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The Little-Known Secret To Perseverance That Anyone Can Learn Overnight I’d like to start a discussion about a serious subject if you’re game for it, and it’s gonna get a little personal if that’s ok with you. You see, all my life, I’ve been a rigorous planner. At face value, that sounds like a [...] I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten this question over the years – far too many to remember. Fortunately, there’s an easy answer for everyone – no matter what your goals are. So, which is it: high quality, personalized nutrition or an optimized, challenging exercise routine? And while we’re at it, how [...] I tend to care about things that I can use to improve my health, make me stronger, and ultimately better prepare me for the future. If you’re in the same boat, then I’m going to share a concept with you that may challenge some of the things you know about training, stress, and adaptation. I’m also going to show you how brain-dead easy it is to start using this in your lifestyle. But you’ll have to pay attention or you might not “get” it. I believe it was Nietzsche who said, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger,” and the more we are learning about the human body, the more correct he has become with time.
Say wha? You know… Hormesis. OK, I had never heard of the term either – at least not until a few months ago. According to Mark Mattson, whom, if I’m reading this correctly, is a neuroscientist, “In the fields of biology and medicine hormesis is defined as an adaptive response of cells and organisms to a moderate (usually intermittent) stress. Examples include ischemic preconditioning, exercise, dietary energy restriction and exposures to low doses of certain phytochemicals.” In case the PhD lingo fogged up your brain for a second there, here’s another definition from Stephan Guyenet that is a bit simpler: “Hormesis is the process by which a mild or acute stressor increases resistance to other, more intense or chronic stressors.” (source here) So, you see, at least two people agree with Nietzsche, including a doctor, which obviously makes Friedrich uber-correct on this issue and way ahead of his time (Surely, nobody thought that about him!). But back on point, let’s get a little more specific with this explanation from Todd Becker: “Hormesis is a biological phenomenon whereby a beneficial effect (improved health, stress tolerance, growth or longevity) results from exposure to low doses of an agent that is otherwise toxic or lethal when given at higher doses. The philosophy of Hormetism… is based upon harnessing this biological phenomenon in a deliberate and systematic way in order to increase strength and resilience.” (source here) NOW we’re starting to make some sense – thanks Todd! Exercise is a perfect example of hormesis. You stress the body just enough to elicit a positive adaptation. Vaccinations are another example as is taking a cold shower. There are tons of examples out there! Todd goes on to say, “Hormetism puts forward the thesis that progressive hormesis is a general phenomenon that applies to virtually any stressor. Following the principles of intensity, constraint, oscillation, and gradualism… it should be possible to increase strength and tolerance with respect to a wide, virtually unlimited range of challenges and stressors.” In other words, given the right dose, stress is extremely good for us in many ways. Are you starting to see the far-reaching implications this could have? Yeah, me too, but you’ll want to keep a few things in mind before you load a thousands pounds on the barbell or sign up for the special forces. So, let’s keep going! Gurus make training complex so everyone has to come to them for answers. Why haven’t people figured this out? – Vern Gambetta, world-renowned strength and conditioning coach I’ve got good news for you. You don’t need any gurus in your life! And you definitely don’t need me either. The truth is that you already know what you need to do to get healthier, more fit, and achieve your own individual goals. In fact, you know it better than anyone else, better than any so-called guru ever could. Think I’m kidding? Nope. I’m dead serious. So, let me tell you a few things you already know. If you want to get healthier, more fit, and enjoy a higher quality of life, then… Few comments make my blood boil more than when someone tells me: You must have great genetics. As if my accomplishments are merely the result of a lottery-winning DNA! Discipline, hard work, clarity of purpose, consistency – these things certainly wouldn’t have anything to do with it. Well, I’ve got news for you. Here [...] George Hood. That’s the name of the man who will be entered into the Guinness Book of World Records after holding the plank exercise longer than anyone else ever has – obliterating the world record by nearly 30 seconds…wait…I mean minutes – 30 minutes. Maybe you’ve done a plank before, and maybe you thought you’ve done pretty well. Depending on who you talk to, a three minute plank hold is generally considered the gold standard – and anything beyond that is just gravy. Once you’ve hit 3 minutes and beyond, your core is already plenty strong – or so they say. However, I think a growing number of people have already proven that much of successful planking is all in your head. Mental toughness was certainly a deciding factor with the 5 minute plank challenge I posted last year. And I mean, come on, once you’ve done it for 5 minutes, you’re in the elite club, right? Well, don’t tell that to George Hood, a former Marine and now 54-year old personal trainer from a small city in Illinois. This man is a multiple world record holder and added one more feat to his list of accomplishments after he held a plank for over an hour and twenty minutes – coming in with an official time of 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 5.01 seconds. Hood fought every minute to capture that record, too. It was not a walk in the park, but an act of sheer effort and uncompromising willpower. Take a look at some of the clips taken during the event. He noted that it started to get difficult around 50 minutes, and the last 8 minutes were brutal. I’d rather walk the plank than try to endure this – har har har. George Hood Breaks The Plank World Record
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You see, there’s this little phenomenon known as hormesis.