Workout Routine for Business Executives
As a business executive, balancing fitness with professional responsibilities can be a daunting challenge. Long workdays, endless meetings, and family commitments often leave little room for staying in shape. However, prioritizing fitness is critical—not just for physical health but also for mental clarity, energy, and overall performance.
Here, I’ll share a fitness routine designed to meet the unique needs of business professionals. This program incorporates strength training, cardio, and injury prevention while accommodating a busy schedule. Whether you're new to fitness or a seasoned gym-goer, this guide will help you find a balance that works for you
Finding Time for Fitness
For executives, time is a precious commodity. Unlike professional athletes, we can’t spend five or six hours a day on fitness. Instead, the goal is to maximize efficiency. My weekly routine consists of six one-hour workouts, which I block out like important meetings. If I miss a day, I’ll adjust by doubling up workouts on another day.
Fitness Goals: A Guidepost for Success
Setting clear, measurable fitness goals helps me stay motivated. Here are the benchmarks I aim for:
Run a mile under 6 minutes
Squat over 500 pounds
Bench press over 350 pounds
Deadlift over 500 pounds
These goals provide structure and allow me to gauge my fitness level. For weight management, I aim to stay between 215 and 220 pounds while maintaining a lean, athletic physique.
The Workout Split
My routine combines elements of bodybuilding, powerlifting, and high-intensity cardio, tailored to minimize injuries and maximize results. Here’s a typical week where on every lifting day I am also doing 20 minutes of high intensity cardio. I find that a bodybuilding centric routine aligns best with my specific fitness goals:
Monday: Chest and Triceps (Push Day) Focus on exercises like bench press, incline press, and tricep extensions. Keep the intensity high by incorporating supersets, combining heavy lifts with bodyweight or accessory movements like push-ups or dips.
Tuesday: Legs (Squat or Deadlift Focus) Alternate weekly between squatting and deadlifting as the primary lift. Pair these with lunges, leg presses, or power cleans. I treat deadlifting as a leg exercise, which helps balance the stress on my body. Supersets with core exercises, like planks or ab rollouts, keep rest periods productive.
Wednesday: Rest Day Recovery is key to long-term fitness. Use this day for light stretching, yoga, or simply to recharge.
Thursday: Back (Pull Day) Focus on pull-ups, rows, and lat pulldowns. Include accessory work like bicep curls to round out the session.
Friday: Shoulders and Traps Target the deltoids and traps with military presses, lateral raises, and shrugs. Superset these with functional movements to keep the heart rate up.
Saturday: High-Intensity Cardio Dedicate an hour to sustained high-intensity cardio, keeping your heart rate between 160–170 bpm. Whether it’s rowing, running, or the elliptical, the goal is to push yourself and build endurance.
Sunday: Fun Workout (Arms and Abs) Use this day for a less structured workout, focusing on arms, forearms, and core. This lighter day keeps fitness enjoyable while still being productive.
Maximizing Efficiency with Supersets
To make the most of limited time, I never sit idle during workouts. Instead, I incorporate supersets, pairing exercises to keep my body moving and my heart rate elevated. For example:
Pairing squats with calf exercises
Combining bench presses with ab exercises
This approach not only improves efficiency but also adds a cardio element to strength training sessions.
Adapting to Injuries
As we age, injuries become an inevitable part of fitness. I’ve dealt with torn muscles, surgeries, and tendon issues over the years. A bodybuilding-style workout split allows me to train around injuries by focusing on unaffected muscle groups. For example:
If I injure my hamstring, I’ll prioritize quad or calf exercises.
If I pull a pectoral muscle, I’ll shift focus to triceps or core.
This adaptability ensures I stay consistent, even when setbacks occur.
Cardio for Executives
Cardio is an essential part of my routine for maintaining heart health and endurance. Each weightlifting session ends with 20 minutes of high-intensity cardio, typically on the elliptical, rower, or air bike. On dedicated cardio days, I push for a full hour of sustained intensity to maximize results.
Balancing Fitness with a Busy Schedule
Achieving fitness as a business executive is about balance. By committing to six hours a week and using a structured approach, you can maintain high performance, look good, and feel great—all while excelling in your career.
Fitness is deeply personal, and what works for one person may not work for another. However, this routine has helped me stay strong, lean, and energized despite a demanding schedule.
For more fitness tips and insights, check out my YouTube channel, Next Level You and check out some of my other fitness oriented videos:
· What is the optimal time to workout for a business executive?
· The correlation between lifting heavy weights and business success
