January for many is a time for fitness, and commitment to fitness goals. In the spirit of that, I (Aaron) thought I was time to share a goal I have been working to for a few months now. I announced it on facebook, but I have been plugging away in silence and wanted to share it on here.

My goal is to do 1 Million Pounds of Volume of Overhead weightlifting. To do that I could lift a thousand pounds over my head a thousand times. Or 1 pound overhead a million times. I’ll probably do something in the middle.

So far I am 13.6% of the way there.

I am 136,647lbs into the challenge. That’s 136,647 pounds of Overhead presses, kettlebell snatches, Chin-ups, and thanks to my Christmas dumbbell- Circus Dumbell Clean and Press.

I love this kind of a fitness challenge, especially as a dad of three young kids. It can be easy to fall off the wagon, and hard to find a routine that is Flexible, Meaningful, Challenging and Fun.

Flexible- A ‘running tally’ style fitness challenge lets me continue to build. If I miss a workout, nothing is ruined, I’m set back by the progress I would have made, but no more. Also, since there are a whole mix of lifts that count towards my overhead goal, I could do it in my home gym, or even when traveling (pack a kettlebell, bring a pull-up bar that hangs over a door frame). Or, if you have spare concrete stones sitting around…

Meaningful- Volume is king in weightlifting. And a million pounds is serious volume. My Overhead Press PR has gone up for heavy singles and sets of 3 or 5. Pick a fitness goal that you care about, and that helps you on your fitness journey. Plus, it’s hard to imagine something more classically strong than picking up something heavy and shoving it over your head. From the olden days of strongman, overhead strength has always been a winner.

Challenging- Last year I did about 150-200k pounds of overhead volume. I am not limiting myself to hitting a million in a year, but that’s my goal. I have been hitting 20 rep sets, trying new moves (like Circus Dumbell) and pushing myself to do MORE. And the more I do now, the more I can do later, and a lot of fitness seems to work that way for me. I like that this isn’t a goal I will hit in a week or a month. It will challenge me and it will take time.

Fun- If you haven’t picked up a big concrete stone, or hoisted half your bodyweight above your head, it may not seem fun. But it is. And it keeps me able to do the most important lifting- picking up my oldest son and putting him over my head. He loves it, and I am gonna keep doing it for just as long as I can. 

Anyone else recommitting on fitness for January? What are your goals?