How One Ask for Help Sparked a Fitness Tradition
“Physical progress is choosing to do something hard when it would be easier to do nothing.”
In November of 2023, I made a simple post in the Burn Boot Camp St. Louis trainers group: "I’m seeking accountability partners to work on my push-up endurance which seems to be declining. Anyone interested in doing 25 pushups a day for 25 days starting December 1st?" I was looking for a little connection to keep me on track and hoping a few people might say yes. To my surprise, nineteen trainers immediately agreed. My friend Lauren even created a daily tracker we could all share on social media, which made the challenge feel fun and visible.
Word spread quickly. Burn gym members started seeing the posts, asking about the challenge, and jumping in. For the first two years, members all over the St. Louis area did pushups right along with us, celebrating each day with their check marks on the tracker. This year, we introduced alternative movement options to make the challenge even more accessible. Some members chose bodyweight squats or crunches instead of pushups. One member, who is seventy-nine years old, decided on calf raises each day. The beauty of the challenge was not the exercise itself. It was the spirit of showing up.
Now here we are in year three of this little idea, and I would estimate that several hundred people across the five Burn Boot Camp St. Louis gyms are participating. All from one small request for help.
What started as a personal message of "I need some accountability" turned into something much bigger. It created connection. It created momentum. It created a shared sense of commitment during one of the busiest seasons of the year.
This simple challenge is a reminder that physical progress does not have to be complicated. It does not require an hour a day or a full workout plan. Sometimes it is as small as carving out two minutes for pushups or squats or calf raises. It is reluctantly knocking them out at 10:30pm when you realize you meant to do them in the morning. Physical progress is choosing to do something hard when it would be easier to do nothing.
Most importantly, it shows what can happen when we speak up and invite others in. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a way of creating community. And one small act can ripple outward into something that inspires hundreds of people to stay intentional and take care of themselves.
As we move into the holiday season, I hope this tradition encourages you to pick one small practice that helps you feel strong and grounded. A minute or two each day is all it takes to keep a promise to yourself.
This post is part of the ongoing Four Facets of Better Living series, highlighting Physical Progress, Personal Progress, Professional Progress, and Prosperity Habits. If you would like to learn more or be notified about the next Resilience for Progress retreat, visit the Contact Me form to express your interest.