Adrian Barich: The 75 Hard Challenge has only just come across my desk, so I’m six years behind as usual

OK, please humour me and pretend that you also have not heard of the 75 Hard Challenge (or just 75 Hard as the cool kids say).

Apparently it’s been around since 2019 on TikTok and is sweeping the Perth suburbs.

Unsurprisingly, it has only just come across my desk this week; that’s right, I’m six years behind the times, as usual.

Mind you, I want you to know that you’re dealing with a bloke who only found out last month from his daughter that the famous lyric in the song Don’t Bring Me Down by the Electric Light Orchestra was not, in fact, “don’t bring me down, Bruce” but “don’t bring me down, groos”. Apparently songwriter Jeff Lynne made it up.

I cringe when I think about how many times I have sung that line out loud. What a loser.

I’m obviously a bit slow on the uptake sometimes, so there is a good chance you have already heard about the 75 Hard Challenge and you know it’s a journey of discipline, mental toughness, maybe a little gnashing of teeth and even some crying.

Created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella, the program promises to transform not just your body, but your mind.

It’s a hardcore 75-day commitment to a set of rules designed to test your physical and mental limits — think of it as the fitness equivalent of Survivor without the TV cameras or a tropical island.

For 75 days, you must adhere to five simple rules that sound easy enough on paper but in truth are almost impossible to adhere to.

And you know the amazing bit? Many young men I know are following this new form of medieval punishment.

Here’s the five tasks (or the five labours of Hercules as I’ve dubbed them).

First, follow a diet. There’s no prescribed diet, so feel free to eat like a rabbit or a bodybuilder — but stick to something healthy. And here’s the tough bit: no alcohol.

Second, exercise twice a day for at least 45 minutes per session. One of those workouts has to be outdoors.

Third, drink a gallon of water, which is almost four litres of the good stuff in our country. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel like a camel but hey, that’s the point, I think.

Fourth, read 10 pages of a non-fiction book per day. I love this one as young people will be forced to move into the self-help and personal growth genre. Forget about the The Hunger Games or Twilight, it’s Tony Robbins for you . . . or at least someone who knows a lot about discipline and hydration.

And the final rule: take a progress photo every day. This isn’t just for vanity; it’s to help you see how your body is changing over time.

Here’s the kicker: if you miss a single task, you have to start over. Miss your morning water intake? Congratulations, you’re back at square one. Miss a workout? Sorry, back to the first day you go. Forget to read? Day one. No selfie? Day one. It’s like your least favourite Groundhog Day scenario, but without the giant squirrel.

But the appeal of the 75 Hard Challenge lies in the fact that it’s hard. People like a challenge and this one’s so extreme you can brag about it at parties for the next decade. If you survive it, you’ll walk around with a swagger that says, “yeah, I’ve done things other people only dream of — and, by the way, I haven’t eaten a cheat meal or ice-cream or chocolate or chips in 75 days”.

If you think that this all sounds a bit too extreme, good news: someone has just invented a “75 Soft Challenge”.

For that, do the following every day for 75 days:

Eat well and only drink alcohol on social occasions. Train for 45 minutes every day, with one day of active recovery every week. Drink three litres of water a day. Read 10 pages of any book (reading fiction is good for keeping memory sharp because it requires the brain to remember characters and plot lines; I’ve added my own Barra touch here and allowed audiobooks as well).

And just a final thought, please consult your doctor before starting any of the above.

Frisella explains that the point of the 75 Hard Challenge is to help you achieve confidence, self-esteem, self-worth, grit, perseverance, and resilience. He reckons that by pushing yourself to stay committed to these goals, and developing discipline even when it gets hard or uncomfortable, you will emerge after 75 days a “different” person. He “guarantees” it.

The real goal is to “push yourself exponentially further than you’ve ever thought you were capable of”.