300Challenge
June 28th, 2025
300Challenge
June 28th, 2025
An OPEN LETTER To Anyone Who Deeply Values Their Personal Fitness, Recovery, And Longevity...
“How Fast Can Alex Mandossian Go This Year? How Fast Can YOU Go If You Accept This Challenge? If You Put Your Donation Where Your Desire Is, Then 2025 Could Be Your Fittest Year Ever by Dedicating Yourself to Getting Leaner With Less Effort!”
Dear Fitness Enthusiast,
Some people lift weights.
Some people run marathons.
And then there are those special few who do The Spartan300 Challenge.
The Spartan300 is a physically challenging and anaerobic test of pure willpower that separates the strong from the weak, the driven from the lazy, and warriors from “wannabe” fitness enthusiasts.
For the past decade, I (Alex Mandossian) have chosen to step into this battle of will and effort to beat my best times from the year before.
300 reps. No breaks. No excuses.
Here’s what I (Alex Mandossian) am up against:
- Pullups – 25 reps
- Barbell Deadlift (135 lbs.) – 50 reps
- Pushups – 50 reps
- 24-inch Box Jumps – 50 reps
- Floor Wipers – 50 reps
- Single-Arm Clean-and-Press (36 lbs. Kettlebell) – 50 reps
- Pullups – 25 reps
No stopping. No shortcuts. Just pure GRIT … and indisputable INTENSITY!
But this isn’t just about proving that I can do it. I decided to push my limits to raise money for Genius Recovery, Joe Polish’s mission to help those who battle with their addictions to reclaim their lives faster, better, and with human effort.
Please understand: Genius Recovery isn’t just about addiction, it’s about Recovery. It’s about Addiction recovery. Emotional recovery.
Mental Health recovery. Financial recovery. Career recovery. And let’s not forget Physical recovery from workouts.
FACT: When it comes to getting lean and more fit, your “Recovery Time” is just as important (if not even more critical to your success) as your “Workout Time.”
Now, here’s where YOU can come in …
As I (Alex) put myself to the test, I want you to put your pocketbook on the line.
Deal?
Your PayPal will show Heritage House Media, Inc. but 100% of proceeds goes to Genius Recovery!
And if you just believe in the cause — or want to see me push myself even harder — you can donate whatever dollar amount you want right now … more (or less) than the three recommended donations I’ve established above.
Because this isn’t about just cheering from the sidelines. This is about stepping up.
It’s True: Addiction claims many lives. Genius Recovery saves them.
So, every single dollar you donate to our cause fuels our fight against addiction. Sounds fair, doesn’t it?
So, what do you say? Are you in?
But Wait ... How About Doing This For Yourself?
Because you’ve made it this far, you’re not just another spectator. You are a DOER. You don’t just watch others push limits — you are capable pushing your own limits.
Wouldn’t you agree?
If that’s you, then here’s the deal: I (Alex Mandossian) am willing to train you!
I will guide you through the exact same Spartan300 Challenge and show you how to build your strength, expand your endurance, and maximize your mindset to crush it.
If you want in, let me know, okay?
Let’s do this,
Alex Mandossian
(On behalf of Genius Recovery)
P.S. This is bigger than just one guy (me) doing a 300-rep challenge. This is about creating a movement of strength, resilience, and contribution.
So, whether you donate, train, or just share this with someone who needs it — you’re a part of something that changes lives!
5 Uncommon Training Tips to Crush the Spartan300
“The Fastest, Easiest, Most Reliable Way to Dramatically Impact Your Health and Fitness … Without Sacrificing Unnecessary Time or Money”
If you’re ready to step up and take on the Spartan 300 Challenge, I’ve got your back.
This workout isn’t just about raw strength—it’s about power, endurance, breath control, and mental toughness.
Most people train the traditional way … but neither YOU nor I are willing to settle for that.
YOU and I are open and willing to go beyond average and dominate the clock. We need uncommon elite strategies, right?
And that’s why I decided to reveal these five training methods that will give us an edge in our personal training and professional life.
1. Tapita Training – Strength & Stamina Combined
Tapita training is a hybrid approach that alternates between high-resistance strength work and endurance conditioning.
💥 How to Activate Tapita in Your Training Sessions:
- Start heavy—Perform 5-8 reps of a heavy compound lift (like deadlifts, weighted push-ups, weighted pull-ups, typically at 80-90% max).
