The metaphor cant go unacknowledged-and it was Cannons idea. To spice up his workouts, he bought more than 100 cinder blocks and made a small wall out of them in the parking lot at his Ncredible Studios office in Los Angeles. Every few days, he breaks it down, unstacking the blocks and rebuilding the wall in a new spot 30 feet away.

Its the mental side of training, Cannon says. Youre breaking a wall down, building it up.

And its only one of many unorthodox moves that the 38-year-old host and producer of Foxs sleeper hit The Masked Singer packs into his workout on this rain-splattered morning at the gym just outside his studio. This isnt a normal workout. But by Cannons rationale, hes spent his whole career working hard in Hollywood, so why not do it in the gym? Its something he learned from Will Smith when he was the opening act for Smiths concerts as a teenager.

Will Smith told me, Even if youre not the most talented person in the room, you still need to outwork the most talented person in the room, he says.

Why Does Nick Cannon Train So Hard?

Cannons training reminds him of the effort he needs at the office-as well as what hes capable of. Before his 90-minute grind is done, hell smack a tire with a 15-pound sledgehammer, do sets of upside-down pullups, and drag his 6,500-pound Hummer across the parking lot. You pull that truck, he says, and you feel like you could move a mountain. I feel like a new human after a workout.

Cannons dedication to his health (which includes a focused diet that you can check out in the video above) started when he was hospitalized while vacationing in Aspen in 2012. He was later diagnosed with lupus, an incurable autoimmune condition. That began a year of meds, chemotherapy, and a diet free of meat and processed foods. When he recovered, Cannon adopted the crack-of-dawn body blast. Im doing this to stay alive, he says.

Working on his wall centers him. Its a meditation, says his trainer Arron Sain. It can be monotonous, but its uncomplicated-a perfect foil to hosting The Masked Singer, recording and collaborating with artists under the title Ncredible Gang, and leading conversation on his YouTube show about college, Cannons Class.

Hes constantly running between projects on next to no sleep. I dont like to live by mans clock, he says. Unless the clock says 5:00 a.m., precisely when his daily workout begins. Just knowing Im out here getting it in, that makes me feel like Im doing more than most, he says. Then he hoists another block.

Take On Nick Cannon's Ab Workout

Bodyweight ab workouts take you only so far. Thats why Cannon chisels his core with weight-room moves. He ends most workouts with this ab crusher from trainer Arron Sain. Weighted ab exercises provide resistance and aid in muscle growth, says Sain.

Cable Crunch

Fix a rope attachment to a shoulder--height cable column. Kneel in front of it, grasping the rope so its handles are near your ears, torso still upright. Pull your elbows to your knees. Reverse the move. Thats 1 rep. Do 4 sets of 25. Rest 30 seconds between sets.

Dumbbell Bench V-Up

Sit on a bench with your legs hanging off one side and your torso off the other, a light dumbbell on the floor wedged between your feet. Hold the edges of the bench and lean back. Lift the dumbbell and pull your knees to your chest. Reverse the move. Thats 1 rep. Do 4 sets of 25.

Rainbow Leg Raise

Hang from a pull-up bar, legs straight, toes together. Raise your feet in a wide arc to the right, then upward in front of your torso. Lower them in a wide arc to the left, then return to the start. Thats 1 rep. Do 4 sets of 12, alternating directions each rep.