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Gunner Peterson
I've listened to all of your episodes on here. You guys bleep it out.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, I didn't realize we bleeped, like, beep, beep, beep. Yeah, okay.
Gunner Peterson
Well, I didn't realize that you're not selling fitness. I tell trainers that all the time. You're not selling fitness, you're selling energy. I'm 150 years old, and I worked out this morning, and I was. I was giddy because I had a great workout. And I think as a trainer, you should do that for the people exercise you program. What are the 1 percenters do, especially in LA, especially in Hollywood, the people that you're saying, well, if I had what they had, I would do what they did. You wouldn't. Oh, what else is she doing? She's got all day to work out. No, she doesn't have all day to work out. What's the hack? The hack is hard work, dude. That's the hack.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
Your mom would walk into my gym without looking, without taking inventory of who was there. She would go, may I do my Kris Jenner impression?
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
Good morning, mother. Just walk through the gym. And that's how she lit it up every day. And I love it because that matches the energy I have, and I love having somebody in there with that.
Khloé Kardashian
So Gunner Peterson right here. I have known Gunner. I want to say I was a teenager. I'm like 13, 14 years old.
Gunner Peterson
I think 14.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah, 14. That's what I think too. So Gunner has been training basically every family member from my sisters to my mom. And we've known you forever. And you. I don't know if people know this about you, but you are a very serious. You get, like, your job, you're committed to your job. You are one of the biggest pranksters. You have the craziest, wildest mouth.
Gunner Peterson
I keep that under wraps.
Khloé Kardashian
Not anymore. But, yeah, you have the darkest sense of humor, which is why I love you. It is. But yeah, people, I don't think, realize that side of you. Like, you're so professional and you know exactly what you're doing, but you will it up with the rest of them.
Gunner Peterson
You have to. Yeah, I think you have to. It's funny. People go, how do you motivate people? I go, you don't motivate them. You insult them and you shame them. But that's also, like, on their time, behind closed doors, never on camera, and you just keep it under wraps.
Khloé Kardashian
Well, and I think also, by the.
Gunner Peterson
Way, p. S one of the reasons and the person I knew first in your Clan was your mom.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
Who has a super dark.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
Nasty side. Your mom would walk into my gym at 5:30 on the dot. Yeah. And as she walked through the gym without looking, without taking inventory of who was there, she would go, may I do my Kris Jenner impression?
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
Good morning. She just walked through the gym. It didn't matter who was there. And that's how she lit it up every day. And I. I love it because that matches the energy I have. And I love having somebody in there with that.
Khloé Kardashian
You have been. I mean, I remember my mom being at that gym, the one in off Tower. Right off Tower. And I would have to sit with her while she would work out and I would do homework and she would. I would see her like kick ass and beast. Yeah. What she would do in the gym. And I really think that also, like, I like working out and having my kids in the gym with me. Not for like a weight loss. Like, it's not that. It's about just showing them to be active. And I used to sit with my mom at Taebo and all the other shit. Like it's good for that sets the tone.
Gunner Peterson
And then when they're introduced to it at whatever time in their lives, they. They're not intimidated because they're like, yeah, I've been around this. I've seen it. It doesn't get weird for them.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. Whether they do it or not is another thing. Right.
Khloé Kardashian
But the intimidation part is interesting. So when I. I've obviously known you since I was younger, but then during my marriage, I started really working out when I was going through my divorce. And I remember that's when I started to need those workouts and. But not even like, going to your gym was such a safe haven for so many people. And yes, you taught no cameras.
Gunner Peterson
That's what people don't get. There's no people go, what about theft? Don't you worry? I go, I don't worry about that. There are no cameras in the gym.
Khloé Kardashian
But also, you only let one person work out during that hour at a time. So you can feel as uncomfortable and vulnerable as you want. There's nobody else there.
Gunner Peterson
It's your gym. It's your music. There was a great video. You probably have it of you and Kendall.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, yeah.
Gunner Peterson
Dancing up the track.
Khloé Kardashian
This Big Sean song.
Gunner Peterson
It is. I don't with you. Right.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
Got it. Do you have that video? Yeah, you got to send me that. It's just. And it's you guys from the back. I think you guys said, but you can't do that at another gym. Like, good luck. Yeah, you could, but you can't get the music queued up. You can't. Kendall used to come in there and pop up on the. On the iPad and literally DJ her own workout.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah. No, and I. That's h. I missed that gym because it literally was like, I'll get you.
Gunner Peterson
Come to Nashville, even if you come for a weekend. And they break ground today on the new building for our gym to expand it. But you'll see. Same vibe, but, oh, of course. Bigger ceilings. Just.
Khloé Kardashian
I've seen your videos, and I'm like, I gotta go back there.
Gunner Peterson
That's fun.
Khloé Kardashian
But. So I feel like I know everything about you, and I'm sure people who are. Well, everything. Hey, now, don't know everything. We'll leave that for Jess, your wife. But, yeah, I want you to tell people, like, how you got into this, because I don't. Like, you went to Duke. You know everything about the human body, Literally everything. Which is always so fascinating to me because you're not just a trainer. Like, you know, workout things. If I'm like, oh, my left leg is hurting, you will know exactly what.
Gunner Peterson
Muscle you got to stay on top of the field. That's where some trainers, they don't get it. They think, oh, I know basic programming and, you know, three sets of ten kind of stuff. Great. But there's a lot more that goes into it than that. And then you get the trainers who talk about, well, you're a therapist. You're not a therapist, bro. And you're. You're definitely not a trained therapist, so you should leave that out of the equation and let people come to their own decisions. You just have to create a space where the person feels comfortable talking. Most people are going to solve their own problems anyway, and you're definitely not in a position as a trainer to give advice on that. Or you should leave your husband. Are you crazy? You can't do that. Because then if they don't, then you feel like the. Yeah, or you're fired.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
So the husband comes in and goes, hey, bro.
