What I learnt from exercising for 365 consecutive days???

There is a lot I can say about exercising for 365 consecutive days. I can tell you about the ups and the downs, the good days and the bad, the blood, sweat, and tears. But I feel those are all things implied when you hear someone say they worked out for 365 days. What I want to tell you is my story and what I learnt throughout my journey.

Like any story, this one started with something much smaller. February 10th 2020 PC (Pre-Covid) I found myself back where I felt most comfortable, the gym. I had just finished up a famous Bray leg day with my good pal Colton Bennett when the idea struck me. I thought to myself “when is it that I best succeed at my goal?...when you give yourself 30 days to do it, I thought” and so I said to Colton “Hey man, I’m gonna do 100 days straight of fitness, no breaks, no days off, all in”. He answered with his classic Colton scoff and grin. I knew it’d be tough, and so did he. But I think we both knew that if I focused enough of my silliness in the right direction, I’d surely make it. Granted, 100 days doesn’t seem like an awfully long time. But it’s three months. The very difference in weather outside was enough to show me how much time goes by in 100 days. From winter to mid spring, I’d found myself running the trails by day 100. But like all great races the first few steps are but the beginning. That’s exactly what day 100 was. The first step. It was abundantly clear on May 21st that the new bar was set and 365 was the number I was chasing.

To understand a little more as to why I chose this challenge for myself we need to dig a little deeper into my personal history. See, it is without a doubt obvious that I enjoy fitness, I mean you’re reading this on my fitness blog (duh doy). So, the idea of a dude who adores working out doing exercise for 100 days straight isn’t far-fetched. However, as the gym always has been, the challenge was an outlet and a couplet. A couplet, in the fitness space, is two different modalities coupled together in a workout (burpees and box jumps, squats and bench etc.), in this life changing exercise I coupled 100 consecutive days of fitness with sobriety. It was on February 10th I decided that the effects that alcohol had on me physically, mentally, and socially was becoming a burden and something I certainly didn’t enjoy reliving the mornings after. The times I had with friends at the bar, at house parties, boat parties, and concerts are second to none, and always will be. But it was becoming clear to me that I needed to find another outlet and be able to enjoy these same moments without external influences.

This isn’t going to be a guilt trip story on how giving up alcohol has made me a better person (although it has), I simply felt the premise of my participation in this self-set challenge is important to know. Long story short, it was on March 21st 2020 PC that I officially became sober, leaving me currently with 37 days to round out my year of sobriety. Without a doubt this couplet was the key to my success.

Day 365 seemed like a lifetime away, but I was excited about that. For the first time in my young life, I had the opportunity to divide the year up into test groups. Each set of 8 weeks would allow me to dive headfirst into every style of exercise.

Months 1-3: (Feb-Mar-Apr) I did a mixture of strength and hypertrophy. Completing my first full 8-week block of strength following the Hybrid Performance Method Athletic Performance program. I spent 4 weeks focusing deliberately on building a strong upper body with hypertrophy centred workouts and began building my aerobic base.

Months 4-5: (May-June) These two months brought in the first 8 weeks of cross training. It wasn’t heavily centred on CrossFit style workouts, but more so strength and conditioning principles. Developing my Performance Related Components of Fitness.

These months also included serious studying for my Strength and Conditioning certification, so it was an opportunity to put to practice what I was learning.

Months: 6-7 (July-August) I thoroughly enjoyed these two late summer months as I dived deep into the realm of endurance training. With the help of my long-time friend James Andrews, we set the borderline insane timeline of 30 days to get in shape to complete a sprint triathlon. 1km swim, 20km bike ride, 7.5km run. The final product found two well-conditioned amateur athletes with a festering excitement for an even grandeur challenge. All to say the hundreds of kms on the road bike, the several kms of swimming (pool & lake), and the hundreds of running kms were among my most cherished moments in training/sport/fitness. These two months also saw me running three half marathons; one on a treadmill, the Tamarack Ottawa Half Marathon with Mom, and the Canada Army Run 26.5km with Mom as well. Woven into each week were three online ironman challenges accumulating some 150km of cycling and 80km of running.

July and August were a test of heart, mind, and soul. And I wish I could relive every moment of it. Hey! Let’s not forget that with that triathlon James and I raised over $3000.00 for the Canadian Mental Health Society and Canada Cancer research. Worth every second of it!

Months 8-10 (Sept-Oct-Nov): These 3 months featured a return to a focused approach of strength and hypertrophy. I threw my metabolism into high gear and decided to see how much muscle I could pack on. Long story short, not that much. BUT! I did put on 10lbs of weight and my lifting numbers began to shoot up. With the weather changing and the cold winds setting in up here in the North the running days fell short, swimming days no longer, and cycling was becoming a distant memory.

