75 Hard – Workouts & Observations

75 Hard – Workouts & Observations

 

I wrote earlier this week that Saturday, March 11^th, I felt I didn’t push as hard as I could have. I was tired from spending the day driving around Fredericksburg watching the kids play soccer. I didn’t set an alarm Sunday and woke up refreshed but felt a bit of a personal setback. I decided that my ‘day off’ meant I would make myself suffer on Sunday and would stick to my 4:15 a.m. wake up.

 

Before the weekly workout rollup a few thoughts and observations.

 

·         I’m 17 days into the 75 Hard challenge and, for the volume of workouts I’m doing, I feel good. Most of the work I do is in the morning when Celia and the kids are sleeping. I’m not willing to sacrifice time away from my kids or Celia, but I don’t want to sacrifice the workouts, so I’m sacrificing my sleep.

 

·         I’m not crashing at the end of the day because I’m not putting trash in my body and I’m staying very hydrated. It is a challenging routine to establish but I can already tell my body is responding in a more positive manner than expected. The overall effects alcohol, wheat, sugar, and processed snack foods is noticeable.

 

·         Planning is key! Tomorrow my youngest has a soccer game 2 hours away and I know what my day will look like. I’m going to be up at 4:15 a.m. to lift weights. When the sun rises I’m going on a 6.25 mile run. When I get back the dogs will be pissed at me that I smell like I ran and demand to go to the river. If any of the kids are up, I’ll take them with me and be back 30-45 minutes later. All workout requirements met before 9:00 a.m. with the rest of the day to do what most people do on weekends.

 

Sunday Workout

1: 45 minute EMOM (every minute on the minute): 5 pull ups and 10 push ups. This is prepping my body for the April challenge of doing 30 Murphs in 30 days. I did not wear a vest for this because my focus was on volume. That 45 minutes breaks down to 225 pull ups and 450 push ups.

2: 45 minute run with my 20lb weighted vest. This was tough as there are a few small hills along my run route. Of the 45 minutes I walked about 30 seconds on two occasions. Again, this is prepping my body for the April Murph.

 

Monday Workout

1 (morning): Bench press (4x4), DB Incline (4x10), Reverse grip bench press (4x10), Banded chest flys (4x12), 10 minute EMOM (20 push ups)

2 (lunch): 6 mile run.

3 (evening): 75 minute jiujitsu class with Jadon.

**Multiple mini stretch sessions and lacrosse ball therapy during the day**

 

Tuesday Workout

1 (morning): 30 Peloton ride, Deadlift (4x4), DB Incline Row (4x10), Single arm lat pulldown (4x10), Seated banded row (4x10), DB curls (4x10)

2 (evening): 45 minute outdoor walk with 20lb weight vest, 20 minute EMOM (5 pull ups, 10 push ups – with 20lb weight vest).

**Evening stretch session while watching TV**

 

Wednesday Workout

1 (morning): Squats (4x4), Barbell Romanian DL (4x10), Goblet squat 1 ½ reps (4x10), Calf Raise (4x15)

2 (lunch): 45 minute walk.

3 (evening): 300 air squats with 20lb weight vest, random rep schemes of weight vest ring rows, pull ups, and push ups.

**Multiple mini stretch sessions and lacrosse ball therapy during the day**

 

Thursday Workout

1 (morning): 30 minute Peloton strength class focused on shoulders and arms. 30 minute HIIT on air assault bike (30 second sprint, 30 second rest), 20 minute foam rolling.

2 (lunch): 6.13 mile run

I did not stretch well enough after my run.

**I was supposed to do jiujitsu with Jadon in the evening but my body was very sore and my knees were aching. Feeling that way I opted out of the evening training session. One day later and I still think it was the right decision. I fell asleep very fast at night and woke up refreshed.

 

Friday Workout

1 (morning): Shoulder press (4x4), Super set for 4 rounds (5 DB shoulder press, 8 DB push press, Max DB push jerk), Barbell curls (4x12), 20 minute stretch session

2 (lunch): 45 minute walk.