Khloé Kardashian
Right. So I heard what you said about me.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
So how did you fall in love with fitness? But also, how did you get the clientele, like, the roster that you have?
Gunner Peterson
The fitness part? I was a fat kid. I was in Weight Watchers when I was 10 years old. And then I learned about working out, and then I learned to connect it to nutrition. And it was obviously, you know, we have a mutual friend in nutrition, Dr. Golia, but they Go hand in glove. And you know that. And, and he jokes that it's 80 nutrition. I joke that it's 80 fitness. I think what we can agree upon is the closer you are to your goal, the more nutrition plays a part and you can't out train a bad diet, right? So all that falls in line. But I got into that because I, it was a control thing, right? As a fat kid, I was a victim. I felt I can't control this. Why am I so fat? Why do I look like this? Having that control was cool and I just want to share it with people. And I would tell friends, come work out, but they, they won't, or they, they won't on a regular basis. So then it becomes you're telling people, but without pitching it right. Like, you're not selling fitness. I tell trainers that all the time. You're not selling fitness, you're selling energy and an experience. And if your energy speaks to your workout, like I worked out today, I'm 150 years old and I worked out this morning and I was, I was giddy and I came back in the hotel room and my son goes, dad, what's the matter with you? I go, I'm just fired up today because I had a great workout. I knew I was seeing you. And I think your exercise program should do that. And I think as a trainer, you should do that for the people's exercise programs that you program. And they're coming for the energy. They're coming.
Khloé Kardashian
You've always been like that. And you've been doing this for decades.
Gunner Peterson
35 years.
Khloé Kardashian
35 years. And every morning. So I would have the 6 or 7am slot typically, and you would have already been in there 4:30, doing your own workout with your guys. And you always had the energy, always happy, always positive.
Gunner Peterson
Do you remember when you walked in early once and I was finishing my workout? I can tell you right where I was in the old gym.
Khloé Kardashian
I was, oh my God, you're sick.
Gunner Peterson
And I was on the cable and I was shouting because that's like my therapy, my catharsis. And I was yelling and swearing and I finished and the other guy worked with me, Brad was there, and he starts laughing. I looked and I saw you walk past and you go, oh, that's nice. And I was just swearing up a storm because that's how I get it out.
Khloé Kardashian
Well, there's no judgment for me.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah, go ahead, do your thing. Four letter bomb all day. So that I think that energy is what draws people to. I think your energy in anything either draws or repels people. Whether you're, you know, selling widgets or, or workouts or, you know, running a, an escape room. It's the energy of the people. And as far as the roster goes, to go back to your question, I was in the right place at the right time. And that's not fake humility. I used to joke I have great parking and people go, oh, that's not really why that's a big part in la. The fact that someone like you or anyone in that rare air can pull in off street, no paparazzi park, get out of the car where you can't be seen, no cameras. That changes the game I think for who's going to come to you. Like that's appreciated by those who, who value that. Right. And then they're going to keep coming and it's a safe space.
Khloé Kardashian
Let's not. I get you're very humble.
Gunner Peterson
No, but I'm saying that's a big draw. Right.
Khloé Kardashian
And after that, at his prime, you were his trainer, Sylvester Stallone. Yeah, at his prime.
Gunner Peterson
23 years. 23 years and, and still the man, he did a thing. As did you and thank you in person. But I've done it on text for my daughter.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
He, he, the people like that wrote me back right away. And there's a reason he writes you back because he recognizes what you bring to the table and that you're not after anything else. It's like not asking for a photo. I'm not asking for a photo. Yeah, or it's going to happen or it does it, whatever. But that doesn't change the exchange. That doesn't change the time spent. Right. I have people I've trained that I'm still super close with. Probably don't have any photos of them, but that's fine.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh no. Your wall. I love. So Gunner's gym, which we have to throw out photos of your gym, the LA one, the Tennessee one, whatever. They're insane.
Gunner Peterson
And the ceiling quilted in jerseys.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, everybody. I promise you, even if it's a one off workout, any per. I promise you, you've trained anybody and everybody, whether it be from celebrity to CEO to athlete. And everyone only has great things to say about you.
Gunner Peterson
You are deliver on that level. If they know you outside of the gym, maybe they go, he's an. But you try like you're coming for a workout. It should be fun. You're. You're bringing time, energy, money, whatever to that. You want to leave with a perception of value.
Khloé Kardashian
I mean your gym Is fun. I miss it. It's such great energy. My gym is. Is emulated off of your gym.
Gunner Peterson
Love that.
Khloé Kardashian
Like, I have the turf in the middle.
Gunner Peterson
Yep.
Khloé Kardashian
I don't have the yellow, but I have the turf in the middle.
Gunner Peterson
So the new gym has a block that's black and yellow and a block that's red, white, and blue. And it just makes it fun, which I had kind of in the old gym. The downstairs was morphed into red, white, and blue.
Khloé Kardashian
Where are we starting that?
Gunner Peterson
Pirates and Patriots.
Khloé Kardashian
I still have one workout bench. That's yours. It has your signature on it. Do you remember? You gave me that. I love that. So it's one thing that's reminiscent of yours. Talk about how you went from being a production assistant to now doing what you're doing, because I think it's fascinating.
Gunner Peterson
So I was walking out of a gym. I used to train early morning before the job, and a dude asked me if he could work out with me. And I was like. And the person the kid I was training with, early morning training partners, as you know, are hard to come by and they're hard to be consistent. And the kid had not shown up. So I worked out by myself. And as I'm leaving the gym, this guy asked me to train. And I said. I was kind of like, sure. And I said, but I go early. And he goes, no problem. Then he said, what do you charge? And I was like, let me get back to you on that.
Khloé Kardashian
Wow.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. Because I didn't have, like, I wasn't a trainer. And then I played cat and mouse, training him in a gym as a non employee, but training him and then trained a buddy of his. And then I started training a woman in the evening. So I do two people in the morning and then go to the regular job, production assistant, and then go into the gym for my own workout at night.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, my God.
