Hey friend,

I wanted to start this off by saying thank you.

The last email I posted about the things I'm doing at 44 to avoid regret at 74​ got a ton of replies that I'm still trying to get back to.

Regret minimization is one of the core mental models I use in everyday life.

I simply ask if I would regret the decision I'm about to make in 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 weeks, or 5 months from now?

My entire life has been about doing what I can to limit the amount of regrets I have when it's my time to go.

I just wanted to thank you for the positive response and I appreciate all the emails.

That being said...

Here Is Your 4 Minute Friday:

1. The 3 Best Legal Performance Enhancing Supplements (According To Science)

In the previous issue​ of 4-minute Friday I told you about the reason why I stopped taking pre-workout supplements.

In short, they are ineffective and are an over-glorified version of coffee.

While I'm against pre-workouts that doesn't mean that I'm not looking for an extra edge.

There are 3 supplements according to science that are shown to boost our physical performance:

#1 - Taurine

One study showed taking 1-6 grams of Taurine 10 minutes to 2 hours before exercise improved V02 max, time to exhaustion, and time trial performance while decreasing the amount of lactate buildup.

#2 - Beta-Alanine

A study showed that taking 28 to 30 days of beta-alanine improved 2000-meter rowing performance by 13 to 14%.

#3 - Creatine

This well-researched supplement has been shown to enhance athletic performance and muscular endurance.

This is not to say that every supplement will work for everyone. These have research behind them but, as with all things, test them out on your own and see what your experiences are.

2. The Benefits Of Isometric Training

When people lift weights they usually think of picking a weight up and letting it come down.

But there's a third way of lifting, which is called isometric training.

Isometric exercises are when you hold an exercise in one position without moving while contracting a specific set of muscles.

An example of isometric training is doing a plank:

Squeeze the glutes, brace the core, and hold!

What you see is BJ (the guy in the gif) holding the plank position. What you don't see is him bracing his core and squeezing his glutes as if he's trying to crush a quarter in his butthole.

Benefits of Isometric Exercises

• Low impact on the joints
• Strengthens connective tissues
• Reduce muscle soreness and injury risk
• Improve flexibility
• Improve strength in weak areas

I would incorporate these at the end of my workouts to build strength in weak areas as well as muscular endurance in my core and glutes.

I'll be doing an article dedicated to isometric training in the future so watch out for that one.

3. The Compound Interest Of Getting Stronger

Albert Einstein once said, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world.”

He was talking about money but funny enough it also relates to building muscle and getting stronger.

Building muscle is like investing. You don't get rich overnight but you do see gains over the long haul.

Photo for illustration:

Photo and idea courtesy of Luke Tulloch 

This is what I'm talking about when it comes to always harping about progressive overload.

It's not about necessarily getting stronger in that one session at the gym but the gains you accumulate over time.

Of course, progress is not linear and there will be setbacks every now and then.

But the most important thing is that you're moving forward in the right direction.

This doesn't just relate to strength and hypertrophy. It's a superpower for life.

Just some food for thought :)
 

Client Of The Week - Bill, Entrepreneur

Bill is an entrepreneur who has always dealt with weight issues since he graduated high school and wants to lose 30 lbs in a sustainable way.

In 12 weeks, we dropped 43 pounds, lost 7.3 inches from his waistline, and tripled his energy levels!

Here's how we did it:

• We walked 10k steps to help with burning calories while decreasing stress from his business.
• We got on a set meal schedule according to his circadian rhythms and automated his meals using meal prep services.
• We focused on changing his identity while losing weight so he could drop the weight off for good.

The most important thing is that his confidence levels are sky-high and he's an enhanced version of himself.

​Are you an entrepreneur who wants to drop the fat, gain muscle, and boost energy? Click this link to apply for our coaching program.​ 

One Quote to Finish Your Week Strong

Rationalizations are little lies we tell ourselves to mask the realities we need to face.

To reach our full potential we need to take ownership of our results (or lack thereof) and this can only come from a place of honesty.

Have a great weekend!

- Dan

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

1. The Lean Body 90 System: When you’re ready to get in great shape, Lean Body 90 is the obvious choice. You can get in great shape and reach your fitness goals in just 90 minutes a week. Lose weight and build muscle even without hours in the gym or highly restrictive diets. Join 1000+ students here.

2. Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost energy, and get in your best shape? Apply for private one-on-one coaching here.

3. Promote yourself to 265,000+ subscribers​ by sponsoring this newsletter.

References:

1. Geiß KR, Jester I, Falke W, Hamm M, Waag KL. The effect of a taurine-containing drink on performance in 10 endurance-athletes. Amino Acids. 1994 Feb;7(1):45-56. doi: 10.1007/BF00808445. PMID: 24185972.
2. Oranchuk DJ, Storey AG, Nelson AR, Cronin JB. Isometric training and long-term adaptations: Effects of muscle length, intensity, and intent: A systematic review. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2019 Apr;29(4):484-503. doi: 10.1111/sms.13375. Epub 2019 Jan 13. PMID: 30580468.
3. Bellinger PM. β-Alanine supplementation for athletic performance: an update. J Strength Cond Res. 2014 Jun;28(6):1751-70. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000327. PMID: 24276304.