Updated workout routine - Part 1/2
“Key to performance: fit the benchmark.” —unspoken rule at major AI labs
DEXA Update (August, 2025):
As you can see - total body fat went up by 3.3 pounds, while total lean mass went up by 4.4 pounds since the last scan. As you can see - it is actually very difficult to increase lean mass without gaining some fat mass.
I’ve recently tweaked my workout schedule, shifting more toward muscle and VO2max maintenance.
In my previous post I described the prior routine: two blocks — a 6-week full-body (mostly power-focused) functional block, followed by a 4-week weight-lifting block.
In this post, I’m outlining a modified weight-lifting block that’s now 6 weeks to match the functional power block.
As before, I work out first thing in the morning (work scheduling), with a 5:30 am wake-up, quick oral/face hygiene, pre-workout supplements, and a 10-15 min meditation.
Because the blocks are a bit longer, I’m skipping pre-workout foam rolling during the work week. If I had unlimited time, I’d keep it.
I still use guided workouts (Beachbody — historical) mainly for timing and pacing, and my week starts on Sundays.
The general structure: a weight-lifting segment followed by a cardio segment (where I listen to podcasts or other educational audio).
Sunday: Build Chest/Tri + Beast Abs Classic + 50 min Zone 2 (elliptical)
Monday: Alternating Build Legs / Bulk Legs + P90X3 Challenge + 30 min Zone 2 (elliptical)
P90X3 Challenge consists of four blocks. Each block has two sets of pull-ups followed by push-ups (different variations). My current numbers are: 15 pull-ups, 40 push-ups per set. That’s 120 pull-ups and 320 push-ups per workout. There’s also a burnout at the end — 2 pull-ups and 4 push-ups, no rest, for 6 sets — so add 12 pull-ups and 24 push-ups to the total.
Tuesday: Build Shoulders + Beast Abs + 50 min Zone 2
Wednesday: Build Back/Biceps + 50 min Zone 2
Thursday: Bulk Chest + Beast Abs + ~30 min long intervals + 30 min Zone 2
Friday: Bulk Arms + T-30: Pull-ups (a 2-set ladder: 2-4-8-16) + Insanity Max 30 Abs + 50 min Zone 2
Saturday: Bulk Shoulders + Beast Abs + T-30: Chin-ups (same counts as pull-ups, followed by a simulated monkey bar) + 50 min Zone 2
When time is short, abs get dropped first. If Zone 2 is 50 min, I cut it to 30; if Zone 2 follows intervals, I drop it.
Intervals
Long intervals: 3-min warm-up jog; 3 × 5-min runs with 2-min walks between; cool-down jog/walk.
Short intervals: 3-min warm-up jog; 9 × 1-min max-effort sprints with 1-min walks; cool-down jog/walk.
Notes on the weight-lifting pattern
Standard sets follow a light–medium–heavy–drop-set pattern.
Light set (15 reps): warm-up for the muscle group and a chance to fine-tune the form.
Medium set (≈12 reps): calibration (heavy but not maximal). Sometimes I skip medium and go straight to a heavy 8-rep set, then a second heavy set after 45–60 s rest.
Heavy set (6–8 reps): stop 1–2 reps shy of failure, immediately followed by a drop set at medium weight for another 6–8 reps.
There are no true power moves in this block, but I often simulate them by moving fast on the concentric and slowing down on the eccentric (e.g., a rapid pull-up followed by a slow controlled descent).
As always—if the last set is too easy, add a few extra reps; next time, increase the weight. The key to performance is sufficient stimulus.