Keep up your good work, everyone.  We’re pushing through a tough slog – week 3.  You’re probably a bit tired and maybe a bit bored.  The shine on DAY 1 is all sweat-drenched and you’re now into some good old hard work.  That puts you right on track.  It is called a workout for a reason:  there is work involved.  Work causes something to move or happen.  And that requires effort and determination.

One of the ways a challenge like this helps is that it gives you some clear targets to accomplish.  You can track your progress and evaluate not only your effort but also your performance.  I don’t mean that in a super-competitive way, but the reality is that by monitoring your progress honestly, you can learn a lot about the quality of your effort AND about your limits.  I believe (and I’m not alone) that our limits usually lie significantly beyond where we think they are. You can test this theory by having a friend or workout buddy watch/time you the next time you’re trying for a PB.  Their presence and encouragement (or smack-talk) strengthens your own determination.  Having that buddy there somehow allows you to listen less to the voice in your head that tells you you can’t go any farther. Just see how much farther you can go beyond the point where you would have given up if you were on your own.

In addition to targets and tracking progress, a second, related, way this kind of challenge can help is by surrounding you with a virtual group of like-minded folks who encourage by their example and also, sometimes, by the way they share encouragement, tips, suggestions and even links to related resources.  I have had several different people share kettlebell tips with me and that helped me develop better form.  I have passed those along to others.  But I have also seen how the challenge has become almost a virtual gathering place for participants.

As we go forward, I really want to hear from you about your experiences – challenges, obstacles, tips and tricks, PBs, victories, and ways you’ve surprised yourself throughout this challenge.  You might be surprised how your comment might be just the right thing to encourage someone else. You have worked hard and deserve a good pat on the back.  We still have a few weeks to go, but we’re on the downhill slope now.