Cutis had always considered himself pretty tough. He loved a good challenge, especially if it involved proving his strength and endurance. So when his older cousin, Jake, came over one weekend and threw down a new challenge, Cutis couldn’t resist.
“Alright, Cutis,” Jake said, stretching his arms. “I’ve got a workout for you. Ten rounds. Each round gets harder. Think you can handle it?”
Cutis smirked. “Ten rounds? Easy.”
Jake laughed. “We’ll see about that. Get ready.”
Round 1: Jump Squats
Jake started off simple. “Thirty jump squats.”
Cutis powered through them, feeling confident. His legs burned a little, but nothing he couldn’t handle.
Round 2: Push-Ups
“Twenty push-ups. No stopping.”
Cutis dropped to the ground and got to work. By the fifteenth push-up, he started to slow down, but he pushed through and finished strong.
“Not bad,” Jake said. “But we’re just getting started.”
Round 3: Burpees
Burpees. The ultimate test of endurance. “Fifteen burpees, full form.”
Cutis groaned but went at it. By number ten, his energy was dipping. By fifteen, he was gasping for air.
Jake smirked. “Feeling it yet?”
Cutis wiped his forehead. “Pfft. Not even.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “Alright, tough guy. Round four.”
Round 4: Plank Hold
“One minute plank. Don’t drop.”
Cutis got into position. The first 30 seconds were easy. Then the burning set in. His arms trembled, his core screamed, but he gritted his teeth and held on.
“Five more seconds… and time!”
Cutis collapsed, breathing hard. “That was brutal.”
Jake grinned. “We’re not even halfway.”
Round 5: Mountain Climbers
“Forty mountain climbers. Fast.”
Cutis powered through. His legs felt like jelly, his lungs on fire.
“Halfway done,” Jake said. “Think you can make it to ten?”
Cutis nodded. He wasn’t quitting now.
Round 6: Squat Jumps
“Twenty squat jumps.”
Cutis’ legs screamed in protest, but he pushed through, sweat dripping.
Round 7: Triceps Dips
“Fifteen triceps dips.”
Using a chair, Cutis lowered himself, arms shaking.
Round 8: Sprint in Place
“One-minute sprint.”
Cutis pushed himself to move as fast as possible.
Round 9: High Knees
“Forty high knees.”
His body wanted to quit, but his mind said keep going.
Round 10: The Final Push
“Last round. One-minute plank. Then a 30-second wall sit.”
Cutis’ entire body burned, but he refused to give up.
As the timer beeped, he collapsed, completely exhausted but victorious.
Jake laughed. “Not bad, Cutis. You made it.”
Cutis grinned. “Told you. Easy.”
His muscles ached, but deep down, he felt stronger than ever. Ten rounds? Conquered. Now he was ready for anything.
