Monthly Challenges

"WILL DO TODAY WHAT OTHER'S WON'T, WILL DO TOMORROW WHAT OTHERS CAN'T"
-SMOKE JUMPERS CREED

Starting this Friday we will begin a series of monthly challenges. On the 3rd Friday of every month you'll have the opportunity to complete what appears to be an insane physical task. For example a couple of the coaches yesterday completed 1000 kettlebell swings for time.

Although 1000 swings appears to be physically demanding (and it is), the main purpose of these challenges is harness mental toughness.

Mark Divine, owner of SEALFIT and creator of the Unbeatable Mind Academy, often talks about the 20X factor. In response to a question regarding mental breakthroughs through physical challenges, Mark details; (please read full interview HERE)

"I call this the 20X factor. This is one of the things I learned in Hell Week...you’re dealing with that sleep deprivation and that nonstop training and by the end of it you’re just like, "Wow, how did I do that?" It creates a new sense of what’s possible, and I call that the 20X. You’re literally, all of a sudden, faced with this new person who knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you’re capable of about 20 times or more than you previously thought you were capable of."

But in order to recognize this 20X factor that we all possess, we must continually subject ourselves to ardous physical challenges. A key example of this was when a group of us did the Burpee Mile for Veteran's Day. It's not about the time it took to finish the task, it was a matter of finishing it.

More importantly it was about what you learned along the way. A quarter mile into it, everyone realized this was not going to be easy. Things started to hurts, the seductive music of self doubt started to play louder in your head.
"Why am I doing this?"
"This is the dumbest thing I've ever done"
"I'm just gonna turn around and go back"

It would have been easy to quit, that is the point you will realize you're 20 times more capable than what you previously were led to believe.

Everyone can be full of enthusiasm and energy when they first start. But it's only when we subject ourselves to the fire, that bullshit can be burned away. It's easy to tell stories of accomplishments in your past...it's much more difficult to accomplish new things today.

It is in this spirit of self exploration this Friday we are starting the monthly challenge series. Here are some examples you'll be able to choose from:

1000 swings
1000 double unders
750 air squats
500 pushups
500 situps
300 wall ball
300 burpees
100 Curtis Ps
*Burpee Mile (this isn't officially apart of the challenge series, but if you haven't done it you're missing out)

All of these are manageable and each class you'll be given up to 50 minutes to complete as many reps as possible. It will be up to the individual to determine their pacing/rep plan. For the 1000 swings, we did 40 sets of 30 seconds work/30 seconds rest. Within the 30 seconds of work, our goal was to hit 25 swings each time.

As always, your fitness level will determine your realistic goal. If you're just starting out and haven't mastered the swing technique you have no business attempting 1000 swings in 50 minutes. You might just wanna shoot for you 50 sets of 10 (500). Keep in mind you'll only have 50 minutes to accomplish your goal. For example at the end of 50 minutes if you only completed 475 swings sometime in the future you'll be able to test out again.

Finally, after you've completed a challenge then you'll pick a new one the following month, another new one the month after that, etc..until you've crossed them all off your list.

Of course this series of challenges is completely voluntary and you'll know well in advance of the days we'll be doing them (the 3rd Friday of every month). Feel free to skip. It's not for everyone...the difficult path is always the road less traveled. This Friday we will see how many travelers we will have...hope to see you there.