 

 

 

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75 Hard - Endure by Cameron Hanes

A regret I have as I’ve aged, and there are many, is that I did not read much when I was younger. Occasionally a book like The Davinci Code would catch my attention but I failed at furthering educating myself. Since starting 75 Hard 15 days ago I’ve read at least 10 pages of a self development book every day. I’ve finished two so far, Endure by Cameron Hanes and Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink. 

 

For this entry I’m going to talk about the book Cam Hanes wrote.

 

The take away from this book is to find your passion and do everything within your power to excel at it. Become obsessed with perfecting your craft. Cam works a job like every normal person but found his passion in bowhunting and dedicated his life to become the absolute best. He’s completed countless feats that are beyond comprehension of what the human body is capable of to strengthen his mind and body in preparation for bowhunting season. Through all of this Cameron Hanes became one of the best bowhunters in the world by outworking everybody else. There is no secret to his training; he’s a grinder. Through his obsessive nature he’s managed to create a brand for himself in something as simple as bowhunting.

 

I don’t know how most people can’t find a connection in their own life to his story. My passion isn’t bowhunting, I’ve never bowhunted and not sure I ever will. That said, I respect the year over year dedication and laser focus on consistently bettering yourself.

 

A few highlights from the book that stood out to me.

 

1.     How much pain and suffering will you go through for success?

2.     I believe the only limits we have, both physically and mentally, are those we place on ourselves.

3.     Don’t make excuses. Give it your all. Show up when you’re supposed to show up. Speak your mind. Own up to your mistakes. Think with perspective.

4.     The truth is that I’ve always worked really hard because I’ve never really felt like I had a ton of natural skills or talent.

5.     Discipline and excellence aren’t something you can just think about and achieve. Decide to do something every day for a year.

6.     Nobody cares. Work Harder!

a.     Nobody cares about your goals. Nobody cares about your excuses for not achieving what you said you would or what you thought you deserved. You want people to care? Then do something special

7.     I believe that the mind powers the body, and once the mind says we want to do it, then the body will follow.

8.     Easy seldom makes memories.

9.     To endure means to never end, to know the journey is long, to bear with the long days and weeks and sometimes even years.

10.  Excuses are easy to come by. Pushing through is not. Be more than motivated, be more than driven, become literally obsessed to the point where people think you’re fucking nuts.

11.  Most people don’t want to compare themselves to greatness; instead, they will compare themselves to average and think they’re great. They are wrong.

12.  Professionals stick to the schedule; amateurs let life get in the way.

13.  Your body gives what you ask of it. Don’t ask much and it won’t give you much. Ask a lot and it will give you a lot.

14.  There will always be those who want to see someone who’s motivated fail, because the effort of others reminds the weak of their lack of passion and purpose.

15.  Oftentimes what we expect of our kids isn’t necessarily in line with what we expect of ourselves.

 

In sum, great book and I took a lot from it!

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75 Hard - 30 Murphs in 30 Days

The annual Memorial Day ‘Murph’ workout is grueling. There is no other way to describe it. If you are unfamiliar with the workout it consists of the following while wearing a 20lb. vest:

1 mile run.
100 pull ups.
200 push ups.
300 squats.
1 mile run.

(To learn the history behind the workout click here)

My plan, starting April 1st, is to do the Murph every day of the month. 30 Murphs in 30 Days.

On the surface this is patently stupid. Memorial Day 2022 I completed Murph and my body ached for two days; now I plan on doing this workout daily? Yup. That’s what I intend to do.

Why? Because why not? 

It’s going to suck. It’s going to hurt. It’s going to make me want to quit. Many mornings I will have internal dialogue if I should complete Murph for the day. 

Will I quit? I don’t know but I want to find out. And if I quit, how many days did I last? 

What if I don’t quit? Then what else am I capable of achieving? These are the questions I want to answer for myself and I believe the answers to these questions will go a long way in helping me find clarity to how I want to live my life.

