Unleash the Monkey Army

The bugle sounds, the charge begins...we're off. The first couple of days of the burpee ladder are under our collective belt and with our Australian contingent getting us off to an early start, we're all present and correct. For most people the first day (or couple of days) are a bit anticlimactic. We're talking about burpees after all and the 100 day ladder is a big deal...so what's with the damp squib? Well, to quote Egg Chen in Big Trouble in Little China "That was nothing. But that's how it always begins. Very small." Big Trouble in Little China (20th Century Fox Films - tongue in cheek 80s classic) You see, for all that the duration and end point of the challenge puts people off, it builds incrementally. The first few weeks are barely worthy of commentary (the exact point it starts to become more of an effort varies with individual). That's kind of frustrating if you want to shout about it, I mean, it's a bit of a hollow brag to w...

It's fast approaching that time of year again. Teachers and educators are joined in their wailing and gnashing of teeth by students of all ages. But much more importantly than that, September sees the return of the annual 100 day burpee ladder. This year will be 1st September to 9th December inclusive. Fancy joining in? Just an interested observer? Here's what you need to know: We'll be doing burpees every day for 100 days. It's ok, we'll start with 1 on 1st September. We will do 100 on the final day but we'll have built to it. They don't have to be done in one set. They don't have to be done in one session. There are lots of modifications to the humble burpee to make it easier or harder. Before we start, pick your minimum standard for the ladder. You can spice it up on days when you feel lively but you'll not go below this marker. Be realistic. The point of the exercise is consistency, not showing off. Just because you can do 50 or 100 on...

So, it has been just over two months since I completed the 100 day burpee ladder (and popped out a few extra to round up the total). Since then I have noticed a couple of things: People who didn't take part feel like they missed out People who started but didn't see it off, well, they feel like they missed out   People like me, and others who aren't like me but still finished it, we feel like we're now missing out on something. So, inspired by Burt Bacharach (he was the man who sang "what the world needs now, is burpees, more burpees" wasn't he?), I'm going to hang out a chance for everybody to scratch that itch. Another ladder, but let's make it a year to remember, a burpee year to remember!   Day 1: do 1 burpee, day 2: 2, day 3: 3, etc etc until we get to day 365 when we'll pop out a cheeky 365 reps.   But, lest a few people miss out on the chance to test themselves to their own capacity, we're going to add in a couple of s...

Resolution season is but a glow in the dieing embers of the new year's festivities. By this point many will have given up on theirs. Many more will be on the threshold of pulling the plug on theirs, ready to go back to "normal" life.  Awaiting them is the security of the usual. The comfort, or at least the familiar discomfort of the day-to-day. We are able to re-programme ourselves to live and to learn but to do so we need to embrace failure and the stultifying fear of it. Without discomfort we have little of substance to respond to, to learn from, to prompt re-wiring in the loft spaces of our minds. But like everything in life it doesn't come cheap and as it is worthwhile it will seldom come easy. And that's where the process loses the majority. "Can you write me a new diet?" "Sure, but that will absolutely have to go." "Oh, I couldn't do that" It's nonsense of course. You can. You just do not want to. And that is fi...

"No mystic and no student of Zen is at first step the man he can become through self-perfection. How much has still to be conquered and left behind before he finally lights upon the truth! How often is he tormented on the way by the desolate feeling that he is attempting the impossible!" Suzuki, Zen and the art of archery I've been having conversations with people lately about following a path. One of the things that is apparent is that in this world there are not many people who are fully prepared to do the hard yards to get where they say where they want to be (I do sometimes wonder if I'm one of those). Too many of us have a sense of entitlement, a feeling that somehow the universe owes them something. Even those that set out on the path find themselves surrounded by people that tell them it's not fair because it doesn't land in our laps. Don't try to drag yourself up, berate the universe with us. Or we are surrounded by "friends" who tell us ...