Gunner Peterson
And then a woman started training. And then I started looking at it, and I go, I'm making more money training three people three times a week than I'm making for a full week in a regular job.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
And I quit the job.
Khloé Kardashian
And you just had that much faith?
Gunner Peterson
No, I. I guess I was like, probably didn't love the job, but I didn't love the control of the job. And then I started. I met a casting director who I started training, and I trained like two or three casting directors. And they worried that I didn't have insurance because I didn't have insurance.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
Because I was young and strong, and I don't get sick. And I was like, pick up Viking blood. I'm not going to get sick. And they're like, you need insurance, Gunner.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, like health insurance?
Gunner Peterson
Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
Or gym insurance.
Gunner Peterson
Yes, and yes.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
But they were talking about health insurance. So they would put me in small roles in some of the shows that they were casting.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, that's so funny.
Gunner Peterson
And then I got SAG insurance.
Khloé Kardashian
Okay.
Gunner Peterson
And I kind of coasted like that for a little while. But you do what you can. You're in your 20s. You don't have responsibilities. Right. You're not married, no kids, no pets. So you can do what you want, work when you want. And as long as. As long as I can control the workflow, as long as I can keep my foot on the gas, I'll go as hard as it takes.
Khloé Kardashian
And then it's just crazy to go from that. And then it's like Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rock and the Kardashians. No, just kidding.
Gunner Peterson
No, but you have to reverse that order.
Khloé Kardashian
It's great. No, but it is crazy.
Gunner Peterson
But you're also in the right. Think about it. You're in the right zip code. Like, you're. You're in the place where the people are.
Khloé Kardashian
Where was your first gym?
Gunner Peterson
My first gym was at the house on Tower Road.
Khloé Kardashian
Okay.
Gunner Peterson
That was your first door. Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
Okay, I remember that one.
Gunner Peterson
Yep. Gutted it. And it became a gym. And it became. Again, it was a safe place for people who. Who can't be. It's not fair. They can't. Who. It's uncomfortable for them in a public gym. And I get that people go, oh, why can't they work out what's. They can. But can you promise me you're not going to go bother them or you're not going to take pictures like this? Because that's what people do. And that gets annoying for somebody in your line of work, that's tough.
Khloé Kardashian
But also, you like movies, movie roles. People would rely on you to get them together for that role. Didn't you do Angelina?
Gunner Peterson
Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
Tomb Raider.
Gunner Peterson
Tomb Raider 2. Yeah. Went to London.
Khloé Kardashian
That's a lot of responsibility on your shoulders.
Gunner Peterson
It is, but it's fun. And you've already had the. Especially when you've. When you get called by a studio to train somebody for a role, that's a different responsibility than you've worked with a person for X period of time. They get a role and they say, okay, here's the role. Here's how I want to tweak that. You know, I worked with name drop Matthew McConaughey for a lot of years. And he was training for a role. I want to say he was going to be a daughter diver, like a springboard diver, and working, working, work. And then he came in one day and he goes, changing the role. That movie fell through. I'm doing a different role, and I need to look like a cross between whatever it was, something like a quarterback and a linebacker. And it was the role of in the movie Sahara, the Clive Cussler novel. And he was playing the lead character, Dirk Pitt.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
And very different, ironically. I read all those books growing up. Clive Kosar.
Khloé Kardashian
Also, the thing about you don't ask you to immerse like you are immersed in any piece of knowledge.
Gunner Peterson
Gotta go deep.
Khloé Kardashian
But how the hell do you have the time?
Gunner Peterson
Well, that's why I don't gamble. I don't do drugs. I'm afraid of coffee. Like, I don't. I know how I would go.
Khloé Kardashian
I know. It's also psycho. It's wild that, like, me, I need my coffee. The pre energy. You're like, you're sober. Sober, sober, sober.
Gunner Peterson
Like, I'll do an energy drink. I like it. Okay, I'll do a zo. 160 milligrams of caffeine. Let's go.
Khloé Kardashian
But the energy.
Gunner Peterson
I'll do my pre gym workout.
Khloé Kardashian
But that's crazy. That. That's like all it takes to get you going.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. So he said to me, I'm doing. Listen, this. This is funny. He goes, I'm doing this role, Sahara. And I said, oh, Sahara, there's a book, Clive Custer. He goes, what do you know about that book? And I said, lead characters, Dirk Pitt, he's got a girlfriend named Eva Rojas. He works for a guy named Admiral Sandecker who works for numa. He's this. And he goes, what do you know about Dirk Pitt? I go, what do you mean? And he goes, I'm Dirk Pitt. I go, Dirk Pitt is 6, 4. And he goes, Dirk Pitt's 5, 11 and 3 quarters. And I go, solid.
Khloé Kardashian
Say less.
Gunner Peterson
You're right.
Khloé Kardashian
You're right.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
You are.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. So you. But working with him for a role like that, or working with somebody that you've worked with for a while, I don't feel the pressure. I think it's. Then it's fun because you're just. You're taking the relationship in a new direction and they trust you. You know how they work. You know what's going to work with them, what you can and can't do. There's no like feeling it outfit days.
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Khloé Kardashian
You were also the head trainer of the Lakers. Head strength training.
Gunner Peterson
Strength and conditioning.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah, strength and conditioning trainer for the Lakers.
Gunner Peterson
Three years.
Khloé Kardashian
Three years. That's a long time.
Gunner Peterson
That's a long.
Khloé Kardashian
Well, it's a long time in la.
Gunner Peterson
That's a long time in la, I think. So It's a lot of road time. Because you know better than I do that travel schedule is. No, no joke. It's no joke. Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
You have family and kids and kudos to my wife.
Gunner Peterson
I was. Yeah. Newly married, but yes. But when I told. I sat everybody around the table. When Rob Pelinka offered me that job, I brought the family around the table and I said, do we do this? And they all said yes. And I go, but hang on. You got to think it means like Christmas morning I might not be here. We could be on the road.