- Then go light & explosive—Drop weight and perform higher reps at max speed.
- Example Spartan 300 Drill: For MEN, do 5 reps of 225lb deadlifts, then immediately hit 20 reps at 135lbs. For WOMEN, do 5 reps of 135lb deadlifts, then immediately hit 20 reps at 85lbs.
- On the treadmill – Walk for 5 minutes at 3 mph, then elevate the angle to 8 degrees and increase the speed to 8 mph. Then do the 8/8 for 30 secs “on” and 20 secs “off” for a total of 8 full sets to get your pulse to over 160 bpm.
Cool down with 0 degrees angle at 3 mph for 2-3 mins until your pulse decreases below 130 bpm.
This high-intensity method teaches your body to recover quickly and sustain power output deep into the workout.
It’s also a great metaphor on how to lead your professional life with intense spurts followed by calming “recovery” sessions as delineated above.
2. Hypoxic Breathing Training – Oxygen Efficiency Wins Races
Most people gas out because they don’t know how to breathe under stress.
Hypoxic breathing is training your body to perform with limited oxygen, making your endurance unstoppable.
💨 How to Activate Hypoxic Breathing in Your Training Sessions:
- Nasal-only breathing during warm-ups & low-intensity work.
- Breath holds between high-rep sets (exhale fully, hold, then do the next set).
- Elevated CO2 tolerance drills (breathe in for 3 seconds, hold for 6, exhale for 3).
- Push a sled with heavy weights by breathing-in one full breath through your nose, then hold for 3 secs, then release by breathing-out that breath.
Then graduate to two short breaths-in through your nose, hold for 3 seconds, then release two short breaths-out through your mouth.
- Then you can repeat with 3 short breaths in through your nose, hold … and release with 3 short breaths out of your mouth.
Repeat sequence again and again through your entire workout session. You’ll soon be astonished at how fit you get!
Your lungs, your heart, and your muscles will learn to work with less air, so when you hit the Spartan300, you’ll feel in control—not breathless.
FUN FACT: If you had an identical twin and both of you worked out for 30 days with the same weights, the same training sequences, even the same professional trainer … the twin who applies Hypoxic Breathing to their work sessions will be fitter after the 30-day period!
3. Isometric Fatigue Training – Bulletproof Your Strength
Most training only focuses on movement, but holding static positions under tension builds a level of endurance most people don’t tap into.
⚡ How to Activate Isometric Fatigue in Your Training Sessions:
- Hold a deadlift at the top for 20-30 seconds before repping out.
- Pause your push-ups at the bottom for a 10-count before pressing up.
- Isometric box jumps—hold the squat landing for 3 seconds before jumping again.
- Pull-up hold – keep your chin above the pull-up bar for 5 seconds before repping out 5 pull-ups. Then hand on the bar with straight arms for 30 seconds.
This method trains stability under stress, so you don’t fatigue and break form halfway through the challenge. And most importantly, Isometric Fatigue toughens your muscles!
4. Eccentric Overload – The Secret to More Explosive Power
Slowing down the lowering phase of a movement builds maximal strength without burning out your nervous system.
🔥 How to Activate Eccentric Overload in Your Training Sessions:
- Lower into push-ups in 4-5 seconds, then explode up.
- Lower deadlifts in 3-4 seconds before lifting fast.
- Step down from box jumps under control instead of dropping.
This makes you stronger AND more explosive, so when you do the Spartan300 at full speed, you’ll be a machine that never seems slow down!
5. Contrast Showers & Plunges – Recovery Like the Pros Do
Most people overlook recovery, but contrast showers speed up muscle repair, reduce soreness, and train your body to handle stress better.
🧊🔥 How to Activate Contrast Showers/Plunges in Recovery Sessions:
- 30 seconds ice-cold water → 30 seconds hot water (repeat 3-5 rounds).
- Finish with cold and rub the surface of your skin to boost recovery hormones.
- Do this post-workout or after a brutal training session.
- If you can access a “cold plunge” … set it to 42 degrees F and relax for 3 minutes!
Whether you recover with contrast showers or cold plunges, recovery is what gives more impact to the uncommon training tips we covered above.
You’ll feel fresher, recover faster, and reduce injury risk—so you can train harder, more often.
If we had more time here, I’d list a bunch of other Recovery practices because I typically dedicate as much time with my Recovery as I do with my training.
