Flick the switch
In May 2016 I was doing boot camp classes, jogging the four-hundred-meter block with a log above my head, push ups, light kettle bell work that kind of thing.
And then 98 Riley Street posted a FYF workout.
300 burpees for time. 5 body weight deadlifts at the top of every minute.
Yes. Read that again.
300 burpees for time. 5 body weight deadlifts at the top of every minute.
Sounded nuts. Sounded a thousand times harder than anything I had done but I was curious.
How would it feel? Would I finish or give up halfway through and go home?
I roped Matt into doing it with me and I didn’t give up.
I scaled to one deadlift on the minute and did what my brother in law affectionately refers to as “Harry” burpees (half rep Harry aka bootcamp style burpees) and finished in thirty six minutes and ten seconds but something changed for me that day.
I wanted to do hard things. I wanted the workout that seemed ridiculous on paper. I wanted to feel uncomfortable with that little bit of panic when you’re up to your neck in it and you realise you can’t touch the bottom because that’s where the magic happens.
That day also signalled the start of my interest in 98 training, programming, mindset, and philosophy which led me to attend their first publicly available 98 Training Academy May 13 -14 this year, almost exactly seven years after the 300 burpees.
The weekend was held at 98 Sydney inside The Royal Hall of Industries Moore Park. Across the two days talks included the 98 philosophy and history, energy system development, mindset, recovery, programming, periodisation, nutrition and communication with practical workshops and workouts on hinge, concept ergs, esd and of course a FYF finisher.
To say I am grateful for the opportunity to attend would be the understatement of 2023. The take aways and the (as Oprah describes) Aha! moments were worth the effort alone, most notable the mindset piece by Daniel Cooper.
Professionally I struggle with taking chances. I am not an entrepreneur and I fear the consequences of failure. Daniel Cooper spoke of reframing situations as challenges instead of threats.
This resonated with me.
My Aha! came with the realisation that I choose discomfort and challenges in workouts but not in my professional life outside of the gym. Why? And what am I missing out on? Is the chance of failure, packing up and going home, worth the chance of not experiencing and sharing something amazing?
In one sentence Daniel Cooper forced me to reflect inward with the aim of approaching professional challenges with the same excitement as I do 300 burpees and for that I will be forever grateful.
This is only the beginning for 98 Training Academy. If you are passionate about human performance, longevity, movement, and communication I implore you to seek out and attend their future weekends.
Ann
Photographs by James Seneviratne @jamesjoel
