Mike Tyson is a boxing legend. He is the man who sets iconic records that will be very difficult to break. So what made him deserve the monikers like “Iron Mike” and “Kid Dynamite”?

It definitely took him a lot to become one of the phenomenal boxers we have ever seen.

We are not here to talk about the boxing techniques helping him get an edge over the competitors, but the physical strength, stamina, and endurance that kept him on his feet in the ring throughout his heydays.

To your surprise, Mike Tyson didn’t lift any weight. Instead, his strength and stamina are owed to bodyweight training like pushups, pulls ups, running, etc. which are known as calisthenics.

So here we will walk through the training regimen that makes Mike Tyson one of the most successful boxers in history.

Why Mike Tyson Chose Calisthenics for Training

Calisthenics is a great blend of strength training and endurance. Not only does it lead to muscular strength, but also improves muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance. The workout involves high reps that increase your heart rate, and the continuation of reps puts your muscles into hypertrophy, and that combination makes it a complete and effective workout.

The Calisthenics Routine of Mike Tyson

On any given day in Tyson’s prime, his routine was to get up at four in the morning, run five miles, eat breakfast, sparring 10 to 12 rounds, sequences of 200 sit-ups, 500 squats, push-ups, 30 minutes of shrugs, and 10 minutes of work on the neck. After a lunch break, it was followed by six rounds of combat, slide bag, jump rope, pad work, and speed bag, as if it weren’t enough, in the afternoon an exercise bike short to cool off, have dinner, more abs and by the end of the day, he was studying boxing tactics in movies or videos of his fights.

Tyson’s Workout Routine 4-5 Weeks Before a Fight at a Training Camp:

4:00 a.m.: Waking up and going for a three to five-mile jog.

6:00 a.m.: Taking a shower, and going back to bed.

10:00 a.m.: Getting up to have breakfast (Oatmeal with fruit, OJ, and vitamins, with a protein shake.)

12 pm: Doing 10 rounds of sparring and 3 sets of Calisthenics.

2 pm: Taking lunch rich in carbs, veggies, protein, and water.

3 pm: Doing another four to six rounds of bag work, sparring, slip bag, jump rope, Willie bag, focus mitts, and speed bag and 60 minutes on the stationary bike. Here he used to do three more sets of Calisthenics.

5 pm: Performing four more sets of the same calisthenics routine and then slow shadow boxing or focusing on ONE technique, in order to master the mechanics.

7 pm: Taking another balanced meal

8 pm: Doing a light 30 minutes on the exercise bike to achieve recovery. NO RESISTANCE.

9 pm: Watching TV to study the fighting technique of the opponents.

Diet Plan of Mike Tyson: How He Fuelled His Body

Taking the right diet is as important as the workout. A poor diet can lead to weakness, lethargy, and reduce your performance. No wonder why Mike Tyson was equally serious about his diet plan. It is said that Tyson used to take anywhere from 3,000-4,000 calories a day. And then he turned that energy into muscle by employing an extreme workout routine.

But it is also true that Tyson has to make a lot of sacrifices when it comes to diet. That said, Mike Tyson has still managed to make room for his cheat meals like ice cream. His diet included the food being recommended by most health experts today. Here is an overview of the average diet plan Mike Tyson.

Breakfast:

Oatmeal, milk, vitamin supplements (fish oil and magnesium)

Lunch:

Chicken breast, rice, orange juice

Dinner:

Steak, pasta, and orange juice

Snacks:

Protein shake blended with 6 bananas

Cheat Meals:

Ice cream.

So you must have understood the calisthenics routine as well as diet plan that contributed a lot to the success of Mike Tyson.

Sure, most of you don’t want to be a professional boxer. But doing basic calisthenics and taking a good diet will keep you fit, strong and healthy in your routine life. The beauty of calisthenics is that you don’t need those exercise equipment to get it started. Instead, all you need to use your body weight to do workouts like pushups, pull-ups, and dips.