Edition #35 | 50 Ironmans in 50 States in 50 Days

Plus: 10 items to upgrade your fitness routine, how many exercises for max results, and more.

Good morning and welcome to The Weekly Rep, the official newsletter of fitness. Shoutout to the 50 new readers this week! We now have 12,830 readers.

In today’s edition:

  • Is exercise the key to a longer, healthier life?

  • 10 items to upgrade your fitness routine

  • The right amount of exercises for maximum results

  • The best (and worst) fitness trends of the 90s

  • Meet the man who completed 50 Ironmans in 50 states in 50 days

Let’s dive in 💥

IN THE NEWS 
WEEKLY WORKOUTS

Try This Viral Ab Workout

Even though we’ve shared several core routines with you in 2023, this one incorporates many of our favorite ab exercises (so we had to share it!). This workout is a challenge that even we, despite our best efforts, failed miserably at. But we’ll be the first to tell you, the burn in our abs lasted for days. Now, if you're up for the challenge, we dare you to give this viral ab workout a try this holiday season and see if you have what it takes. Here are the exercises you’ll be performing:

  • In & outs

  • Side-to-sides

  • Bicycle kicks

  • Flutter kicks

  • Leg raises

  • Plank (to failure)

45-Minute Full-Body Cardio + Strength Workout

Requiring only a pair of dumbbells and the discipline to finish, this challenging full-body workout from Anna Engelschall will leave you exhausted (in a good way!). Suitable for almost every fitness level as a way to mix things up, this workout will make a great addition to your training routine, especially when traveling.

Follow along and give this 45-minute cardio + strength workout a try today!

Can You Use a Light Weight to Experience Muscle Growth?

For as long as we all can remember, we’ve been told that you need to lift heavy to build muscle. What if all those years we were lied to? How defeating would that be, right? Well, the truth is, you can use a light weight and experience muscle growth. It’s true!

Have you been told that using a light weight and increasing your reps is only good for muscle endurance and not beneficial for muscle growth? And that you need heavy compound movements like the squat, bench press, military press, and deadlift in order to get bigger and stronger? If you’ve heard that before, you’re not alone. 

Now, that’s not to say that you’re being lied to in the sense that lifting heavy doesn’t add size to your frame, but it’s simply not the only way to accomplish that goal. The advantage of using a light weight to enhance muscle growth is that you don’t need all the unnecessary wear and tear on your joints by having to go heavy on all your lifts. 

Interested in learning more? Read the rest of the article now!

PRESENTED BY JOCKO FUEL

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Throughout January, they'll deliver:

  • 8 critical habits to follow & downloadable tracker

  • 12 masterclass video lessons from Jocko Willink & DEF partners

  • 20 guided workouts led by CrossFit champion Jason Khalipa

  • Weekly challenges

  • Epic prizes from GORUCK, Yeti, Sorinex, Nutribullet, Origin, and more

  • Exclusive discounts from Jocko Fuel, Echelon Front & Train Hard

PROFILE

James Lawrence Ran 50 Ironmans in 50 States in 50 Days — And it Didn’t Stop There

The human body is an incredible machine. It’s capable of unbelievable feats of strength, speed, and endurance, or, in the case of James ‘The Iron Cowboy’ Lawrence, all three at the same time. 

Lawrence, a Guinness World Record breaker, is known for pushing his physical and mental limits with challenges like the 50-50-50 and Conquer 100 – 50 Ironmans in 50 states in 50 days, and 100 Ironman-distance races in 100 days, respectively. With both of these accomplishments under his belt, it’s clear that Lawrence has made it to the pinnacle of human performance. But according to The Iron Cowboy, his journey “started humbly.” 

Back to the Beginning

Now known around the world for his remarkable physical feats, Lawrence says that he wasn’t always a world-record-breaking endurance athlete. “This journey started humbly when my wife invited me to do a four-mile fun run that I struggled through,” he says. After that, Lawrence discovered casual running, which then led him to triathlons, and eventually his first Ironman in 2008. 

Things began to snowball from there, as Lawrence discovered his love of running and his desire to push the limits of human performance. He soon after checked off his first world record for the most half Ironmans (22, to be exact) done in a single year in 2010. Then the most full-length Ironman races in 2012 (30 races in 11 different countries). 

THINGS TO…
…DO 🙌

The Right Amount of Exercises for Max Results

A common question asked by gym-goers is how many exercises per muscle group they should be performing to maximize their growth? Depending who you ask, you’ll likely receive a different answer. But one of the best answers to this question we’ve come across is this incredible break-down by Dr. Mike Israetel.

…SHOP 🎁

10 Items to Upgrade Your Fitness Regime in 2024

The new year is right around the corner, and with it comes the time when many of us like to set a fresh set of goals. Whether those goals include eating less sugar, losing a few pounds, gaining a few pounds, or just making fitness more of a priority, we’ve rounded up 10 products to help you achieve whatever health and wellness goals you can think of. From mass gainers to on-demand workout classes, click below to see our picks. 

…EAT 🧑‍🍳

Cookies (the Healthy Kind)

The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and, of course, indulging in delicious treats. However, you don't have to sacrifice your commitment to a healthy lifestyle to enjoy festive baked goods. Instead, try this festive recipe that combines the warmth of the holidays with the goodness of nutritious ingredients like walnuts, cranberries, and cinnamon.

…FIX 💪

Your Bulgarian Split Squat

A trendy version of the single-leg squat, the Bulgarian split squat is one of the best lower body exercises for targeting your quadriceps. Oh, and it also just so happens to target your glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core. So many people have begun adding this exercise to their routine which begs the question, are they performing it correctly? Some, yes. But most are making small mistakes that are killing their results! Follow the invaluable guidance of Jeff Cavaliere below to get the most out of this go-to exercise.

…LEARN 🤸🏻‍♀️

The Best (And Worst) Fitness Trends of the 90s

Depending on your age, you may have no idea what we’re talking about in this article, but for those old enough, there were some interesting ’90s fitness trends that took place.

The ’90s was an era of innovative fitness trends that marked a turning point in how people approached fitness. From high-intensity workouts to new exercise equipment, the ’90s fitness trends brought several significant changes to the industry. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and look at some of the ’90s fitness trends that were popular.

FITNESS FUN
DEALS OF THE MONTH

Don’t miss out on the latest deals! Every month, we receive exclusive discounts for our subscribers from incredible fitness + wellness brands. Just by reading our newsletter (or being a subscriber of The Lift Box), you’ll receive every deal we have. New deals go live towards the end of every month.

Check them out!