Tools of Titans Challenge
I’ve had Tim Ferriss’ book Tools of Titans for more than five years without reading it. I’ve opened it up a few times to see if I could pull some knowledge out of it, but the sheer size of it (it looks like a textbook) has always made me shy away.
This morning I was looking in the basement for a book to read and I decided it was time. It was time to make my way through this behemoth of a book.
I’m a firm believer that books come to you when you need them. There’s been so many book (too many to count) that I’ve initially not been interested in, only to pick them up years later and derive so much from. This morning as I sat on my floor reading the introduction to Tools of Titans, that feeling of “it’s time” came over me.
The first section of the book is about health (the 2nd is wealth, the third is wise). In this first section he advises 7 exercises recommended by Christopher Sommer, a world renowned gymnastics coach and trainer.
With the week off of weight training, I decided it would be fun to make an attempt at each one of them. Here are my results.
QL Walk - I was really excited for these because I've had an issue with my QL for years now, that all stemmed from an achilles overuse injury while training for a marathon. I never rehabbed it and five years later I still deal with this issue. So these were exciting to read about and try because of the potential to help me PLUS it's always these little weird movements that kick my ass. These didn't kick my ass physically, but try scooting your butt across the floor forward and back using just your butt muscles. Like other moves on this challenge I'm not confident that on the first try I nailed the form, but regardless these felt really good. As soon as I was done I stood up and everything in the lower back/hip/psoas area (the area that consistently gives me problems) felt loose and ready to go. Definitely give these a try for a change in your movement pattern.
Jefferson Curl - I'm familiar with Jefferson Curls so these were actually a pleasant exercise to see and work on. A good friend of mine who is also an A+ physical therapist actually introduced me to them (https://primalphysicaltherapy.com/). He prescribed them as part of my rehab. In tools of Titans the coach who loves these, Christopher Sommer, says he has his athletes do them before almost every workout. They are a great way to get some fluidity going in your body. Back and hamstrings in particular. One important note with all of these Tools of Titans exercises is to not go to failure or to a point where it hurts (the latter is true of all exercises). But give these a try the next time you're looking for a good addition to your warm up routine.
Dips with Ring Turn Out - The point of these dips is to try and turn your arms out at the apex (top of the dip) to a point of what would be 10 and 2 on a clock. This was my first time really trying any form of dips on the rings since I purchased them. The goal in Tools of Titans is to be able to do 5 of these very slowly. I was able to get 4, but I'm not sure my form was what he would have been looking for. Regardless, these are great. They recruit so many muscles that are ignored during more stable movements. If you're going to try them, make sure you are comfortable doing regular dips first. Don't just jump on the rings because I think tearing a shoulder is probably very easy to do. He suggests in the book being able to do 15 regular clean dips before attempting these, and I would suggest the same.
Hinge Rows - You can definitely do these using a TRX as well. I don't suspect there would be much of a difference in the movement. But since I have the rings, I used them. These were weird to get comfortable with. It took a few reps, but once I did, they felt really good. I don't know if the point of them was to be a shoulder opener / floss, but thats what I was feeling. I also did feel a nice strain in my bicep. But a different strain, not like anything I've felt before with other bicep focused exercises. This is a cool movement because although your lower body is not bearing any weight, it is still involved and still needs to hinge (which is a fundamental movement for a lot of lower body exercises). So, it's a nice way to practice hinging without the pressure of weight on your feet. But I liked these for the shoulder benefits I felt and that's what will keep me coming back to these.
AG Walks with Rear Support - These were by far the hardest of all the movements I tried. But the time I started scooting myself backward my triceps were on fire. I then tried to go forward again and my body just would not move! hahaha The goal here is to move forward and backward consistently for 5 minutes! I got maybe 60 seconds before gassing out. A move like this reminds me that no matter what kind of shape you think you're in, how much weight you think you can lift, there is always a move out there that will kick your ass. BUT, it also reminds me that with enough consistent practice, there is no move in life you can't master. That is true of exercise and any other skill you think you are no good at. Practice, practice, practice. That is what I will be doing with these.
Pike Pulses - These were the second most difficult exercise but in a very different way. These were more difficult from a range of motion perspective. In this small pulse, my quads kept cramping up. It also proved an interesting mental challenge. In between each rep I found myself overthinking how I was going to lift my feet off the ground in the next one. But like the QL Walks [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7inYS3jewck] these really opened me up and felt like they had great therapeutic benefits. Again, small movements like this can really have a way of kicking your ass. What's nice about these is that they can be done anywhere anytime. Try them. Goal is 10 - 15 reps lifting your feet 1 - 4 inches off the ground without rocking.
Cast Wall Walk - Ok, these were the most challenging from a strength and endurance perspective. The goal is to get 10 in a row (up the wall, down the wall, is 1 rep). I managed three. A couple of months ago I joined a movement school and was practicing handstands. That practiced really helped me here because otherwise I don't even know that I would've had the confidence to climb up the wall upside. Take your time if you're unsure or feel shaky. Or skip this one entirely. No sense in getting hurt. Straining your shoulders, wrists, or neck (all of which is possible). But, if you can manage to do a few, then go for it. Because these have a great way of kicking your ass. Watch until the end so you can see just how much they whooped me.
