Get Extremely Fit in the New Year
How can you motivate yourself to get fit in the New Year? Get-Fit Guy has some great advice from basketball player Kyle Korver’s annual fitness regimen.
Ben Greenfield
Last week, I released an episode about The Hardest Workout in the World. And while it’s certainly a challenge, it’s simply a workout – and not really an adventure or what my friend, Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine, calls “a crucible.”
Recently, Business Insider posted an article about Atlanta Hawks professional basketball guard Kyle Korver, who does a Japanese purification ritual called a “misogi” – which is basically an extreme fitness challenge he performs every year during the off season.
For example, this year Kyle, along with a few of his friends, did an underwater 5k (3.2 miles) while holding an 85-pound rock. He would run with the rock as long as he could and drop it for the next guy to find. Those waiting their turn wore weight belts and would tread in water while waiting their turn. Last year, for his misogi, he paddled 27 miles on a stand-up paddleboard.
I love this idea!
I live my life with the rule of doing something slightly physically uncomfortable every day (such as a cold shower, a set of burpees, or using a standing workstation rather than sitting). I do a very hard workout once a week (such as a 60-minute trail run wearing a weighted vest, or a long swim up a river) and I do something that scares me and really challenges me once a quarter.
This can be a great way to keep you motivated and keep your fitness levels extremely high.
So what kind of “misogi” can you personally do?
Consider obstacle racing, a triathlon, picking up a new sport, hiking to the top of a tall mountain, or anything else that keeps life physically exciting and takes you outside your comfort zone. It can get you motivated to get extremely fit when you think about putting a challenge onto your schedule as you approach the New Year.
Do you have more questions about how to do your own personal “misogi” challenge? Head over to Facebook.com/GetFitGuy and join the conversation there!
About the Author
Ben Greenfield received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology; personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); a sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), an advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta. He has over 11 years’ experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports, and as helped hundreds of clients achieve weight loss and fitness success.