David Goggins proves you don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to crafting an effective workout routine, sharing a deceptively straightforward workout on social media.

Goggins, an ultramarathon runner, fitness influencer and retired United States Navy SEAL, famously loves a push-up (or two). Indeed, he’s responsible for birthing his own ‘David Goggins push-up challenge’, which has been eagerly embraced by fitness fanatics across the world.

His latest workout, however, takes things to the next level. Responding to fans who asked him to show off a sample calisthenic workout, he’s revealed his favourite go-to, which he calls “nickels and dimes.”

The workout involves doing 5 full pull-ups immediately followed by 10 push-ups – hence the name. All you need is a pull-up bar… and a willingness to ‘stay hard’.

WATCH: David Goggins’ “nickels and dimes” workout below.

“I will do this as a standalone workout for an hour or two hours,” Goggins shares.

“When I do this for an hour or two, I will pace it so that I do two sets on the minute – so 2 sets of pull-ups and 2 sets of push-ups on the minute. In one hour, I will do 600 pull-ups and 1,200 push-ups.”

David Goggins

When you consider that you’d probably only do around 36 push-ups during an average F45 session, 1,200 push-ups is a truly brutal number. Of course, you’re not just doing pull-ups and push-ups in F45, but you get the idea. David Goggins is built different.

RELATED: Why This Calisthenics Handstand Has Left The Internet Stunned

Goggins offers some tips on how to get the most out of a nickels and dimes workout:

“If it is a shorter workout, you want to go at a faster pace to maximize the time. You want to get to a point where you can make the transition without any break at all and go immediately from one to the other… Again, the ideal pace is to do two sets on the minute – 2 sets of pull-ups and 2 sets of push-ups on the minute,” he explains.

“Whatever number of pull-ups you do, double it for the push-ups. So if you do 3 pull-ups, do 6 push-ups, etc. Choose a number that works for you, one that you can hold for the designated workout time,” he says.

He also shared a piece of motivation that you should keep in mind no matter what workout you’re doing:

“Some of you may be working with pennies rather than nickels and dimes. A lot of you may need to get loans from the bank before you’re ready for the money! We all start somewhere!”

David Goggins

A piece of advice, though: if you’re new to pull-ups or are working on improving your strength, rather than jumping straight into emulating Goggins’ nickels and dimes workout, start with easier variations or use assistance – such as resistance bands or an assisted pull-up machine – before attempting full bodyweight pull-ups.

Nickels and Dimes Form Guide

Nickels and Dimes is an intense workout, and your form will likely start to break down as you power into your later sets. But that’s no reason why you shouldn’t aim for perfect push-up and pull-up technique from the get-go.

Here’s an optimized form guide for each exercise:

Push-Ups:

1. Lie on the floor in the top plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms forward. Maintain a straight line from head to heels and pull your belly toward your spine.
2. Bend your elbows to lower until your chest touches the floor.
3. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position. Focus on pressing the floor away from you with your chest and triceps.
4. Inhale as you lower your body towards the floor and exhale as you push back up to the starting position.

Tips

• Maintain a strong and stable core throughout the exercise to prevent hip sagging or back arching.
• Work hard to maintain a full range of motion (all the way down!) as you get into those late sets.

Pull-Ups:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, using an overhand grip. Keep your legs straight and slightly angled forward from the hips. Tense your abs to create stability and prevent swinging. Retract your shoulder blades and engage your lats.
2. Imagine pulling the bar down towards your body while driving your elbows up towards the ceiling. Initiate the movement by reaching up to the bar with your chest, engaging your upper back muscles to pull your body upward until your chin clears the bar.
3. Slowly yourself back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the descent. Inhale as you lower yourself down and exhale as you pull yourself up.

Tip:

• Keep your body straight and avoid swinging or using momentum to complete the pull-up. Focus on controlled movements using your upper back muscles.