Living like a Gentleman Spy starts with building your body. Your physique and your health are long-term endeavors, so getting started now will have the biggest overall effect on your health, style, and confidence.

The good news is that you can get started immediately. You don't need any fancy equipment, a gym membership, or anything other than your bodyweight to get in extraordinarily good shape.

Before you start any other weight training program, you need to master moving your own body. Whether you decide to exercise with weights or machines, or participate in adventure sports, or simply want to be the best you can be, you need to be comfortable and competent in your own skin.

Start by completing this basic bodyweight progression, focusing on pullups, pushups, and squats in a 1x, 2x, 3x ratio: 1 pullup, followed immediately by 2 pushups, then 3 squats. Designed as a Monday/Wednesday/Friday program, you'll do three rounds on Monday, four rounds on Wednesday, and five rounds on Friday. The next week add one pullup, two pushups, three squats, and repeat the schedule. If you're unable to complete the full five rounds with the required numbers, just repeat that level until you get all your numbers, then continue.

The basic recommendation is to start right from the beginning of the schedule, doing only 1 pullup, 2 pushups, and 3 squats. But if you're determined you need to do more, complete this pre-test to begin at the appropriate level.

• Do as many pullups as you can in one set, then rest for a minute or two.
• Do as many pushups as you can in one set, then rest for a minute or two.
• Do as many squats as you can in one set.
• With those numbers in hand, see what your weakest exercise is, scale back one level, and begin the program.

For most men, the pullups are going to be the limiting factor in this test, and many will not be able to do a single pullup. This is normal and expected.

The road to your first pullup, if you can't do them already, is simple. You will need to work on negatives — lowering yourself from the bar — until you are able to complete one full pullup. Use a box, have a friend push you up, or jump up until your chin is over the bar. Then lower yourself as slowly as you can.

As you progress towards your first pullup, do two negative pullups instead of one regular pullup. Then go right into two pushups, then three squats. Repeat for a total of three rounds on Monday, four rounds on Wednesday, and five rounds on Friday. Continue with this cycle until you can complete one regular pullup.

As soon as you can complete one full pullup — from a dead hang to getting your chin above the bar — you will go through the full program, starting from Level 1 as prescribed, progressing to the next level as soon as you can complete the full five rounds.

All exercises are performed with a full, controlled range of motion. No jerking, bouncing, kipping, etc.

• Pull-ups and chin-ups: full extension at the bottom of the movement; chin above the bar at the top (better: chest touching the bar)
  • Pull-ups: pronated grip (overhand, palms facing away from you)
  • Chin-ups: supinated grip (underhand, palms facing towards you)
• Pushups (press-ups): chest touching the floor at the bottom; full extension at the top
• Squats (bodyweight/air squats): hip below the knees at the bottom; full extension at the top

Each round consists of pull-ups (or chin-ups), then pushups, then squats. Repeat that sequence for as many rounds as required. For example:

• Round 1: 5 pull-ups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
• Round 2: 5 pull-ups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
• Round 3: 5 pull-ups, 10 pushups, 15 squats

This program is designed to be completed on three non-consecutive days per week. Monday/Wednesday/Friday works well for most people.

• 3 rounds on Monday
• 4 rounds on Wednesday
• 5 rounds on Friday

Rest as needed, but the end goal is to be able to complete all five rounds at Level 10 with no rest.

What works best for many people is to plan for 2 weeks at each level. The first week, give yourself 2-3 minutes of rest between rounds (standard rest period for strength training), then only 30-seconds to 1 minute between rounds the next week. With each progression, you'll spend the first week resting more to focus on strength, then the second week resting less to work on metabolic conditioning.

Move up and progress as you can. If you find yourself getting stuck, you can back off (drop down a level or two) for a week, then move back up from there.

Repeat levels or weeks as many times as you need, until you can complete the full five rounds without missing repetitions.

Continue with this progression until you are able to complete all five rounds, with no rest in or between sets, of Level 10: 10 pullups, 20 pushups, and 30 squats.

NOTE: Pullups and bodyweight conditioning can be a sticking point for bigger guys. If you find yourself stuck or not progressing on this workout, go directly to the barbell workout instead.

Once you can complete the full five rounds at Level 10 — 10 pullups, 20 pushups, and 30 squats — you're ready to progress to more advanced training.

You can continue to use this same template, but add sets until you are doing 10 rounds at Level 10, or you can work towards more advanced bodyweight training, a barbell or kettlebell workout, or more sport-specific training as you wish.