I'm Doing (a version of) the 75 Hard Challenge... Join me! - (2024)

Having been inspired by the 75 Hard challenge I saw online, I considered doing an edited version of it, basically to drag my body and mind kicking and screaming out of the summer. (It has been indulgent).

I’d kicked the idea around in my head and gave it a bit of thought. I decided I wouldn’t do that version of the 75 Hard, but if I could think of a few suitable changes, then I’d do it.

I'm Doing (a version of) the 75 Hard Challenge... Join me! - (1)

Fast forward a few days and my friend Finn saw the 75 Hard challenge on instagram and asked did anyone fancy it. I told him I did, but I wanted to tweak it to make it more personal to me. He was keen…

I wanted to give it elements of a fitness challenge, make it more of a lifestyle challenge. A sprint towards a general personal upgrade I suppose.

It’s a bit extreme in some elements, but there’s a reason for that. I want to drag myself out of the summer indulgences and back on to some sort of productive drive. The summer is over (if it really started), the kids have gone back to school today and the timing is right for me to throw myself into a challenge.

I have a few personal training clients who work in the IT industry and they talk about ‘sprints’, where they work full speed on a project for a few weeks. This is my version of it….

The 75 Hard Challenge

The 75 Hard challenge was created by a guy called Andy Frisella and goes along the lines of kicking the shit out of ‘challenging’ yourself because it’ll help you figure out who you really are and how mentally tough you are. That’s all well and good, but in my suburban bubble I have no reason to push myself to breaking point.

I’ve cycled the length of the country in a week. I’ve cycled the width of the country in a day. I’ve completed 3 Tough Mudders, 3 Snowdonia Charity Challenges, a 250 mile charity bike ride in 2 days and completed the Three Peaks Challenge in less than 18 hours. I know I’ve got enough mental toughness to cope with most things.

I'm Doing (a version of) the 75 Hard Challenge... Join me! - (2)

There’s been a whole host of men with this kind of message in the last few years, which is funny – they seem to wear their suffering as a badge of honour, as if life is a war. If life is a war, you’re doing it wrong.

I’m not into that, I don’t see life as a war to be won. I just want to be in decent nick and all that.

Anyway, on the 75 hard, for 75 consecutive days you have abide by these rules…

  1. Strict Diet – No cheating, not even 1 bite, and No alcohol
  2. 2 Workouts per Day – 1 has to be outside and both have to be at least 45 minutes
  3. Drink 1 Gallon of Water per Day – Nothing but clear, plain water counts
  4. Read 10 Pages per Day – From a non-fiction self help book or business book
  5. Take a Progress Picture Every Day – So you can see the progress at the end

I’m not going to do that, for loads of reasons, but I’m going to borrow from it. I’m going to take some of the principles and abide by them for 75 days to see a personal and professional uplift. I’m going to challenge my fitness to generally elevate my health.

I don’t have the time to train twice per day for at least 45 minutes, one of which being outside. I leave the house before 5.00 in the morning up to 3 days per week. I sometimes don’t finish work before 9.00. On the days I do, I have a family and non-work commitments.

In the next 75 days I have 5 major social commitments, one of which is Rachel’s birthday, another of which is my son’s birthday. I’m not going to avoid family meals out for the sake of a challenge.

I can abide by dietary discipline without going Tibetan Monk.

The other parties – have you ever been to a party and been sober? I have… once. Fuck doing that again. Even people I like piss me off when they’re drunk and I’m not, so if I’m around drunk people, I want to be one of them.

My Version of the 75 Hard Challenge…

I want to keep the essence of the challenge, but at the same time personalise it to me. I don’t need to train twice per day, nor will I stick to a strict diet with so many events coming up. Taking those into account, here’s my version of the 75 Hard.

  1. Dietary Discipline – Eating well. Only drinking on social occasions, not at home
  2. Train Every Day – 75 days without a day off. Active recovery counts
  3. Drink 3 litres of Water per Day – Nothing but clear, plain water counts
  4. Read 10 Pages per Day – From a non-fiction self help book or business book
  5. Take a Progress Picture Every Day – So you can see the progress at the end
  6. Complete a full 10,000 steps per day

Some will argue I’m missing the point of the 75 Hard by tweaking it and they’re possibly right, but I don’t need the extreme pain-in-the-arse that such a challenge would represent. Why drink a gallon of water per day for example? If I’m fully hydrated, any extra is pointless.

I'm Doing (a version of) the 75 Hard Challenge... Join me! - (3)

What I want to do is throw myself into a challenge that will test my discipline and make me a better, fitter and more productive person at the end of it, without being a huge drain on me physically and psychologically – I can imagine training 150 times in 75 days and living on a super strict diet will make me a rather dull boy, not to mention an irritable arse hole.

So it’s a Hard-ish 75 for me.

What am I Hoping to Achieve From It?

As I said at the start of the article, I’ve had an indulgent summer. I’ve still trained, but not as hard. I’ve enjoyed a few parties, a holiday, some time off work and a bit too much food and booze. It’s life. It happens.

What I’m hoping to achieve from my version of the Hard 75 is a physical and mental kick up the backside. I want to kick-start my training, drop some weight, get on top of some extra reading and professionally, get more done. Develop a few projects I have on the go.

