Near Death Cardio Tuesday
Lately, I’ve been geeking out on the neuroscience of movement. If you’ve hung out with me for five minutes, you know I’m a huge nerd when it comes to the “biological why” behind what we do, feel, and think. It’s been super fascinating—and it’s even helped me understand why I seem to enjoy the most “awful” workouts.
Take my cardio workout every Tuesday, for example. It’s part of my Hyrox/DEKAFit training, and I’ve lovingly nicknamed it Near Death Cardio Tuesday. By all accounts, it’s objectively terrible. It features the air bike (a.k.a. the Murder Bike), so you already know it’s going to hurt. But somehow, I keep coming back for more.
I’ve read about the infamous “runner’s high,” but trust me, that’s not it. I’ve also heard about the joy people get from working out in sync with a group. Yeah, no—I do this one solo.
Here’s what I think makes this particular workout click for me:
It forces me to focus. It’s all about pace and breathing—no room for zoning out or stressing over my to-do list. Weirdly enough, it’s like a form of meditation… if meditation involved gasping for air and questioning your life choices.
It shows me how far I’ve come. A year ago, I wouldn’t have even attempted this workout. Six months ago, I don’t think I would have survived round two. The first time I finished, I collapsed on the floor next to the Echo bike for 15 minutes while people checked to see if I was alive. (I was not okay! 😂) The next day, I could barely move. It was awful. But every week, it gets a little better. The last 10 cals on the Echo bike don’t take as long, and I spend less time lying on the floor rethinking my life. What grows every week is my sense of accomplishment.
Looking back, I remember when 250m on the rower was my limit. Now, I’m smashing goals I never thought I’d even set. That progress gives me this insanely optimistic view of the future.
I’m at an age where society loves to tell women, “It’s all downhill from here.” You hear things like, You can’t build muscle anymore. You can’t make progress. If you haven’t lost weight by now, forget it. You’re going to get frail. Blah, blah, blah. You know what? This workout—the one that leaves me flat on the floor, gasping for air—proves all of that is complete BS.
For me, Near Death Cardio Tuesday is the ultimate embodiment of my mantra: Do Hard Things. Every time I finish, I feel stronger, prouder, and more empowered to keep pushing boundaries. And that’s worth every miserable calorie on the Murder Bike.