The 7-Day Dad Bod to Spartan Bod Challenge
Happy Father’s Day to all of the Spartan Dads out there!
In celebration this year, the training team has teamed up with Spartan founder and CEO Joe De Sena to collaborate on a 7-day training program to take you from dad bod to Spartan bod this summer. Repeat and progress the program for four to six weeks by increasing your resistance or decreasing your rest.
How the 7-Day Dad Bod to Spartan Bod Challenge Works
On Sunday, the program begins with a tough weekend challenge from Joe. In classic Joe fashion, the mission is simple: Run and do a shit ton of burpees. This will build full-body strength along with cardiovascular endurance.
Related: These Are the Lessons That Joe De Sena Learned From Fatherhood
On Monday, you’ll focus on building strength in your legs, back, arms, and core. How will you achieve that? Performing two of the primary movements that Spartans are inherently familiar with: farmer carrying and bear crawling.
On Tuesday, it’s classic Spartan: 300 burpees for time — a total-body conditioning workout.
On Wednesday, you’ll hit the road or trails for a 5K or 10K recovery run at an easy pace. This will build and maintain your running fitness without overtaxing the body. The key here is easy pace.
On Thursday, you’ll switch between pushing and pulling. This will translate to a stronger chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, and forearms with four basic strength exercises.
On Friday, you’ll sprint like hell to build strength and power in your legs while also training your anaerobic system.
Related: The Unbreakable Gift Guide for Every Spartan Dad
On Saturday, you’ll perform a signature Spartan mobility workout to support recovery for the next week’s workouts.
The 7-Day Dad Bod to Spartan Bod Challenge Workouts
SUNDAY: Joe De Sena’s Tough Sunday
For time:
- 30 burpees
- 100-yard run
- 30 burpees
- 100-yard run
- 30 burpees
- 100-yard run
MONDAY: Carry and Crawl
Repeat 4 rounds:
- 25-yard farmer carry (70 pounds for men; 40 pounds for women)
- 25-yard bear crawl
4 sets:
20 weighted lunges (40 pounds for men; 20 pounds for women)
Repeat 4 rounds:
- 25-yard farmer carry (70 pounds for men; 40 pounds for women)
- 25-yard bear crawl
TUESDAY: Spartan 300
- 300 burpees for time
WEDNESDAY: Recovery Run
- 5K or 10K at easy pace
THURSDAY: Push and Pull
- 100 push-ups
- 100 pull-ups (or inverted rows)
- 100 dips
- 100 supermans
*Partition the 100 reps of each exercise into as many sets as necessary
FRIDAY: Max-Effort Sprints
Repeat 3-5 times:
- 30-second max effort sprint followed by 1-minute recovery
- 45-second max effort sprint followed by 90-second recovery
- 60-second max effort sprint followed by 120-second recovery
SATURDAY: Spartan Mobility
Repeat 2-3 times:
- Walkout and walk-back x 5
- World’s greatest stretch or Spiderman lunge x 5 per side
- Thread the needle x 5 per side
- Cossack squat x 5 per side
- Pigeon pose x 30 seconds per side
- Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch x 30 seconds per side
- 90/90 transitions x 30 seconds per direction
