If you want to read more on how I got started with Elite24, I recommend reading these two articles first:
Article 1: >>Part 1: My Experience Training with Extreme Adventure Athletes
Article 2: >>Part 2: 2.5 Week Update Training with Extreme Adventure Athletes
To Learn More About ELITE24, visit the following links:
Website: https://elite24athletes.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elite24athletes/
It's Saturday, 3/31/18, and I just got back from a grueling "Beast Camp" workout circuit with my fitness/nutrition group, Elite24. Every Saturday, as a group, we do a boot camp on the beach. It's an hour of both beauty and blood, as we push our bodies and minds to their limits, all while the sound of crashing waves and cool, ocean air surround us.
Each bootcamp there are typically four stations, each stations with 3-5 exercises each. For every station, we complete the exercises three times. It takes about an hour to complete. It's tough, strenuous, heart pounding, and demanding - spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and of course physically.
However, the "Beast Camp" (a play on the word boot camp) is something different entirely. Instead of four stations, there's just one. However, it's a long circuit in which we do six rounds of continuous lifting, crawling, bending, twisting, running and throwing exercises - all involving a 10 pound bag of sand. If you're not a beast prior to this, you'll be forced to become a beast in order to complete it. #bigfacts
Beast Camp Breakdown
There are Six Rounds total. Each round contains two sets of push-ups, exercises, and ends with a 500 foot sand jog while carrying a 10 lb sand bag.
Here's a breakdown of what that looks like:
- Round 1 = 10 push-ups, Exercise 1, 10 push-ups, 500 foot run.
- Round 2 = 12 push-ups, Exercise 1, Exercise 2, 12 push-ups, 500 foot run
- ...
- Round 6 = 20 push-ups, Ex 1, Ex 2, Ex 3, Ex 4, Ex 5, Ex 6, 20 push-ups, 500 foot run
Here's what Round 6 looks like in more detail. I'll include the Exercise numbers so you get a better idea:
- 20 push-ups
- Ex 1: run and carry sand bag 15 feet, run back, run and pick up sand bag and carry 15 more feet, run back, go 30 feet to retrieve bag and run back.
- Ex 2: 20 russian twists with sand bag (left - right = 1 rep)
- Ex 3: 20 squats to shoulder raises, with holding and lifting the damn sand bag
- Ex 4 (fuck this one): backwards bear crawls, dragging the sand bag along with you - 30 feet total
- Ex 5: sitting sand bag tosses - while sitting, toss the sand bag, drag your ass to the bag, and throw it more, 60 feet total
- Ex 6: leap frogs, to and from, 60 feet total.
- 20 push-ups
- 500 fuckin foot run, in the sand, carrying the beloved 10 lb sand bag
By Round 5, the group was cussing and grunting under their breath, pushing to complete each set.
By Round 6, we were all cussing outright.
In total, it took about an hour to complete this cycle. I was the last one to finish, by about 3-4 minutes behind the second to last person. And you know what? I loved it.
Three weeks ago, I couldn't say I loved this stuff. However, after three weeks of conditioning, I look forward to the challenge each Saturday morning. Although it still hurts and I get exhausted, I see it as an opportunity to grow and progress. The pain is the pain of growth. It's, dare I say, addicting.
The Beauty Of Being The "Weakest" Link
On top of learning to love the workouts themselves, what I've also learned to love and embrace is being the "weakest" one in the group.
Both the men and women out perform me. I'm often doing "girl" or assisted pushups by the 3rd or 4th set. I'm towards the back of the line when we do our warm up jog. My total time to complete workouts is usually on the lower end of the ranks. That's what happens when you play games with people who are at a higher level than you.
In fact, there's probably no way I'm getting to the point I'm at now without playing along side the people of this group. They've been doing this a long time now. Longer than me. Their strength, their growth, it's what elevates me faster than I could do by myself, or alongside people who are "weaker" than me.
I used to be the type of person that NEEDED to be the best in the group. To have the most success, run the fastest, be the best looking, etc. It was driven by insecurity. Now, I am inspired by being around people who are stronger, faster, more successful than me. I LOVE it. So much.
Form Relationships With People Who Have What You Want
I encourage you to assess the type of people you surround yourself with. Find a way to include more people who will beat you at the games you're used to winning at.
Guess what? When you find people who are ahead of you in life, their mindset, their positivity, their lifestyle and experience will rub off on you in a positive way.
What's AWESOME is that you've made great gains and progress in your life already. This makes "weakest link" a relative term - of course you're not weak.
Imagine surrounding yourself with people who are just like you, or better yet, people who are 1, 2, 25 years ahead of you. You're essentially hanging out with people that you'll become. By hanging out with them, you WILL become that version of you - EVEN faster.
For a while now, I've been wanting a group of friends who align with my values, as well as my hunger for growth and success - internally and externally. People who speak my language. People who understand me at a deeper level, because they are similar to me. I am grateful to say that that desire is being fulfilled. And it's not over!
I'm constantly looking to add more awesome, positive, up-to-things similar things in life kind of people. There's an abundance of both awesome and not so awesome people out there. Just gotta find em, tell em they're dope, and ask em to be your friend!
As they say, if you hang out with 5 millionaires, you'll become the 6th millionaire.
Call To Action: Find Your Posse
Go find your posse, your tribe, your kindred spirits. Go find the people who have the life you want. Find a way to involve those people in your life. When you do, the level of fulfillment, passion, and growth in your life will increase exponentially.