So, for every 90 minutes of training, I dedicate myself to at least 90 minutes of Recovery time.
How Committed Are You to Your Recovery Program?
Your commitment to Recovery can also include low-intensity activities such as walking, yoga, hiking, mobility works, and even short hikes. Active hydration is critically important, which means you drink water before your thirsty.
Nutrition is also a “big rock” in the Recovery jar. Personally, I prefer a paleo diet. I’ll go keto from time to time. For my body, I prefer lots of protein grams and lots of fat grams. I eat most my carbs at night before bedtime.
Carbs make me sleep better. But your body may require more carbs throughout the day. The only way to figure it out is to test it out.
Daily fasting is a form of Recovery. I typically don’t eat after 7pm and my first meal in the morning is at 10am. That means, I give my gut a break for 15 hours each day.
I don’t know if you’d be willing to do it, but not enough dieticians talk about “intestinal fatigue” and how it can impact your mood and energy throughout the day!
Quality sleep shouldn’t be something you’re unfamiliar with. Yet, most people ask, “How much sleep is ideal?” My answer is NOT “It depends” – like most professional trainers say.
My answer is: Do whatever it takes to get 7-9 hours of restful sleep to allow muscle repair, growth hormone release, and overall recovery.
Massage, pliability training (look it up on ChatGPT), foam rolling, and red-light therapy are other Recovery methods I utilize to get more fit … faster, better, and with less injury.
I want you to read that previous sentence again. Recovery – not workouts – are what allow me to get more fit … faster, better, and with less injury. Period. Case closed!
1. Tapita Training – Strength & Stamina Combined
Tapita training is a hybrid approach that alternates between high-resistance strength work and endurance conditioning.
💥 How to Activate Tapita in Your Training Sessions:
- Start heavy—Perform 5-8 reps of a heavy compound lift (like deadlifts, weighted push-ups, weighted pull-ups, typically at 80-90% max).
- Then go light & explosive—Drop weight and perform higher reps at max speed.
- Example Spartan 300 Drill: For MEN, do 5 reps of 225lb deadlifts, then immediately hit 20 reps at 135lbs. For WOMEN, do 5 reps of 135lb deadlifts, the immediately hit 20 reps at 85lbs.
- On the treadmill – Walk for 5 minutes at 3 mph, then elevate the angle to 8 degrees and increase the speed to 8mph. Then do the 8/8 for 30 secs “on” and 20 secs “off” for a total of 8 full sets to get your pulse to over 160 bpm.
Cool down with 0 degrees angle at 3 mph for 2-3 mins until your pulse decreases below 130 bpm.
This high-intensity method teaches your body to recover quickly and sustain power output deep into the workout.
It’s also a great metaphor on how to lead your professional life with intense spurts followed by calming “recovery” sessions as delineated above.
2. Hypoxic Breathing Training – Oxygen Efficiency Wins Races
Most people gas out because they don’t know how to breathe under stress.
Hypoxic breathing is training your body to perform with limited oxygen, making your endurance unstoppable.
💨 How to Activate Hypoxic Breathing in Your Training Sessions:
- Nasal-only breathing during warm-ups & low-intensity work.
- Breath holds between high-rep sets (exhale fully, hold, then do the next set).
- Elevated CO2 tolerance drills (breathe in for 3 seconds, hold for 6, exhale for 3).
- Push a sled with heavy weights by breathing-in one full breath through your nose, then hold for 3 secs, then release by breathing-out that breath.
Then graduate to two short breaths-in through your nose, hold for 3 seconds, then release two short breaths-out through your mouth.
- Then you can repeat with 3 short breaths in through your nose, hold … and release with 3 short breaths out of your mouth.
Repeat sequence again and again through your entire workout session. You’ll soon be astonished at how fit you get!
Your lungs, your heart, and your muscles will learn to work with less air, so when you hit the Spartan300, you’ll feel in control—not breathless.
FUN FACT: If you had an identical twin and both of you worked out for 30 days with the same weights, the same training sequences, even the same professional trainer … the twin who applies Hypoxic Breathing to their work sessions will be fitter after the 30-day period!
3. Isometric Fatigue Training – Bulletproof Your Strength
Most training only focuses on movement, but holding static positions under tension builds a level of endurance most people don’t tap into.
⚡ How to Activate Isometric Fatigue in Your Training Sessions:
- Hold a deadlift at the top for 20-30 seconds before repping out.