I firmly believe there is a correlation between pushing your body and mind physically and performing at a high level in other aspects of your life. This challenge is about stacking daily small wins that will lead to much larger wins in life. 

How many times have I sat on the couch and not read material that was required for school or work because I was ‘tired’? How often have I eaten food that was trash, and I knew it was trash, but I didn’t have the discipline to not pick it up? How many times have I given my kids advice that I know is sound, but I don’t have the discipline to live by myself?

     Too many to count for each question.

This is why I’m doing 30 Murphs in 30 Days. I’m doing it because I don’t want to do it and hope I come out just a little better that I was when I started.

***A few things to note***

-Doing a workout 30 days straight can (and will) get monotonous. Knowing this I will change how I complete the Murph each day. Some days may be strict pull ups and other days kipping. Some days I may do chin ups rather than pull ups. Yes, I know the workout calls for pull ups…whatevs.

-Some days I will partition and other days I won’t. I may break sets into 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats and do that 20 rounds, other days may be 4 pull ups, 8 push ups, and 12 squats over 25 rounds,  or if I’m feeling frisky, I’ll do the workout as written with no partitioning.  

-I’ve battled tendonitis on the inside of both elbows in the past. It’s painful and makes doing a single pull up is excruciating. Currently my elbows feel fine. That said, I’m very cognizant of the need to massage and treat the tendons in my forearms/elbows, so they continue to feel ‘fine’. However, if the pain from the tendonitis returns, I’m subbing my 100 pull ups with 200 deep ring rows.

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75 Hard - Day 12

Yesterday, day 11, was the first day I felt sorry for myself and didn’t want to complete my workouts. It started Friday night.

 

I left work around 3:00 p.m. and intended to get my outdoor workout in when I got home, a 5.75 mile run. The weather was poor and the drive home took about 30 minutes longer than usual. I changed and was out the door running within 15 minutes of getting home. The run was good, my average mile time is continuing to drop…no issues with the workout. 

 

Once I was done I showered and took Celia out on a date; Friday’s are our date nights since we’re like two ships passing in the night during the week with work and kid activities. Friday was good but when I woke up Saturday the previous 10+ days caught up with me. 

 

Two of my kids had soccer tournaments all day Saturday, that meant I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to get my first workout in. My body felt beat down so I did 45 minutes of Yoga thinking when I got home from soccer in the evening I’d lift or run. That did not happen.

 

Yesterday was cold and very windy, all day. The effects had me exhausted when I returned home. I felt weak…my mind was weak. I asked Celia if she wanted to go on a 45 minute walk with me, no luck. She was exhausted after her day of soccer too. Begrudgingly, I went out side and began to walk. No running. No lifting. Just walking at a pathetic pace. It was the first moment I didn’t want to do part of the 75 Hard challenge.

 

When I got home I wanted to have trash food as snacks as we sat on the couch watching TV. This too was the first real negative food impulse I felt. I essentially had to white knuckle the craving and it subsided about 20 minutes later. 

 

I need to remember that in the future, most urges will be temporary and pass but the initial phase will be the most challenging.

 

I started reading Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink and ended the day falling asleep before 8:00 p.m. I didn’t set an alarm and slept over 10 hours. I guess you could say my body needed a few more hours.

 

I can’t help but wonder if yesterday, leading into today, was my first true challenge and I failed. Sure I abided by the guidelines of 75 Hard but if I want to truly transform myself I believe I should have pushed through and lifted weights or ran last night. Furthermore, I should have woken up earlier this morning and attacked the day. I did get two good workouts in today but forcing myself to wake up was a barrier I should have pushed through and did not.

 

 

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75 Hard - Day 7

About one month ago I heard about this fitness mental challenge called 75 Hard. I felt, for the most part, I lived a relatively healthy lifestyle but knew there was room for improvement. What I didn’t know at the time was the seed was planted with that pod for further self improvement. Over the next few weeks I began to critically analyze myself and do a full self-assessment of where I was at in life and where I ultimately want to be.

