Lawrence Jones III became the youngest black co-host on cable news at the age of 30, when he joined Fox & Friends, but despite a demanding schedule that requires him to set an alarm for 3.30 a.m., the broadcaster has found time to rediscover Brazilian jiujitsu. “It’s a great equalizer,” he tells M&F.
Growing up in Garland, TX, Jones was encouraged to play sports, picking up a lifelong love affair with basketball in the process. But it his relationship with BJJ that has been the game changer for his mental and physical health. Still, as a young professional in his early twenties, trying to make it in the media, he drifted away from the mat. “I discovered adulthood, and the stresses of work, and all that type of stuff,” Jones explains. “My metabolism slowed down, and I had to actually work harder in the gym.”
Life catches up to most of us from time to time, and having relocated from Garland to Washington, DC, there would be a wealth of distractions with the intent of keeping Jones away from getting his sweat on. “There was either a happy hour or a get-together meeting, and so you’re just putting on calories, calories, calories, no work-life balance,” he recalls. “Before you know it, it’s like 70 pounds, just like that, boom!”
Fortunately, a more settled lifestyle and a move to New York would offer Lawrence a fighting chance to get a handle on hit fitness. “There was a gap, a period of like two to three years where I let myself go, essentially,” he admits. “I was like 25 or 26 when I started to get a routine and get into meal prepping,” shares Jones. Fixing his diet and ramping up the weight training sessions would have a fast effect, however. “I lost the 70 pounds in 10 weeks,” reveals the journalist and presenter. “I realized it was time to get back on the saddle. I lost the weight by cooking all my meals every Sunday and then going to the gym every morning at about 4.35 a.m.”
Lawrence Jones returned to Brazilian Jiujitsu as an Outlet For His Energy
Lawrence Jones is also a keen dog trainer. “I have a Belgian Malinois, and I trained those, and German Shepherds, and Dutch Shepherds,” he explains, noting that he finds dog training to be a great energy outlet after a high-pressure day on set. In the world of TV news, Jones is constantly “ON,” and so de-stressing activities are essential for his sanity. Still, long working hours often put the dog training process out of reach. “What I found is that when I wasn’t doing the training, I didn’t have anywhere to put that energy,” he explains of the motivation for why a return to BJJ made such sense. “The mat is the perfect place, because there is a violence in jiujitsu, but there’s also respect as well, and understanding the body and the respect for your opponents.”
After two years back in the thick of Brazilian jiujitsu, the 33-year-old broadcaster feels like his younger self once again. “It has been the best thing I ever did,” he tells M&F. “You’re not trying to hurt anyone, but you are also learning how the body moves and exerts pain.” Jones trains under the decorated IBJJF competitor and 2025 World Master Champion, Silvio Duran at SD Jiu-Jitsu NYC. Duran’s wife and former world champion, Vedha Toscano, has also been a huge part of Lawrence’s development. “They made me start from zero,” he explains. “So, everything that I learned as a child didn’t matter to them. And I’m so glad now, I think benefited from that.
Lawrence Jones’ schedule is certainly a busy one. He sets his alarm for 3.30am to start his day, and squeezes in two private jiujitsu sessions per week, as well as two public classes. “So, I get that personal touch, to fix all the things that I need to fix, but I also get my sparring sessions in as well,” he explains. “But one thing that I’ve learned about jiujitsu is that you’ve got to take care of your body,” adds Jones. So, for recovery, the star says that he is a big fan of alternating between cold plunges and the heat of a sauna or steam room. “I’m all about the holistic approach of the body.”
Jones tells M&F that he is much happier as a result of returning to the mat and finding the perfect outlet for any excess stress or energy. “Everything that I do professionally is not allowed on the mat,” he observes. “So, politics, you don’t do that on the mat. You learn when you’re sparring with people, that these people come from all different type of backgrounds, all different professions. We all have our baggage that we leave before we get on the mat, which is great.”
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