The Working Mans Bodyweight Workout

A template to eating better, training better, and looking better… while at the desk.

I hate excuses, particularly those made for your health and wellness. I hear them all the time, from all types of people, except successful people. Of course, when I say “success” you probably assume I mean the amount of money someone makes/is worth, but that’s not at all the case. To me, success is someone in good standing with their peers, uses sound judgment, holds themselves consistently accountable, and is widely respected.

If reading this, chances are you’ve got a roof over your head, access to decent food, and at the very least, a dusty $10 membership to your local Planet Fitness. Which means you’ve absolutely no reason to be in bad shape. I don’t usually reference yahoo health forums, but someone sent this to me and I thought it had some good points on Secret Fitness Tests.

Which is why, instead of just providing a workout plan here, I’ll instead walk you through “the day” I think anyone can incorporate into daily life, even when working a job that demands incredibly long hours.

Simply follow the outline below and you’ll no longer have an excuse for being subpar shape:

Wakeup Warm-up:
Repeat 2-3 times. You’ll save time by giving up Dunkin Donuts and/or Starbucks.

A1) Starfish stretch 30 seconds per side
A2) Body squats 10 reps
A3) Wide stance lateral squats alternating 10 reps per side
A4) Single leg standing hamstring stretch alternating 10 reps per side
A5) Hand walkouts in place to push-up position to downward dog and back to standing 10 reps

If possible, fit in some sprints at a close by field. It will do wonders for you.

Proper Breakfast Example (the more organic, the better):
3 eggs scrambled with spinach, corn and peppers
2 pieces of Ezekial bread with jam
French pressed coffee

Mid Afternoon Email Break:
A1) Scapular wall-slides 2 sets of 12 reps
A2) Chin-tucks 2 sets of 12 reps
B1) In-place overhead forward lunge 2 sets of 12 reps per side
B2) Scap push-ups (2 sets of 12) super set with Shoulder touches (2 sets of 30)
C1) Dead bugs 2 sets of 20 reps

Solid Lunch Example (I would advise to bring a lunch):
From home: Sliced chicken breast over spinach and/or arugula, with pears, walnuts, olive oil & balsamic, with some cottage cheese or Greek yogurt for dessert.

If eating out: Avoid big fast food chains and go easy on the carbs. Instead, go high protein with vegetables mixed in. Examples include salad with dressing on the side, burrito bowls without a ton of toppings, or a lean protein wrap.

Prior To Cooking/Eating Dinner
A1) Jump squats 3-4 sets of 6 reps, paired with
A2) Plyo push-ups 3-4 sets of 6 reps
B) Sumo squat to hands on the ground to push-up position to push-up to mountain climber to standing, 3-4 sets of 10 reps
C) Run up stairs for 60 seconds, 3-4 sets
D) Towel overhead reverse lunges, 3 sets of 8 reps per side
E) Downward dog push-ups, 3 sets of 10 reps

Directly after the workout have a scoop or two of your favorite 1R post workout protein. I’d opt for something like 2:1:1 Recovery or Elite Fusion 7.

Smart Dinner: 
You can’t go wrong with meat and vegetables cooked and smothered in olive oil. A favorite of mine is pounded out chicken breast dipped in egg, covered in panko bread crumbs, and cooked in some olive oil. For a side I often do Brussels sprouts sautéed in olive oil with some sea salt over the top, but any green works.

The above proves that whether I-banking, curing cancer, or living in a cave, being in reasonable shape is entirely doable. The meals and exercises outlined, when performed consistently, will do wonders for your long term physical and mental health. Stop with the excuses, try to do follow this template four two weeks, and let me know how it goes in the comments below.