What doesn't kill us.
Or- Get Ahead by Getting Started
Think.
So far this month we have covered two of the force multipliers in Line of Effort 1, sleep and nutrition.
Today we are going to talk exercise.
By now it should go without saying— I am not licensed to give exercise advice, but I do get to work with a crew of top-notch strength and conditioning coaches, physical therapists, and athletic trainers, and I ask them a lot of questions. I’ve also spent my adult life in special operations units which demand a high level of fitness, and have competed in over sixty ultramarathons. None of this means I know a lot, but I have learned a thing or two along the way.
Exercise is the third leg in the triad of sleep nutrition and exercise.
If you work out you feel better, you sleep better, you look better.
I know that plenty of my readers already have great exercise habits, so if what you are doing works for you, swell. Keep at it.
But if you don’t have a solid exercise program, start one.
The CDC recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week for a total of 150 minutes. That should include at least 2 strength training sessions and several cardio sessions.
That’s a great starting point, but I’m not interested in the minimum.
An American Medical Association published study that found that:
“Those who worked out two to four times above the moderate physical activity recommendations—about 300 to 599 minutes each week—saw the most benefit,” and “any combination of medium to high levels” of vigorous (75 to 300 minutes per week) and moderate physical activity (150 to 600 minutes per week) “can provide nearly the maximum mortality reduction,” which is about 35% to 42%.
At the high end that is nearly 90 minutes per day which might seem impossible, but next time we’ll talk about how we can start to squeeze out the time.
Another point to consider is how you use the time you do have for exercise.
I have become painfully aware following a minor shoulder injury that just jacking steel and running or rucking hard isn’t meeting all of my requirements.
If we want to be well-rounded and as physically capable as possible, we need to add a few other considerations into the mix.
This is my breakdown of the physical capabilities we should be training.
Speed- How fast you are.
Agility- The ability to move quickly and easily.
Strength- How strong you are.
Power- A combination of Speed and Strength.
Endurance- The ability to sustain exercise for an extended period.
Balance- The ability to maintain equilibrium while stationary or moving.
Mobility- The ability to move joints through a full range of motion.
Flexibility- The ability of muscles, tendons, and ligaments to lengthen through a range of motion.
I have never been great about training the ‘ilities’: Agility, Mobility, and Flexibility.
I got away with it for a long time, but I promise you those chickens will eventually come home to roost.
Now I’m finding ways to add the ‘ilities’ in during my warm-up, in between sets, as part of a cool down, and during breaks throughout the day.
There is a link to a great article by
in the Read section about exercise ‘snacks.’One of the biggest hurdles to readdressing your fitness program is simply not knowing what to do.
Fortunately, my friends at SOFLETE have a phenomenal app with workouts designed for any skill level or equipment restriction. The workouts have mobility, flexibility, and balance built in.
A subscription also includes a great nutrition program.
You can get a free 10-day trial here:
When you decide to pull the trigger on any of their world-class training, supplements, or gear. You can get 20% off with the code: Walkingpoint20
Next week we’ll take a look at how we can use LOE 1 as a force multiplier.
Read. Physiologically Speaking
By
Write.
I thought I would share what a five-star reviewer had to say about my forthcoming book, Tough Rugged Bastards.
Tough, Rugged Bastards is just as much about Dailey's exploits in the Marine Corps as it is discovering what it means to live a life well. It's rare to find an author with such a wealth of experience--both lived firsthand and learned from philosophers and writers.
You don't need to be a serviceman to find valuable lessons from this book. Tough, Rugged Bastards is about belonging, working hard, and committing yourself to being as much as you can be for the sake of those you care about--and for the sake of yourself.
"Doing hard things makes hard things easier," Dailey writes. But a life lived hard doesn't make for a life that's cold, unpleasant, or brutal. Dailey shows us how those hard things we do make life's pleasures that much more richer, satisfying, and meaningful.
A J G, Reviewer
Repeat.
Words of wisdom from those who said it best.
“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” — Edward Stanley
My Sunday morning ruck video. If you enjoy it subscribe to my YouTube channel and share it with a friend.
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See you next Thursday!
I'm excited to read your book later this summer. I'm going through lots of Marine Corps books in preparation to read it. I just finished a biography of General Mattis and will be reading, Helmet for My Pillow, and With the Old Breed next.