How to Throw Down: A Step by Step Guide

I seem to have inspired some of you yesterday with my post about creating a tough challenge for yourself. A personal throw down to test the waters, objectively see how your training is going and to get inspired. Here’s how you can go about creating your own person thrown down. 

1. Pick something you want to do.

Originally, this said pick something you like, but you might not like bodyweight squats and that doesn’t mean you couldn’t come up with a great challenge around them. Pick something that gets you excited, that you would look forward too, even if you look forward to it with a little bit of dread.

I urge you to try and leave the comfort zone here. The point is to see what you’re capable of that you didn’t think you were. What’s something you wanted to do for a long time but too scared to try? Start there.

2. Pick how you’ll challenge yourself. 

These are the variables we can control to create a throw down. 

Volume - how much of something you do 

Frequency - volume over time (i.e., if volume is how many reps or sets of something, frequency is how much volume you do over a period of time) 

Distance - picking a certain distance to do something like a walk or run or bike ride

Time - how long you’ll throw down for

3. Create Rules

Rules create confinement that increases the difficulty. An example here would be: I’m going to ride my bike for 2 hours, but I have to pedal hard up all the hills. Pick a date and put your throw down on the calendar, do it that day rain or shine. There are endless rules to choose from, but whatever they are, use them to create a challenge that’s appropriate for you. 

Alright, so that’s a little vague and unless you have something particular on your mind, you might have a tough time deciding what to do. Here are a few worthwhile examples I’ve come up with:

Bike for a certain distance or period of time.

Haven’t been training and building up for a 50 mile ride, who cares? Get out and do it. Or alternatively, set a time period, say 90 minutes, and ride as far and as fast as you can within that time. 

Total reps throughout the day. 

Pick an exercise, like kb swings, bodyweight squats, push ups or even pull ups. Spend all day, from waking up till bed time accumulating as many reps of that movement as you can. I feel obligated to remind you only quality reps count, don’t be too crazy. For something like this, you can create rules, like I’ll do 10 swings every hour on the hour, to give you a sense of how many reps you’ll get in.

Walk further than you thought possible. 

Honestly, I think this is where most people should give it a go. Try to walk for a certain distance, to a friend’s house or create a local loop you can repeat. Bring a water bottle, a good podcast and maybe a snack. I think many of you will be surprised with how well you can do here. 

Do something you have’t done in a long time or ever.

Get the cobwebs off your bike, put that kayak in the water or get a stand up paddle board set up. Find something that you’ve neglected, or maybe even been scared to try and give it your best shot. Even if you fail, I promise you’ll walk away with a new found fire burning inside of you to try it again.

In closing, remember that a throw down is a personal challenge to yourself. Test the waters, see how you do. Most of you will be pleasantly surprised. If you need any help in coming up with a throw down challenge for yourself, please don’t hesitate to ask, I’m happy to help you find something challenging yet appropriate.

Justin Miner

@justinminergain