I did not look at this solely through a fitness lens, my breakdown was incredibly comprehensive. Where am I at professionally? I know I have an expiration date with the Army, what’s next? What am I showing my kids (or not showing) daily that I would like to improve on? I’m 41 now and have thought about my mortality, with that, how is my overall health? Will my life improve more if I read about leadership from men like Jocko Willink or if I follow Adam Schefter religiously to see if Aaron Rodgers is coming back to Green Bay?

I ask those questions of myself with the end state that I actually live in the present the way I would in an ideal situation in my own mind?

In sum, nothing changes if nothing changes.

Now would be a good time to spell out what 75 Hard is for those that do not know.

75 Hard

Do the following for 75 days straight. Zero compromises. Zero substitutions:

1. Follow a diet and stick to it. This is what appealed to me, the diet is unique to each individual but there are no cheat meals or alcohol allowed during the 75 days. If the diet is broken or I have a glass of bourbon, I start over at Day 1. My diet consists mostly of beef/steak, chicken, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, brown rice, and protein supplements. I kicked Blue Monster out of my life for the next 75 days. Bourbon too. Farewell lasagna, Mexican tortillas, queso dip, and Doritos.  Hello Honeycrisp apples, sirloin steaks, and chicken tenderloins dipped in avocado packs (sooo good).

2. Complete two 45 minute workouts every day, one of which must be outdoors. For the ‘your body needs rest days’ crowd, a workout can be a 45 minute walk outside or 45 minutes of Yoga; it does not need to be 45 minutes of interval running.  But to that crowd I would also say that your body is capable of much, much more than you’re currently asking of it.  Cameron Hanes said, “Your body gives what you ask of it. Don’t ask much and it won’t give you much. Ask a lot and it will give you a lot. I haven’t found my limit yet, but I am trying.”

3. Take a progress picture every day. I hate doing this. Don’t expect to see a shirtless selfie. I don’t have anything else to say about that.  

4. Drink one gallon of water a day. This is easy. I can suck half a quart down within 5 minutes of waking up. By the end of my morning workout I’ve drank close to half a gallon of water. When you cut down consumption of other liquids your capacity for water truly increases.

5. Read 10 pages of a non fiction book. This is easy too. Rather than stare at the TV or phone every night I’m staring at my Kindle before bed. This is the part of the challenge I look forward to; I’m currently reading Endure by Cameron Hanes but have Relentless by Tim Grover, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant, Never Finished by David Goggins, and Leadership Strategy and Tactics by Jocko Willink  in my Kindle que.

One Week Down

For me, the diet is the hardest part. I never realized how much random snacking on garbage I do throughout the day. I find myself being ‘hungry’ quite frequently. Rather than grab a handful my kids Goldfish or have some carb loaded meal I instead turn to fruits and water.  I’m not bored with the food yet because, well, I love steak and fruit.

As a special treat to myself I’ll throw frozen pineapple, mango, and strawberries into the blender and have a smoothie. It’s simply…delightful.

Workouts: This part of 75 Hard is the most time consuming and requires planning out the day the night before.  My alarm goes off between 4:15-4:30 a.m. every day but I think I’m going to start setting a 4:00 a.m. wake up (you’re welcome Celia).  The earlier I wake up the more I can get in and the more I can push to see what my breaking point will be.  I haven’t taken a day off since I started. By that I mean there has not been a day both my 45 minute workouts were walks. Are some days more intense? Sure.  But every day I will either be lifting, running, or doing a long Peloton ride for one of those 45 minute workouts.

Most days will be something like this: 60-75 minutes of weights, walk the dogs along the river for 30-45 minutes, 5+ mile run, 75 minutes of jiujitsu in the evening with Jadon (and eventually Caleb).

Why Now

Why did I start a blog a week into this challenge? Easy. I didn’t know what to expect, if I would follow through for a week, or what would be the purpose.  Truthfully, I still don’t know what the theme of this will be or if I’ll make regular entries.

I used to blog many years ago. I enjoyed it. I thought I was ‘decent’ at it. Maybe doing something like this 75 Hard challenge will start that back up. I don’t know.

 

 

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