Buzz
As 2020 comes to an end, I want to motivate everyone to reflect on their fitness accomplishments. Whether you maintained a consistent workout routine or took a break to prioritize your mental well-being, both are achievements worth acknowledging.
Last December, we set several fitness goals, which I described as a 'gift to your future self.' These included assessments for flexibility, pull-ups, pushups, and cardio fitness. If you’ve continued your training, feel free to revisit these tests and track your progress.
Looking ahead is equally important. This month, we’ll explore a new set of benchmarks, providing you with a foundation to measure your growth throughout 2020.
This week, we’ll focus on muscular endurance. While gaining strength often allows you to perform more repetitions of an exercise, strength and endurance are distinct. For instance, someone with a powerful bench press might struggle to complete 100 pushups. Similarly, a person skilled at intricate hairstyles might sustain their arms raised for 15 minutes, even if they lack significant overhead pressing strength.
Try these assessments:
Perform a plank (or your preferred plank variation). How long can you maintain the position?
Select a pushup variation that suits your ability (e.g., wall pushups, floor pushups). How many can you complete without stopping?
Muscular endurance improves with targeted training. If you can manage 10 or 20 pushups and aspire to reach 100, you may not need to significantly increase your strength; instead, focus on enhancing your stamina for prolonged efforts.
The upside of high-repetition training is that it requires minimal equipment, making it ideal if your gym has closed again. You can also explore other exercises, such as bicep curls using soup cans or timed wall sits. By the end of the month, how many reps or how much time will you achieve?
