👋 Hey.
Welcome to issue #26 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter. Thanks for being here.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (3.5 min read):
📕 The Everyday Athlete strength training handbook
I've written a longer article called the Everyday Athlete Strength Training Handbook.
It's for anyone who does their own thing at the gym. No program. Not too much thought.
So you can keep some key training principles in mind as you go.
If that sounds like you, there's a link to the article at the bottom of this section.
Either way, here are some highlights:
1. ✅ Adherence
Consistency beats intensity.
Lift heavy but not hard. Always leave 1-2 reps in the tank. Don't go to failure.
2. ⛓ Specialised variety
The law of specific adaptation to imposed demands (SAID) says to get better at something, we have to do it. So we need repetition.
But the law of accommodation says the more we do something, the less we benefit from it. So we need variety.
So our training needs to be the same but different 🤔
There’s a handful of ways to do it. Specialised variety (slight exercise variations) is the simplest.
A back squat one day. A Bulgarian squat the next. And a goblet squat the one after. Same but different.
Grip, bands and chains are other easy ways to mix it up.
3. 🏋 Strength
Follow the rule of 3-5 for strength training.
Train 3-5 times per week.
3-5 sets.
3-5 reps.
Rest 3-5 minutes between each set (or half of that if you superset).
Focus on moving the load as fast as possible in the concentric phase.
(The concentric phase is where the muscle shortens. Like standing up from a squat. Or pulling up in a chin up. Move fast.)
There's 8 more principles if you're interested.
👉 Here's the link to the full article
😴 Twitter thread: The military method
The military method was created by the US Navy.
It’s a technique to help you fall asleep quickly.
The idea is to get you fully relaxed.
It involves a combo of deep breathing, a body scan and mental imagery.
Don't think the US Navy can take credit for any of those things individually. But a lethal cocktail when mixed together.
Here's the summary:
- Start with slow deep breaths
- Then slowly scan down your body from head to toe. Release any muscle tension along the way
- Keep breathing
- Once you reach the toes, it’s time to relax the mind
- Picture yourself in complete darkness
- Repeat “don’t think” in your head
😴 Goodnight.
I’ve been finding it helpful when I wake up in the middle of the night. Even if it's not a stone-cold knockout, it's a nudge in the right direction.
Check out the Tweet for a bit more detail
🏀 Lebron James’ performance toolbox
Lebron James. Beast.
One of the highest-performing humans to ever do it.
He spends $1.5m a year on his body and recovery.
Cryotherapy. Hyperbaric chambers. Compression boots. Chefs. Personal trainers.
When you’ve got the coin for all the extras, great.
But the best part, his performance foundation is built on:
- 😴 8+ hours of sleep
- 🍌 Good food 80-90% of the time
- 🏀 Commitment to training and getting better
- 🤸 Stretching, foam rolling and hot/cold baths
- 🧘 Focused breathing and mindfulness
Complicated, ay…
A reminder that even the best in the world really just do the basics well.
All stuff that’s right in front of us.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
P.s.
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