Physics: 100 has developed a bit of a cult following, and it’s easy to see why. Netflix’s South Korean fitness bonanza combines wacky concepts (anyone?) with truly grueling physical challenges to deliver compelling entertainment.
For those who haven’t seen it, the show starts with 100 contestants of all shapes, sizes and genders before periodically whittling that number down to a ‘definitive physique’ through a series of tasks or ‘missions’.
It is the uniqueness of these missions that, in my eyes, does Physics: 100 one of best netflix shows. The first season featured a series of tests inspired by Greek myth, including Sisyphus’ task of repeatedly rolling a rock up a hill until it falls, and the first task was deceptively simple: see how long he can hang each contestant on a bar over a tank of water until they fall. However, the recently released second season begins with a simpler mission: running.
The contestants were faced with a room containing 100 curved treadmills. These machines use more energy than a standard treadmill because the user is responsible for turning on the belt – see our curved treadmills vs motorized treadmills comparison of all differences. The challenge for the athletes was to run as far as they could in three timed intervals.
And, as a fitness enthusiast watching 100 people suffer from the comfort of my couch, I immediately knew I wanted to try the test for myself.
How to take the Netflix physical endurance test: 100 with an Apple Watch
(Image: © Future / Harry Bullmore)
Contestants had to run as far as they could in 10 minutes, then seven minutes and finally five minutes, with short breaks in between. After the first round, the bottom 50 athletes were eliminated, after which the second 40 plus received their marching orders, and the final interval decided the order of the top 10. This ranking gave preferential treatment to top performers in future missions.
I don’t have a corner runner. Neither does the gym where I train. But I have a park nearby, so I created a custom outdoor run Apple Watch Ultra 2laces mine best running shoes and leave
- Set up a custom workout in the “outdoor running” multisport tracking option on your Apple Watch (or the equivalent if you’re using another fitness tracker). Read our guide to find out how to set up a custom workout on your Apple Watch.
- This personalized workout should have three timed intervals of 10 minutes, seven minutes and five minutes respectively, each separated by a three minute recovery period.
- Warm up and get to work.
- The goal is to run as far as possible over the course of these three rounds.
What happened when I tried Netflix’s Physical Endurance Test: 100
I like to do difficult things. I lift weights most days, run twice a week and never say no to sports of any kind. But there was a point during the second interval of this one Physics: 100 test where I wondered why I was so eager to try it.
You’re running for 22 minutes total, so I figured with a couple of three-minute breaks along the way, I should be able to get to five miles pretty easily.
I was wrong. The first 10 minutes went surprisingly well, and I benefited from a slight descent to facilitate my “search” as Physics: 100 refers to it. At the end of the first set I was breathing heavily but felt good, having covered 2.3 km. That would have been enough to make the top 50 Physics: 100. The best performer in the show recorded a distance of 2416m, and the elimination cut was 1841m.
Having used corner racers in the past, I have to say that I find them significantly slower and more demanding than simply running around the outside, but it was still fun to have scores to race against.
After my first interval, I stopped to take my prescribed three-minute breather. But after about 20 seconds, my vibrating watch told me it was time to get moving again. I did as I was told, only to discover that someone had surreptitiously swapped my legs for lead columns while I was “recovering”.
Legendary endurance coach Chris Hinshaw once described the 5,000m as a “true test of overall athletic fitness”, requiring both physical and mental ability. I was definitely fighting a two-front battle at this point, with my body in constant discomfort and my mind trying to distract myself from this pain by counting steps.
I finished the second interval and leaned aggressively against a nearby rail, having accumulated 2,800 meters according to my Apple Watch. This would have been close to disqualification, with tenth-placed Physical:100 contestant recording 3,803m. The winner soared ahead at 4,160m, while the tallest female contestant (handball player Park Ha-Yan) finished 36th at 3,375m.
Once again, the three minute break passed in the blink of an eye, but this time I knew what to expect and adjusted accordingly. As a result, I was able to pick up my speed from the previous round, averaging 4’04”/km (with a final sprint) instead of 4’41”/km. As the last second ticked away, I reached 5.02km and promptly collapsed onto a park bench.
“Never again,” I muttered to myself, knowing full well that I would return to this test at a later date to try and improve my score, as well as those in Physics: 100 contestants.
My distance would have seen me finish in 10th place, with the winner (former firefighter Hong Beom-seok) reaching a lofty 5,472m. Roll on the third season.
You might also like…
#Netflixs #Endurance #Test #hardest #workouts #Ive
Image Source : www.techradar.com