Sunday Story…Exercise 3.0

Recently Dr. Peter Attia released a book, “Outlive”. In it, he talks about 3 distinct phases of medicine…1.0 which is basically the world of medicine before germ theory came into being. 2.0 which is where we are now…treating disease, fixing broken stuff, creating vaccines, and some preventative care. And 3.0 which is where we want to be…a proactive, preventative medical outlook that addresses the root causes of diseases and the processes of aging with an eye toward living as well as possible as long as possible. It’s a great book (I’m only 1/3 of the way through), very informative, and information dense.

I’m going to apply the same distinctions to exercise. Exercise 1.0 was where we all started. Think Jane Fonda, the beginnings of the running craze, Arnold’s bodybuilding…if it’s Tuesday it must be Leg Day! 2.0 is where we are now…realizing that we must go hard, lift heavy, prepare for the unknown and unknowable, eat right, and combine lots of different modalities to achieve a broad and inclusive fitness. 2.0, however, left off some important things. That is where 3.0 comes in.

In exercise 3.0 we are now realizing the importance of heart rate training. We already knew that strength training helps prevent osteoporosis and the muscle wasting aging causes. 2.0 showed us the importance of high-intensity and sprint work. But now we are adding in the importance of recovery…in other words, we don’t need to be on the ground gasping for air and wondering what the number of the bus was that just ran over us after every workout.  Just once in while!

More on 3.0 next week! It’s super important for your aging process. Let’s be honest…every one of us is getting older but none of us need to face decay and decrepitude. It isn’t inevitable, it’s preventable.

 

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412

Sunday Story…Moving Well

We recently finished the CrossFit Games quarterfinals. In both the quarters and the semis all the workouts must be videoed and posted for submission for your score to count. Here’s the bottom line: there are standards for every movement. You are required to meet that standard. This is one of the ways to maintain a level playing field. If you fail to meet the standard and your onsite judge misses your failure the video reviewer will assess a penalty. The idea is to have everyone meet the same standard.

But you aren’t in those contests so why do I bring this up? Because you are in a contest every time you work out. Your challenge is to hit the standard of movement every time…not 1 in 10 not half the time….every. time. If it’s a squat…get your hip crease lower than your knee. If it’s an overhead movement…lock it out…that means full lockout from your knees to your elbows. What about when you are warming up? That’s when you can work your way in the full range of movement. If you ever see my first overhead squat (even with just PVC) you will see something that is not a squat. But in a few more attempts I will get there. Your warm-up is the time to use light weight and grease the skid for the full range of motion.

It does us no good to use weight or a movement that we can’t do. You aren’t going to improve, and you are risking injury. The movement standards are there for a reason…not just to give the coach something to yell about!

 

John Mariotti

www.sunday-story.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412

Sunday Story…the 4 Horseman

Barring an accident…getting hit by a bus, falling off a roof, or something along those lines your demise is largely in your own hands. The cause of death most prevalent in our modern world? Cardiovascular disease. Second place goes to cancer and in third is neuro-cognitive diseases. Diabetes rounds out the list. As much as I hate to repeat myself…many of these outcomes can be mitigated by the 3 magical elixirs…Exercise, Sleep, Nutrition.

 

Although many of the cardiovascular problems can be traced back to genetic components, the end of the story is not set in stone. By improving your cardiovascular fitness, you can change or mitigate your outcomes. I know of one family where the male members all died under 50 years of age due to cardiovascular disease. Armed with this knowledge the youngest member (in his 30’s) is a fitness, food, and rest fanatic. Additionally, he is religious about his health checkups. He has taken this bull by the horns and is doing everything he can do to shift the odds in his favor. As we discover more and more there is more and more we can do about these outcomes.

 

In other words, just because your relatives passed on some problematic health problems, you do not need to resign yourself to their poor health outcomes. But you are going to need to be proactive with your medical providers and your fitness. By fitness, I mean your cardiovascular, your strength, your rest and recovery, and your diet.

 

You’ve heard it before…eat right, exercise, and sleep. Now you need to take it on like your life depends on it. Because it does.

 

Remember…to know and not do is to not yet know.

 

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412

 

Sunday Story…The Epidemic of Easy

Or the Culture of Comfort. No matter what you want to call it we are in the middle of it. I see it all the time. Heck, I want easy too! Being uncomfortable is, well, uncomfortable. It is so much easier to do less, pay less attention, take the easy route, or just find the magic pill or easy button.

