The 10 to 1 format is a countdown workout where you pick two exercises, do 10 reps of each, then 9 of each, then 8, all the way down to 1. It is beautifully simple and can be surprisingly difficult, and it needs almost no equipment, time, or space — which is exactly what I look for in a workout. In this Physical Friday I explain the format, walk through the devil's press and box stepover version we did with 50-pound dumbbells, and show you how to scale it up or down for any fitness level.
Watch now: press play in the player above and follow along.
The 10 to 1 format means you pick two exercises — or three if you want — and do 10 reps of each, then 9 of each, then 8, and so on all the way down to 1. It is beautifully simple and can be surprisingly difficult. You can do it with push-ups and sit-ups, pull-ups and mountain climbers, or weighted movements. If you have weights, throw in some weights; if you don't, do it without.
A devil's press starts with two dumbbells in your hands. You put them on the ground, do a burpee so your chest touches in a push-up position, stand up, swing the dumbbells between your legs, and drive them up into a snatch position overhead. That is one rep. It combines a burpee with a double dumbbell snatch, which is why a 10 to 1 of devil's presses with 50-pound dumbbells gets hard in a hurry.
No. Fitness should not be expensive or difficult to attain, and this format needs very little or no equipment, very little time, and very little space. A playground with a pull-up bar or an open stretch of road for sprints works. A gym is nice to have, but all you really need is a little space and maybe something heavy.
Scale the rep range or the load. If the exercises are easy, make it a 20 to 1 or even a 30 to 1 — 30 to 1 push-ups is a lot of push-ups. If 25-pound dumbbells were too easy, try 50s next time. If 10 to 1 was too easy, try 15 to 1. You can also add a third exercise to the countdown to stretch the workout out further.
Keep track of the exercises, the load, and the time it takes you to finish, then come back to that exact workout months or even years later and see if you can beat your time. Having six or eight go-to variations saved on your phone means you always have a workout ready in a hotel gym, your own gym, or a place with no equipment at all.
Physical Friday is my weekly fitness series where we talk about all things physical so we can keep doing what we love — hunting, fishing, hiking, being outdoors, being with our kids. Staying strong and healthy is what makes all of that possible, and that is what the series is for.
This is the exact version we did that I found surprisingly difficult — two 50-pound dumbbells and a 20 to 24 inch box or cooler.
Substitute any two or three exercises you want — the format is the workout. I explain all the variations in the episode above.
One of the recurring themes of Physical Friday, and everything I stand for, is that fitness should not be expensive or difficult to attain. It should be something everyone can do. I collect workouts that need very little or no equipment, time, or space — a playground, a piece of open road, whatever is around you. I explain how I think about that in the episode above.
I like to have six or eight go-to workout variations with me at all times, so whether I am at a hotel gym, my own gym, or somewhere with no equipment at all, I always have a plan. The deck of cards workout is one, and the 10 to 1 format is another. I talk about how I keep that list, and why it keeps me consistent on the road, in the episode above.
Keep track of what you are doing and how long it takes you, then come back to that same workout later and see if you can beat it. That little benchmark turns a simple countdown into a measuring stick for your fitness over time. I get into how I use it, and what to change when a workout becomes too easy, in the episode above.
Listen or watch: the full breakdown, with every detail, is in the episode above.
The 10 to 1 format earns a permanent spot in your travel kit. Two exercises, a countdown, and an honest clock will humble you faster than most fancy programming ever will.
If you come up with a great countdown workout, I want to try it — on the road or right here at my gym. Text me at (305) 930-7346 or email podcast@saltwaterexperience.com. Next week we ramp up the countdown with something more challenging.
10 to 1 format · countdown workouts · devil's press · box stepovers · 50-pound dumbbells · deck of cards workout · push-ups and sit-ups · pull-ups · mountain climbers · hotel gym training · Physical Friday · Saltwater Experience
Physical Friday is my weekly fitness series for fishing guides, anglers, hunters, and outdoorsmen — the training, nutrition, and mindset to stay in the game for life. Watch and listen to every Physical Friday episode from Tom Rowland.
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's Physical Friday series I share the training formats, nutrition habits, and mindset tools I use to stay strong enough to fish, hunt, hike, and keep up with my kids — short, practical episodes built for guides, anglers, and outdoorsmen who want to stay in the game for life.
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