- Ryan Peck, 38, had multiple blood clots in his lungs that could have been fatal.
- After a long recovery, I wanted to get my strength back, so I started doing 150 burpees a day.
- Now, I complete burpees in about 8 minutes first thing in the morning.
This told essay is based on a conversation with. ryan peck. Edited for length and clarity.
About eight years ago, I woke up one night and couldn't breathe. This came out of the blue as I was a fit and healthy 30 year old. In the emergency room, the doctor told me that I had multiple blood clots throughout my lungs. Approximately one-third of people who suffer from this type of pulmonary embolism die within a month, and I have suffered from many such pulmonary embolisms.
I was on bed rest for about 3 months. I couldn't even pick up my 6-month-old son. It was tough, but what was even tougher was the mental strain. I was a self-proclaimed health geek. In the face of a debilitating health crisis, my world changed forever.
Slowly, I began to regain my strength. I was walking instead of going to the gym or playing soccer, but it was better than sleeping and resting. Then, almost exactly a year after my first hospitalization, I had another blood clot. Doctors don't yet know why. I had to start the rehabilitation process all over again.
I recovered but did not return to the same level of fitness.
Fortunately, I recovered from my pulmonary embolism. Still, I never fully returned to my pre-near-death experience level of health. I gained some weight while on bed rest and stopped the intense exercise routine that had given me energy in adolescence.
Doctors cleared him to exercise about six months after the blood clot formed. But even with that permission, I still felt sore and tired. I can no longer do the types of exercise I used to be able to do, such as CrossFit, running, and soccer leagues. Looking back now, I realize I needed to heal both physically and mentally.
About three years ago, I was talking to someone at my gym who knew me before I got sick. He said I was a natural athlete. He wishes he could go back to his old routine, he said. I knew he was right. I decided to take 90 days to reset my physical and mental health.
I focused on burpees because they are very difficult.
I hate burpees (don't we all?), but they are a great indicator of fitness. Even my friend who can run a 6 minute mile has a hard time doing 25 burpees in a row. It's the ultimate physical fitness test. If you feel fit, there's also a burpee fit.
I wanted to push myself to the limit and exceed it, so I decided to do 100 burpees a day. It was very difficult for me. Do 10 reps at first, then take a break. It took about 35 minutes to complete 100 burpees.
Doing burpees was not fun. To tell you the truth, I still don't enjoy it. But when it was completed, it was an incredible feeling. Here I would like to say that burpees are better than a cup of coffee. By the end of the 90 days, my body and mind had changed. We didn't want to stop something that was working so well.
Did burpees over 200,000 times
Now I do 150 burpees a day. It takes about eight and a half minutes, but you can do it continuously without taking a break. I wake up, put on a podcast, and comb through them. Sometimes it's done in the bathroom, sometimes on the deck. Sometimes they jump under me with the kids, sometimes by themselves.
Something so simple changed my life. I learned that I can be consistent. I'm not putting pressure on myself to get the fastest time, I just want to get it done. That tenacity has trickled down to other areas of my life.
At the same time, I learned that I can push myself. At first, it seemed like stringing together increasingly long sets. When I first started doing burpees, it was really difficult to do them 10 times in a row. Recently, I did 225 without interruption. I've learned not to limit what I can do by telling myself it's impossible.
Even after doing over 200,000 burpees, I still don't enjoy the movement. But I love the physical and mental strength they have given me. My medical history taught me that we only have one life and one body. I was able to get the best of both worlds by working hard on my burpees.
