4 Minute Fridays: A New Type Of Cardio To Burn Fat & Bulletproof Your Body, Why We Don't Let Our Kids Use IPads & My Favorite Gym Purchase Of 2024
Sep 06, 2024
Read time: 3.8 minutes
Welcome to 4 Minute Fridays, my weekly newsletter where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you get lean, boost energy, and live longer.
What's in store for today:
- New type of cardio to burn fat and bulletproof the body
- Why we don't let our kids use iPads
- My favorite gym purchase of 2024
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Hey friend,
The other day, I talked to clients in my group coaching program​ about the mental side of getting lean.
If someone wants to change their physique and get healthy, they must also work on their mental fitness.
I call this The Mental Gym.
This is where you work on using your conscious thoughts and images to transform the image of yourself in your mind.
I talked about this in a previous article​, but, in short, you need to train your brain to change your body.
The key is to think of every goal (physical or intellectual) as a mental process where the most significant question to ask is,
"Who do I have to be to accomplish this?"
When it's all said and done, you can't just set a goal. You must become it.
That said...
Here Is Your 4 Minute Friday:
1. New Type Of Cardio To Burn Fat And Bulletproof The Body
Three essential tools to living a long life are:
I'm excited to share a NEW type of cardio I've invented that will help you do all 3 in under 15 minutes.
I call these Reverse Sprint Intervals, and they go like this:
First, you'll need to do these on an open field with plenty of space. Also, before doing Reverse Sprint Intervals, you'll want to warm up with a few dynamic stretches and a 5-minute jog.
Here's the workout:
- Sprint for 5 to 15 seconds
- Go back to your starting point by walking backward
- Aim to get anywhere from 3 to 6 intervals in total
Why this works:
Sprinting​ is one of the best forms of high-intensity cardio for boosting your V02 max and building a high-performing body. Walking backward is one of the best activities to bulletproof your knees and lower body from injury.
This is a different form of HIIT where the high-intensity activity (sprints) is followed by a low-intensity activity (walking backward) that actually benefits the body.
I've been doing these for the past few weeks, and they've been my favorite form of cardio by a large margin.
By the way, if you probably know much about sprinting but maybe not so much about walking backward, here's a video my friend ​Kneesovertoesguy​ created to show you the power of walking backward:
2. Why We Don't Let Our Kids Use An IPad
When my wife and I first started our parenting journey, we used to give our oldest child an iPad to watch shows on.
Funny enough, we found that when we did that, her mood went erratic, and we dealt with more tantrums.
These things are designed to keep them glued to the screen, giving them a never-ending stream of dopamine hits. The games, the videos, and the endless stimulation are like junk food for the brain.
And just like with junk food, too much screen time screws with your kid’s development.
Their attention span is gone, and their ability to handle boredom is nonexistent.
Boredom is where creativity happens, where they learn to entertain themselves and solve problems but with an iPad, that goes out the window.
Plus, they’re missing out on real-life experiences—like playing outside, getting dirty, using their imagination, or learning to talk to other humans face-to-face.
Jonathan Haidt's new book, The Anxious Generation, delves into the mental health crisis affecting today's youth, linking it directly to the shift from a "play-based childhood" to a "screen-based childhood."
The longer they stay hooked on screens, the harder it is for them to unplug and deal with life as it is.
For these reasons (and more), my wife and I decided to keep them off the iPad (and screens in general).
We feel like we're setting them up for the long game—patience, creativity, and actual social skills. All the stuff that, you know, makes life worth living.
❤️ My Favourite Thing This Week
Since the start of 2024, I've invested heavily in my home gym.
I got a sweet squat rack/functional trainer from Eleiko, adjustable dumbbells, and a bench.
But the best thing I added to my collection this year has to be the Freak Athlete Nordic Curl.
This piece of equipment allows me to do 9 exercises while keeping its footprint to a 2x3 space.
You can do..
- Back extensions
- Reverse hypers
- Hip thrusts
- Decline sit-ups
- Dragon Flags
- Glute ham raises
- Bulgarian split squats
- Nordic Hamstring Curls
- Leg extensions and leg curls (extra attachment)
It's sturdy enough to hold my body weight (179 lbs) and height (6 feet), and it fits perfectly in my small gym space.
This is by far the best piece of fitness equipment I've bought this year, and it's not even close.
If you've got space and the budget and want to add this to your home gym collection, I highly recommend it.
You can grab it here: https://freakathlete.co/
​
Client of the week - Jeff, Entrepreneur
Jeff (name redacted) is an entrepreneur who wanted to trim his belly and increase his energy.
In 12 weeks, we lost 21 lbs and 5 inches from his waistline. His energy levels are through the roof and, most importantly, he's proud of his effort.
Our strategy:
- We fixed his diet by putting his hunger on autopilot and nourishing him with the right foods.
- We emphasized weight training and walking so he could lose weight while building some muscle.
- Fixing his sleeping habits so he could have more energy & appetite control
- We remained patient and are still focused on long-term results.
The best part is that he has a newfound zest for life and more confidence around his body.
One Quote to Finish Your Week Strong
"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."
My life has been one big experiment and it's still going. This mindset and a frame of treating life as a video game have helped me achieve things beyond my imagination.
Try it out, and you might find the same.
Have a great weekend!
- Dan
When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:
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References
- Vollaard NBJ, Metcalfe RS. Research into the Health Benefits of Sprint Interval Training Should Focus on Protocols with Fewer and Shorter Sprints. Sports Med. 2017 Dec;47(12):2443-2451. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0727-x. PMID: 28391489; PMCID: PMC5684281.​
- Chang KW, Lin CM, Yen CW, Yang CC, Tanaka T, Guo LY. The Effect of Walking Backward on a Treadmill on Balance, Speed of Walking and Cardiopulmonary Fitness for Patients with Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 1;18(5):2376. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052376. PMID: 33804374; PMCID: PMC7967772.
- Muppalla SK, Vuppalapati S, Reddy Pulliahgaru A, Sreenivasulu H. Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management. Cureus. 2023 Jun 18;15(6):e40608. doi: 10.7759/cureus.40608. PMID: 37476119; PMCID: PMC10353947.