Every fall and every January, my inbox fills up with the same question: "Should I do 75 Hard or 75 Soft?" And lately, "what even is 75 Medium?" I’ve coached women through all three, I’ve done a version myself between school drop-offs and Pilates classes, and I have opinions. Here’s the honest side-by-side so you can pick the one you’ll actually finish.
Why You’ll Love This Comparison
- All three rule sets in one chart — no more scrolling five different sites.
- Which version fits which season of life (postpartum, perimenopause, four kids, all of the above).
- My coach’s pick for most women over 30.
- A free printable tracker for whichever one you choose.
The Quick Comparison
| Rule | 75 Hard | 75 Medium | 75 Soft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workouts | Two 45-min daily, one outdoors | One 45-min daily, outdoors 3x/week | 45 min, 6 days/week, one active recovery day |
| Diet | Strict diet, no alcohol, no cheat meals | Healthy diet, one cheat meal/week, no alcohol | Eat well, alcohol only on social occasions |
| Water | 1 gallon | 3 liters | 3 liters |
| Reading | 10 pages nonfiction | 10 pages any book | 10 pages any book |
| Progress photo | Daily | Weekly | Day 1 and day 75 |
| Miss a rule? | Start over at day 1 | Keep going | Keep going |
Note: 75 Hard is a trademarked program by Andy Frisella. 75 Soft and 75 Medium are community-created variations, so you’ll see the rules worded slightly differently depending on who’s sharing them.
75 Hard: Who It’s For
75 Hard is built as a mental toughness program, not a fitness plan. It’s for you if you have a flexible schedule, you’re not postpartum or breastfeeding, and you want the all-or-nothing structure. Two workouts a day is 90 minutes minimum — be honest about whether you have it. Full rules in my 75 Hard challenge rules explained post.
75 Medium: The Middle Ground
This is the one I recommend to women who’ve already built a workout habit and want a real push without the start-over rule. One workout a day is doable around kids. The weekly cheat meal means you can eat pizza at the birthday party. The no-alcohol rule stays, which honestly is where most of the results come from.
75 Soft: Where Most Moms Should Start
If you’re over 30, working, raising kids, and haven’t been consistent in a while, 75 Soft is the win. Six workouts a week at 45 minutes builds the habit. Three liters of water is 100 ounces — very doable. And there’s no punishment for a bad day, which matters more than people think. The women I’ve coached who finish 75 Soft usually keep going. The women who quit 75 Hard on day 9 usually don’t try again for a year. I wrote my own mom-tested version here: 75 Soft Challenge Rules for Moms.
My Coach’s Pick for Women Over 30
75 Soft, done perfectly, beats 75 Hard, done for 11 days. Start Soft. If you finish and want more, run 75 Medium next. Save Hard for a season when your schedule is truly yours.
One exception: if you’re less than a year postpartum or breastfeeding, do 75 Soft only and swap "45 minutes" for "30 minutes of walking or Pilates." As a Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist, that’s my non-negotiable.
What You Need for Any Version
- Time-marked water bottle (3L for Soft/Medium, gallon for Hard)
- Walking shoes with real cushion
- Thick Pilates mat for indoor days
- A book you actually want to read
Free Tracker
My free 75 Hard tracker printable has a 75 Soft page too. Print the one you’re doing.
FAQ
Is 75 Soft easier than 75 Hard?
Yes, on paper. But six workouts a week for 75 days is still a serious commitment — it’s "sustainable," not "easy."
Can you lose weight on 75 Soft?
Many women do, mostly from cutting alcohol and moving daily. It isn’t a weight-loss program, though, and I don’t set weight goals for it.
Which one gets the best results?
The one you finish. The results come from 75 days of consistency, not from which rule set you picked.
Can I switch mid-challenge?
Under 75 Hard’s rules, no. Under Soft or Medium, you make the rules — but decide up front and write them on your tracker.