Author: Bear

Training biological systems

Posted on by Bear

Introduction

If you're reading this you're probably interested in training, training to improve whatever metric you're focused on. I personally certainly am -- in fact, you can say that I'm obsessed with improving. The thought that I could ready myself for future events itself fills me with excitement.

As a kid I was always into videogames where you could upgrade equipment, train skills and do quests, because back then life didn't make sense as it does nowadays. I loved how my efforts had real results, and were measurable, which is why I spent an exorbitant amount of time playing said games.

Looking back, I don't regret the time spent, but I do know better nowadays. Nowadays, I know time is better spent working on yourself as a person to improve your odds against actual life challenges.

Training for life

If we were to stick with the videogame analogy, training from my point of view makes a lot more sense. Say there is this very difficult quest that you have to do, with great rewards upon completion. Obviously you will want to succeed with little to no damage (or even death), so you prepare. You prepare via leveling up your skills, getting better equipment among other things. Now back to life, you might ask what quests would I consider doing and how would I prepare -- good question!

Say you want to start a business, start a family, write a book etc. For each of these 'quests' you will need specific skills like grammar, financial knowledge, a working reproductive system and so forth -- but, there are overlapping skills that apply to whatever quest you will ever start, and here is where things get interesting.

No matter what your plans are in life, your body & mind will either hinder or help you, so it's best to improve your odds by fortifying and training both.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, I will first elaborate on what I mean by 'systems. Understanding systems can be a bit tricky, but once you do grasp the concept you can apply this wisdom anywhere.

What is a system?

Life to us seems infinitely complex, and it is, but it's also not. Just like anything, life has rules, or better said, principles -- principles that guide structures and flow of life. Once you understand these principles, you will know where to look and what to look for.

Understanding the principles of life can seem very daunting, and if you do not understand the structure, it is. But in this article we'll move away from the finer details behind principles, and focus on one VERY important principle; systems.

To keep things simple, just remember that a biological system (you) constantly tries to make sense of things, and it needs information to do so. What's also good to know that you (the biological system) consist of many smaller subsystems, like your respiratory system, cardiovascular system, digestive system etc.

Lastly, before we get into training, I'd like you to take note that systems abide by 'antifragility', a term coined by Nassim Taleb.

''Antifragility is a property of systems in which they increase in capability to thrive as a result of stressors, shocks, volatility, noise, mistakes, faults, attacks, or failures''

Source: Antifragility - Wikipedia

What this means is that biological systems can be made stronger via exposure to stress, AKA training.

What does the training look like?

if you wish to strengthen your biological subsystems via Antifragility, first and foremost you have to be specific; what exact subsystem do you want to train, and what are its entry points. I will list a few subsystems down below, and how you can train them.

The respiratory system

This system takes care of the circulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. It's entry points are the mouth and the nose.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater ability to stay calm under pressure
  • Greater fat burning capacity
  • Higher neural output
  • Better sleep

Ways to train this system

  • Overbreathing
  • Underbreathing
  • Heavy nasal beathing
  • Explosive mouth breathing

The cardiovascular system

This system takes care of the circulation of blood throughout your body. It's entry points are your mouth, nose, speed of movement, load on the body and state of the nervous system

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater recovery
  • Greater endurance
  • Greater focus

Ways to train this system

  • Short bouts of intensity
  • Heat & cold exposure
  • Walking
  • Endurance training

The nervous system

This system directs most of the subsystems in the body. It's entry points are all of your senses as well as your predictions.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater agression
  • Greater capacity to calm down
  • More efficiency
  • Better stress management

Ways to train this system

  • Engage in intense willful stress
  • Meditation
  • Plant medicine
  • Engage in novel activities

The skeletal system

This system takes care of stability in the system, as well as acting as a force transductor, vibrational information among other things. It's entry points are general impact on the body and tension.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Sensing of environment
  • Handling more load
  • Thicker muscles

Ways to train this system

  • Impact training
  • Carrying heavy weight

The muscular system

This system takes care of force production. It's entry points are the hands, the jaw and the feet.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater power
  • Higher cell transduction
  • Greater strength

Ways to train this system

  • Move heavy weight
  • Explosive training
  • Controlled repetitions.