Months 10-12 (Dec-Jan-Feb): The final 3 months found me back completing a second round of the Hybrid Performance Strength program. With a dialled in approach to lifting and nutrition and adhering to my program I saw the largest jumps in lifting numbers since I started working out. My strength was growing, my control over the weight was becoming fluid, and my sense of desire for continued success with it. The final 8 weeks saw myself diving headfirst into CrossFit competition prep as I take on the Worldwide open on March 11th. It is my 3rd time competing in the open with the hopes of making it to the quarter finals.

Among many other challenges I’ve set for myself: Olympic triathlon, full marathon, 3 half marathons in 2 months, a bodybuilding classic physique show, and a full Ironman. I set myself the goal of making it to the CrossFit games by the age of 27, giving me 3.5-4 years to build the strength, capacity, and knowledge to do what it takes to be an elite athlete in the sport of fitness.

This year to say the least has shown me exclusively what it takes to be a winner, a loser, a beggar, and a chooser.. A joker, and a midnight toker…nah jk that’s a good song though.

But in all honesty 365 days of fitness has shown me clearly how to be a better coach, learner, competitor, friend, family member, and employee. I’ve learnt what it is I truly enjoy, what makes me happy, where I want to be in life, what it’ll take to get there, and who I want to be with when I get there. It’s given me the opportunity to discover my true intentions, my weaknesses, and my strengths. Most of all it proved to me that without a doubt you can do anything you put your mind to.

In 365 days I’ve become certified as a Personal Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach, built a business, coached over 60 individual clients and counting, got a job as an S&C coach with a wonderful group of students who challenge me every day, made new friends, lost some others, became closer with my family and some old friends, helped a lot of people find their way into fitness, got 2 new tattoos, fished, hunted, and hiked less then I wanted to but found more success than I have before in those areas, and enjoyed every second of it.

I ran over 2000km, cycled over 3000km, swam over 5km, lifted God only knows how much weight, lost 25 lbs, gained 15lbs, had an eating disorder, built a health relationship with food, lost strength, PR’d my clean and jerk by 30lbs, learnt that bodybuilding isn’t my favourite way to train, learnt that functional fitness and endurance training is, and I developed a true sense of what it means to be an athlete, something I wish I’d known before.

I learnt that you don’t need alcohol to have fun, but fun like-minded people to surround yourself with.

I learnt that rest is an essential component to growth, though that doesn’t mean you have to stop completely. Active rest has become a staple in my programming and my life as it played a key role in my physical maturity.

I learnt that sleep MUST be a priority. That 8 hours of sleep outweighs and outcompetes any other ergogenic aids (supplements etc.) 8 hours of sleep equates to sleep time, not time in bed. Switch that phone off 30-60mins before bed, read / write / chat before sleep. Engage in a mentally stimulating activity, not a mentally numbing activity.

I learnt that social media is a tool for success and a tool of destruction when used properly or wrongfully.

I learnt waking up early is the gateway to success. Getting ahead of the competition and having an upper hand is key. The mornings are quiet, calm, and full of opportunity. Developing a strong morning routine has become a habit of mine and I wish everyone could benefit from it.

I learnt the MakingBed principle…at least I call it that. That the simple act of making your bed in the morning creates a cascade of productive events that makes your life far richer. Starting each day with a simple physical chore becomes a habit that breeds productivity.

I learnt that water is the number supplement anyone can and should take. 3-5L a day no matter what!

I learnt that you need to build a strong relationship with food. I restricted and cut so hard for so long that the end result was the development of a binge eating disorder. I hated food, myself, and the act of eating. It took time, but I learnt to overcome it. To be less restrictive. To know its ok to enjoy certain foods, in moderation. I learnt that food is a vessel for athletic success and happiness. Don’t make the things you enjoy a burden.

I learnt that you only succeed when you commit to your goals, adapt to internal and external influences, and accept failures and success as one. The only person you have to worry about is the one looking back at you in the mirror. Mono e mono. 1 v 1. You are your biggest competition.

Lastly, I learnt to love myself, others, and to know what love is. A bit sappy I know lol, but it’s true. When you love yourself, you have the opportunity to know and see who it is you truly love. Friends, family, and significant others.

I could sit here till the end of time and tell you all about what I’ve learnt in these life-changing 365 days, but I’ve got another 365 to get after!

I invite you all to come along with me on this journey and I look forward to seeing you all along the way.

Remember… “Progression is built through consistency and tested by passion “

Yours Truly,

JB