For those who don’t know, I do my kettle bell workout every fourth day, starting with the 2nd of the month, then the 6th, 10th, and so on of each month. Today is the 17th, so tomorrow I do it. (Incidentally, on alternate even-numbered days—the 4th, 8th, 12th, etc—I row indoors or run, depending on the weather). What does lifting have to do with getting on my knees? I don’t[…] Keep reading →

David Burkus is a public speaker and he’s an author on leadership related things. He’s helped me a lot in my career. He’s help me with writing. He’s helped me with my speaking style and the business stuff behind it. His book is about networking but in my style, it comes from an academic perspective but also practical on the ground approach. It’s not merely what to do, nor is[…] Keep reading →

I used to be limber, in my twenties. In a hurdler stretch I could touch my nose to my knee with my knee straight. During my twice daily burpee-based calisthenic routine I do a couple stretches—my hamstring for sixty breaths immediately after the burpees and a bridge stretch for nine breaths near the end of the routine. I didn’t start stretching to get limber, though. I keep reading that flexibility[…] Keep reading →

I’ve been exercising more than usual for the past few months, amid travel. You might say I haven’t given my body time to recover, and I probably haven’t, but I find it glorious. This episode explains why. It’s about Fitness Travel Lego Eating Burpees Sidchas Discipline Diligence Resilience Lugubriousness Struggle Glory and so on.

7 Healthy Sounding Articles that Normalize the Opposite When did being sedentary become the standard? Facts alone rarely influence behavior. Would you be surprised that many journalists who sound like they are promoting health are actually promoting the opposite? Do you notice anything in common in these headlines? From the New York Times: How Exercise Can Keep Aging Muscles and Immune Systems ‘Young’ From the New York Times: How Exercise May Help the Memory Grow Stronger From the[…] Keep reading →

This Man’s Daily Habit May Be the Most Productive Ever Imagine building Central Park yourself. Jadav Payeng did more. With his bare hands. We’ve long known the benefits of habits–even before Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Regular readers of my column know the value of sidchas—Self-Imposed Daily Challenging Healthy Activities–which are more than just habits. They help define you. Successful people have sidchas. Not all,[…] Keep reading →

Why I Always Take the Stairs Exercise is everywhere if you want it. And it simplifies your life. I’ve written before about how lazy I am, but how much fitness helps my career, relationships, and mood, so I find ways to integrate exercise into my life without taking time or resources from the rest of it. On the contrary, exercise consistently gives to the rest of my life. Today, let’s talk stairs. I live on the fifth[…] Keep reading →