Khloé Kardashian
It means they're the Lakers. They play every major holiday.
Gunner Peterson
Every holiday. And I and May not be here for games. This. I may miss this. And they all go, that's fine. Take the job. So I had their blessing, so it's easier to do. And then when we won in 2020, my wife goes, why do you want to go back? And I was like, I mean, it's fun. It's awesome. I work with great people. She's like, babe, come on. You want a ring? Like, don't kid yourself. But it also. It came to a natural end and things changed. It's a great organization, great people, as you know. But, you know, things change and you move on. Yeah, but nothing but love for those guys and. And they crushed it. I mean, there's a work ethic down there that's sick. Which is why they are who they are.
Khloé Kardashian
Speaking of your family, so you have three. Three sets. You have three kids from your first marriage and then two more.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah, I have Henry, my oldest, then Jack, then Sloan, and then I have Zayn, and then I have Monroe. And so I have a starting five.
Khloé Kardashian
You have a starting five, which is what everyone needs.
Gunner Peterson
Everybody, right? You better.
Khloé Kardashian
No, I'm good. I have my two, and then I just acquire other people.
Gunner Peterson
You also have a lot of nieces and nephews, so, like, you feel the best.
Khloé Kardashian
Take care of a lot. I'm good. I feel complete. Starting 20. But ever since I've known you, you found a way to balance. You have this extreme work life that you do literally from 4:30 in the morning on. And then you're always at your kids games. When your kids were touring college, you were on the college tours, even though they were only going to go to Duke. I imagine.
Gunner Peterson
Duh. My middle son went to SMU and I left. I said to him, dude, you're going to have more fun than everybody who went to Duke. Just because you're going to be in Texas and you're going to. And he tore it up. He'll still wear a Duke shirt, but he's an SMU kid, Jack. And it's. It's awesome to see him in his own. Like, he's got his own gig there. But, yeah, they were only going to Duke. I wouldn't let that. I wouldn't have any baby blue in the nursery. I want Duke blue in the nurseries for the boys.
Khloé Kardashian
It's always been Duke blue.
Gunner Peterson
Correct.
Khloé Kardashian
Always. But how have you always found a way to balance? I don't even know if it's balance. I think your kids were your number one priority, and then the rest.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah, balances, that's. That Word, right? I have a guy now, country music guy in Nashville. He goes. He goes, I hate the word balance. I said, cool. I hate the word journey. So let's. Not the band. But like, people always say, I'm on my journey. I'm like, shut up. Not on a journey. What do you think? It's your workout. Like, you're not on a journey, but I don't think you have balance. I think. I think you go hard and get obsessed with everything. Like, I'd imagine that right now you are. Because this is your newest baby. I would imagine you are all day. The fact that you have notes and things and, like, you can't have balance if you're doing a new project, right. Whether it's a work project or a kid, you got to go all in with that. And you know what you're about to find out. But I think you do know with the kids, they're gone in a minute. I know, right? That first it's the school thing and then they're. Then they're gone for X amount of hours a day. And you go, oh, that's weird. I got a big hole in my time. And then it's the friend thing, and then it's trips with friends, and then it's college, and then it's like, good luck.
Khloé Kardashian
You know, you've always handled it so well. And I feel like when. If you had a crazy day, your kids would come by the gym and hang out for a little bit and do homework in the back, or you always found a way to make it so family inclusive, but never feeling like, God, Gunner's kids are here. Do you know? Like. Like, it was never intrusive. It was always such a great environment.
Gunner Peterson
They're always super respectful and they would stay back there. And. And that's also how you get to tell who the people are that you're working with. The ones who acknowledge them and speak to them, versus the one who just wave and walk. And I want them to see. I brought my little guy here, Zane, this. I'm in LA for two days and he's with me. And I said, you're going to do workday with Daddy. And he's like, can I bring my iPad? Yeah, I go, you can, but he needs to see. I think it's helpful that they see what you do.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes, it is.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
Speak a little bit about Monroe and what you guys have been going through on her health journey and, like, how. I know journey.
Gunner Peterson
Let's find balance. She.
Khloé Kardashian
How old is she?
Gunner Peterson
She's five. And Last year, I think it's. I think it's a year ago tomorrow or Thursday.
Khloé Kardashian
Wow.
Gunner Peterson
Was diagnosed with AML leukemia, which. Yeah, that's a fun day.
Khloé Kardashian
I was so surprised with how subtle, like, the symptoms were for leukemia that I would love for you if you're comfortable to explain that, because I. When I heard, like, when I was like, mom, how did I remember? I was like, how did he know Monroe had that? And it was a few bruises from what?
Gunner Peterson
Yeah, my wife Jess found that. And I'll give even more kudos to Jess for not just how she found it, but how she's championed the whole thing. As far as I'm concerned, she's got an MD like, she's become an absolute beast, the way I would expect a lot of moms, especially you. And when you're. It's not helicopter parenting, by the way. It's being a good mom. So Monroe was getting fevers, and they would subside, or they'd break in the night, and then she'd be fine, and then she'd get another one. And. And I don't know, to me, her skin, like, her pallor wasn't her. There was a pallor to her skin that you didn't see normally. And I said to Jess, maybe it's like anemia or something. I think. I think this is more than just, like, day, cool night, cool time. I think this is, like, go to the doc. And she went and checked, and they. She checked while I was at work, and then they put her in an ambulance. They said her counts are extremely low. She needs to go up to Vanderbilt right now. So they sent her to Vanderbilt, and then they checked, and then a couple days later, they come and they do. They checked her in. And of course, my wife stayed with her the whole time, like, literally lived there. Ended up the two of them living there for six months.
Khloé Kardashian
Wow.
