I’ve received a number of emails from readers asking for more details about my workout routine, especially after publishing a Case Against Cardio and the recent video of my beach sprints. Though I do snowboard and hike and love to try my hand at new stuff – especially while traveling – this basic weekly routine has been my foundational regimen for years. Of course, depending on travel, business and family matters, the routine varies, but this is the general idea. Over the years I’ve concentrated much more of my efforts on weight training, with great results. And I’m definitely an “outdoor” kind of guy. One thing I really appreciate about living in Southern California is the great weather; you can’t beat a hike for a natural, challenging work out. (By the way, if you’re not doing resistance activities, I encourage you to start. Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are essential, particularly as we age.)
Monday
Weights: 45-55 minutes of chest/shoulders/triceps training
Tuesday
Intervals: 35-40 minutes on the Lifecycle (5×1 minute hard intervals within that time)
Wednesday
Weights: 45-55 minutes of back/biceps/legs training
Thursday
Beach sprints (Weather permitting!)
Friday
Weights: 45-55 minutes chest/shoulders/triceps (I rotate every other week – Monday/Friday – to back/biceps/legs)
Saturday
I hike for at least 2 hours or, if I’m traveling or pressed for time, I repeat my Lifecycle workout
Sunday
The best day of the week: 2 hours of ultimate frisbee in a multi-family pick-up game. It’s great to spend time with the kids and our friends and get everybody into fitness together. This has become my favorite activity by far.
Further reading:
8 Essential Aging Hacks
The 10 Rules of Aging Well
About the Author
Mark Sisson is the founder of Mark’s Daily Apple, godfather to the Primal food and lifestyle movement, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Keto Reset Diet. His latest book is Keto for Life, where he discusses how he combines the keto diet with a Primal lifestyle for optimal health and longevity. Mark is the author of numerous other books as well, including The Primal Blueprint, which was credited with turbocharging the growth of the primal/paleo movement back in 2009. After spending three decades researching and educating folks on why food is the key component to achieving and maintaining optimal wellness, Mark launched Primal Kitchen, a real-food company that creates Primal/paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly kitchen staples.
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