Knowing When To Quit

Quitting is either the easiest thing to do or the hardest thing to do.

Today, two days before my 200th day of doing 100 burpees per day, I realize it’s time for me to ease off from my daily commitment to doing 100 burpees per day.

I started doing 100 burpees per day on April 13, 2020, about a month into the Covid 19 pandemic lock down.

Burpees came up as an alternative to running. I had started a couch to 5k (C25k) program, and the program I followed said “absolutely no running in week three.” I wanted an exercise to keep my heart pumping and build strength, and frankly, I had never really done burpees.

I decided to do 100 burpees a day for week three of my C25K training, and I felt so much benefit, I committed to 30 days. 30 days stretched into 100.

Burpees worked for me even after injuring my knee. I couldn’t run, but somehow I could do burpees.

With the gyms still closed and limited yoga options, I kept going with the burpees. I considered doing them forever.

However over the last couple of weeks, my gym re-opened, albeit with a mask mandate.

My body LOVES to lift weights. My body also LOVES yoga. And walking.
Burpees work for my body too… but there’s a saying that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”

Exercises are tools to create response in the body.

One could argue that after 100 or 200 days, the body is adapted to the stress of an exercise; at least one of fixed volume and difficulty.

One of the challenges of developing oneself is it can be hard to let go of something that has worked. A habit becomes ingrained. After 200 days, I’m the guy who does 100 burpees every day.

But as humans, we don’t have infinite energy. We don’t have infinite time. Our duty as stewards of our time and energy is to direct energy and effort to its most effective and productive use.

Burpees are now stealing stoke from other practices. Something has to give, and yes, lowly burpee, it’s you.