What can 100 Workouts Do for You?
It’s the beginning of July and you may notice a renewed energy when you are in the gym because it’s time for the 100 Workout Challenge!! Simply put the 100 Workout Challenge is exactly what it sounds like. You get a card and start tracking your workouts with a goal of achieving 100 Workouts between July 1 and December 31. Add in checking in on social media with some milestone posts along the way and you are ready for the challenge.
At first glance this is a great individual challenge. It’s halfway through the year, the weather is getting unbearably hot and starting this challenge can be just the boost that you need to reset your goals for the second half of the year. The only person you are completing with is yourself and you are the only person that you must be accountable to for finishing the challenge. Somehow though it always turns into so much more than a solo challenge.
This will be my 7th year participating in the challenge and every year brings new reasons and motivation. The first year of the challenge I just wanted to see if I could do it. While I paid attention to how many workouts, I was doing each month, I had never paid a lot of attention to how many workouts I was getting in over several months. I was successful that first year and as I was nearing the end of the challenge, I realized that Suzanne and I were checking in around the same number and then it became fun to try to make sure that we finished at the same time that year.
Years 2, 3 and 4 were my surgery years. I had my first total knee replacement surgery in March of 2018 so when the 100 Challenge rolled around that year I was just finishing up my physical therapy and ready to get back to the gym for the rest of my rehab. My determination to get back into better shape than I had been before the surgery kept my motivation for the challenge high that year. In 2019 I realized that I was going to need to have the other knee replaced and the surgery was scheduled for Mid-November. That was also the year that I retired so I told myself I had no excuses for not getting 100 workouts in before the surgery and I did it. 2020 brought another surgery as I had foot surgery in July that kept me out of the gym for the first 6 weeks of the challenge. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would be able to finish that year, but I decided I’d never know if I didn’t try. It took me until Dec. 31st but I got all 100 Workouts in.
2021 was the year I didn’t finish. I started out motivated and was doing fine but somewhere in the middle of the challenge I lost my focus, and I wasn’t making my workouts a priority. When I came down with Covid right after Thanksgiving that year I knew there was no way I’d be able to get all 100 Workouts in, but I decided to see how close I could get. I got in as many workouts as I could but only got to 94 that year. Even though I didn’t make it to 100 that year, I was able to reflect on the situation. Instead of beating myself up I decided to set a new goal of 200 workouts for 2022 (which I did achieve).
During the “surgery years” my focus for the challenge was more personal. I was focused on my own rehab or getting myself in the best shape I could be before surgery. In 2021 even though I didn’t finish the challenge, the last couple of months there was a group of us who were all trying to rally each other to keep going even though we had gotten behind where we really wanted to be. We would tag each other in posts and take selfies when we were at the gym at the same time. It gave the challenge a whole new meaning for me and helped me see that it really is more than an individual challenge.
Last year was the best! From the very beginning you saw everyone rallying together and cheering each other on. There were high fives as people hit the milestone check in points, so many group selfies and group 100 finisher pictures. Forward Fitness has always had an encouraging atmosphere, but it was on full display during the 100 Workout Challenge last year. It was exciting to watch and even more exciting to participate in! I’m seeing the same enthusiasm this year. Just reading people’s first posts about why they are taking on this challenge is providing motivation for members not sure if they should try the challenge or not.
If you are new to Forward Fitness or haven’t done the challenge in the past and are trying to decide if you want to do it or not, I’d say why not. Having a goal to work toward can be extremely motivating. It’s also a good way to make taking care of yourself a priority. Mathematically speaking you need to get 16 – 17 workouts in a month and I recommend you do a little planning, especially if you know you are going to be out of the gym at some point. If you find yourself losing motivation part way through find some Forward Fitness friends to check in with on your progress. I was talking with Marty and Alicia earlier this week about the challenge and they pointed out that 100 workouts in 6 months means you are working out more days than you are not. I hadn’t looked at it that way, but I like that thought. If you need a card, just ask the next time you are in the gym. The official rules are on our VIP Facebook page. So, get your card, start working out, checking in and see what 100 workouts can do for you. I guarantee you won’t’ regret it.