- Pause your push-ups at the bottom for a 10-count before pressing up.
- Isometric box jumps—hold the squat landing for 3 seconds before jumping again.
- Pull-up hold – keep your chin above the pull-up bar for 5 seconds before repping out 5 pull-ups. Then hand on the bar with straight arms for 30 seconds.
This method trains stability under stress, so you don’t fatigue and break form halfway through the challenge. And most importantly, Isometric Fatigue toughens your muscles!
4. Eccentric Overload – The Secret to More Explosive Power
Slowing down the lowering phase of a movement builds maximal strength without burning out your nervous system.
🔥 How to Activate Eccentric Overload in Your Training Sessions:
- Lower into push-ups in 4-5 seconds, then explode up.
- Lower deadlifts in 3-4 seconds before lifting fast.
- Step down from box jumps under control instead of dropping.
This makes you stronger AND more explosive, so when you do the Spartan300 at full speed, you’ll be a machine that never seems slow down!
5. Contrast Showers & Plunges – Recovery Like the Pros Do
Most people overlook recovery, but contrast showers speed up muscle repair, reduce soreness, and train your body to handle stress better.
🧊🔥 How to Activate Contrast Showers/Plunges in Recovery Sessions:
- 30 seconds ice-cold water → 30 seconds hot water (repeat 3-5 rounds).
- Finish with cold and rub the surface of your skin to boost recovery hormones.
- Do this post-workout or after a brutal training session.
- If you can access a “cold plunge” … set it to 42 degrees F and relax for 3 minutes!
Whether you recover with contrast showers or cold plunges, recovery is what gives more impact to the uncommon training tips we covered above.
You’ll feel fresher, recover faster, and reduce injury risk—so you can train harder, more often.
If we had more time here, I’d list a bunch of other Recovery practices because I typically dedicate as much time with my Recovery as I do with my training.
So, for every 90 minutes of training, I dedicate myself to at least 90 minutes of Recovery time.
How Committed Are You to Your Recovery Program?
Your commitment to Recovery can also include low-intensity activities such as walking, yoga, hiking, mobility works, and even short hikes. Active hydration is critically important, which means you drink water before your thirsty.
Nutrition is also a “big rock” in the Recovery jar. Personally, I prefer a paleo diet. I’ll go keto from time to time. For my body, I prefer lots of protein grams and lots of fat grams. I eat most my carbs at night before bedtime.
Carbs make me sleep better. But your body may require more carbs throughout the day. The only way to figure it out is to test it out.
Daily fasting is a form of Recovery. I typically don’t eat after 7pm and my first meal in the morning is at 10am. That means, I give my gut a break for 15 hours each day.
I don’t know if you’d be willing to do it, but not enough dieticians talk about “intestinal fatigue” and how it can impact your mood and energy throughout the day!
Quality sleep shouldn’t be something you’re unfamiliar with. Yet, most people ask, “How much sleep is ideal?” My answer is NOT “It depends” – like most professional trainers say.
My answer is: Do whatever it takes to get 7-9 hours of restful sleep to allow muscle repair, growth hormone release, and overall recovery.
Massage, pliability training (look it up on ChatGPT), foam rolling, and red-light therapy are other Recovery methods I utilize to get more fit … faster, better, and with less injury.
I want you to read that previous sentence again. Recovery – not workouts – are what allow me to get more fit … faster, better, and with less injury. Period. Case closed!
Step Up. Take the Challenge. Join the Movement.
Now that you’ve got the tools, are you ready to push your limits?
This isn’t just about fitness—it’s about proving to yourself that you can show up, suffer, and win. This is YOUR time. And YOUR time is NOW!
Join me in the Spartan300 Challenge and let’s raise money for Genius Recovery while we test our limits at the same time!
[Please Support Genius Recovery with the Spartan300 Challenge]
Your PayPal will show Heritage House Media, Inc. but 100% of proceeds goes to Genius Recovery!
Here's a Video of Alex's Personal Record ("PR") Doing the Spartan300 Time-Trial at F45 Studio
Donors
- Carol M.
- Taleen P.
- Alex M.
- Jason P.
- Arthur P.
- Gail A.
- Father Raymond A.
- Aida B.
- Jessica D.
- Whitney J.
- Jason P.
- Ray D.
- Orrin H.
- Alex P.
- Brynna S.
- Gail A.
- Dipa C.
- Osama A.