The #22Kill Challenge 2016 at #RichMansGym
This morning, I surprised myself. Rich Man’s Gym is about home-based strength and conditioning for body, mind and spirit. I like to challenge my body beyond my perceived limit. When you go the extra mile, push beyond that moment your brain tells you to quit, something happens inside. Not only does your body get strong, so does your mind and spirit.
My buddy Heath Powell (follow him on Twitter please, he’s obsessed with that https://twitter.com/heathpowell) called me out this week on the 22Kill pushup challenge. Where you video yourself doing 22 pushups to honor those that serve and bring some real awareness to the fact that on average…
22 veterans are killed by suicide every day
Well, this is just unacceptable. No Veteran who’s served this country should feel like they’re better off dead. They should not have to endure the pain of PTSD, TBI, or any wound earned on the field of battle alone. No veteran should feel hopeless or helpless. Period. So, if I can knock out a few pushups,
So, if I can knock out a few pushups to raise some awareness, I’m in. But, that’s really not my style. I did this last year and felt like I didn’t go all in. Like I may not have been giving my all here. One of my regular workouts is running a flight of stairs that’s got like 90-100 steps and then banging out twenty pushups at the top. I’ll do 8-10 circuits of that in 20-25 minutes. 22 push ups is not a big deal for me. I’m not saying this to brag, but to make the point that, like the brave men and women who train daily to serve this country, if I’m going to pay any real tribute and truly honor their sacrifice, I should probably push myself too.
This gets me thinking… what 22 reps would be hard? Man Makers! (Thank you and eff you Mark Twight) This burpee with dumbells hybrid is brutal. I’ve been doing them off and on since 2013. They’re grueling. Most I’ve ever done in a row are 12 or 14 maybe. 22’s going to be a bitch.
The #22Kill Challenge 2016 at #RichMansGym
Ended up with 25. Like I said, I surprised myself. Here’s what I learned/pretty much knew already:
- You and I are capable of so much more.
- The brain will quit first.
- You have more power, strength, endurance than you think.
- In the words of Grant Cardone, “There is no failure until you quit.”
- And here’s another quote from El Queso Grande, “If you weren’t up for it, it wouldn’t be happening.”
Now, what? Over to you! Your turn. Find a drill you’re pretty sure 22 is not possible and get the 22. Make it a push-up base though if you can, but if squats is your Kryptonite, by all means squat. Burpees are acceptable, feet elevated push-ups work. Dips maybe? Pull Ups perhaps. Doesn’t matter as long as you film it and you show the world that when you’re at YOUR limit, you can keep going. Let’s give that to the veterans as a reminder. They’ve been at their limit before and found a way to keep going. That’s how they survived basic training, war, and the transition home. Now they’re fighting a new war on a different battlefield and they need your help, inspiration and sacrifice to know that they too can push past this limit, keep fighting and live.