Footy great turned federal MP David Pocock has revealed one of the intense early-morning workouts that have made him Australia’s fittest politician.
The former Wallabies captain, 37, surprised his social media followers last week by taking them through the fitness routine he puts himself through not long after dawn on the mighty – and mighty cold – Murrumbidgee River.
The post, shared on Instagram, shows Pocock doing core exercises on the muddy riverbank and performing timed plunges in the frigid water.
Pocock, who trains with a group of other fitness enthusiasts called the Granimals, detailed his workout, showcasing mobility exercises, strength training and high-intensity interval sessions.
It runs as follows…
A) Five rock slams, 10 thrusters, 20 double leg raises, 100-metre run – two rounds.
David Pocock (pictured) gets up early to train in the frigid cold on the Murrumbidgee River – and the results speak for themselves
The federal MP has stayed in remarkable shape since retiring from rugby in 2020
B) Rock complex: Squat + push-up + rock toss + broad jump, 50 reps.
C) 30 seconds lunge isometric hold with rock lateral flies, two times for each leg.
D) 30 rock rows, 10 archer push-ups, 50 rock reverse flies, 10 shoulder presses, three rounds.
E) 100 ankle taps, 10-metre gecko crawl, 2 rounds.
F) Two-minute plank, 10 jack-knives, 10 V-snaps, 20 bicycles, 100 mountain climbers.
Gecko crawls – also known as lizard crawls – involve moving forward on all fours. V-snaps are exaggerated sit-ups that involve lying flat, then bending at the waist only and trying to touch your toes.
Archer push-ups involve assuming the usual push-up position, but lowering and pushing up with one elbow at a time, moving in a side-to-side motion.
The morning routine is just part of what Pocock does during an average week, with the rugby great also squeezing in gym sessions and team sports when he finds the time.
The former Wallabies skipper does full-body workouts with a group of fitness enthusiasts
Pocock has always been known for his disciplined approach to health and fitness – and that hasn’t changed despite the demands of federal politics
Pocock says he likes to train in the mornings because he’s often stuck in parliament until after the sun goes down
‘If I don’t at least do some sort of exercise in the morning, I just never do it,’ Pocock told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2024.
‘You can spend the entire day inside [parliament]. You get there, the sun isn’t up; you’re leaving, sun’s down.’
Pocock is also strict about his diet and makes a habit of doing food preparation with his wife Emma before his week starts.
However, he says some of his punishing strength workout routines have reduced in intensity over the years.
‘I think I’ve become a lot kinder to myself,’ he said.
‘As an athlete, you rely on your body but you’re also punishing it, like it’s kind of a tool of your trade, almost, and so you’re constantly sort of pushing it to the edge. And that certainly takes its toll.’
Pocock excelled in many sports while at school and would often wake up early to train and stay back late at night to do gym sessions.
His father Andy said his son’s dedication and focus have been among his greatest strengths over the years.
‘I actually have never seen another human being with the same level of diligence,’ Mr Pocock told ABC in 2016.
‘It’s just in him, and it seems to be an innate gift he’s got in buckets.’