The Hardest Calisthenics Workout I've Ever Done

The Hardest Calisthenics Workout I've Ever Done!

I am part of UNOG, the United Nations Of Gains.

This is a group of friends that stems from Venice Beach. 

It’s composed of many different people, from all origins, age and genders, all working towards the betterment of oneself through calisthenics.

Joining Unog comes with a hard task - completing the introductory challenge that demands pushing your physical and mental limits.

The challenge consists of a 6.5-mile sand run followed by 1220 repetitions of calisthenics exercises. 

I finally had a chance to do it on June 27. I finished the 6.5 miles sand run in 65 minutes and completed the full challenge (run + reps) in 4 hours.

To break it down, I had to complete the following exercises:

•  20 muscle ups
•  200 pull ups
•  200 squats
•  200 push ups
•  200 dips
•  200 medium band triceps extensions
•  200 leg flutters

Facing this mountain of repetitions, I approached it just like any another workout and devised a strategy to tackle each exercise efficiently:

•  20 muscle ups: Progression of 2-3-5-5-5
•  200 pull ups: 40 sets of 5, supersetting with squats, then push ups, and finally dips
•  200 squats: 10 sets of 20
•  200 push ups: 10 sets of 20
•  200 dips: 20 sets of 10
•  200 medium band triceps extensions: 2x30, 2x20, 4x10, 5x8, 2x10
•  200 laying leg flutters: Done in one set

The 6.5-mile beach run turned out to be the most challenging part of the experience for me, testing both my physical and mental resilience.

Running in a straight line for 3+ miles each way, with the Santa Monica pier visible in the distance, presented a daunting illusion of stagnation. It felt as though the destination was moving away instead of getting closer. The soft sand and high tide added to the difficulty, putting additional strain on my calves.

During the run, I had to take several power walk breaks on the way back, navigating from wet to dry sand to ease the strain on my calves. Although tough, I managed to finish strong, propelled by adrenaline and determination.

The second toughest part of the challenge was the pull-ups. Starting with 20 muscle ups, I performed them in sets of 2-3-5-5-5. As I moved on to the 200 pull ups, I paired them with squats, then push ups, and dips to optimize efficiency. 

I faced cramps in my calves around 150 pull ups, leading to a short break in the shade to recover.

I finished with the 200 triceps extensions that are tougher than you may think, then the laying leg flutters in a row went by as if they never happened. I could (should!) have done 200 more if needed!

In the company of friends, both newbies and veterans of the challenge, we shared an incredible experience. The endorphin and dopamine rush after completing the final repetition was indescribable. 

We bonded as a group, pushing ourselves to our limits together, and that sense of accomplishment was unparalleled.

The days following the challenge were characterized by good soreness, as a testament to the effort we put in. I used foam rolling and stretching to recover, which proved to be incredibly effective.

It was great to see how far I was willing to go to surpass my limits.

The Unog challenge not only tested my physical abilities but also brought a sense of camaraderie and achievement that made every moment worthwhile.

Nicolas

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is UNOG, and what is the goal of the group? UNOG stands for the $\mathbf{United}\mathbf{Nations}\mathbf{Of}\mathbf{Gains}$. It is a group of friends from Venice Beach working towards the $\mathbf{betterment}\mathbf{of}\mathbf{oneself}\mathbf{through}\mathbf{calisthenics}$.

2. What are the two main components of the UNOG introductory challenge? The challenge consists of a $6.5-\mathbf{mile}\mathbf{sand}\mathbf{run}$ followed by $1220\mathbf{repetitions}\mathbf{of}\mathbf{calisthenics}\mathbf{exercises}$.

3. How long did the author take to complete the sand run and the entire challenge? The author finished the $6.5-\mathbf{mile}\mathbf{sand}\mathbf{run}\mathbf{in}65\mathbf{minutes}$ and completed the $\mathbf{full}\mathbf{challenge}$ (run + reps) in $4\mathbf{hours}$.

4. What were the seven calisthenics exercises and the total number of repetitions required? The challenge required a total of $1220\mathbf{repetitions}$ of the following exercises:

• $20\mathbf{muscle}\mathbf{ups}$

• $200\mathbf{pull}\mathbf{ups}$

• $200\mathbf{squats}$

• $200\mathbf{push}\mathbf{ups}$

• $200\mathbf{dips}$

• $200\mathbf{medium}\mathbf{band}\mathbf{triceps}\mathbf{extensions}$

• $200\mathbf{laying}\mathbf{leg}\mathbf{flutters}$

5. Which part of the entire challenge did the author find the most challenging, and why? The $6.5-\mathbf{mile}\mathbf{beach}\mathbf{run}$ was the most challenging part due to the $\mathbf{soft}\mathbf{sand}\mathbf{and}\mathbf{high}\mathbf{tide}$ adding strain to the calves. The straight-line path created an illusion of $\mathbf{stagnation}$.

6. What strategy did the author use to complete the 200 pull-ups efficiently? The author performed $40\mathbf{sets}\mathbf{of}5$ pull-ups and $\mathbf{supersetted}$ them with $\mathbf{squats}$, then $\mathbf{push}\mathbf{ups}$, and finally $\mathbf{dips}$ to optimize efficiency.

7. Which exercise was surprisingly easy, and how many more repetitions could the author have done? The $200\mathbf{laying}\mathbf{leg}\mathbf{flutters}$ were surprisingly easy, and the author felt they $\mathbf{could}\mathbf{have}\mathbf{done}200\mathbf{more}$ if needed.