It’s rewarding when you’re willing to show that discipline and the consistency and you’re doing it with other people that are obsessed on that level. It just, it’s the kind of reward that it keeps building on itself.”
Punk’s physical transformation has already generated plenty of conversation. Ringside News previously covered Punk looking noticeably more jacked, and Ferruggia later shut down accusations that Punk’s new physique came from steroids, insisting Punk has simply been putting in serious work.
Now Gable has given fans a much funnier look at what that commitment actually looks like behind the curtain. Punk and Gable might be two completely different personalities on WWE television, but apparently all it takes is a conversation about strength curves and peanut butter on a rice cake to bring them together.
What do you make of Chad Gable and CM Punk becoming full-blown gym nerds together, and have you noticed the difference in Punk since changing his training? Let us know your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
