The High Performance Journal - March 5th, 2024

At the time of writing this, I'm 44 years old.

While I don't consider myself to be old I am starting to see the signs of mid-age decline:

My recovery has slowed down, it's easier to put on weight now than in my 30's, and I need to train much smarter as healing injuries takes longer than before.

Something they don't tell you when you pass 40 is how many more funerals you'll start going to. In the past 3 months, I've seen more people pass around me than in the past 2 years.

And being someone who became a first-time parent at 40 years old this is scary. I want to be in this life as long as humanly possible so I can see my children grow up.

This is a big reason why I set a goal to reach 100 years old and complete what Dr. Peter Attia calls in his book ​Outlive​ the Centenarian (100-year-old) Decathlon:

1. Hike 1.5 miles on a hilly trail.
2. Get up off the floor under your own power, using a maximum of one arm for support.
3. Picking up my future grandchildren off the floor.
4. Carry two five-pound bags of groceries for five blocks.
5. Lift a twenty-pound suitcase into the overhead compartment of a plane.
6. Balance on one leg for thirty seconds, eyes open. (Bonus points: eyes closed, fifteen seconds.)
7. Be able to have sex without throwing my back out
8. Climb four flights of stairs in three minutes.
9. Open a jar.
10. Do thirty consecutive jump-rope skips.

To achieve this there are 3 exercises I'm using, which could save my life when I get older.

If you have a goal to live a long quality life and crush the Centenarian Decathlon, keep reading!

3 Things Regress As You Age:

1. Your muscle
2. Your grip strength
3. Your lower body strength & coordination

After the age of 30, you start to lose 3-8% of muscle every decade. This rate accelerates after you hit the age of 60. This is why we put a big emphasis on strength training in our ​Lean Body 90 program​.

Your grip strength is one of the most reliable markers of overall muscle quality and is a sign of how fast you age.

Your lower body strength is paramount to your balance and preventing falls, which are the leading cause of accidental death in people ages 65 and up.

The good thing about these is that they can inform us about what we need to do to live a long quality life.

That said...

Here Are 3 Exercises That Will Save Your Life

#1 - Goblet Squats

Goblet squats look like they're for the lower body but they are a full body movement.

They train the quads, calves, and glutes, as well as your arms and grip strength especially if you have to hold the Kettlebell in front of you.

This is also a great way of training your core as you have to brace your stomach to stabilize the weight as it goes up and down.

Keys to doing this exercise:

• Use a dumbbell or kettlebell. A kettlebell is preferred.
• Before going down breathe air into the stomach to create more pressure in the core
• Push your core out as you come down to protect your lower back
• Explode up from the bottom by activating your glutes and quads

You want to aim for 3-4 sets of anywhere between 8 to 15 repetitions 1-2x a week.

These are a pillar exercise in our ​Lean Body 90 course​ because it hits up so many different areas of the body while protecting you from harm.

If you're looking to get lean, strong, and energetic into your later years check it out at the link ​here​.

#2 - Passive Bar Hangs

Passive bar hangs are for improving your grip strength but they are much more than that.

They improve your posture and shoulder health while decompressing your spine, which can allow for a healthier lower back.

This exercise is especially important for people who sit for long periods at a desk.

Keys to doing this exercise:

• If you're a beginner use a support at the bottom (like a step) to keep one foot on at all times.
• Hold onto the bar and brace your core to prevent any swinging.
• Hold on for as long as you can
• Track your progress to see how much it improves over time

You can do this exercise every day in the morning, afternoon, or night. Beginner trainees aim for 1 set for 30 seconds, intermediates aim for 1 set at 1 minute, and advanced aim for 1 set for 2 minutes.

#3 - Backwards Walking 

Walking backwards may seem weird but it's one of the most effective exercises on the planet for good reason.

It engages your glutes and anterior tibialis (which protect your knees), and the muscles in your feet and ankles, and also improves balance and coordination, which is important as we get older.

Keys to doing this exercise

• Find a long stretch of land, like a field or a track, or do this at the lowest speed of a treadmill until you can get the hang of it.
• Walk with your toe hitting the ground first followed by your heel to get the best effect.
• You can also add weight to this exercise by walking backward using a sled.

You want to do this for 10 to 20 minutes 1-3x a week. Make sure you're doing it in a safe place with zero car traffic and minimal people so you avoid any accidents.

3 Exercises For A Long Quality Life

The key to all of these exercises is consistency. Regardless of your age, they will help you become stronger and more stable in everyday life.

Add them to your workouts and track your progress but don't expect to see changes until a few weeks of doing them.

Also, make sure to use good form and ​progressively overload​ these exercises to get the most out of them. The key is not to just do them but to get stronger while you do them.

Add these to your workout routine now and your body will thank you later.

Onwards and upwards 🚀

- Dan

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:

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