Gunner Peterson
Thank God it's only 20 minutes from our house, so we could do, like, a tag in, tag out thing. And Zane could see. And my other kids flew in, and all the other kids. When she. When it came down to needing bone marrow transplant, all my other kids stepped up, right? Drew the blood to see who was a match. And. And it gets. That gets super hairy, but they get that diagnosis, and it's no joke. They check you in and then. Then they tell you what it is, and it's. It's not leukemia. It's AML leukemia. And what's the difference?
Khloé Kardashian
More rare.
Gunner Peterson
It's more rare. It's more difficult to. It's everything and then is probably going to be a bone marrow transplant and then there's going to be. Then that didn't take. The first one didn't take. And then, I mean it took for a minute and then it didn't. And then they go through a radiation and the chemo. It's just, you wouldn't wish it on anybody.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
But my wife and I would tell, I would tell any parent or any guardian, you have to advocate for your kid and you have to keep meticulous notes. My wife wrote down on this notebook that more notes than I took in four plus years of college. And she wrote down everything they did. Every time the nurse comes in at night, how much, what are you giving her, what time? Why? And, and you keep it because you want to go back to it and say this didn't work, this did work. And Vanderbilt, top notch. Can't give it more praise for how they handled the whole thing. But you have to advocate for it.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
And you have to ask questions of not just the doctors, not just the heads of the departments, which we had, you know, we were lucky to have good relationships, but the, the day to day caregivers. Those people are the ones who see symptoms, who see trends, who, you know, the nurses, the orderlies, the people who are in and out and in and out. And if you don't keep those relationships open and take those notes, something can get missed. And I worry for the people who don't know to do all that. It can go sideways real fast.
Khloé Kardashian
My cousin Cece, who I know you've met in the past, she's had cancer for like over 30 something years on and off. And she says the same thing. You have to advocate for yourself that regardless of who the medical practitioner is, they're not you. And you have to even saying no, like, no, if you don't feel like this is the right drug for you, like it's okay to push against that.
Gunner Peterson
Yep. Just that we also had a guy through another, through other friends and probably not cool to say their names, but anyway, we had other friends who connected us with another doctor down in Florida who Jess and I could bounce, but more Jess bounce stuff off of. But I was on all the emails, all the texts, so I'd read it and Jess was just on it, on it, on it. And without, without his being like a sounding board and giving advice. And he never, he never contradicted or countered anything. But he said, ask about this or what about this? And when you put it in a question form, sometimes you do spark an Idea like, oh, that's. Oh, maybe. And then the treatment takes a different turn or a different path or like the second transplant she did, they do a tbi, Right. A total body irradiation, where they essentially microwave your kid to nuke anything before the transplant so that a transplant has a better chance of taking. And they get down to discussing what temperature that's set at. And the doctor in Florida has a different idea than these people because how would you know? How would I know? How would my wife and I know? Oh, for her body size, for her body weight, for the fact that she's been under chemo for this long and now she's going to go through this. Having those people, like I would tell anybody, reach out. And the pediatric oncology world. Right. Is a very small. And they talk in real time. And you can get really good answers if you step up and ask a question. Nobody's holding back information. It's not like we have the cure and we're going to hold it. So you come to us and we make money. It's. It's not that kind of business. They will talk. And we've got some really good people on our side.
Khloé Kardashian
That community is huge. Huge.
Gunner Peterson
Your family friend Harry, who.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes. Harry Hudson, who's phenomenal. Like, he lives in Tennessee, too.
Gunner Peterson
Correct. We've gone back and forth on this, but he has a. A little room at. In the Vanderbilt. In the Monroe Carroll Children's Hospital for kids to go, because I guess teenagers go and then they feel, thank God, like, Monroe, our daughter lost all her hair. Right. And her eyebrows, which is a freaky look. But. But it's cool. Like, make it work. But she doesn't have the association with hair and beauty and how she presents herself as a teenager would. So Harry recognized that. And there's a little center for teens within the hospital where they can go and. And be themselves. And there's. There's musical stuff, and it's Harry's best.
Khloé Kardashian
And when Harry got cancer, he was teenager, and so Kendall brought him into.
Gunner Peterson
The gym one time.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
And I was like, just something like, he looked thin. And I didn't. I didn't know the backstory.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
And then they're like, oh, by the way, I said, got it.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
Okay. They were aware of how kids, the teens are going through. Sure. The cancer fight, not to be denied. But the other fight of how come I look like this and I don't fit in and now I look weird and whatever. Monroe doesn't have that. My daughter doesn't have that. She's like, laughing and then it's coming back.
Khloé Kardashian
Monroe has.
Gunner Peterson
I took a picture of her hair the other night.
Khloé Kardashian
Best personality.
Gunner Peterson
Hang on. Hopefully you can. I'll show you the pic. And it's like she wetted it down and it's just growing back in and it's patchy. And she combed her like that. And I took a picture from the top and I sent it to my brother and I go, I'd like you to meet my new accountant. No, it looks like a terrible comb over, but she's just happy to have it.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah. And how is she doing now?
Gunner Peterson
She's good. She's going through. And this is another thing. She's going through a ton of gut GI problems. So you have to know, as the parent, as the guardian advocating for the kid, that the treatment. Yes, sure, the cancer is in remission. That's the best news ever. But there are things you can do leading up to it that might help you avoid future problems, like the gut disorders, which she's been fighting now for five months. I would say now it's better than it's been. And her attitude through it, like, you realize you learn more from the kid through this than the kid learns from you.
Khloé Kardashian
I was just going to say to you. Has it surprised you?
Gunner Peterson
Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
Monroe's attitude through all of this, her.
Gunner Peterson
Attitude, she's a 10. Yeah, she's a trooper. She gets. I mean, I don't know how graphic you want to get, but, like, her bathroom habits have been pretty crazy over the last five months. But she'll go in there and I'll go, you all right? And she goes, yeah, I'm just riding my dirt bike. And I'm like, you're five years old. Don't say that. But it's her attitude. She's. She's not phased by it. And she'll go from a painful episode in there, and then she'll just start talking. Hey, Daddy. When the Barbie goes down the slide, she has to move because if not the other Barbie, when she comes and I'm looking at her going, how are we talking about Barbies?