Final word

The main benefit you get from training subsystems versus general training is specificity, through a specific intent. General training will always end in hitting a plateau, training subsystems can get you much much further.

Wish to know more about the author?

Head over to www.willemvanzanten.com

Introduction

If you're reading this you're probably interested in training, training to improve whatever metric you're focused on. I personally certainly am -- in fact, you can say that I'm obsessed with improving. The thought that I could ready myself for future events itself fills me with excitement.

As a kid I was always into videogames where you could upgrade equipment, train skills and do quests, because back then life didn't make sense as it does nowadays. I loved how my efforts had real results, and were measurable, which is why I spent an exorbitant amount of time playing said games.

Looking back, I don't regret the time spent, but I do know better nowadays. Nowadays, I know time is better spent working on yourself as a person to improve your odds against actual life challenges.

Training for life

If we were to stick with the videogame analogy, training from my point of view makes a lot more sense. Say there is this very difficult quest that you have to do, with great rewards upon completion. Obviously you will want to succeed with little to no damage (or even death), so you prepare. You prepare via leveling up your skills, getting better equipment among other things. Now back to life, you might ask what quests would I consider doing and how would I prepare -- good question!

Say you want to start a business, start a family, write a book etc. For each of these 'quests' you will need specific skills like grammar, financial knowledge, a working reproductive system and so forth -- but, there are overlapping skills that apply to whatever quest you will ever start, and here is where things get interesting.

No matter what your plans are in life, your body & mind will either hinder or help you, so it's best to improve your odds by fortifying and training both.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, I will first elaborate on what I mean by 'systems. Understanding systems can be a bit tricky, but once you do grasp the concept you can apply this wisdom anywhere.

What is a system?

Life to us seems infinitely complex, and it is, but it's also not. Just like anything, life has rules, or better said, principles -- principles that guide structures and flow of life. Once you understand these principles, you will know where to look and what to look for.

Understanding the principles of life can seem very daunting, and if you do not understand the structure, it is. But in this article we'll move away from the finer details behind principles, and focus on one VERY important principle; systems.

To keep things simple, just remember that a biological system (you) constantly tries to make sense of things, and it needs information to do so. What's also good to know that you (the biological system) consist of many smaller subsystems, like your respiratory system, cardiovascular system, digestive system etc.

Lastly, before we get into training, I'd like you to take note that systems abide by 'antifragility', a term coined by Nassim Taleb.

''Antifragility is a property of systems in which they increase in capability to thrive as a result of stressors, shocks, volatility, noise, mistakes, faults, attacks, or failures''

Source: Antifragility - Wikipedia

What this means is that biological systems can be made stronger via exposure to stress, AKA training.

What does the training look like?

if you wish to strengthen your biological subsystems via Antifragility, first and foremost you have to be specific; what exact subsystem do you want to train, and what are its entry points. I will list a few subsystems down below, and how you can train them.

The respiratory system

This system takes care of the circulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. It's entry points are the mouth and the nose.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater ability to stay calm under pressure
  • Greater fat burning capacity
  • Higher neural output
  • Better sleep

Ways to train this system

  • Overbreathing
  • Underbreathing
  • Heavy nasal beathing
  • Explosive mouth breathing

The cardiovascular system

This system takes care of the circulation of blood throughout your body. It's entry points are your mouth, nose, speed of movement, load on the body and state of the nervous system

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater recovery
  • Greater endurance
  • Greater focus

Ways to train this system

  • Short bouts of intensity
  • Heat & cold exposure
  • Walking
  • Endurance training

The nervous system

This system directs most of the subsystems in the body. It's entry points are all of your senses as well as your predictions.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater agression
  • Greater capacity to calm down
  • More efficiency
  • Better stress management

Ways to train this system

  • Engage in intense willful stress
  • Meditation
  • Plant medicine
  • Engage in novel activities

The skeletal system

This system takes care of stability in the system, as well as acting as a force transductor, vibrational information among other things. It's entry points are general impact on the body and tension.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Sensing of environment
  • Handling more load
  • Thicker muscles

Ways to train this system

  • Impact training
  • Carrying heavy weight

The muscular system

This system takes care of force production. It's entry points are the hands, the jaw and the feet.

