I received a question the other day about what I do for my workouts currently, and this is one of the most challenging questions for me to answer. My life revolves around my fitness and my workouts. I’m incredibly selfish about working out because it’s my priority. I’ve built my life around being able to work out seven days a week, twice a day.
Goals of fitness
When I was younger, my goal was to get jacked. I wanted to be lean and strong. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that it is harder to stay in great shape the older you get. I’m also not worried about being bigger; I want to look amazing with my shirt off. I want to be healthy and fit for my age as well, and I want to feel good.
Some people say it’s easier for me to stay fit because I have equipment at home. What separates people in great shape from those who aren’t is not having the best gym or having one in your house, but using it. Do consistently what you must to stay in great shape.
So today, I will tell you exactly what I do and how much I do it. I hope to inspire you and show you that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution regarding fitness. My workout plan is not simple, but it works for me. I’m comfortable with it; you must find what works for you. And then you need to do it consistently. Aging is inevitable, but how you age is your choice.
Fasted Cardio + Intermittent Fasting
I want to start by saying I use the sauna for many reasons. Typically, 5 days a week, I am in there for about 20 minutes with the temperature around 190°. The benefits include everything from skin to reducing Alzheimer’s risk to anti-aging. A lot of gyms and fitness centers have saunas. Additionally, I’ve gotten into stretching to maintain flexibility and using foam rollers.
Cardio is essential for your heart and lungs, and I do cardio seven days a week. I love running outside and using a treadmill, a stair stepper, and an exercise bike. I do cardio for about 30 to 45 minutes. I also do Crossrope. It’s a fantastic workout with weighted jump ropes. I usually do this at least twice a week.
Saturday and Sunday are long run days with a hike on Saturday evening. I am pretty beat up by Monday, so I don’t run for cardio that day. Tuesday isn’t super intense either, so I’m opting for Stairmaster or a walk. Wednesday and Thursday evening are also run, jump, or other cardio. Friday is another cardio day as well. I love cardio because it keeps your body fat in check, making it easier to maintain lean body fat and gain muscle.
So, Monday through Friday, I do fasted cardio, which is cardio on an empty stomach. It helps to dip into the fat stores. I have a bit more time on weekends, so I run with my buddy in the morning and then hike a mountain later. The weighted vest adds intensity and changes the game.
On a side note, I’m a huge fan of intermittent fasting. My last meal is around 8:00 p.m., and I don’t eat again until 11:00 a.m. the next day. It has worked for me, but you must find what works.
Strength Training + the Three Big Lifts
I incorporate strength training not to get bigger but to maintain muscle mass and leanness. With strength training, I’ve tried all different kinds of splits and workouts. What works for me is doing one body part exclusively. I dislike combining body parts, so I break them up. I’d rather spend 45 minutes working on one muscle group hard than an hour and 15 minutes trying to work on two body parts. Focusing on a body part feels better; I can focus on that muscle specifically. Also, I incorporate three big lifts (bench, squats, bench) into your workout, which is a must for everyone.
Monday is shoulders in the evening. It includes standing overhead press, side raises, leaning over side raises, rear delt, upright row, front raises, rear cables, and more. It’s six different exercises, three to four sets per exercise. I’m a fan of higher reps, but I work until failure.
Tuesday morning is chest, which I start with bench press. Big lifts help release testosterone and make your body structurally strong. Dips are also an excellent chest exercise, which I incorporate weighted dips into my chest workout, which also works triceps and delts. I also do pull-ups, which also help my biceps and back. My chest exercises also include dumbbell flies, cables, chest press, incline dumbbell press, hammer, and more to work the fibers and break them down. I’m a huge fan of stretching motions. Tuesday night, I come back down and do triceps and abs.
Wednesday is leg day in the evening. I do squats, extensions, hamstring curls, leg press, walking lunges, and calf raises.
Thursday evening is biceps and abs.
Then, on Friday morning, it’s all about the back. I love doing deadlifts on back day. I also do pull-ups, seated rows, pulldowns, straight-arm pushdowns, and one-arm dumbbell rows.
