Love him or hate him, Herschel Walker is one of the most unconventional figures in the fitness world.
Get to know his bodyweight-only workout plan with thousands of reps. Find out which of Herschel Walker’s calisthenics-inspired moves you can add to your routine.
Who is Herschel Walker?
Born on March 3, 1962, in Augusta, Georgia, Herschel Walker is a former NFL running back, amateur martial artist and politician.
Growing up in Georgia, Walker struggled as a child. He was overweight and had a speech impediment
Walker played in the NFL for 12 seasons. He started his career with the Dallas Cowboys, eventually going on to play for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.
At the 1992 Winter Olympics, Walker also competed as a bobsled athlete for the United States.
In 2022, Walker also ran as a Republican in the Georgia Senate election, although he did not win.
Walker also fights in MMA matches recreationally and has a black belt in Tae Kwon-Do.
Early Years and Fitness Inspiration
As a young boy, Walker says, he had to overcome both financial and physical limitations.
“I grew up overweight. I used to have a speech impediment. I was picked on. And I realized that if you dedicate yourself to anything, you can do it.”
He did not have access to a full training gym or expensive equipment growing up. So Walker focused himself on calisthenics and bodyweight exercises with an enormous amount of reps.
By dedicating himself to his workouts every day, Walker is living proof that you don’t always need the latest gear to get great results.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to get pro-level workouts in with little to no equipment, we’ve written about one of the most advanced calisthenics moves you can try: the muscle up. Read about muscle-up progressions. Find out how you can get jacked without the gym.
Fitness Philosophies
Walker has caught attention for his unconventional approaches and philosophies towards fitness.
How many reps does Herschel Walker do?
It’s a lot. Although there seems to be conflicting evidence about Walker’s exact number of push-ups (he’s been interviewed saying the number does occasionally change) Walker performs around 1,500 push-ups per day.
Walker’s approach to fitness hinges on insane amounts of reps, stimulating the muscles via different exercises and extreme commitment.
He generally does not take rest days and maintains his workout routine daily. Although it is important to stay diligent, lack of proper routine can hurt your muscular recovery. Even if you want to take a “no days off” approach, it’s important not to push yourself to the point of exhaustion.
Even a simple walk can serve as a workout on an off day. That way, you let your body recover fully so you can get proper reps in with more energy and good form.
To learn more about unconventional recovery techniques, read our article What is Muscle Scraping to get familiar with a unique practice that may help your muscles on days off.
@spartanmentality Herschel Walker crazy workout routine #spartanmentality #gymtok #georgiafootball #workout #collegefootball
Workout
Every morning, Walker wakes up around 5 am. Early in the morning, Walker bangs out many reps of push-ups and sit-ups.
Although available information differs on how many repetitions Walker actually performed (he has changed his workout patterns over time), a rough estimate is:
- 1,500 push-ups per day
- 2,500 sit-ups per day
- 1,500 pull-ups per day
At times in his life Walker has claimed to have done even more than 3,500 push-ups per day.
On hills near his hometown, Walker practiced his sprinting skills. Growing up in the country, Walker had plenty of open space to try out running and bodyweight movements.
He did not get involved in organized sports until seventh grade. As a high school athlete, he competed in track, basketball, and football.
Walker credits the wide range of different sports he participated in with helping to develop his physique and athletic success. This technique is known as cross-training.
Although more research needs to be done on how cross-training impacts overall athletic performance, there is some indication that having a broad range of athletic abilities can be beneficial for non-professional athletes.
Specialized professionals generally benefit most from training specific to their sport.
Mental Health
Walker is a prominent advocate for mental health— something that often goes overlooked in the fitness community as a measure of wellness.
Although his own diagnosis of having “cured” his Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is medically and scientifically questionable, Walker has highlighted the importance of taking care of your mental wellbeing.
In his 2008 book, Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder Walker writes about seeking treatment for his mental health condition to overcome the negative behaviors he engaged in, which he attributed to DID and the stigmas surrounding mental health issues.
If you are experiencing issues with mental health, talk to your doctor or a qualified mental healthcare practitioner.
Diet
Walker’s diet consists of mostly salads and bread.
As a vegetarian, Walker typically sticks to one large evening meal per day to get his calories in.
Nutritional Supplements
Despite his impressive physique, Walker does not claim to consume any nutritional supplements to fuel his workouts.