A few benefits of training this system are

  • Greater power
  • Higher cell transduction
  • Greater strength

Ways to train this system

  • Move heavy weight
  • Explosive training
  • Controlled repetitions.

Final word

The main benefit you get from training subsystems versus general training is specificity, through a specific intent. General training will always end in hitting a plateau, training subsystems can get you much much further.

Wish to know more about the author?

Head over to www.willemvanzanten.com

Systems theory Clone

Posted on by Bear

Boost your confidence as man

Introduction


Before I dive into the how, let's dissect the statement ''Boost your confidence''. To boost means to improve, and in this case I'm referring to improving through understanding, not through ''hacks''. By ''confidence'' I mean showcasing capacity; radiating ability to your external environment.

To get a deeper understanding of what confidence is, we need to zoom into our directive as a species and as an individual. As a species we are highly social, and we send out social cues every time we communicate with one another. As an individual we communicate our ability to reproduce to the opposite sex, and our level of capacity at violence towards mostly the same sex.

This article is meant to give you an idea what you as an individual can do action-wise to feel and look more confident.


Confidence towards the opposite sex

As mentioned before, a major driver of our behavior is to procreate -- Men and women have a fundamentally different role to play in this. Women often act as a jury; to determine the level of competence of a male. Men often as the examined; to be judged by women -- This is why confidence in men is often completely opposite to that of women.






Before I dive into the how, let's dissect the statement ''Boost your confidence''. To boost means to improve, and in this case I'm referring to improving through understanding, not through ''hacks''. By ''confidence'' I mean showcasing capacity; radiating ability to your external environment.

To get a deeper understanding of what confidence is, we need to zoom into our directive as a species and as an individual. As a species we are highly social, and we send out social cues every time we communicate with one another. As an individual we communicate our ability to reproduce to the opposite sex, and our level of capacity at violence towards mostly the same sex.

This article is meant to give you an idea what you as an individual can do action-wise to feel and look more confident.


Confidence towards the opposite sex

As mentioned before, a major driver of our behavior is to procreate -- Men and women have a fundamentally different role to play in this. Women often act as a jury; to determine the level of competence of a male. Men often as the examined; to be judged by women -- This is why confidence in men is often completely opposite to that of women.


Confidence towards the same sex



What is being considered during an assessment

Before I dive into specifics, note that men and women look at different constitutions of a male or female -- That being said, they do often overlap.

Eyes

Do you engage in short-term eye contact, do you look away by choice or by force and do your eyes show signs of sympathetic activity?

Neck

The neck is especially interesting to other competing males as it indicates capacity at violence & aggression

Hair

The lushness, thickness and general signs of health in your hair is particularly interesting to potential mates, as this is a clear signs of procreation ability.

Skin

Like your hair, skin is also a clear indication of health, which is particularly interesting to women.

Position of scapula

The scapula (shoulder blades) are a clear sign of your current physical structure and emotional state. The four positions are; protraction (rolling forward), retraction (pulled back), elevation (pulled up) & depression (pulled down). Considering that the position of your scapula has such a strong correlation to your emotional state, it is of interest to both sexes.

Electromagnetic field of the heart

Your heart exerts a powerful field that can be read by any organism that is nearby, especially those in tune with their nervous system (females).

The main information that is being shared via your EMF (electromagnetic field) is decoherence (chaos) or coherence (stability)

Smell

Smell is of particular interest to females as it indicates much about the immune system as well as the microbiota of a male. It is said that having an immune system & microbiome that is complementary to the opposite sex will increase the likelihood of healthy offspring.

