For the last couple of months, I have been experimenting with finding a daily workout which works for me and might work for other men. I began with a simple sequence of (body weight) squats and good mornings. It took me about 5 minutes to complete and I felt great about it, but I soon got the feeling that it was not enough. So I added pull-ups and then dips.
The workout stayed like that for at least two months before I decided to beef it up a little and added shoulder presses. Eventually, I added chin ups.

The progression looks like this

First version
– Two sets of 10 bodyweight squats
– Two sets of 10 bodyweight good mornings

Second progression
– Two sets of 10 bodyweight squats
– Two sets of 10 bodyweight good mornings
– One set of 5 pulls ups

Third progression
– Two sets of 10 bodyweight squats
– Two sets of 10 bodyweight good mornings
– One set of 8 pulls ups
– One set of 10 dips (hands and feet on chairs)

Fourth progression
– Two sets of 20 bodyweight squats
– Two sets of 10 bodyweight good mornings
– One set of 10 pull-ups
– One set of 10 chin ups
– One set of 10 dips (hands and feet on chairs)
– One set of 8- 10 shoulder presses 20% max

The last iteration takes me on average 15 minutes when I am “on fire” and closer to 20 when I am not really in the mood. These daily workouts are meant to get me going in the morning. They are not meant to replace the weight training workouts I believe are also necessary for an optimal fitness level. I will go into my experimentation on the weight training front, but for now, I will focus on the morning mostly calisthenic workout.

The reason behind the work out being calisthenic in nature is because one is not always at home. In case you are traveling or on a vacation, the fact that you don’t have your equipment on hand shouldn’t prevent you to get a good workout in.

The pulls ups and chin ups are the only exercises that need a piece of equipment that isn’t around all the time. For this purpose, I have been searching for alternatives that solve this. I have found a YouTube video in which the presenter demonstrates alternatives that really might work in case a bar isn’t available.

Another alternative would be to do bent over rows with a resistance band instead of pull ups and chin ups. I am adding a YouTube video here which features the exercise. Take note of his flat back and how he keeps his head in a neutral position relative to his spine.

After a while I noticed that I was not always able to do this in the morning. The plan was to do this each morning after my daily devotion. For some reason this became a struggle. I am still trying to find out if this is because the workout has become too intense or that I am just in a lazy season.

If your work schedule is flexible enough I have found out that you can also do the workout before your lunch. I assume that this might work for some but that most will not see this as a viable option. The key to doing this is probably paying attention to a proper sleep rhythm. Just making sure you get enough sleep so that you are rested enough to face the new day in the morning.