50 Pull-ups – A Display of Consistency

In the video below, you will see a man perform 50 consecutive pull-ups followed by 50 consecutive pushups.

I enjoyed this video for several reasons. First, it is obviously impressive to see anyone perform 50 pull-ups without swinging or kipping. The strength and endurance required to perform so many consecutive reps is no small feat. Most grown men would struggle to perform a fraction of the work.

Perhaps more importantly though, I viewed the video as a testament to consistency, hard work, and belief in oneself. It is one thing to set challenging goals, but entirely different to consistently work towards achieving them. A more common scenario is to set a goal, work towards it briefly, and then move on to something else when progress has slowed. Few people have the resiliency to see challenging goals out to fruition.

Many talk about what they would like to accomplish, yet few achieve what they set out to do. Achieving a challenging goal requires a consistent and diligent approach. You cannot become sidetracked by short term plateaus or setbacks. Such potholes are part of any challenging journey. A smooth ride will not bring you to the top of a treacherous mountain. Expect and prepare for arduous obstacles ahead.

Whether you are an athlete or trainer, you have likely spent time searching externally for new workouts, equipment, and routines. This outward search is commendable as I respect those who seek to improve. Unfortunately, many make the mistake of limiting their search to external sources. Often times, the greatest resources can be found within. A prime example is the relentless resolve to see challenging goals out to completion. Internal fortitude cannot be purchased online. It must come from within.

In the video above, we see a man who challenged himself to perform 50 pull-ups. He described this feat as his first and oldest physical goal (see here). Achieving that goal did not happen overnight or by accident. He did not find a routine online with step by step instructions. Many likely doubted that it was even possible. As a result, this man took it upon himself to not only perform the work, but to also figure out how to complete the goal.

When you perform something that has rarely been done, there isn’t a blueprint to follow. In many cases, all that you will find are people who doubt your ability to achieve the goal. You are left to fend for yourself. Fortunately, as evident above, there are people who do not place limitations on their ability. They don’t just set challenging goals. They are consistent and patient enough to see them through.

If you wish to accomplish something special, start working towards your goals now. Don’t wait for someday, as someday is not visible on the calendar. Make the most of today, and don’t become sidetracked if you struggle tomorrow. Life is often a battle of endurance. You cannot give up when the going gets tough. Embrace the struggle and use it to fuel the journey that lies ahead.

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“Some of the world’s greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible.” – Doug Larson

14 comments:

  1. Wow, that made me tired just watching it! There is no way right now I could even do 5-8 pull-ups, but what I have started doing as a New Years Resolution, is 25 pushups before I take a shower in the morning. It might sound lame, but it is still quite hard for me and it gets my heart rate going first thing. I definitely want to increase it, and was thinking after a month, I would go to 30 pushups, then another month, 35, and so on. I just want to try and do something that is achievable and realistic at the same time, but ultimately be able to do 50 everyday. Thanks for the inspiration Ross!

  2. Awesome! That man is Zef Zakaveli of the Bar-barians. One of the strongest guys on the bar calisthenics scene, and one who I know shares your attitude. Great post – thanks.

  3. Thanks for the motivating article, I hope more people see this and believe in themselves to set out and accomplish more goals in life, not just physical ones either.

  4. The average 25 old male probably can’t even do 50 legitimate two-armed standard pushups much less pullups. It takes this guy almost 2 1/2 minutes to perform 50 reps and a lot of people would have a hard enough time just simply hanging from a pullup bar for that long. Personally I would like to be able to perform 50 legitimate bodyweight dips, much less pullups.

  5. @Jason,

    Damn excellent video!! 360 degree pushups and backflip burpees!! Never seen or heard of those but they look like very, very advanced stuff. I was already familiar with Aztec pushups and most of the other exercises, and his version of the Superman pushup was also a killer exercise. The guy had a lot of upper body mass and was still very adept at the bodyweight stuff. Impressive stuff.

  6. This guy must have good strength to weight ratio. The crazy thing about this is he still completed 50 pull ups with no swing or kick to support, but hung there to recover! When really you would let go and put your arms down so the blood can travel back in the arms. I got a few mates that can do the same. Bruce lee could do 50 using 1 arm! But as a big Ross fan for years, this doesn’t beat some of the feats Ross does…

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