Edition #17 | What it Takes to Become Resilient

Plus: 5 common cardio mistakes for fat loss, can short workouts really be effective, and more.

August 22, 2023

Good morning and welcome to The Weekly Rep, the official newsletter of fitness.

In today’s edition:

  • Can short workouts really be effective?

  • 3 tips from Matt Tralli for developing a strong core

  • What it takes to become resilient, according to Dr. Taryn Marie

  • New findings on the link between exercise and cancer

  • 5 common cardio mistakes for fat loss you should know!

Let’s dive in 💥 

FLEX YOUR BRAIN

You could be going all out if your workout is LIT—just not on your joints, since LIT stands for low ______ training.

a. Intensity

b. Impact

c. Isolation

d. Intermittent

Every week, we’ll pick people at random who reply to this email with the correct answer to receive a 1-month Lift Box subscription!

Last week’s answer — 17 teaspoons of added sugar 😎

IN THE NEWS
WEEKLY WORKOUTS

Can Short Workouts Really be Effective?

At this point, we probably don’t need to tell you how beneficial daily movement is for your health. From your head to your feet to even your mental health, research has repeatedly shown that regular exercises is good for just about everything — and doctors, including Dr. Todd VanKerkhoff, an internal medicine physician, agree.

“In the short-term, exercise can help boost our mood and energy, and improve our daily function and confidence. In the long-term, exercise can dramatically reduce the risk of many of the leading causes of illness and death, including heart disease, stroke, and complications of diabetes,” VanKerkhoff says when asked how exercise can benefit our bodies and minds.

Now you might love those benefits, but if you’re feeling stressed about finding the time to move your body each day, you’re not alone. Whether you’re a student, a parent, or have a demanding job, hours of exercise just aren’t always possible for everyone. So, how much time do you really need?

3 Tips for a Strong Core With Matt Tralli

From squats and deadlifts to picking up your kids, every movement you make throughout the day involves your core. Your abdominals, or the wall of muscles that wrap around your midsection, are responsible for keeping your upper and lower body moving effectively, as well as preventing back injuries, keeping you balanced, and providing stability as you move. Not only is a strong core needed to function properly, but a tight, toned stomach is often seen as the ultimate accomplishment when it comes to an impressive physique.

To get you the best tips on how to build your own set of coveted washboard abs, we asked personal trainer and former pro-athlete Matt Tralli his top tips for getting a strong, functional core.

Challenging Dumbbell-Only Leg Workout

Ainsley Rodriguez is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to transforming your fitness, enhancing your health, and expanding your knowledge on nutrition. This lower body workout is one of her gems and worth giving a try! With just a pair of dumbbells and a bench (or even a chair), you can perform every exercise in almost any setting. Give it a go, performing 3 rounds of each exercise and superset she does in this short video!

PROFILE

Flex Your Resilience with Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal

Dr. Taryn Marie might be an expert on resilience, but she didn’t get there overnight.

Like many of us, she has faced challenges throughout her life, including an undiagnosed learning disability and “some traumatic experiences pretty early on” that left her with two decades of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“Looking back, that was really the catalyst for me to try to figure out how I could effectively face what I call The 3 Cs: Challenge, Change, and Complexity,” the bestselling author tells Headlines Over Sidelines.

“Struggling so early in life with those experiences, I was trying to find out for myself how I could effectively face those challenges,” Marie explains, outlining the beginnings of what would eventually become two decades of research, a best-selling book, and a career dedicated to being a top rated keynote speaker and executive coach focused on helping others harness and amplify their resilience, mental health, and wellbeing.

When she first began to interview people about how they effectively faced their greatest challenges, Marie says, “I think that interest for myself has really blossomed into wondering about if there are commonalities amongst all of us as humans around how we effectively face challenges. And it turns out there are commonalities,” she says.

Turning her challenges into curiosity, Marie then invested over 20 years researching how people from all walks of life handle their challenges in a way that enhances them, not diminishes them. From executive directors and Fortune 500 CEOs to athletes and artists, she immersed herself in two decades of compiling data to create the framework entitled, The Five Practices of Highly Resilient People, essentially a handbook on how we can learn to be more resilient in the face of challenges and “bounce forward,” rather than backward.

The 5 Practices that Marie uncovered that increase resilience, mental health, and wellbeing are: Vulnerability, Productive Perseverance, Connection, Grati-osity (a combination of gratitude for the opportunity to learn, and generosity in sharing one’s resilience story), and Possibility.

THINGS TO…
…AVOID 🏃‍♀️

These 5 Cardio Mistakes for Fat Loss

Most of us use cardio as a way to burn calories. And let’s be honest, it’s great at doing that. But there are 5 common mistakes you’re likely making that are killing your chances of optimizing your cardio for fat loss. Check out the science-backed research in Jeff Nippard’s video below to learn more.

…TRY 💯 

8 Essential Supplements for Busy Dads

Being a dad means your schedule is likely already overpacked. From work to time with your family to squeezing in a few precious hours at the gym, it’s safe to say that most parents don’t have time to sit down and research the best supplements to take. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip them altogether.

…MAKE 🍜

This High-Protein Korean Noodle Dish

Jjajangmyeon is a delicious Chinese-style Korean noodle dish topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang, your choice of protein, and vegetables. Maybe you’ve had it before, maybe you haven’t. In either case, you’re going to want to give this meal prep recipe a try! In under 30 minutes, you’ll have a delicious lunch prepared for the entire week. Plus — it’s actually quite healthy!

…FIX 💪

Your Bulgarian Split Squat

Known for being a popular version of the single-leg squat, the Bulgarian split squat is one of the best lower body exercises for targeting your quadriceps. It also just so happens to target your glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core. We see more and more people doing this exercise at the gym, but we also see so many people making small mistakes that are killing their gains! Follow the invaluable guidance of Davis Diley below to get the most out of this go-to exercise.

…USE 🏋️

8 Fitness Accessories That’ll Help You Raise the Bar on Your Next Lift

Every serious lifter knows your progress in the gym depends on more than just your lifts alone. It also depends on your diet, your sleep, your supplement routine, and the equipment you use to help push you to your maximum potential. If you’re serious about crushing your lifts and hitting new PRs, the right tools can make all the difference — and here are some great ones.

LAUGHS FOR LIFTERS

  • Dad Joke of the Week

    • Q — Why is the heart the strongest muscle?

    • A — Because it’s always pumping iron

  • A dance-off broke out at this year’s CrossFit games

  • This fake trainer could teach us all a thing or two

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