Feeling quite stressed today, and I find myself looking forward to getting home.  Not because I want to relax, but because I want to work out.

I don’t think I’ve ever had that particular motivation on a regular basis before.

Strange.

So…I see a few of the fellas on my list are making some kind of attempt to master this little routine.

You guys are nuts, in my not so humble opinion.

Before you hurt yourselves trying to achieve this, I’d like to point out a few bits from the article that donwaughesq linked to.

The workout gets its name from the total number of repetitions. But those 300 reps weren’t done daily, as some media accounts report, Twight says. Rather, the 300 workout was the finale of months of training, a kind of graduation test, after actors had weight lifted and trained with tools such as medicine balls and Kettlebells (cast iron weights with handles).

Training for the actors required 90 minutes to two hours a day, five days a week, Twight says, plus the same amount of time fight training. Stuntmen trained 90 minutes to two hours, five days a week, and another four to six hours fight training, Twight says. Everyone was given just enough food to recover from the workout, he notes.

(Translation – The actors were working out 3-4 hours a day, five days a week.  The stuntment were working out 5 1/2 to 8 hours a day, five days a week)

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At the end of the training, about half of those who trained took the 300 test, Twight says. Andrew Pleavin, who plays Daxos, leader of the Arcadians, was the only actor to take it. He finished in 18 minutes and 11 seconds.

I’m going to assume this is a typo, and they meant that Andrew Pleavin was the only actor “to make it.” 

One actor was able to complete the whole routine.  One.

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The following cut is big, but important…

Even if you start out slowly, Kraemer recommends proceeding with caution and checking in with your doctor first.

The breakdown of muscle fibers, for instance, may be severe enough to be toxic to the kidneys, he says. “If you have [heart problems] or are not screened, you could have a variety of exertional problems [with this workout], from serious tissue breakdown to heart attack to kidney problems,” he says. “It’s too extreme for the average person.“

Walt Thompson, PhD, a professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University in Atlanta, agrees. “This kind of workout is for a very, very small subset of the population,” he says.  “The person who could probably benefit from the Gym Jones workout is the person who already has a long and extensive ‘career’ in exercise. It’s not for a beginner.”

Hate to burst your bubble, guys, but we’re “the average person.”  The average person has a job and commitments outside of the gym.  The average person isn’t being paid millions of dollars to get into this kind of shape.  The average person can’t afford a personal dietician and chef to prepare all of his or her meals.  The average person cannot afford to have a doctor available to monitor his or her progress constantly.

Not saying you guys shouldn’t have fitness goals, but please be careful – especially if you’re trying to take this test.  You guys are not spartans, and you aren’t even actors being paid to play them.

You are, however, my friends…and I don’t want to see you hurt.

I have not exercised (outside of what I do in the show) in a week now. I’m sure that those of you who saw how tired/sore I was after rehearsals and performances understand that, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s totally disrupted my schedule.

So I’m about to go start it up again.

This is probably gonna hurt.