What makes the founder and CEO of a leading training franchise stay in shape? Wellworthy, a fitness media company, asked that question of D1's Will Bartholomew and featured his answers in its popular weekly newsletter.
The article, part of Wellworthy's Health Stack series, can be seen here. As the published version was edited for length and clarity, below is the full submission that Will and D1 shared with Wellworthy.
Will Bartholomew, founder and CEO of D1 Training, is passionate about goals and helping athletes of all ages reach theirs. Will founded D1 in 2001 when his dream of playing in the NFL was cut short after the former University of Tennessee fullback suffered a career-ending knee injury in Denver Broncos training camp. When he couldn’t find a place to train that replicated the facilities and atmosphere he experienced at UT and with the Broncos, he set about creating it.
Today, there are over 140 D1 Training franchises across the country with over 250 more in various stages of development. Bartholomew built his own success and he brings that same mentality to his day to day. Here, in his own words, is how he does it.
I design my schedule so that staying in shape is the only rational outcome. If somebody looked at my calendar and saw my health and wellness routine, I would want them to say, ‘It would be irrational for him not to be in shape.’ D1 Training embodies this same principle - I built it to be a place where people set, refine, and achieve their goals consistently.
Every 90 days, I reevaluate my goals—whether they're physical, mental, or business-related—and I ask myself, ‘What habits do I need to put in place to make hitting this goal inevitable?’
My current fitness goals are less about building muscle mass and more focused on flexibility, movement, and setting a good example for my kids. A key part of my wellness philosophy is starting my day with structure.
Morning Routine
- Before coffee, I start with a glass of water with minerals and salt. That's kind of like my go-to morning cocktail.
- I’ll do about 20–30 minutes of fasted cardio (elliptical or walking) at a low intensity (~100 max heart rate).
- After that, I always do the same protein shake every morning, and I’ve actually got my kids on it now. When you start your day with great protein and superfoods, you're really setting yourself up for success.
- Then I do the same journaling exercise every day, logging my Whoop data, rating my daily performance on a 1-10 scale, tracking progress toward goals, reflecting on the previous day. I've been doing this for five years now, and I can look back and see what was making me happy, what was frustrating me, and what was giving me fulfillment.
Strength Training & Daily Schedule
- I prefer a mid-morning workout, around 8:15, either at a D1 Training location or a D1 workout from the TeamBuildr app.
- I always block off my morning for personal organization and planning to ensure uninterrupted time before meetings begin. It is really difficult to get on my calendar before 9:30.
- I train seven days a week, with four dedicated heavy lifting days and additional conditioning work.
Adapting Goals & Seasonal Adjustments
- Every 90 days, I reevaluate and adjust my goals, whether they are physical, mental, or business-related.
- If cutting body fat (targeting ~10%), I increase afternoon conditioning with sprints or high-intensity sessions.
And here are some products that I use everyday:
Whoop (Sleep, Activity, and Recovery Tracking)
- I use Whoop to monitor my daily recovery score (green, yellow, or red), which helps me adjust my behavior.
- I actually wake up every day and write it down—whether I was a green, yellow, or red—because then that helps me change my behavior from the day before.
- I also track my strain levels to understand which activities burn the most calories and how my body responds.
TeamBuildr (Workout Programming)
- I follow D1 workouts using the TeamBuildr app, which allows me to stay on track whether I’m at home or traveling.
- I get up every day, check my Whoop, and then look at my workout on TeamBuilder to know what I have for the day.
- Here’s the key: I adjust my workout based on my Whoop recovery score. For example, if my recovery is red, and it’s a heavy lifting day in TeamBuildr, then I’ll modify my lifting session because I know my body is not ready for it.
- If I stayed up late and didn’t get a good night’s rest, and I look on TeamBuildr and see heavy squats, I’ll modify that. Today’s not the day to push it.
MyFitnessPal (Nutrition Tracking)
- I track my food intake to ensure I meet my calorie and protein goals.
- The big one for me is how much protein I’m taking in. I’m a big believer in eating a lot of protein. I aim to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, so that’s about 220g.
- My strategy is to consume most of my protein before dinner to prevent overeating.
- By the time I get to dinner, I don’t overeat because I’ve already had a ton of dense protein. That helps keep me lean.
Apparel/Clothing
- Nike Air Force 1 Customs - I prefer these for business casual and really everyday wear. Especially customized in D1 colors - red, black and gray. For our home office team, we order new custom Nikes every year and wear them to our annual Franchise Summit in December.
- Lululemon ABC Pants - I wear these all the time in business casual settings. They’re elevated but still feel athletic and look sharp.
- Vuori Ponto Half Zip - Love the feel and the fit.
- Lululemon Pace Breaker Shorts - These are my go-to for working out. Comfortable and easy.
- Under Armour - I love all their baselayer, moisture-wicking, dry-fit shirts. I like to layer them under a hoodie when it’s cold. It kind of gives me that old-school feeling, like when I used to wear them under my pads.
- NOBULL - I wear these shoes when I’m lifting.
- D1 Core Team Tee - If you run into me on the street, it’s like a 95% chance I’m wearing one of these. Love repping the brand.