Jaw

The jaw and all the muscles connected to the process of mastication (chewing) are a very clear sign of capacity at violence & aggression -- This is both interesting for males & females.

Stance

The way you position yourself via either standing firm or leaning to one side are of great interest to the same sex as it indicates the state of the nervous system -- It indicates whether you are in freeze, flow, fight or flight.

Fluency of movement

Fluency of movement indicates both competency and the state of your nervous system, where incompetence and a state of flight are being made visible through a high degree of co-contractions, and the opposite through a flowing of.

Intonation

Intonation of voice is of interest to both sexes as it clearly indicates intent. A deep voice with plenty of pauses showcases confidence and a high social status -- A high pitches voice for males with stuttering and irregular pauses indicates weakness.

Stability of the body

Stability indicates strength in a male which is of great interest to other males and of interest to females with the intent of giving birth.

Muscle mass

General muscle mass is of interest to males, and hypertrophy (muscle growth) in particular tissue is of interest to females as it can indicate capacity at being a protector

Fat deposits

Where fat deposits are located is a clear sign of your hormonal system, where fat deposits around the hips and the upper body are generally positive, and fat deposits around the midsection are generally negative.

hat can you do to increase the perceived confidence as a man

There is much you can do to increase your confidence, but to keep things simple, I will focus on the most effective routines & behaviors -- Actions that can readily be integrated into your life.

Learn how to fight

You might not consciously know this, but during every social interaction every, there is the chance of a physical altercation. If you do not actively update your prediction on a positive outcome during a physical altercation, your confidence in social situations will take a great hit.

Engage in load bearing activities

Your body & mind are constantly transferring information to one another, and a body that can bear load tends to create a stable mind.

Carrying unstable weight is particularly effective at creating stability in your physical structure.

Get natural light on your skin

Not only will you look more attractive to the opposite sex, your endocrine (hormonal) system will also regulate itself more effectively -- This will most likely result in higher levels of testosterone

Chew, tape your mouth at night & pull things with your jaw

Defined facial muscles are telltale sign of aggression & health. Sadly, our constant mouth breathing and diet consisting of soft sustenance has greatly weakened our facial muscles.

Expose yourself to extreme temperatures

Heat & cold exposure have many benefits, but for confidence, the main benefit is a properly functioning cardiovascular system. Due to our comfortable living environment, the vascular system (blood vessels) rarely gets challenged, resulting in chronic increased blood pressure and thus stress.

Going barefoot and/or wearing minimalist shoes

Feet incapsulated by shoes that are rigid, with a small toe box & a raised heel lose their sensorial ability over time, which results in an unstable body and an anxious mind.



Final word

Adopting any of the above-mentioned behaviors will very likely improve your confidence, but do not rush -- It is better to adopt one behavior at a time and notice the benefits which will help integrate said behavior.

And, I hope through this article, that you have found a new level of agency in your life.

Bear out.

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Boost your confidence as man

Posted on by Bear



Before I dive into the how, let's dissect the statement ''Boost your confidence''. To boost means to improve, and in this case I'm referring to improving through understanding, not through ''hacks''. By ''confidence'' I mean showcasing capacity; radiating ability to your external environment.

To get a deeper understanding of what confidence is, we need to zoom into our directive as a species and as an individual. As a species we are highly social, and we send out social cues every time we communicate with one another. As an individual we communicate our ability to reproduce to the opposite sex, and our level of capacity at violence towards mostly the same sex.

This article is meant to give you an idea what you as an individual can do action-wise to feel and look more confident.

Confidence towards the opposite sex

As mentioned before, a major driver of our behavior is to procreate -- Men and women have a fundamentally different role to play in this. Women often act as a jury; to determine the level of competence of a male. Men often as the examined; to be judged by women -- This is why confidence in men is often completely opposite to that of women.

Confidence towards the same sex

The major driver behind confidence in relation to the same sex is that of competition; to earn a position in our social hierarchy, and thus potentially have access to more resources -- A critical mistake is to view this as ''survival of the fittest''

What is being considered during an assessment

Before I dive into specifics, note that men and women look at different constitutions of a male or female -- That being said, they do often overlap.

