Be encouraged by Herschel Walker and start a fitness routine today

Two stories about Herschel Walker — the Heisman Trophy winning, NFL All-Pro running back, bob sled Olympian, and MMA fighter — provide all the encouragement you need to start a fitness program today.

The first story is from his youth. Walker grew up in a poor community in Georgia with a large, loving family. He was chubby and not very athletic. He often got picked on and bullied at recess because he was uncoordinated.

When he was in sixth grade, he went to his brothers’ track coach and asked what he needed to do to become stronger and faster and better in sports. The coach simply told him to do situps, pushups and sprints.

Like many of us, when Walker first put this advice into practice, he could barely do a single pushup. But, he did this workout consistently and every day. He soon added pullups, squats and dips to his routine — all bodyweight exercise requiring no equipment. Walker added many different variations to these simple exercises. He also participated in a variety of activities, including track and field, basketball, football, dance, swimming, and martial arts.

Over time, Walker increased the number of bodyweight reps he was doing until eventually he was doing 3,500 pushups and 1,500 situps each day!

The second story is from his early college football days at the University of Georgia. Walker built his physique doing bodyweight exercises and did not lift weights in a gym, but to be on the team he was required to do a bench press test. Having never benched before, Walker broke the team record at the time and benched 375 pounds. He also benched 222 pounds for 24 reps. His strength, as well as his remarkable speed, came from his consistent bodyweight workouts.

These two stories, tied together, reveal three important takeaways.

First, seek advice. Walker wanted to get strong and he went to someone with knowledge for help and guidance. Don’t be afraid to ask a friend or a professional for advice, or to do some research on your own.

Second, perseverance pays off. If you are consistent and do a little every day to improve your fitness, you will make strides. You need to show up and do the work.

Third, you can get fit and strong with your own bodyweight. While there are many great gym and workout options available locally, if you don’t have the money to join a gym or feel self-conscience working out in front of others, engage in simple bodyweight exercises that require only your time and effort.

You can do it!

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