Andy Frisella didn't design the 75 Hard program to be a fitness challenge. He calls it a "mental toughness program." But let’s be real for a second. Most people who start the original—with its two-a-day workouts, gallon of water, and strict "no cheat meals" rule—end up failing by day 14 because life happens. Maybe your kid gets sick. Maybe you have a 14-hour workday. That's exactly why 75 hard variations have exploded in popularity across TikTok and Instagram. People want the discipline, but they don't want to ruin their lives or get an overuse injury just to prove a point.
It’s about finding that middle ground. You’re looking for something that pushes you without breaking you.
The Problem With the Original Blueprint
The "Live Hard" program is rigid. If you miss one page of your ten pages of non-fiction reading, you start over at day one. Even if you're on day 74. That level of intensity is great for a specific personality type, but for a lot of us, it leads to a "f*** it" mentality. You fail once, and instead of pivoting, you quit entirely.
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Experts like Dr. Mike Israetel from Renaissance Periodization often talk about the "stimulus to fatigue ratio." If you’re doing two 45-minute workouts every single day—one of which must be outside regardless of a literal blizzard—you’re racking up a massive amount of systemic fatigue. For someone working a desk job who hasn't exercised in years, jumping straight into the OG 75 Hard is a recipe for a stress fracture or a complete cortisol spike that wrecks your sleep.
That’s where the community stepped in. They started tweaking the dials. They kept the structure but swapped the "punishment" for "sustainability."
75 Soft: The Gateway Drug to Discipline
You've probably heard of 75 Soft. It was started by Stephen Gallagher (a TikToker, not a scientist, let's be clear), and it basically took the edge off. Instead of two workouts, you do one 45-minute session. You get one "active recovery" day a week. You only drink when it’s a social occasion.
It sounds "easy" compared to the original, but for the average person, it’s actually more effective because they finish it.
What a 75 Soft Day Usually Looks Like:
- Eat well. Just generally. No specific "diet" but maybe skip the processed sugar.
- Only drink alcohol during social events. No solo beers on the couch.
- One 45-minute workout.
- Drink 3 liters of water. (A gallon is roughly 3.7 liters, so this is slightly more manageable for your bladder).
- Read 10 pages of any book.
It’s less about the "mental toughness" of enduring suffering and more about the "habit stacking" popularized by James Clear. You're building a lifestyle, not surviving a bootcamp.
The 75 Medium: Finding the "Just Right" Zone
If 75 Hard is "Black Diamond" and 75 Soft is the "Bunny Hill," then 75 Medium is the "Blue Square" trail. This is one of the more popular 75 hard variations for people who are already somewhat fit but have a life.
Most 75 Medium protocols involve one intense workout and one light workout (like a walk or yoga). You still do the reading. You still do the water. But maybe you allow yourself one "cheat meal" a week or a single alcoholic drink at a wedding. It acknowledges that human beings are social creatures.
The psychology here is interesting. By allowing a small amount of flexibility, you're practicing "flexible restraint." This is a concept often discussed in nutritional psychology. Rigid restraint—the "I can never have a cookie" mindset—often leads to bingeing. Flexible restraint—the "I can have a cookie on Saturday if I want one"—actually leads to better long-term weight management and mental health.
75 Hard Variations for Busy Professionals
Let’s talk about the "75 Executive" or "75 Brain." These are the variations that prioritize cognitive output over physical exhaustion.
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I’ve seen versions where the "outdoor workout" is replaced by 45 minutes of "Deep Work" or professional development. Instead of just reading 10 pages of a book, you might be required to write 500 words or spend 20 minutes in focused meditation.
The core of any of these 75 hard variations is the "Rule of Five." You pick five non-negotiable tasks. You do them every day.
- Task 1: Movement (Gym, Walk, Sport)
- Task 2: Fuel (Specific caloric goal or whole foods)
- Task 3: Hydration (Water target)
- Task 4: Mindset (Reading, Meditation, Journaling)
- Task 5: Progress (A photo, a checklist, or a "win" log)
Why Most People Fail (Even the Easy Versions)
It isn't the workouts. It isn't the water. It's the "all or nothing" ghost that haunts these challenges.
People treat these variations like a finish line. They think, "Once I hit day 75, I can go back to normal." But "normal" is what got you looking for a challenge in the first place. The real experts in habit formation, like BJ Fogg (author of Tiny Habits), suggest that the intensity of the challenge matters less than the consistency of the trigger.
If you choose a variation that is too hard, you’ll never create a trigger. You’ll only create trauma associated with the gym. If you choose one that is too easy, you won't feel the "dopamine hit" of accomplishment.
The "Build Your Own" Protocol
Honestly? The best variation is the one you design for your specific weaknesses.
If you already work out like a beast but eat like a teenager, your 75-day challenge shouldn't be about more workouts. It should be about 75 days of hitting your protein goals and zero sugar.
If you are a couch potato but a voracious reader, your challenge shouldn't focus on the 10 pages of reading. It should focus on the two walks a day.
A Sample "Custom" Framework:
- Physical: 30 minutes of intentional movement. Could be a walk. Could be a CrossFit WOD. Just move.
- Dietary: Follow one specific rule. Maybe it’s "No eating after 8 PM" or "Vegetables with every meal."
- Mental: 10 minutes of silence. No phone. No podcast. Just your brain.
- Hydration: Half your body weight in ounces of water.
- Accountability: Take a photo. Not for Instagram, but for you. To see the change in your eyes and your posture over two and a half months.
Is it Still "Hard"?
Purists will tell you that if it’s not the original, it’s not Hard. They're right, technically.
But who cares?
The goal of looking into 75 hard variations is to find a way to stop being a version of yourself that you don't like. If a "Soft" version gets you to stop scrolling TikTok for three hours a night and starts you reading books again, that is a massive win.
If a "Medium" version helps you lose 10 pounds and finally understand what a "macro" is, then you’ve succeeded.
Don't let the "Hard" gatekeepers stop you from making "Better."
Actionable Steps to Start Your 75-Day Journey
- Audit Your Current Baseline. Don't commit to two-a-days if you currently do zero-a-days. Start with 75 Soft or a custom 30-minute daily movement goal.
- Pick Your "One Big Rule." Instead of a generic "diet," pick one specific thing to eliminate (like soda) or one thing to add (like 30g of protein at breakfast).
- Buy a Physical Calendar. There is something visceral about marking a big red 'X' on a piece of paper. Digital trackers are easy to ignore; a giant calendar on your fridge is not.
- Prepare for Day 12. Statistically, this is where the novelty wears off and the "suck" begins. Have your meals prepped and your gym clothes laid out the night before Day 11.
- Focus on the "Why." If you're doing this just for a "before and after" photo, you'll likely quit. Do it because you want to prove to yourself that you can keep a promise to yourself.
Select the variation that fits your life, not the one that looks coolest on a hashtag. True mental toughness is knowing your limits and then pushing them just enough to grow without snapping.