The High Performance Journal​ - March 7th 2023 ​

In this issue, I want to share with you a workout plan that's taken me a decade to perfect.

Now, I know that nothing is truly perfect in this world. However, in my experience, this workout plan comes as close to perfect as possible.

Let me give you some context: I am a 43-year-old entrepreneur with a wife, one child, and another on the way. I work about 7-8 hours a day and spend the rest of my time with my family.

My goals are to get lean, build muscle, maintain high energy levels, stay injury free, and keep my body youthful as I age. I don’t have time to waste, so I need to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible.

With all this in mind, I have created a workout program that achieves all my goals in 30 minutes or less.

Here’s what it looks like:

Step 1 - The 6-Minute Superhuman Warm Up

Before every workout, I do a quick warm-up to increase my performance and prevent injury. It includes short mobility drills followed by a power cardio exercise to prepare my body to perform at its best. Here’s an example of the circuit I did before my last full-body workout:

1.  Cat Cows
2.  World’s Greatest Stretch x 3 reps each exercise per side
3.  Prisoner Squats x 6
4.  Box jumps x 5
   
   

Step 2 - Metabolic Strength Workouts

The Metabolic Strength Workouts are a full-body circuit training program. I “superset” or “tri-set” opposing muscles together to save time and hit all major muscle groups.

A superset is a workout that performs two opposing exercises back-to-back, followed by a short rest. A tri-set contains three exercises of the same philosophy.

Doing these helps you build muscle, increase strength, and improve your cardio.

Here’s an example from my full-body workout:

1. Hack squat x 10 reps + Dumbbell bench press x 15 reps (3 sets)
2. Reverse Lunge x 10 reps each side + Back Rows x 10 reps (3 sets)
3. Bicep curls x 10 reps + Tricep pushdowns x 10 reps + Hanging knee raises x 12 reps (3 sets)
   

This workout takes me no longer than 20 minutes to complete.

Step 3 - The Cool down

When you work out, you put your body in a “fight or flight” state, which increases stress.

To speed recovery, you want to put your body in a “parasympathetic” state, which is meant for rest, relaxation, and digestion.

The best way to do this is with box breathing:

Step 1: Lie down and elevate your feet on a bench
Step 2: Breathe in counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.
Step 3: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
Step 4: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
Step 5: Repeat steps 1 to 3 for 3 minutes or until you feel re-centered.

It’s That Simple

In 30 minutes, you've just:

• Prepped your body to perform at its best while avoiding injury
• Built strength and muscle while hitting all your target body parts and improving your cardio
• Cooled down your body so you can improve recovery & crush the rest of the day

You might be wondering, “Is 30 minutes enough to get a good workout in?”

Let me let you in on a secret that has taken me decades to learn:

It’s not about the amount of time you put into your workouts. It’s about what you do in them that counts the most.

So, with this workout plan, you have just gotten the best workout in half the time it takes to watch a Game of Thrones episode (minus the last season).

Onwards and upwards.

- Dan

PLUS whenever you’re ready, here is 1 way I can help you:

Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost energy, and get in your best shape in 2023? Apply for one-on-one coaching here.