Wim “The Iceman” Hof Breath Work Day 1 - This is yet another technique I read about in Tim Ferriss' Tools of Titans. A book I let sit on the sidelines for a few years but am so appreciating right now. Every book has its time. This challenge (I'm calling it a challenge, Tim does not) is to complete a set of push ups (see: Wake Up Push Up Day 22 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oodhLR_p9sI), then rest 30 minutes before completing Wim Hof's breathing technique, followed by another set of push ups. The end result should be an increase in the number of push ups you're able to do. Here's the full technique as described in Tools of Titans: 1. Do a set of push ups, and end a few repetitions short of failure. Record the number. (note: I failed to do this, stopping only 1 short of failure). 2. Rest at least 30 minutes (I did this, setting a 30 minute timer). 3. Do ~40 repetitions of the following breathing exercise: Max inhale (raise chest) and "let go" exhale (drop chest sharply). The let-go exhale can be thought of as a short "hah." If you're doing this correctly, after 20 to 30 reps you might feel loose, mild lightheadedness, and a little bit of tingling. The tingling is often felt in the hands first. (I felt whats described but closer to 35 reps, so I ended up doing 50 to make sure I got the full effect). 4. On the last breathing cycle, breathe in completely, exhale completely, then do another set of push ups. More often than not, people will experience a sharp increase in the max number of push ups, even though their lungs are empty. After doing the breathing exercise I only managed 50 push ups, which is exactly what I had done 30 minutes prior. However, in contrast to the morning set of push ups, this set felt a lot easier. The first 30 push ups were done without even breathing. The next 15 felt effortless. And it was only around the last 5 where I felt the struggle come in. It was an interesting experiment though. I don't know if my breath work was not done properly, or the fact that I came close to maxing on the first set, that caused me only to match the 50 reps. Either way, it was fun and the breathing exercise alone is worth the try. In fact, I plan on incorporating it into my morning wake up session right after my push ups. If I do the full experiment again (push up, breath work, push up), I'll be sure to share. But give it a try. Warning from the book: Never do breathing exercises in water or before training in water. Shallow water blackouts can be fatal. And you will not feel the onset until it's too late!!!
Wim “The Iceman” Hof Breath Work Day 2 - Day 2 trying this technique again. Today I managed 6 push ups more than my total from 30 minutes before. 54 versus 48. 54 is also an all time high for me during this 23 day push up challenge I've been running [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTW1baaFFeo]. So, I guess that's saying something. I guess this technique works. It's amazing because today the same thing happened. The first 30 - 40 push ups were almost effortless, whereas without the breathing technique they kind of suck. I don't know what it is, but I think there is some mental affects at play here. I don't think it's just physical. Aside from the push ups, this technique for breathing is great, and I would recommend trying it on it's own. Simple, fast, and effective. If you do it right, you will really feel it. Give it a try.
Glute Medius Workout - This is an ass kicker. Glute medius to be more precise. To think that these small little "Jane Fonda Movements" (as @timferriss calls them in the book) could burn so bad is hard to comprehend. But they do. Which you know means they are effective. I've been dealing with a lingering injury for years, and one of the things the physical therapists always say is "work on your glutes." To which I reply, "yes, I know." But then I never do. But for me it's always been my glute medius that has hurt after a long run, or a hard leg day. The day after a hard workout I always have to dig into that small muscle with a lacrosse ball or the @PSORITE . I just think that part of my issue is that I've never been given the right exercises to make these muscles really fire. I'm hoping that this little circuit can be the key to living (almost) pain free. Here are the directions from the books: Perform 7 reps of each exercise in succession without stopping. After doing one side, flip and do the other. Once you're able to cleanly do 15 reps, you can think about adding an ankle weight. #1 - Up/Down Lie down on your side and use your arm to support your head. Keeping your legs straight, lift your top leg and lower it, keeping your foot internally rotated as described above (think pigeon toed). Don't lift the foot very high. The max angle at your crotch should not exceed 30 degrees. Higher reduces the tension and defeats the purpose. For exercises #2 - 4, maintain roughly 12-inch distance between your ankles at the bottom. Maximize tension on the glute medius and only move your leg in a horizontal plane. Ensure the ankle doesn't dip when kicking behind you, for instance. In the first 1 or 2 workouts, aim to find the leg height that is *hardest* or you. It's usually 12 to 18 inches from the lower ankle. Remember to keep toe below heel. #2 - Front Kick/Swing Kick your top leg out to 45 degrees at the hip. Think "cabaret." #3 - Back Swing Swing your leg back as far as possible without arching your back (not arching your back is key) #4 - Full Front and Back Swing Swing your leg forward and then back (the previous two combined), with no pause at the midline. #5 - Clockwise circles Paint an 18-inch diameter circle with your heel. Remember, at the bottom of the circle, your ankles should be roughly 12 inches apart. If you let the ankles get within inches of each other, you're cheating. #6 - Counterclockwise circles Repeat in other direction. #7 - Bicycle Motion Pedal as if you were using a bicycle