David Goggins workout routine and diet

David Goggins workout routine is incredibly intense and his dedication to physical fitness is truly inspiring. He is a fitness influencer, athlete, author, motivational speaker, and triathlete. His fitness exploits have been second to none, and he remains the only person to complete Navy SEAL training, Air Force Tactical Air Control Training, and Army Ranger School. He has rightly been called the 'Toughest Man Alive', and his credits certainly speak for him.

However, Goggins wasn't always the beast you might know him to be today. In fact, he was quite the opposite. His journey got him from one polar opposite to the other, from being a hundred pounds overweight and not being able to do a single pull-up, to now holding the world record for 4,030 done in 17 hours.

In this piece, we're going to examine David Goggins workout and how became such a force to be reckoned with.

David Goggins Workout Routine and Diet Plan

At 24, David Goggins was tired, overworked, and unfit. He was working from paycheck to paycheck as an exterminator, and his diet wasn't doing him any good either. He said:

I would go in (to Steak ‘n Shake) and get a large chocolate milkshake. And then I would go across the street to 7-Eleven, and get a box of mini donuts.

David Goggins diet plan. (Image via Pxfuel)

The donuts would barely last the car ride home. However, he had a change of heart when he saw a commercial about the Navy Seals that changes his life, saying:

Here I am listening to the TV as I’m showering and, lo and behold, this particular day, I started hearing: ‘Navy SEALs. Toughest training.’ I was hearing it cut out between the water hitting my ears … I got sick of being haunted by being nobody. I didn’t want to sit back and continually watch these shows about great people doing amazing things. I wanted that feeling in my head that I believed that they had: of true accomplishment.

Having joined the Navy SEALs at 19, he was then diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, causing him to be released from training. It was after a few years of military career that he began working as an exterminator.

After calling countless recruiters and being rejected, Goggins was given a target to achieve: get down to 191 lbs, as that was the acceptable weight for his height, standing tall at 6'1". This target BMI was a far cry from his starting point, a whopping 106 lbs drop.

To achieve his goals, he curated a self-proclaimed 'insane' workout routine and diet plan, which would allow him to get down to his target weight in just three months.

Goggins has never believed in having a set diet, and rather chooses to play by feel, and see how his body adapts to the training, feeding himself accordingly. To get down to his required weight, the formula wasn't nerve-wracking. He just cut the junk out of his system and stopped eating so much. After calculating his maintenance calories, he subtracted 750-1000 calories a day.

Goggins understood the risks of adopting such a diet and did not want his quick results to come at the cost of muscle mass. He opted for protein-rich foods like chicken breast, fish, and lean steak. He sticks to a split of 40% protein, 40% healthy fats, and 20% carbs.

David Goggins' diet plan of choice was intermittent fasting, which permitted him to consume his first meal after his morning workout. These fasted workouts, as per Goggins, would allow him to burn the stored fat in his body, rather than running off newly-fed energy.

Goggins is a mentality monster. For every bit of strength he possesses, he can match that with his mentality. Waking up at 3 am, David Goggins workout starts with a 20-mile run. He then rides 20 miles to work.

David Goggins workout plan. (Image via Pxfuel)

While he does not follow a strict strength training regime, here's what a day in the gym looks like for Goggins:

Deadlift – 3 sets of 10 reps
Pull Ups – 3 sets of 5 reps
Squats – 5 sets of 5 reps
Lunges – 3 sets of 12 reps
Push Ups – 5 sets of 25 reps

He operates until failure on each set, pushing his muscles to the limit for the entirety of his workout.

Apart from his usual strength training sessions, David Goggins workout regime also includes a core workout thrice a week. Here's what it looks like:

Swiss Ball Obliques – 3 sets of 25 reps
Russian Sit Ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
V-Ups – 3 sets of 10 reps
Broomstick Obliques – 3 sets of 10 reps

Goggins Pull-Up record is living proof of the extent to which the human body can progress, he has accomplished some of the most ludicrous feats ever imaginable. Following David Goggins workout routine takes a great deal of discipline and commitment, but the results can be truly transformative.

Whether you are an experienced athlete or just starting out, David Goggins workout routine can help you achieve your fitness goals and push yourself to new heights. While some of his practices may not be universally agreed upon, we can all take a page out of his book and try to seek inspiration from his mental and physical prowess.

Edited by Bhargav