Tough Mudder Toronto 2013: A Short Story

May 15, 2013 by 14 Comments

Tough Mudder Toronto 2013It was that time of year again.

You could feel the excitement building with each day that passed. You could feel the hairs on your skin rising with sheer anticipation and nervousness.

If you listened hard enough you could almost hear the chants echoing from the distance.

Hoo-rah! Hoo-rah!

Tough Mudder Toronto 2013 was calling.

We thought last year’s experience was enough to prepare us for what was to come. We thought we had it all figured out. We changed our training tactics. We put in our work. We did it all.

But there was one element none of us could foresee.

One element none of us could control.

And it changed everything.

Here’s the (short) story… [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adventure, Challenge

30 Day Jump Rope Challenge Summary (or how 246 Jumpers Reached One Million Revolutions)

April 3, 2013 by 17 Comments

Jump Rope Challenge SummaryI’ll be honest.

I’m still rubbing my eyes in disbelief.

In 150 minutes of jumping rope spread across 30 days, we have collectively completed over one million jump rope revolutions!

One. Point. Three. Million. Jumps. (to be exact)

Deep breath taken.

As I allow everything to sink in, I can finally begin to not only comprehend, but also appreciate everything that has happened during the 30 day jump rope challenge.

I really couldn’t have expected the level of participation, camaraderie, and undying effort that people have put into these last 30 days.

This post is dedicated to the 246 participants that joined me in this challenge.

You guys are absolutely incredible.

Let’s look back. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Challenge, Skipping Rope

30 Day Jump Rope Challenge

February 13, 2013 by 244 Comments

jump rope challengeBack in July, I asked you guys to do 100 kettlebell swings every single day for 30 days straight.

Sounds a bit insane, I know.

But the feedback and response I got from the 30 day kettlebell swing challenge was incredible and I was beyond excited to see so many people follow through the entire 30 days.

Much was gained from that challenge.

What most of us thought was going to be a physically demanding challenge turned out to be something completely different.

Something deeper. More stimulating.

It turned out that the act of having to consistently do the same thing every single day was far more of a mental challenge than anything else.

It was about breaking through personal barriers and fighting the demons in our minds that make us doubt ourselves.

It was about tearing through our perceived limitations.

Because no matter what was going on in your day, you knew, in the back of your mind somewhere, that  those swings had to get done. It didn’t matter what situation or limitation you were facing, you had to get it done. Period.

And that’s the part of the challenge that people loved the most. The part they benefited from the most. It wasn’t the swings themselves that were difficult. It was about finding a way to get them done when every fiber in your body was resisting it.

And now, it’s time to embark on a new challenge.

Only this time it’s going to be much bigger. Much more intense. And you’ll have new barriers to break through. New demons to fight. New obstacles to conquer. But, if you stick with me, I promise that it will be more than worth it.

I hope you’re ready! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Challenge, Skipping Rope

30 Day Kettlebell Swing Challenge Round Up: Lessons Learned

August 30, 2012 by 4 Comments

30 day kettlebell challenge roundupOh boy. Time does fly doesn’t it?

July 25th marked the beginning of the first ever Bloom to Fit challenge.

And, after 30 incredible days, I’m more than happy to say that the challenge has been a huge success.

Dozens of people around the world participated. Some started early. Others started late. But we all did something unique. Something special…

We found a way to complete 100 kettlebell swings every single day for 30 days.

This post is dedicated to all of the participants who fought and persevered through some difficult days. Congratulations to all of you!

Here are some cool lessons, photos, revelations, and words of inspiration from some of the participants. Enjoy! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Challenge, Kettlebell Training

Tough Mudder Challenge: Everything you need to Know

August 22, 2012 by 15 Comments

tough mudder death waiverIt was a long wait, but the day finally came…

Tough Mudder Toronto 2012.

“Probably the toughest event on the planet.”

That was the claim anyways. That’s what we’ve been hearing for months before the start date.

There’s been a lot of hype around this challenge and it was finally time to step out onto the field and see what we were made of.

There was lots of good, some bad, and a little bit of ugly. But we all made it through alive and past the finish line.

Here’s a summary of what happened on this awesome day and what you can learn from our experience. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Challenge, Miscellaneous

30 Day Kettlebell Swing Challenge

July 18, 2012 by 36 Comments

kettlebell swing challenge

So check this out.

A week or so ago I had a random thought come through my head (this happens all the time). But it was a good thought. An interesting one.

I had recently written about spreading the virus and the importance of playing your part. The importance of becoming a host, allowing the virus to propagate through your actions.

I wanted to take this idea to the next level.

Which brings me back to this thought I had.

A lot of the content on this blog originates from the unique challenges I set out for myself. Interesting tests and experiments I conduct in the pursuit of discovery and understanding of what works and what doesn’t.

But I wanted to try something different.

I wanted to set out a challenge for you. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Challenge, Kettlebell Training