WWe live in a world of fitness “challenges” and honestly, challenges are great. You must challenge yourself in order to see results.
The only downside to fitness challenge culture is that there are expectations and dreams of seeing life-altering results in just 30 days. Sadly, that is not how it works. In fitness and health, you have to play the long game and adopt this as a lifestyle.
That’s why we are diving into the 10 “Ps” of fitness: a fitness guide that covers everything from perseverance to power lifts. This is not only about the physical benefits of exercise but also a reminder of the powerful mental and emotional fortitude needed to stay consistent long term.
1. Perseverance: Your Mental Strength
It would be nice if you could crush a 30-day challenge and then just coast. However, you must work to maintain and improve upon the results you accomplished. The real battle is learning to stay consistent.
The sooner you can flip the switch from “short-term challenge” mindset to an “I’m in this for the long haul” mindset, the better. Make fitness part of your daily and weekly schedule. When you get tired… Banksy says, “Learn to rest, not to quit.”
Perseverance is a muscle, and it must be trained. Each day that you stay consistent and workout when you are not motivated, the stronger your perseverance muscle grows.
2. Push-Ups: Upper Body Endurance
The greats never sleep on the basics. You hear so many stories of Kobe Bryant practicing layups and dribbling. He was great because he did the common uncommonly well.
Push-ups are an epic way to build upper-body muscular endurance and there are literally thousands of variations to keep workouts fresh. The beauty of this exercise is that it can be done anywhere, so you have precisely zero excuses not to get in a workout.
Try decline, clap, deficit, staggered, weighted, and diamond push-ups. These variations are particularly effective for travel workouts. Get some inspiration for your vacation workouts in our previous blog, “Quick Summer Workouts for When You’re On-The-Go.”
3. Protein: Fuel for Muscle Growth and Recovery
You’re striving to persevere and cranking out push-ups like crazy, you also need to prioritize nutrition and recovery. Protein plays a vital role in putting on lean muscle mass and recovering from tough workouts. This macronutrient is also satiating, meaning it helps you feel fuller longer.
You can use an app like My Fitness Pal to help calculate how many grams of protein you need each day. Incorporate lean protein sources like fish, chicken, beef, Greek yogurt, and whey protein into your diet. Stock up on a bag of SFH Pure Whey for a post-workout shake.
4. Push Yourself: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
We have all heard the saying, “Nothing good has ever happened in a comfort zone.” Nothing could be truer. If you do the same exact workout each week, eventually you will plateau.
Muscles need new stimuli in order to grow stronger. When you get to the end of a set of 10 squats, try knocking out a few extra reps. When you see the finish line on your run, don’t walk past the line, push past it!
Always fight for more and hold yourself accountable.
In the summer months, PUSH pre-workout might be just what you need to take your workouts to the next level. Caffeine, electrolytes, and delicious… what’s not to love?!
5. Power Lifts: Unleash Your Strength
Do you know what the best day is? Leg day. Leg day is the best day. Squats are undeniably the king of all exercises, and most of your muscle mass is in the legs.
By squatting and deadlifting challenging weights, you can build the largest muscle in the body, the glutes. Increasing your muscle mass has a host of benefits including strength, longevity, and the ability to burn more calories at rest.
More muscle mass leads to a higher Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which means you will burn more calories while sitting on the couch. It isn’t an insane amount more, but when you think long-term, it really adds up.
The power lifts also include bench press, which is important, but leg day is too clutch not to spotlight.
6. Pull-Ups: Build a Jacked Back
A well-defined, muscular back is a badge of honor. Aside from looking great in any shirt, a strong back can lead to better posture. Better posture is great for overall health and exudes confidence.
The pull-up might be the greatest back exercise of all. This behemoth of an exercise strengthens the lats, rhomboids, and biceps. Training pull-ups just two times per week can be an absolute game-changer for strength and posture.
Don’t have pull-ups down yet? Fear not, you can build up to this exercise by practicing ring rows or assisted pull-ups.
7. Plyometrics: Explosive Power and Agility
One of the reasons athletes become so fit and lean is because they practice plyometrics for their sports. Adults tend to get out of this habit. The saying is true, “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
Plyometric exercises include box jumps, broad jumps, split jumps, clap push-ups, ice skaters, etc. If you have been out of the game for a while, ease into these to avoid injury.
The beauty of plyometrics is that they both build muscle and increase the heartrate, which can aid in fat loss. That is a win-win.
Start small and try adding in one plyometric exercise after your warm-up and before your main workout. For example, do 3 sets of 10 split jumps before your back squats or 3 sets of 8 clap push-ups before bench press.
8. Pace Yourself: Fitness is a Marathon
Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. As much as you need to push yourself, you also must be smart and take rest days and sleep well to ensure that you recover properly.
For instance, on day 1 in the gym, you don’t have to obliterate yourself. Ease into each workout phase, use proper technique, and stay in it for the long haul.
A lot of the time, you will see people excited about getting started, they overdo it, and then give up. Start small. Build some momentum. Stack small wins and pace yourself.
Pace yourself with Recover whey protein. Recover helps to shorten recovery time by aiding in muscle recovery, joint health, heart health, and energy restoration.
9. Planking: Core Stability
Core stability could not be more important. Want to run faster? Build a stronger core. Want to avoid back injuries? Build a stronger core.
The plank is not about building a six-pack, the goal is to stabilize and strengthen the core. When holding a plank, think about pulling the belly button to the spine and squeezing the glutes. This exercise is the “GOAT” (greatest of all time) because it literally benefits every other exercise in existence.
Can you hold a plank for 2 minutes? If you can, you’re pretty stinkin’ fit! If not, make that your goal.
10. Pay the Man: Commitment and Consistency
“Paying the Man” is a phrase, popularized in CrossFit, that refers to the commitment and consistency that it takes to find success in fitness. Accomplishing your goals takes hard work and if you’re serious, you must show up daily. You must even show up on days when motivation is lacking.
There is a quote that says, “Fitness is borrowed, and rent is due daily.” This means that if you stop exercising or get inconsistent, you will lose the progress that you made. Keep showing up and working hard. The results, confidence, and habits you will build are worth it.
We all experience obstacles and setbacks in our fitness journeys. It is normal to have fluctuations in motivation and struggle with self-doubt. By embracing the 10 “Ps” of fitness you can overcome any obstacle and crush all of your goals!
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