'Don't Break' Workout: The Deadlift Marathon With Logan Aldridge
Logan Aldridge was just 13 years old when, following a normal day of training ahead of an upcoming wakeboard competition — he was an elite wakeboarder growing up — he suffered a devastating accident. While on a boat, the rope around his arm became entangled in the propellor, cutting through his muscles.
In the ambulance, on the way to this hospital, Aldridge terrifyingly asked his mom, "What if they amputate my arm?"
Her response: "Logan, it's just an arm."
More: 5 Fast Facts About C.T. Fletcher, Who Died 5 Times and Came Back Unbreakable
Three weeks later, after valiant efforts to save the arm proved futile, his left arm was amputated above the elbow. The five simple words that his mom told him in that ambulance — "Logan, it's just an arm" — stayed with him and shaped the rest of his life. He would not let this harrowing moment define him or, worse yet, hold him back.
In the aftermath, Aldridge not only survived, but thrived, defying any and all expectations and breaking glass barriers. He continued his athletic excellence in high school, earning all-conference honors as a lacrosse player, and actually progressed on his wakeboard, learning every flip possible in just six months. (Prior to his accident, he couldn't do a flip.)
The Fittest One-Armed Man in the World
As he got older, the goals only got bigger, and so too did the achievements. He set two Guinness World Records — most one-arm, one-leg push-ups in 1 minute (26) and most weight lifted by single-arm barbell cleans in 1 minute (2,025.01 pounds) — he founded the Adaptive Training Academy, and established himself as the fittest one-armed man in the world.
Aldridge was the guest on the premiere episode of Don't Break With C.T. Fletcher — airing exclusively on Spartan's YouTube channel — and was challenged to do a deadlift, marathon style.
As Samson, C.T.'s son and the show's co-host, says, "Either you get it, or you pass the f*** out."
209 Reps As Fast As Possible
The workout is as follows: Aldridge performs 209 reps, at bodyweight — 165 pounds, in his case — as fast as possible. He does 20 sets in total, with the rep count matching the set number.
"Scientifically speaking, this is hard as f***," C.T. says.
Ahead of the workout, Aldridge acknowledged the extreme difficulty of what he was about to tackle, but — as per usual — welcomed the opportunity to face, and overcome, pain and imposing odds.
"Two-hundred reps of anything is insanely challenging," he says. "But, at the same time, I enjoy being uncomfortable. I enjoy the physical pain and the mental test, so I'm excited."
Don't Break Workout: Deadlift — Marathon Style
Perform 209 reps, at bodyweight, without stopping. Do 20 reps total, where the rep count matches the set number.
Set 1: 1 Rep
Set 2: 2 Reps
Set 3: 3 Reps
Set 4: 4 Reps
Set 5: 5 Reps
Set 6: 6 Reps
Set 7: 7 Reps
Set 8: 8 Reps
Set 9: 9 Reps
Set 10: 10 Reps
Set 11: 11 Reps
Set 12: 12 Reps
Set 13: 13 Reps
Set 14: 14 Reps
Set 15: 15 Reps
Set 16: 16 Reps
Set 17: 17 Reps
Set 18: 18 Reps
Set 19: 19 Reps
Set 20: 20 Reps
After completing all 209 reps in succession — you didn't think he wouldn't crush it, did you? — he sat down with C.T. for a heartfelt, motivating conversation about perseverance, perspective, and outlook.
"I learned something about myself in that workout," he says. "I don't know that I would have done it without you guys here. You need the support, you need the person to tell you, 'Pick up the bar. Get back on the bar.' ... I thrive in environments when I'm questioning my own ability. This was absolutely one of those.
"To do 209 deadlifts at bodyweight ... I get the opportunity. I'm alive and capable and able to come into this gym and attempt something that I'm not sure if I can do — but I get the opportunity to try."
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