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
You were just going through immense abdominal pain.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
But her attitude, she just compartmentalizes it. And.
Khloé Kardashian
But every video you posted of her in the hospital going through the chemo, it's. She was decorating her room.
Gunner Peterson
And that's Jess. Jess did theme rooms, which of course you would do, too.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
She made. Because the rooms are pretty bleak. And I feel. You feel. If you want to ever look at where you could help not you but one with their time or their money or their energy. Take a walk down a children's cancer ward. It's like humbling, right. And it's pretty bleak. And a lot of those kids are in there by themselves young. And so Jess made. I mean, she made the bathroom fun. She did a mermaid theme. She frozen theme. She did some cool stuff. So that Monroe, her stay there was. Was less awful than a normal hospital stay, right? Nobody wants to be in a hospital.
Khloé Kardashian
Nobody. Do you? Because I'm sure.
Gunner Peterson
I like that you're going to sit back and set this up like it just popped into your head.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes, this just came to me. Well, because I'm sure so many people hire you because of who they see your training and what they see you can do for other people. But yes, you're incredibly talented, but also it takes that person to be committed, right?
Gunner Peterson
Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
And so is there anybody. You don't have to say names, but do you have a lot of clients that you mainly like you. You know, they're not committed, so you would rather sort of break up with them so you could use that hour towards someone.
Gunner Peterson
That's great. Question. And I'll tell you this. In the beginning of doing this 35 years ago, my, when I had people, you could feel that, right? When you feel the reluctance or the pushback. My thought at the time, younger, gung ho, passionate, excited to share it was, I'm going to make this person fall in love with their time with me and fall in love with fitness. And I would make. That would be. That would become my cause celebrity. I wanted that. I wanted them to just love it. And when they get it, that's like a huge victory. Now if I feel any pushback, I just go, hey, Wednesday, I'm slam. But I have these two guys here, Colin and Adam. They're great. They're going to be here. And I just try to push it downstream. Not in a bad way.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
Just in a. It's not. This is not. We're not suited.
Khloé Kardashian
Right.
Gunner Peterson
I can't come at this with 110% energy. And. And I prep the workouts the night before and you come in not wanting to do it or phoning it in. Like, that's just a bad match. Not that my other guys are not doing the same, but they're younger, they're earlier in the game. They're going to want to pitch it. I'm not selling it to anybody.
Khloé Kardashian
Like, no. And I, I also, I love that you said that you do plan your workouts the night before you're old school. So I'm old school. Like whenever someone sends me like something about, let's just say I'm interviewing you, they'll be like, oh, here, we printed this out for you because I don't want to read it on my phone. I want a tangible piece of paper. And I know with your workouts you have it tangibly printed out. You hang it on the wall or take it around with you so you know what workouts we're doing. But talk us.
Gunner Peterson
I had an NFL quarterback who took it once at the end of the workout and he wrote on it, you don't phase me. And he crumbled it up and he threw it like that. And then I go, you spelled phase wrong.
Khloé Kardashian
No. Well, football player, you know, you know, but I love your, how methodical you are with your workouts and how you plan it the night before. And you do that for each client and it's talk about that.
Gunner Peterson
It's a system. I joke with my nine year old son. Like last night we got to the hotel and I said, I want you to open your suitcase and line your clothes up for how you're going to put them on tomorrow. I said, because when I get back from the gym, I want you to be bang, bang, bang, ready to roll. And he goes, but I know they're in the suitcase. And I said, it's not going to work like that. You have to have a system. If you don't have a system, you're going to be slow on the draw. So I'm the same with the workouts. Write them out, have them stacked in the order that the people are coming in and just know that you're going to execute that way. But also when you plan them like I write it on the work on the, on the, I'm not so old school that I do on paper, but I write it on the computer. But I pull up what we've done, I know the date, I know what your short term, long term goal is. How are we going to set that up, what you've done in between, if anything. And you got to prepare it like that. Just destroying somebody in a workout is such a, it's such a cliche rookie trainer move.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, and I've had that.
Gunner Peterson
Oh, I'm sure you have.
Khloé Kardashian
I've had trainers reach out to me, especially when doing revenge body. Like I would want to try some of those.
Gunner Peterson
I'm not, I'm not pushing for this, but I would. If there's a campaign, why don't they bring Revenge, body back. It was so fun.
Khloé Kardashian
It was.
Gunner Peterson
And it holds up. And you, you made some great changes in people's lives. And you also expose some people who, well, if I had a trainer, if I had a chef, you're like, no, bro, you wouldn't. You. You wouldn't.
Khloé Kardashian
And it wasn't about taking people out of their comfort zone. It was about, this is still your daily life. We're going to implement just the training aspect, but there's no chef. We're not putting you in a mansion and isolating you for three months. That's easy for anyone to lose weight.
Gunner Peterson
Find a time to make it work, because the people that you're seeing, the people that you're saying, well, if I had what they had, I would do what they did. You wouldn't. That's why those people are in that thin tier of people. And I think that is a thin tier of people, especially in la, especially in Hollywood. Oh, what else is she doing? She's got all day to work out. No, she doesn't have all day to work out. That's why, like you said, yeah, you're there six, seven in the morning, you drive in, you park, you do the workout, and then you make good conscious choices the other 23 hours of the day. Whether it's food, alcohol, drugs, sleep recovery, stress management, whatever it is, you're doing all the right things that support the workout or the workout supports those good choices. People won't do that. And that, to me, is the thrust of the show. Here's the body you claim you want for whatever your personal issue you're going through, the revenge you wanted to get right thematically, and then you didn't even do it. And we provided it and we found. Found a way to fit it in your life, and you dropped the ball.
Khloé Kardashian
Right. I know everyone is always looking for the new fitness trend, and I want to know if there's one that you love right now and one that you wish would disappear.