Our culture is constantly barraging you with those messages. Buy this food it’s easy and simple to prepare. Take this pill and you will lose weight without trying. Download this app and it will eliminate all those pesky subscriptions you didn’t cancel. All you need to do is do this easy exercise regimen in your bedroom every day for 15 minutes and voila! You too will have 6 pack abs, a beach-ready body, and a tan. What no one tells you is the true cost of these things. Notice I said cost…not price. The price of most of this stuff is not prohibitive. The cost, however, can be exorbitant.

That pill? The list of side effects may include death! That easy and simple food? This could be a contributing factor in your metabolic derangement. That exercise regimen overpromised and under-delivered.

There is no easy button folks. No magic pill that is going to bestow vibrant health and fitness into your 70s, 80s, and beyond. No perfect food, or exercise regimen. You are going to have to do work. You are going to have to track your results and stay mindful and intentional about what you are doing.

If you want to be in the centenarian Olympic games you need to start today and know that the winner of the game is the one who enjoys the process the most!

As I so often say…the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary!

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412

 

 Sunday Story…Living Longer Better (Recap!)

 

Over the last few weeks, we’ve covered the 9 things you must do to be part of the centenarian Olympics. Here they are:

Move

Long slow distance…70% of your max heart rate for 45 minutes a session. 2 or 3 days a week should work.

Pick up heavy things…mix up all the compound lifts at least twice weekly.

Sprint…go fast, go heavy, and go all out a couple times a month.

Eat

Eat Real Food…things you can identify their source and don’t need a label.

Don’t eat Sugar…it isn’t helping!

Eat to perform…In other words portion control. Not too much, not too little, just right

Attitude

Sleep Well…create good sleep habits, watch your screen consumption before bed, and prioritize it.

Cure your stress…meditate, walk, and play. Stop stressing out!

Say Thanks…gratitude is simple, and you have much to be grateful for if you allow yourself to feel and express it.

 

There are 9 things that are going to help you on your quest to be the best you can be as you venture deep into the unknown territory of aging. Are there more things? Sure but these 9 are well-researched and proven to ease your journey. And as I say so often…It is simple, it’s just not easy.

 

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com    

775-338-2412

 

 

 

Sunday Story…The last 3 (gratitude!)

The last one of the 9 principles of living longer and better is simple…live with gratitude.

Gratitude is the antidote to depression, anxiety, and many other malaises of modern living. It is hard to stay in a funk when you speak your gratitude aloud. It is almost impossible not to have a positive impact on your mental health when you share your gratitude with the people close to you.

Let’s be perfectly frank…if you are reading this message you are part of the most fortunate 1% on the planet. At the very least you can have gratitude for that. So, say a little prayer of thanks for all the things you do have. They may not be everything you want or think you should have but it is waaaay more than so many others in the world.

If you want to level up your gratitude tell the people closest to you thanks and tell them what you are thanking them for. Doing this benefits both of you. It will imbue you with a deep sense of gratitude and the recipient will realize how they are impacting someone else’s life. That’s a win-win in my book!

There is no limit to your gratitude. As a matter of fact, the more gratitude you express the more gratitude you feel. It is a magical proposition. Your gratitude well will never run dry!

Gratitude…give some, get more back!

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412

 

Sunday Story…The last 3 (#2 stress!)

 

Stress kills but stress also keeps you alive. Stress is necessary for growth but too much stress will stunt growth. Stress is what kept you from being devoured by a saber tooth tiger way back when, but stress is also what keeps you from sleeping well at night and performing your best in the gym. Stress is neither good nor bad…it is just a fact of life.

How you manage stress is what matters. If you manage stress by imbibing in alcohol or some other toxic substance or behavior you are not doing yourself any favors. As a matter of fact those sorts of things actually add to the stress your various body parts are under. Stress isn’t just a mental issue; it also manifests in your body. It is often why people get sick and stay sick.

So…what are you going to do? Stress is going to happen. What strategies can you employ that will lessen the impact? Here are some that come to mind:

Breathe.  Take a deep breath in through your nose and release it through your mouth, audibly. Repeat several times. Try “box” breathing…inhale for a 4 count, hold for four, release for 4, hold for 4. These are 2 very simple and accessible strategies.

Take a walk outside. No goal, no pace, no heart rate monitor, just walk and be in the great outdoors. Sunlight is good for you (vitamin D) and your mood.

Try meditation (sit and breathe!) or Tai Chi (move slowly and breathe) of Chi Gung (move differently and breathe).

Here’s the bottom line: if you don’t manage your stress your stress is going to mange you. And you probably won’t like the results!

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412