Bodyweight Challenge Workout

I turned 38 today.  Egad, that sounds really old.  So anyway, I had in my mind to do some sort of Challenge Workout, but wasn’t quite sure what I wanted it to be.  Then this morning I got an email from a buddy of mine in Thailand, and he mentioned that he’s been working with Forward Pressure.  I’ve also been using  FP extensively with a semi-private group of girls that I’m coaching.  So it dawned on me that this would be the perfect bodyweight exercise Challenge Workout!

Since it’s my 38th Birthday, I decided on 38 rounds using the second level of the flow (you can see the flow at the link above if you aren’t familiar with it).  This took me somewhere around 45 minutes.  As usual, I forgot to set a timer…  When I was done, I decided this would be the inaugural event.  So next year it'll be 39 rounds, and so on!  By the time I’m 75 years old, I should have some pretty serious pressing strength-endurance!

The Power Of A Challenge Workout

The occasional Challenge Workout is a powerful tool.  Not only does it give you a physical kick in the rear, it can be an excellent tool for exploring the mental side of performance.  I’ve experienced this many times doing Clubbell® challenges like the Trial-by-Fire.  A faint voice of dissonance always accompanies you through the first part of the session, telling you that you can give up any time.  Sometime before you get halfway, that voice grows very loud.  "Your sunk costs aren’t so heavy that you can’t walk away," the voice says.

Then you hit the halfway point, or just beyond, and you realize, for the first time, that you are going to make it.  You’re tired and hurting, but no more that you were at a quarter of the way through.  You’ve hit that steady zone that will carry you through.  And that realization gives you a boost - almost euphoric.

Then, close to the end, you just start to feel relieved that you’re going to make it.  You grit your teeth and try to push through with as much class as you can muster.  And when you’re done, you look back and think, “what was all the fuss about.”

I may not be able to turn back the clock.  But I can make sure that I keep moving, keep pushing myself, and hold the aging process at bay through natural exercise methods that develop flow and grace as much as strength and endurance.

Here Is Your Mission...

So here is your Workout Challenge.  How old are you?  Can you do that many rounds of Forward Pressure?  You’ll never know until you try.  And if you can’t YET, just start working up to it incrementally.  Take a look at the video in this post about Forward Pressure to learn the flow.  If you want more instruction, you can find Coach Sonnon’s detailed teaching here.  He also offers an easier and a more advanced version of what you’ll see in the linked post and video clip.

Don’t wait for your birthday.  Try it today!  The ultimate bodyweight Challenge Workout - your age in rounds of Forward Pressure.  Tell us in the comments how you did.

Cheers,
Adam

Comments

[Damien]

Wow 38 rounds of Forward Pressure.

Damn!

I'll work up to my age eventually.... level 2 is on the horizon after I cover a few other goals (it will be cycled back in in good time).

[Shane]

Nice! Damn, I'm starting Forward Pressure and doing just 5 rounds is a High Intensity workout,haha! Well something to work towards and look forward to(?).

Happy Birthday Adam! Congrats on reaching 38 and being able to do what you do!

All the Best,
s.

[andreas]

38 rounds of FP! That's impressive!

Happy Birthday Adam!

[Adam Steer]

Damien - It's your fault man. You're the one who gave me the idea...

Shane - Thanks man. Incremental progression will take you to amazing heights. Stick with it.

Cheers,
Adam

[Rocky]

Happy Birthday and congrats Coach. I have taken several of your Bodyweight Exercise Revolution exercises and incorporated them into my Clubbell & KB routines. They are great but brutal and really expose weeknesses. I am really going to focus on the "Leg Swoop". Great stuff.

Best
Rocky

[Adam Steer]

Hey Rocky,

Thanks for the kind wishes! I'm glad your training is going so well and that BER has been useful. Keep coming back to keep us up to date with what you're doing!

Cheers,
Adam

[John]

Happy birthday!

People who turn 38 will eventually turn 39 . . . then 40 . . . and so on . . . and pretty soon you start thinking they're old.

Naah. Take it from me (I'm 54) that at 38 you are still a very, very young man.

Best wishes for an upcoming year and I hope you have a great birth day celebration.

[Adam Steer]

John,

I know it man! I don't feel old, 38 just "sounds" old... LOL

But CST keeps me young!

Cheers,
Adam

[Johan Roelofse]

Great work Adam. Happy 38th year to you. I am 39 and I can assure you that I have never even contemplated doing 39 rounds of FP...well, until now. Thanks for constantly sharing your wisdom and showing me my blind spots.

[Adam Steer]

Johan,

Thanks for the birthday wishes. I look forward to hearing about your 39 rounds of Forward Pressure! You don't have a choice now... ;-)

Cheers,
Adam

[Chuck Kechter]

Great job on the rounds of FP! And happy birthday!

And since I'm 46 (a few months from 47), 38 sounds like you're still a puppy... :)

[Adam Steer]

Thanks Chuck. Well, like I said, CST keeps us all young!

Cheers,
Adam