If you are looking to increase your muscle mass and build a larger frame, you may be curious about exploring supplementation.
Check out our articles: Can I Take Creatine Before Bed, Creatine Monohydrate vs. Micronized, Lean Bulk, and Dirty Bulk to learn more about supplements and dietary changes that can help you build the lean muscle you want.
Sleep
Allegedly, Herschel Walker only sleeps about 5 hours a night according to varying sources.
Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night, according to scientific research. This promotes optimal health in most people. Poor sleep is associated with decreased immune function, diabetes, obesity heart disease and more.
Teens can benefit from even more sleep, with around 9-10 hours, depending on your physical needs being optimal. Remember, the teenage years are especially critical for growth, so it’s important to optimize your sleep and build good habits while you’re young.
Adapted Workout
Can you perform Herschel Walker’s 1,500 push-up workout? We’d love to see you try!
However, if you’re looking for something that’s going to feel just as challenging to those of us who may not be superhuman, here’s an adapted version of the Herschel Walker Workout you can do at home.
This calisthenics-focused routine will give you a total-body burn:
Push-Ups
- 4-5 sets X 20 reps
- Rest 15 seconds between sets
Sit-Ups
- 4-5 sets X 20 reps
- Rest 15 seconds between sets
Pull-Ups
- 5-6 sets X 10 reps
- Rest 15 seconds between sets
Tricep Dips
- 3 sets X 10 reps
- Rest 15 seconds between sets
Note: Use a resistance band for support if needed. Focus on expert form. Continue to reduce the strength of the bands until you can do reps unsupported.
Squats
- 4 X 10 reps at heavy weight
- Rest 15 seconds between sets
Hill Sprints
- 4-5 X 100m sprints
- If you live near a hill, 4-5 X whatever the distance of the hill
- Rest 15 seconds between sets
Workout adaptions: Walker’s workout requires years of dedication. The main focus here is on a large number of total reps, and if you are working on a program like this, you should aim to increase your reps day by day.
This workout gives you and idea of what a Herschel-Walker-inspired workout would look like for a beginner, but you’ll need to expand on this as you progress if you want to build serious muscle.
Track your progress and see where you are adding reps easily and what exercises you may struggle with.
Big Picture
To follow Herschel Walker’s workout program, you can skip the gym.
The former football star follows an almost entirely calisthenics-based routine— no weights needed.
To get fit like Herschel Walker, aim to maximize your reps in compound movements like push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, tricep dips, sprints, and squats.
These are total-body moves that can give you a sculpted, aesthetically pleasing physique. Because these movements are great for functional movement too, you may find everyday movements feel easier for you.
If you’re curious about different types of physique aesthetics, check out our articles Greek God Workout, Butt Shapes, and Heart-Shaped Butt to learn more about body transformations.
Walker also follows a strictly vegetarian diet, eating one meal a day. Intermittent fasting can be done in a healthy way, however it’s especially important to make sure you’re getting all your nutrients in if you limit your eating window.
It’s a good idea to speak with your doctor or a sports nutritionist if you are thinking about making big changes to your diet. A professional nutritionist can help you determine what is healthy and realistic for your body and fitness goals.
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References:
Football Fit: A look at Herschel Walker’s workout routine. (2015, September 23). NFL.Com; NFL. https://www.nfl.com/news/football-fit-a-look-at-herschel-walker-s-workout-routine
Herschel Walker— Biography. (n.d.). Olympics.Com; Olympics.com. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://olympics.com/en/athletes/herschel-walker
Mitra P, Jain A. Dissociative Identity Disorder. [Updated 2023 May 16]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568768/
Tanaka H. (1994). Effects of cross-training. Transfer of training effects on VO2max between cycling, running and swimming. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 18(5), 330–339. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199418050-00005
Teens and sleep: Why you need it and how to get enough. (2008). Paediatrics & child health, 13(1), 69–72. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/13.1.69
Walker, H. (2009). Breaking Free. Simon and Schuster.
Watson, N. F., Badr, M. S., Belenky, G., Bliwise, D. L., Buxton, O. M., Buysse, D., Dinges, D. F., Gangwisch, J., Grandner, M. A., Kushida, C., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Patel, S. R., Quan, S. F., & Tasali, E. (2015). Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep, 38(6), 843–844. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.4716
