newsletter archives

Discipline of steel #40

1) Strong triceps at home.
2) Why you shouldn’t train every day.
3) Focus on strength and everything follows.
4) Exercising is like brushing your teeth.

Read time: 3.9 minutes

We’re all athletes.

Because whatever your craft is, exercise will make you better at it.

Whether it’s the mental clarity, the strength, the endurance, or all at once, working out will give you that.

Even the endurance to sit and stare at a screen all day.
And more importantly, it will help you offset the damages of it.

Whatever you do, training in the gym will improve your performance at work or in art.

And that’s why you should have the right tools, the right environment, and the right program.

You should see training as part of your job.
Hopefully your company understands that too and gives you as much chance as possible to keep fit.

Remember this the next time you step into the gym.
You’re an athlete, and training is your duty.

If you need help or have a question about your training, please let me know by replying to this email and I’ll share my answer with everyone.

Now let’s start! 💪

1. Strong triceps at home.

Doing arm extensions with a resistance band is very different from doing them with a dumbbell or a cable machine.

1) You not only need strength to extend your arm, but you also need strong secondary muscles to keep your arm balanced and be able to complete the movement without your hand being pulled back to one side.

2) The more you pull the band, the heavier it feels. This follows your strength curve and ensures the resistance increases as the movement itself becomes easier.
Indeed, the hardest part of this exercise is the start, and the easiest is the end. A band makes it equally challenging throughout the movement.

This is much more functional and trains the full muscle group.

This is why arm extensions with a resistance band are superior to their dumbbell version.

Click this link for the full YouTube video and instructions.

2. Why you shouldn’t train every day.

There are still people who ask me if I train every day.

And I see how one of the most important pillars of fitness is still not known or understood by most.

No, I don’t train every day.
Because if I did, I wouldn’t be as fit, I wouldn’t feel that good, and I would probably be dealing with a few injuries.

Progress needs 2 factors to happen: stress and recovery.
Or in more simple terms, working out and getting some rest.

And don’t be mistaken!
Training different muscles every day doesn’t work for 3 reasons:

1) You always use every muscle of your body somehow.
2) Your nervous system needs some rest too.
3) You can’t have a muscle group fully recovering while you stress another.

The fastest way to make progress requires you to fully rest.

That’s why I train 3-4 times a week, and so should you.

PS: believe me, I'd never be able to pull off this front lever if I didn't take rest as seriously as training.

3. Focus on strength and everything follows.

Strength training is different from resistance training.

Here’s what you need to know and why I love it.

9 years ago I shifted my focus and started training with the primary goal to increase my absolute and relative-to-bodyweight strength.
And it has changed my life.

Not only does it bring me instant benefits, it fulfills all my long-term goals too:

- It is the rawest form of self-development, which is deeply satisfying.
- It carries over virtually every single thing you do in life.
- It is the best way I’ve found to build a proportionate and lean physique.
- It is the best thing you can do for longevity and healthspan.
- It is a slow-paced form of exercise that I enjoy more than high-intensity workouts.
- It is a great way to clear your mind because lifting heavy forces you to focus and be mindful.

Give it a try if that sounds like something you’d enjoy too.

But what I hope above all is that you find your own form of exercise that you love as much as I love strength.
Because loving what you do is the real key to consistency and a fit life.

4. Exercising is like brushing your teeth.

Your daily routine is already full of tasks that you consider non-negotiable because you see their direct value. Like showering, brushing your teeth, or cleaning your house.

It is time you see the value of strength training too.

Because it is equally determining for your well-being, prevention of disease, and longevity.

If we really looked at it objectively, not working out every week would be seen as abnormal as not brushing our teeth every day.

The problem is that the effect of not training your body is not as immediate and direct, and that’s why its necessity is not as obvious.

That’s also why you should never wait for life to give you a good reason to take your health and fitness in hand.

Because it seldom comes in the form of good news, and it is sometimes too late.

Wake up while it’s still time, and see physical training as what it really is: your duty.

“Training your mind to be in the present moment is the number one key to making healthier choices.” ― Susan Albers