Movement

I dislike the term exercise, because it conjures up thoughts of having to join a gym and extend yourself in ways that are not always comfortable, especially for beginners.

Joining a gym is not necessarily bad. You can get really advanced with gyms and trainers, but the truth of the matter is, you can do everything you need to do at home. Start out with 10 minutes of movement daily. This can be as simple as going for a 10-minute walk. You can set the timer on your phone for five minutes, walk in one direction, and when the timer goes off, turn around and come back. You should should also incorporate resistance training a least two days per week. Again, start with 10-minute sessions, and this can be as basic as wall push-ups and body weight squats. The goal will be to build up to 20-30 minutes of daily, planned movement or more.

My current regimen:

Of note, I recently took things up a notch after listening to the conversations between Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Andy Galpin found on the Huberman Lab podcast. I encourage you to listen, but it is many hours long and not for the faint of heart. A you will see, I am currently training for many different fitness adaptations during the week.

Monday

5-minute yoga warmup (the Asana Rebel app is excellent if you need some guidance) and then 10X from Mindvalley. I have amped up my version of 10X, while trying to stay true to their principles.

Week 1 – 6X1 (range of 8-20 reps to failure or near-failure)

Week 2 – 6X2 (range of 8-20 reps to failure or near-failure)

Week 3 – 6X3 (rage of 8-20 reps to failure)

Then repeat over the following 3 weeks. Occasionally I change my arm position or the concentric force for a slightly different effect.

There are 6 foundational movements in 10X for working large muscle groups. The 1, 2, and 3 are the number of sets for the week. This is designed to develop the adaptations of muscle strength and hypertrophy. I will deload after approximately every 6 weeks, but more on deloading below. Lastly, for every round of 6 weeks, I will typically increase the weight by 3-5% to create progressive overload.

Tuesday

30-40 minutes of VO2 max training, usually interval training by running.

If it’s a 6X1 week for 10X, as above, I will do 6 cycles of interval training.

6X2, 5 cycles.

6X3, 4 cycles.

Wednesday

My function and stability workout based on Peter Attia’s recommendations from Outlive and then adapted to my preferences:

• Breathing exercises for about 5 minutes. 4-7-8 from Andrew Weil.
• Hang (from your arms) – as long as possible, personal best at 108 seconds and increasing over time.
• Isolated single leg step ups (great description in Outlive) – each leg to failure.
• Turkish get-ups – 5 each side
• Cat/cow 5
• Scapular CARs 5
• Toe yoga
• Alpha Gripz – Flexion, Extension
• Carry (90-100 pounds) – 20 second carry/20 second rest for 5 minutes, increasing weight as I progress with the goal of carrying my body weight.
• Hang (from your arms) – repeat for as long as possible
• Kung fu exercises

Thursday

30-40 minutes of VO2 max training, usually interval training by running or indoor cycling.

If it’s a 6X1 week for 10X, I will do 6 cycles of interval training.

6X2, 5 cycles.

6X3, 4 cycles

Friday

5-minute yoga warmup via the Asana Rebel app, then 10X from Mindvalley. This is a repeat of Monday.

Saturday

This day is typically endurance training by rucking, or if Friday is busy, then I may save Friday’s workout for Saturday.

Sunday

Endurance training by rucking.

This seems like a lot, but I started with 10 minutes daily, and I’ve increased to usually no more than 30 to 60 minutes per day. I like variety, and this schedule keeps me engaged.

A Note About Deloading

Deloading is a temporary and intentional reduction of training stress to promote recovery. After every 6 weeks of training, I will take about 1 week to deload. I cut the intensity to about 50% of my normal routine and try to focus on the aspects that I really enjoy and having fun. I may also alter the routine or even do some activities like riding bicycles with the kids. Deloading promotes recovery by allowing repair of damaged tissue and reducing the risk of overuse injuries. Allowing for repair and adaptation can also prevent plateaus. I have also found that I need a mental break after about 6 weeks of training, and deloading is a good way to mentally refresh and help make my routine more sustainable.

A Note About Recovery

When I need a day off, I take a day off, and then I pick right back up. If I take more than a day off, it seems to get me out of the habit, so I hardly skip more than a day. But when you need to rest, you need to rest. Other things that I added to my recovery: a visit to huemn (if you are in Houston), creatine, fish oil, magnesium (these 3 can be found at our store link below), Epsom salt baths (which is a good way to get magnesium), and a good night’s sleep, if possible (I’m still a surgeon, so you never know.) I am also quite diligent about getting proper levels of protein in my diet. More of this in the Eating section.