Lessons from the Stair Master of Rockefeller College

If you were surprised to learn that he’s a professor, you certainly would not be surprised to hear that he’s a fitness guru. “The gym will cure you; the StairMaster will cure you” is one of Nunokawa’s many fitness mottos.

Full of contagious enthusiasm, Professor Nunokawa was eager to share his workout routine with us. Every day, he begins with one hour of cardio on the StairMaster, his “favorite object in the world,” and then proceeds to a “ritualized” weight regimen. The whole process takes between an hour and 20 minutes to an hour and 40 minutes. Nunokawa emphasizes that “all times are great” to work out, but his own workout time depends on his mood.

“Sometimes if I’m feeling very frisky and edgy I’ll wait till the very last minute that I can get the full workout in, like, how late can I go? I’ll play that little game, because my life is so very dull, that counts as a thrill.”

Although Nunokawa usually exercises in the gym, he looks forward to running outside, for the additional benefits of getting a tan, running into friends and because he “loves to show off.” When asked about a workout buddy, the professor exclaimed, “Myself!”

Nunokawa revealed another surprising workout tidbit: “I listen to one song for an entire year on my iPod.” He listens to the song for an hour on repeat; his current song is the Glee cover of the Katy Perry song, “Teenage Dream,” which he describes as “gay as a goose; brilliant.”

So, how did Nunokawa get interested in fitness in the first place? His answer was candid: “Initially it was when I first started going to New York a lot and realized that just I was going to get nowhere if I didn’t have a body. It’s true.” Nunokawa clarified that he was interested in “the dating scene.” He joked, “I needed something more than just being a professor at Princeton. That just got me nothing.”

Although Nunokawa may have begun working out for somewhat superficial reasons, he adds that years of working out have created a deeper change in him. “I’ve come to enjoy [exercising]. It was initially not even an ancillary consideration, but it has become quite central to the mission. I actually enjoy being healthy. It makes me feel better. It calms me. I’m not an especially calm person, and if I weren’t working out, God knows what kind of meds I’d probably be on. I mean seriously. And it just puts me in a good place. Or at least a better place.”

When asked what he would do if he were hypothetically snowed in Vermont for a week, Nunokawa was indignant, exclaiming, “Is this one of those prisoner dilemma kinds of questions? What the hell kind of question is that? It’s like, would I eat my mother or my father?” He finally decided that he would have to resort to running in place and many pushups, admitting that the scenario would “drive [him] crazy.”

Many Princeton students wonder how Nunokawa can manage his rigorous physical routine along with the stresses of work. When asked how he balances working and working out, Nunokawa simply said, “Those are the only things I do. So the balance isn’t a difficult thing. I have no life, aside from working and working out.” He explained that he even works while working out, in the form of informal conferences with students on the StairMaster. When he is not conversing with students, Nunokawa always reads while working out. In fact, he uses the cardio time to read articles that are “exceedingly uninteresting” that he is obliged to read, because “one cannot fall asleep on the StairMaster.” He asserts that the multitasking actually improves focus, and now “it’s like chewing gum and walking at the same time” for him.

When asked for some final workout tips for Princeton students, Nunokawa was adamant: “Never miss a day! Never. Never. Unless you’re running a fever; don’t go to the gym if you’re sick.” He also recommended that students fantasize about the athletic person they wish to be, saying, “Pretend you’re Cristiano Ronaldo. Just pretend. Just be Cristiano Ronaldo.” Indeed, the interview shed light on the mysterious pinnacle of fitness that is Jeff Nunokawa, and the tips will hopefully inspire Princetonians across campus to reacquaint themselves with the StairMaster. Nunokawa offered one last piece of advice: “[Get] colorful shoes. I don’t have any myself, but I think it helps the kids.”