I’ll be charting the Hard-ish 75 journey with a weekly update on this blog. I’ll post the workouts, the stats and the roundups from the whole thing and we’ll see the journey through together!

By all means, join in too – either by emailing me or by adding me on Instagram and messaging me there.

Update 1: What I learned in Week 1

NEWSFLASH!

I’m doing another 75 hard challenge – yet again it’s a 75 hard variation, but you can follow the next phase of the 75 hard journey for me by clicking here.

By the way, if you subscribe to the Hoyles Fitness mailing list you’ll receive a free eBook containing 101 Health and Fitness Tips, plus offers and news exclusive to Hoyles Fitness subscribers. Click the image below to download…

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Owner of www.hoylesfitness.com.Personal Trainer, Father and fitness copy writer.Working hard making the world fitter and healthier!View all posts by HoylesFitness

Posted on 4 September, 20199 February, 2021Author HoylesFitnessCategories

I'm Doing (a version of) the 75 Hard Challenge... Join me! - (2024)

FAQs

What is the alternative to the 75 Hard Challenge? ›

Some alternatives to the 75 Hard program include:30 Days of Yoga: A daily commitment to practicing yoga for 30 days can improve flexibility, strength, and mindfulness. Couch to 5K: Ideal for beginners, this program gradually builds up running stamina over eight weeks.

Is there a modified 75 Hard Challenge? ›

A modified version of 75 Hard, aptly called 75 Soft, is making rounds online and has four paired-down guidelines: Eat well, in general, and avoid alcohol except for social occasions. Exercise once for 45 minutes each day, with one day of active recovery each week. Drink 3 liters of water daily.

What is project50? ›

The Project 50 Challenge is a commitment to changing your life in 50 days. This involves the addition of positive habits to your daily routine, and positive general changes to your life, maintaining consistency with both for 50 days. There are 7 central rules to the Project 50 Challenge.

What is 30 tough? ›

In addition to being only 30 days long, the 30 Tough rules are as follows: Follow any diet. No alcohol or cheat days. Two 30-minute workouts per day, one of which should be outside.

What is the best diet for 75 Hard? ›

"It shouldn't be too low carb or too high protein that it's cutting out other food groups or causing you to become low or even deficient in other micronutrients.” If you're doing 75 hard, the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet might be good options to try since they are well-studied, non-restrictive, include ...

Can you drink soda on 75 Hard? ›

Yes, since it doesn't have sugars, a diet soda is okay. It doesn't count toward your water intake though.

Can you have sugar on the 75 Hard Challenge? ›

To accomplish it you will need to do the following for 75 days straight. Follow a nutritional plan of your choosing (i.e. no sugar, no carbs, etc…). Do two 45-minute workouts a day with one having to be outdoors, rain or shine. Drink one gallon of water every day.

Is 75 Hard bad for your body? ›

Bottom line: The rigidity of 75 Hard may be unsustainable for most—and both D'Orazio and Newton suggest proceeding with caution. If you're looking to kickstart a health and fitness journey, consult with a doctor, registered dietitian, or certified personal trainer to find the best plan for you.

Does walking count for 75 Soft? ›

Does a walk count as a workout for the 75 Soft Challenge? Yes, a good-paced walk that gets your heart racing can count as a workout for this challenge. As always, choose exercises that fit your fitness level and are safe for you.

How many people actually finish 75 Hard? ›

OVER A MILLION PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE COMPLETED 75 HARD. Endless stories roll in every single day from people who completely changed their life. They've made massive physical transformations as a result of the mental transformation ... They've taken complete control of their lives ...

Can a beginner do 75 Hard? ›

“When looking for long-term results, the best way to create sustainable change is to do it one habit at a time.” Just because 75 Hard is not ideal for beginners, a modified version of the popular challenge could provide the same discipline-oriented habits and healthy routines. For many, 75 Soft may be the answer.

Is 75 Hard actually free? ›

As its name suggests, the 75 hard lasts 75 days (and, yes, it's hard to do). Like most “wellness” challenges, it has a strict set of rules. Here they are, verbatim from the introduction email you get when you sign up for the free program: Follow a diet.

What is Project 50 Challenge rules? ›

What are the rules for the 50-day challenge? The seven rules are: wake up before 8 AM, exercise or engage in physical activity, drink enough water, read 10 pages a day, dedicate 1 hour towards a new skill, maintain a consistent bedtime routine, and join a supportive community.

Is there a 75 medium challenge? ›

75 Medium Challenge is a personal development program that can help you form healthier habits, get past mental blocks, and reach your exercise or weight loss goals if that's what you desire. As part of the challenge, you promise to follow a set of daily rules without missing a beat for 75 days.

What is the difference between 75 medium and hard challenge? ›

The 75 Medium rules are more lax than the 75 Hard. 75 Hard requires 2 workouts, and one of them has to be outside. You also are required to drink a full gallon of water. Another difference between the two plans is if you mess up on the 75 Medium, you just do your best the next day.

What is Phase 2 of live hard? ›

Phase 2 of the Live Hard program is very similar to the format of 75 Hard. Every day for 30 days you do these 5 tasks with zero compromise. Workout twice a day: 45 minute indoor workout, 45 minute outdoor workout. You can choose whatever fitness program or workouts you want.

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