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NEW YEAR
The Signal is our bi–weekly round–up of interesting stories and inspiring people. Follow along as we dig up ideas that shape our worldview and sharpen our focus to become #betterthanyesterday.
2020's here, and we're all starting to get back into the swing of things. The beginning of a new decade is a time for us to set resolutions, look back on the last few years, and figure out how we're going to tackle the upcoming year. This week, we're taking a look at what's changed in the last decade, and how to ensure we can be at peak performance this year.
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DR. JOHN RUSIN
TRAINING TO GET STRONG ISN'T DANGEROUS. BEING WEAK IS.
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We're back on the grind, which means it's time to get back in the gym – and with intention. Now's the time to focus on building strength, and we think that these five tips are absolutely killer in helping us move our strength training regimen to the next level. From getting better at monitoring our rest periods for optimal effect to keeping barbell work to a surprisingly low amount of our total training volume, we got a lot out of these beginning-of-year tips, and we think you will too.
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BREAKING MUSCLE
THE INGREDIENTS OF SUCCESSFUL FITNESS CHANGE
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We all commit to making changes, but it's easier said than done. A lot of that boils down to our battle between our present self and our future self. Simply put, feelings run the show, outweighing our logical desires – whether it's to set that PR or even get in the gym. To help us get past this mental roadblock and on the way to making the change we want to see, Breaking Muscle left us with ideas and advice that'll help us keep our resolutions on track – and even blow past them.
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LEVELS HEALTH
METABOLIC FITNESS AND ALCOHOL: DO THEY MIX?
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A new year means new goals. Many of us started our year with a champagne toast, so it's only fitting that we look at how alcohol is affecting our health – and how we can promote a more symbiotic relationship between alcohol and our body. Thanks to the team at Levels Health, we got an inside look at how alcohol is affecting our glucose levels and our overall metabolic health, and how we can use what we know about alcohol to shape how we live and how we drink – with some good news to boo, as well.
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NEW YORK TIMES
THE DECADE IN FITNESS
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We can be so caught up in our ever-changing fitness routines that we forget just how much fitness has changed in the last ten years. With the start of a new decade, we wanted to look back at the trends that both shaped our industry and came and went. From the fall of barefoot running to the rapid explosion of HIIT, the New York Times reminded us just how fundamentally fitness was changed in the 2010s. More than that, we were reminded of the numerous scientific findings that – for the first time – brought to the fore the numerous benefits of working out that we had never considered before.
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THE SIGNAL SITS: JOHN LINDSEY
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John Lindsey has a very different focus than most. He's devoted not to mastering specific exercises or movements, but to something much broader (and arguably more important): our ability to move. By shifting our focus from the aesthetic aspects of fitness to improving our body's ability to move, John is committed to making us all better and stronger athletes.
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ABOUT
I'm a personal trainer based in Savannah, GA. I've spent the last four years working towards improving my own movement capacity. It’s a passion of mine I work on and research daily. In grad school, my body was broken; I couldn’t touch my toes, squat past parallel, and I’d have back pain after most workouts. My perspective on what a physical practice was had to change. I began by putting an emphasis on daily mobility work, and as my body started moving like it should, I began working on skills and challenging my body-mind connection more and more. I now share my experience and research with others.
MOVEMENT CAPACITY
A physical practice should be centered around improving your body’s ability to move. Who cares how much you squat if you leave the gym with back pain half the time? Most people tend to shy away from their weaknesses; however, I embrace mine and work on making them a strength. Dropping my ego and realizing I need to make my body work better was one of the best decisions I've made.
MOVEMENT IN DAILY LIFE
It’s made me embrace the process. A handstand could take a year to get with little progress initially, similar to building a business. It’s super discouraging at first but totally worth it in the end.
UNSEEN BENEFIT
It’s unreal how easy it makes basic movements. Have to get up and down off the floor? Cossack squat ass to grass, and you’re there!
WHY WE SHOULD CARE
Everyone lives such a sedentary life outside of their physical practice, to the point that over time, they will develop some restrictions in the body. If you don’t have at least a small mobility routine, your body will run in to an issue at some point. A Crossfitter might not quite be able to get full shoulder flexion, but nonetheless, they force it every time they snatch. It’s this forcing of a position you don’t fully own that is a recipe for a big time injury. You only get one body, don’t fuck it up - figure out your restrictions and get to work.
KEY TO SUCCESS
Trust the process and find a smart coach or mentor. You won’t see incredible progress right away, it takes time; stay the course and don’t get discouraged.
STAYING FIT
It’s a daily thing, improving mobility and working on body weight strength skills can be trained quite often. I do a morning and afternoon session most days. It's fun as hell, and I feel incredible
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STAYED MOTIVATED
In fitness, it’s easy. I love to move so I will always find a way, even if it means sacrificing a bit of sleep to get some work in. In life, I just think of what the worst-case scenario could possibly be. It’s never as bad as you think - don’t overreact to stupid situations.
HOW HE SWEATS
Bodyweight strength skills like handstand work, dragon squats, and gymnastic ring work are my absolute favorite. The process behind these can be frustrating at times, but when you acquire a new skill it is incredibly rewarding.
WHY FITNESS MATTERS
I love my life, and I want to enjoy it as long as possible.
GEAR
Foundation Short, no liner.
SHOP JOHN'S FAVORITE GEAR
JOHN ON INSTAGRAM
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOVEMENT JOURNEY
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TEN THOUSAND
1123 BROADWAY, #1215
NEW YORK, NY 10010
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