In his latest video, former Olympian turned vlogger Nick Symmonds challenges fellow YouTuber Nick Bare to a charity game of H.O.R.S.E., a fitness challenge wherein each time somebody “fails” a round, they are given a letter. The first person to be given all five letters loses the game, and has to write a check for his opponent’s preferred organization. Symmonds has packed on muscle and built up his strength considerably since his pro runner days, but is that enough to compete against Army vet and bodybuilder Bare?
The first round of the game is pushups. Bare might have an advantage here, as he has previously made a video documenting his morning routine of doing 100 pushups, a daily ritual he has kept going for more than a decade. And to add an extra layer of difficulty, each rep must be performed in time with a metronome, eliminating the ability to stop and rest. Symmonds maxes out at 35, losing the first round.
Once he knows he’s won, Bare stops too, although he teases that he could have kept going indefinitely. “I don’t feel that bad that the military veteran beat the skinny distance runner,” says Symmonds. However, Bare admits that when it comes to endurance challenges, he often starts out way too strong out of the gate. “Pacing has always been one of my weaknesses,” he says.
In an attempt to catch Bare out with his speed and agility, Symmonds proposes a 40-yard suitcase carry with 70-pound dumbbells for the second round. Symmonds goes first and completes the two 20-yard lengths in 10.9 seconds, while Bare takes 11.7 seconds. At this point, both men have an “H” in their game of H.O.R.S.E.
The third test is a static hold with a 10-pound plate in each hand. Symmonds fatigues first, ending his hold at 53 seconds, making Bare the winner of this round.
Next up, they try double-unders. Symmonds acknowledges that his form here is flawed, but he definitely can do the jump rope move, while Bare is a little more apprehensive. Symmonds completes 5, referring to his own performance as “a turd,” while Bare only manages 1 double-under before tripping on the rope, bringing them both neck and neck again.
In the pushup round, Bare cranks out 22 consecutive high-quality reps, while Symmonds maxes out at 16. This is followed by a 100-meter sprint, where former Olympic runner Symmonds might have a big of a leg up. And sure enough, he wins the race. “I actually thought I was going to beat him!” Says Bare.
The next test is bench press, with each Nick trying to reach a higher rep max at 135 pounds. Bare maxes out at 40 reps, while Symmonds reaches failure at 21. “I feel good about that,” he says, even though he is only one letter away from losing the game.
The challenge continues with a set on the rowing machine, which Bare loses, meaning the final event, the dead hang, is the dealbreaker. After 100 seconds, Symmonds caves, making him the “horse” and Bare the overall winner.
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