Issue #83: Stand Up Straight
Good morning. It’s Monday, December 12th. Bill Nighy turns 73 (he looks the same as he did in Love Actually 20 years ago) and Jennifer Connelly turns 52 (did they film Top Gun 2 like 10 years ago??)
Did you miss any of our issues on IMMUNITY last week? Catch up on Issues #78 - #82 here.
This week we're switching gears and talking about MOVEMENT, specifically mobility + alignment.
“If you care about how you look, feel, and perform, start paying attention to the quality of your standing position.”
From the Lab: The Impact of Bad Posture
Take Action: How to Get a Neutral Spine
Speed Read: Plantar Fasty-Itis, Fastidious, Fascinating...Aggh
Monday Metabolic: Core Focus - Row, Push-Ups & V-Ups
Monday Q: What Hurts?
Our increased range of motion - just from consistently having a neutral spinal position. (Source)
From the Lab
Just the slightest tweak. You know right away - not good.
Maybe you lifted too much weight, or pushed a little too hard, or maybe you simply sat up the wrong way. Ah - can you just go back in time 5 seconds for a do-over. Nope - too late. Your lower back is screaming.
If only you stretched more or had been more careful sitting up. The truth is - pain and injuries are often lagging indicators from being in the wrong position all the time.
We spend, on average, 12 hours a day sitting. When we do stand our posture is atrocious and most of us rarely focus enough on our form at the gym.
So how do we prevent injuries and optimize our mobility?
It starts with our spine. It organizes our entire body - giving us stability and power, but also keeping our bodies aligned the right way. An injury to our spine is a massive threat to our mobility and long-term health.
Getting our spine into a neutral position is the foundation for all the movement we do.
What is a neutral position and how do we get there?
Most of us have our head forward (pigeon neck), shoulders rounded forward (type much?), lower back overextended, and arches collapsed on our feet.
Becoming a Supple Leopard
In an ideal position there is a straight line between our ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.
There are plenty of other reasons for good posture - including increased testosterone, lower cortisol levels, increased pain tolerance, lower blood pressure, and even performance in the bedroom.
Check out this TEDx video from author Amy Cuddy on how our posture affects how we show up to the world:
Take Action
Try this multiple times per day until it becomes instinctual:
Becoming a Supple Leopard
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Tchau Ronaldo: An epic weekend at the World Cup - now two historical powerhouses, one European dark horse, and an African miracle are left. Oh and some drama for one of the world's all-time bests - Ronaldo didn’t start for Portugal and looked listless as a sub in his final game. Despite his 20 years of excellence, not congratulating Morocco and challenges off the pitch are catching up to him. Will we hear from him again? (WSJ)
Deep Sea Sandwiches: A submersible named Alvin suffered a mishap in 1960. The crew got out, but they left behind their lunch (bologna sandwiches, apples and bouillon). Ten months later Alvin was retrieved from 4,500 ft under the sea and the food was fully intact - spoilage happened at 1% the rate at the surface. Why? The answer is pressure and carbon consumption, and will have implications on climate change solutions. (Wired)
Tiger Woods Has Plantar Fasciitis, What That Means for You: Awareness. And a spelling lesson. Maybe he was saving himself for The Match here in Tampa, but his announcement of the injury provoked news stories about symptoms, treatment and prevention. PF (I’m done spelling it) is no joke with no easy treatment. So focus on prevention - find out how here. (NYTimes)
Monday Metabolic
Busy time of year - this is really just a 5-10 minute workout that gets your back, chest and core going. Let's do this!
Click HERE to view the workout on our YouTube channel.
Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts on Playbook!
Monday Q
Where is your body always tight, limiting your range of motion, or in pain?
Product Recs
Tune Up Fitness - I've been using these massage balls for years (admittedly not enough) to break up knots in my muscles. One of the best tools for mobility!
Primal Kitchen* - stuck on gift ideas? Intro your friends & family to the best tasting, healthiest dressings, condiments, and sauces (Mango Jalapeno BBQ sauce anyone?)
*Thrive25 is an affiliate partner.
Thanks for joining us today!
Check out the latest workout videos on our YouTube channel
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.