Gunner Peterson
I. You know, again, Pollyanna, I think there, I think you can pull something good from everything. I think everything starts because of something good or something beneficial. I think sometimes you want something to be the end all, be all. I don't think that's necessarily the case. I think the one thing like hard work never goes out of style. And I know that's not a workout type, but. Yeah, in fact, it is a style of working out. Whatever you're doing, work hard. I think when people just use their step count as their. As their, like, fitness North Star, I go that's cool, but there's a lot more. So I'm not saying I want the step count zealots to go away, but I am saying that's great that you've got the step count, you know, on. On lock, but you should add to that. And I think more and more studies come out about resistance training and you and your family members get that resistance can be anything, right? It can be body weight, it can be water, it can be pneumatic, it can be weights, it can be cables. There's so many different ways to implement an exterior load to the body, but you need that. And especially women need that. You're not going to bulk up. You don't have enough testosterone to bulk up unless you're eating above and beyond calories you're burning. And nobody wants to hear that, but you're not gonna bulk up.
Khloé Kardashian
Something that I've always taken away from you. And I reference it because I remember, I think it was the bike I was on, and I was like, ugh.
Gunner Peterson
Bike makes my legs big.
Khloé Kardashian
And I know I rolled my eyes. And you were like, what? And I was like, I fucking hate the bike. And you're like, okay, so let's do another piece of cardio, right? And I was like, wait, I didn't have to argue with you. Like, I was thinking. I didn't say that. But I'm like, oh, you're like, well, I don't want you to hate it here. And there's 20 other options of cardio, so which one do you want to do?
Gunner Peterson
Yeah, you used to get people who say, I, I bought a treadmill. I mean, I hate running, but I. I read the thing where that burns the most calories. I'm like, why would you buy that? You just said you hate it.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
You're not going to grow to love it. Probably not. You might, but I. I doubt it. You're swimming upstream. You're already starting the fitness journey. You're already. You're already starting it with, like, headbutting, Right? What do you like doing? Bike, rower, climber.
Khloé Kardashian
But I'll never forget that. And it was that simple. And I was like, yes, okay, let's get to the treadmill or get to boxing or jump roping. It was so easy. And I tell people that I'm like, well, no, I don't like to ride the bike. I'm not going to ride it, because what the fuck does that do? As opposed to me doing the stairs or.
Gunner Peterson
And you used to be on the arc trainer.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah.
Gunner Peterson
With your. I'M going to go back and say it was a BlackBerry.
Khloé Kardashian
Maybe it was.
Gunner Peterson
And cranking that arc trainer and people don't get that's not an elliptical. Right. It's a high knee motion. So it mimic sprinting versus the shape of an ellipse, which an elliptical does. And you would just be pumping that thing away. And like I go, that is the definition of multitasking at a very high level.
Khloé Kardashian
Well, I learned it from Kris Jenner.
Gunner Peterson
No, no.
Khloé Kardashian
But that, I don't know. You've always done things that for me, other trainers never did. For me, it was always like you said, they would just sort of want to kill you to like impress you.
Gunner Peterson
And it's not to impress you. It's. First of all, they talk about it across her. She won't walk tomorrow.
Khloé Kardashian
I wouldn't call them back.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. And I would say if she doesn't walk tomorrow, she's probably not walking back here.
Khloé Kardashian
Nope.
Gunner Peterson
And she's going to tell people. And that's not a badge of honor for her or for you. That's a, like, that's a hindrance to her fitness program, to her progress. You got to ease into it.
Khloé Kardashian
I have a guy now, more people would understand that.
Gunner Peterson
I have a guy now who I started working with. He lives in New Jersey. He's overweight. He reached out, he came in and he's. I go, you got to find a way. First thing ever is to fit it in your schedule. How do you fit it in your schedule? That's what most people say. I don't have time. Well, you have to have time because if you go down, like, you're gonna have time to recover, you're gonna be in a hospital or you're gonna be dead. So you, because there are people who, who they get right up to the red line and they don't realize it. And this guy, like, he would go all day, but you have to hold them back. I go, start with one, then do a 30 minute walk, then another. Ease into it. If it's, if it's too much too soon, it'll fail.
Khloé Kardashian
I agree with that.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. But people don't want to hear that because. And I also say you didn't get to that condition like overnight. So we're certainly not going to reverse that overnight. And we're trying to find something that is sustainable. If it's sustainable, it's successful. If it's not sustainable, it's going to fail. Fine. For peaking for a wedding, a beach vacation or photo shoot, whatever it is, that's all fine. But you can't maintain that.
Khloé Kardashian
No.
Gunner Peterson
So.
Khloé Kardashian
No. And you can't get it back in a day, so.
Gunner Peterson
Correct. So what's a regime that you can fit in? If your goal is just to hit this high for. For that, for that day, you can do that. But then what happens? Then you let it go.
Khloé Kardashian
Crash.
Gunner Peterson
Try doing that in your 40s, 50s, 60s. It's hard to get it back.
Khloé Kardashian
What's in the future for Gunnar Peterson?
Gunner Peterson
So we have a TV show idea, actually. Me with Lindsey Vaughn and somebody else that's not. We don't know yet about flushing out new fitness things and things at work. What. What are the top people do? What are the top. What are. What are the 1 percenters do? What do those guys do to get better and those girls do to get better every year, Every season? Because they're always seeking the next thing, whether it's nutrition, whether it's a hack, whether it's a recovery thing or a training protocol. So to flush those out on camera would be fun.
Khloé Kardashian
And you're the guy.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. There's another one. We wanted to do another TV show, kind of like Bar Rescue for gyms.
Khloé Kardashian
Oh, how funny.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah, I trademarked the name gymtervention, because I think that's.
Khloé Kardashian
Trademark it before this airs.
Gunner Peterson
Already did, but we wrote that up because I think there's so many gyms that. And especially when you travel and you go to little places and you see them, you're like, how is this guy holding on? It's a mom and pop.
