The ladder format is a workout that moves through changing rep schemes — descending like 10 down to 1, ascending like 1 up to 10, or two movements that climb in opposite directions — so you do the same total work in a fresh way every time. It is one of my favorite formats in the Dad Bod Destroyer Blueprint because a tiny change in the rep scheme creates a completely new workout. In this Physical Friday I break down how ladders work and the simple trick that keeps you from losing count.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
A ladder is a workout built on changing rep schemes. You can descend, going from 10 reps down to 1, or ascend, going from 1 up to 10. You can run two movements in the same direction, or run them in opposite directions so one climbs while the other falls. The reps change every round, but the structure keeps the workout organized and the variety high.
You pair two movements and have one descend while the other ascends. For example, burpees and squats: round one is 10 burpees and 1 squat, round two is 9 burpees and 2 squats, and so on. The burpees climb down while the squats climb up. By the end you have done the same total reps of each, just distributed across the rounds in opposite directions.
In a 10-to-1 and 1-to-10 opposite ladder, the two numbers in every round always add up to 11. Ten burpees and one squat is 11. Nine burpees and two squats is 11. It is never five and five — it is five and six or six and five. When you lose track mid-workout, just remember the pair has to total 11 and you can instantly recover your place.
Because you are doing the same amount of total work but arranging it in a different way each time, which keeps it fresh, fun, and challenging. Switch from descending to ascending, pair new movements, or flip one direction, and you have a brand new workout from the same building blocks. That endless variety is what keeps you consistent, and consistency is king.
Text the word “ladder” to me at (305) 930-7346 and I will send you five of my favorite ladder workouts for free. They include simple same-direction pairs and the trickier opposite-direction ladders, so you can pick the variety and difficulty that fits your day.
I make Physical Friday for fishing guides, anglers, hunters, and outdoorsmen who want to stay strong and capable for life. I cover the why and the how in the player above, so press play and follow along.
A ladder can descend, ascend, or do both at once, and that is what makes it so flexible. You might run 10 down to 1, 1 up to 10, two movements falling together, or two movements moving in opposite directions. Each choice changes the feel of the workout while keeping the structure clean. I walk through the variations I use most in the episode, so press play in the player above.
My favorite version pairs two movements moving opposite ways. Burpees and squats: 10 burpees and 1 squat, then 9 and 2, then 8 and 3, all the way through. The burpees descend while the squats ascend, so the workout shifts under you as you go. I explain how that shift changes the difficulty curve in the episode, so press play in the player above.
People get scrambled in opposite ladders, so here is the trick: in a 10-to-1 and 1-to-10 pairing, the two numbers always add up to 11. Ten and one, nine and two, six and five — always 11, never five and five. Lock that in and you will never lose your place. I share a couple more counting cues in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The genius of the ladder is that you do the same total work but arrange it differently every time, which keeps it interesting, exciting, and fun. That variety is the whole point of the Dad Bod Destroyer Blueprint, because boredom kills progress and consistency is king. I get into how I rotate ladders into my week in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Press play in the player above to get the full breakdown.
The ladder is one of the most flexible formats I know. A single tweak to the rep scheme turns a familiar pair of movements into a workout you have never done.
Pick two movements, choose your direction, and climb. Then text me for five of my favorites and keep the variety coming. Press play in the player above.
Dad Bod Destroyer Blueprint · ladder format · ascending rep scheme · descending rep scheme · burpees · squats · push ups · sit ups · CrossFit
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 am Tom Rowland — a Florida Keys fishing guide for more than 30 years, a competitive angler, a lifelong CrossFit athlete, and the host of the Tom Rowland Podcast. I started Physical Friday because staying strong, mobile, and durable is what lets all of us keep hunting, fishing, and chasing the outdoors for life. I train the same way I want you to: simple, consistent, repeatable.
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