When it comes to legendary endurance in MMA, few can equal Nate Diaz‘s incredible cardio. Diaz, known for his stamina and relentless speed, is regarded as one of the sport’s toughest fighters. But do you know that he went to great lengths to achieve that status? Well, Joe Rogan recently made an eye-opening confession regarding the cardio abilities of Nick Diaz, calling it “insanity.” So, what did he reveal?

On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience with Derek Munro, the UFC commentator told a story about Nick Diaz’s extraordinary ability to keep up a pace that few, if any, could equal. According to the JRE host, his famed cardio included not only intensive gym training but also pushing through the most extreme physical challenges, such as swimming in shark-infested waters around Alcatraz. In fact, he swam from Alcatraz Island five times!

For those unfamiliar, Alcatraz is located in the frigid, dangerous waters of San Francisco Bay, which is home to the infamous great white sharks. Nick completed this feat five times, each time swimming a tough mile and a half in icy waters. Definitely in awe of the feat, Joe Rogan pointed out how this was regarded as practically impossible when the prison was built. He said, “Oh dude, well his cardio, Nick Diaz especially, his cardio was insanity. He swam back from Alcatraz. He did it on five different occasions in the ocean with great white sharks.”

Joe Rogan further added in the podcast, “What is it, like a mile and a half or something like that in the f—— freezing cold Pacific Northwest ocean? They used to think no one could survive it, so that’s why they put Alcatraz there, like put a prison out there. They’re f—-d.” Well, it looks like the JRE host is still in disbelief of the endurance that Nick Diaz possesses. But while he did push his body to the limit to stay at the top of the game, do you know that it was all because Diaz has always been insecure?

Nick Diaz pushed harder due to major ‘insecurity’

Nick Diaz‘s relentless drive inside the Octagon has always been a distinctive trait, but some closest to him feel it stems from deeper issues. In a recent Vice documentary, his instructors explained how the 41-year-old fighter never felt like he was doing enough. Despite his obvious talent and strong work ethic, Diaz was continuously chasing something—or someone—he couldn’t quite identify, and he felt like he was falling behind.

Cesar Gracie, one of Diaz’s long-standing coaches, recounted how he emphasized training over everything else, frequently missing school to work on his skills. Despite winning sparring sessions, the UFC legend remained hooked on the notion that he needed to catch up with someone, telling his coach, “I gotta catch up. I gotta catch up. Gotta catch up.” His trainer would ask, “Who do you gotta catch up to? You’re ahead of all of us.”

This insecurity, despite already outworking nearly everyone in the gym, made Diaz the beast that we know now. In fact, the insecurity was so high that he would often go 20 rounds straight during training. However, Diaz’s need to prove himself did not stop with his accomplishments in the gym and the Octagon. His violent personality frequently carried over into his personal life, resulting in violent episodes such as the infamous hospital fight with Joe Riggs. But what do you think? Did Diaz actually push himself too hard? Let us know in the comments.