Khloé Kardashian
That's what people like. I call you for that. When I was doing my gym. That's what. And you've done that for hotels.
Gunner Peterson
I had somebody who wrote me this morning. We've done hotel gym designs. Yeah.
Khloé Kardashian
You would be so great at that. You guys should do that. That show. I forget the guy's name. Where he would go to restaurants.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. Bar rescue or restaurant rescue, something like that.
Khloé Kardashian
Rob used to love that show.
Gunner Peterson
Great show. And he would go in and he would call him out.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
And he would say, but I love that man.
Khloé Kardashian
Like, he's no nonsense. But like.
Gunner Peterson
But I could be that.
Khloé Kardashian
Yes.
Gunner Peterson
But I don't ever want to do any of that stuff alone. He actually had a counterpart, and then he had a woman. I could remember them sitting in the car before they went into the gym to just drop the hammer.
Khloé Kardashian
I think it was just him.
Gunner Peterson
I thought he had a. I thought he had, like, a co pilot, but I like to do it.
Khloé Kardashian
Want a co pilot?
Gunner Peterson
I definitely want to go. No, I don't like doing stuff alone.
Khloé Kardashian
He was by himself.
Gunner Peterson
My mom used to worry, you can't be alone. I go, I can. It's just not as fun.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah. You just don't want to.
Gunner Peterson
Yeah. I like being with people, and I would do that. And, like, Lindsay has a great sense of humor, and she's super fun, and she's a serious athlete, so her opinion matters. And it would be.
Khloé Kardashian
I think you guys would be perfect doing that.
Gunner Peterson
Perfect.
Khloé Kardashian
Yeah. G. Thank you so much.
Gunner Peterson
You're amazing.
Khloé Kardashian
This is cool.
Gunner Peterson
I love it. I'm so happy for.
Podcast Summary: "Khloé in Wonder Land" – Episode: Strength Beyond the Gym ft. Gunnar Peterson
Host: Khloé Kardashian
Guest: Gunnar Peterson
Release Date: April 3, 2025
Duration Covered: 00:10 – 46:49 (Excluding Advertisement Segment: 17:41 – 19:14)
The episode opens with a playful exchange between Khloé Kardashian and her longtime trainer, Gunnar Peterson. Gunnar humorously points out a recurring issue with the podcast's audio editing:
Gunnar Peterson [00:10]: "I've listened to all of your episodes on here. You guys bleep it out."
Khloé Kardashian [00:13]: "Oh, I didn't realize we bleeped, like, beep, beep, beep. Yeah, okay."
This light-hearted moment sets a casual and familiar tone, reflecting their long-standing relationship.
Gunner dives into his core philosophy of fitness, emphasizing that it's not just about physical training but the energy and experience he provides:
He underscores the importance of hard work over shortcuts, a theme that resonates throughout the conversation.
Khloé reminisces about her experiences at Gunnar's gym, highlighting the unique and welcoming atmosphere he cultivates:
Gunner elaborates on how the gym serves as a safe haven, free from the intimidation often associated with public fitness spaces:
He emphasizes the absence of cameras and the personalized attention clients receive, fostering a comfortable environment conducive to growth and transformation.
Gunner shares his personal journey from being a "fat kid" to a renowned fitness trainer, highlighting the pivotal moments that shaped his career:
His transition from a production assistant to a full-time trainer underscores his commitment and passion for fitness, revealing the hard work and dedication required to succeed in the industry.
The conversation touches upon Gunnar's ability to attract a wide array of clients, from celebrities to CEOs and athletes. Khloé acknowledges his reputation:
Gunner attributes his success to his authenticity and the safe, non-judgmental space he creates, ensuring clients feel valued and understood rather than pushed beyond their limits.
Khloé and Gunnar discuss the challenges of balancing a demanding career with family responsibilities. Gunnar highlights his devotion to his children and the sacrifices made to maintain this balance:
Khloé Kardashian [21:58]: "You have a starting five, which is what everyone needs."
Gunner Peterson [22:08]: "I hate the word balance... I think you go hard and get obsessed with everything."
Their dialogue underscores the importance of prioritizing family while pursuing professional excellence, showcasing Gunnar's ability to manage both effectively.
A deeply personal segment of the episode focuses on Gunnar's daughter, Monroe, and her battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Gunnar opens up about the emotional and logistical challenges faced during her diagnosis and treatment:
He praises his wife, Jess, for her unwavering support and medical expertise:
Khloé empathetically relates by sharing her cousin's similar struggles, reinforcing the importance of advocacy in medical situations.
Gunner emphasizes the necessity of meticulous record-keeping and proactive communication with medical professionals to ensure the best possible care for Monroe:
Returning to fitness, Gunnar elaborates on his training methodologies, stressing the importance of sustainability and personalization:
He critiques fleeting fitness trends and advocates for resistance training as a fundamental component of lasting health and strength:
Khloé shares her own experiences with Gunnar's method, illustrating his adaptability and commitment to client happiness:
Gunnar reveals his ambitions beyond personal training, hinting at potential TV projects that merge fitness expertise with entertainment:
He also discusses his concept for "Gymtervention," a show aimed at revitalizing struggling gyms, drawing parallels to the popular "Bar Rescue" series:
Khloé enthusiastically supports the idea, recognizing Gunnar's potential to instigate positive change within the fitness industry.
As the episode concludes, Khloé thanks Gunnar for his candidness and inspirational insights, while Gunnar expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to share his story and philosophies.
In this heartfelt and insightful episode, Khloé Kardashian engages with Gunnar Peterson to explore the depths of his fitness philosophy, personal journey, and unwavering commitment to his family. From discussing the vital role of energy in training to sharing the profound challenges of his daughter's health battle, the conversation offers listeners a blend of professional expertise and personal resilience. Gunnar's dedication to creating a supportive and authentic fitness environment shines through, providing valuable lessons on sustainability, advocacy, and the true essence of strength beyond the gym.