Why push-ups mean so much to me, being a late bloomer, and a stair + pull-up bar routine

Hey there,

Push-ups may not mean much to most people. They’re a basic bodyweight exercise, after all; one that doesn’t require much skill or fancy equipment. But to me, push-ups have been everything.

I did my first push-up when I was twenty-one. At the time, I was weak both physically and mentally. I hated  my body and who I was as a person.

Push-ups were the first ‘real’ exercise I ever did. They were my first taste of strength training and the entire reason I started believing in my physical and mental capabilities. They gave me a path forward; a glimpse of the person I could become if I was willing to put in the work.

To this day, I’m grateful I can do push-ups. Personal transformation through exercise is legit.

Have you experienced personal transformation through fitness or exercise? I’d love to hear your story. Please reply directly to this email and I’ll be in touch!

What I’m reading (book) —

How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning, and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers by Sönke Ahrens

If you’re a student, writer, or are someone who just likes to keep track of interesting things you’ve read or learned, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Instead of wasting your time searching for notes, quotes or references, this note taking system helps you focus on what really counts: thinking, understanding, and developing new ideas. Along with Roam Research, this system has completely transformed the way I keep track of what I learn.

What I’m reading (article) — 

Confessions of a Late Bloomerby Scott Barry Kaufman / Psychology Today

“The last century added 30 years of opportunity to our lives, conferring what’s been called a second middle age. Especially in light of our extended life span, it’s worth confronting the very notion of late blooming to ask: late for what?”

A quote that inspires me —

“The moment we believe success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” — Josh Waitzkin

What I’m training —

Here’s a fun stair and pull-up bar workout I posted on Instagram this week.

Three new workouts —

Heart Pounding Jump Rope Workout (12 minute, jump rope)

Catch Your Breath Boxing AMRAP Workout (AMRAP, plyo box or equivalent)

225 Rep Calisthenics Bar Workout (Time challenge, pull-up bar, dip bar)

You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.

Questions? Feedback? Content requests?

Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!

 

– Krista




















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