Eyes

Do you engage in short-term eye contact, do you look away by choice or by force and do your eyes show signs of sympathetic activity?

Neck

The neck is especially interesting to other competing males as it indicates capacity at violence & aggression

Hair

The lushness, thickness and general signs of health in your hair is particularly interesting to potential mates, as this is a clear signs of procreation ability.

Skin

Like your hair, skin is also a clear indication of health, which is particularly interesting to women.

Position of scapula

The scapula (shoulder blades) are a clear sign of your current physical structure and emotional state. The four positions are; protraction (rolling forward), retraction (pulled back), elevation (pulled up) & depression (pulled down). Considering that the position of your scapula has such a strong correlation to your emotional state, it is of interest to both sexes.

Electromagnetic field of the heart

Your heart exerts a powerful field that can be read by any organism that is nearby, especially those in tune with their nervous system (females).

The main information that is being shared via your EMF (electromagnetic field) is decoherence (chaos) or coherence (stability)

Smell

Smell is of particular interest to females as it indicates much about the immune system as well as the microbiota of a male. It is said that having an immune system & microbiome that is complementary to the opposite sex will increase the likelihood of healthy offspring.

Jaw

The jaw and all the muscles connected to the process of mastication (chewing) are a very clear sign of capacity at violence & aggression -- This is both interesting for males & females.

Stance

The way you position yourself via either standing firm or leaning to one side are of great interest to the same sex as it indicates the state of the nervous system -- It indicates whether you are in freeze, flow, fight or flight.

Fluency of movement

Fluency of movement indicates both competency and the state of your nervous system, where incompetence and a state of flight are being made visible through a high degree of co-contractions, and the opposite through a flowing of.

Intonation

Intonation of voice is of interest to both sexes as it clearly indicates intent. A deep voice with plenty of pauses showcases confidence and a high social status -- A high pitches voice for males with stuttering and irregular pauses indicates weakness.

Stability of the body

Stability indicates strength in a male which is of great interest to other males and of interest to females with the intent of giving birth.

Muscle mass

General muscle mass is of interest to males, and hypertrophy (muscle growth) in particular tissue is of interest to females as it can indicate capacity at being a protector

Fat deposits

Where fat deposits are located is a clear sign of your hormonal system, where fat deposits around the hips and the upper body are generally positive, and fat deposits around the midsection are generally negative.

What can you do to increase the perceived confidence as a man

There is much you can do to increase your confidence, but to keep things simple, I will focus on the most effective routines & behaviors -- Actions that can readily be integrated into your life.

Learn how to fight

You might not consciously know this, but during every social interaction every, there is the chance of a physical altercation. If you do not actively update your prediction on a positive outcome during a physical altercation, your confidence in social situations will take a great hit.

Engage in load bearing activities

Your body & mind are constantly transferring information to one another, and a body that can bear load tends to create a stable mind.

Carrying unstable weight is particularly effective at creating stability in your physical structure.

Get natural light on your skin

Not only will you look more attractive to the opposite sex, your endocrine (hormonal) system will also regulate itself more effectively -- This will most likely result in higher levels of testosterone

Chew, tape your mouth at night & pull things with your jaw

Defined facial muscles are telltale sign of aggression & health. Sadly, our constant mouth breathing and diet consisting of soft sustenance has greatly weakened our facial muscles.

Expose yourself to extreme temperatures

Heat & cold exposure have many benefits, but for confidence, the main benefit is a properly functioning cardiovascular system. Due to our comfortable living environment, the vascular system (blood vessels) rarely gets challenged, resulting in chronic increased blood pressure and thus stress.

Going barefoot and/or wearing minimalist shoes

Feet incapsulated by shoes that are rigid, with a small toe box & a raised heel lose their sensorial ability over time, which results in an unstable body and an anxious mind.

Final word

Adopting any of the above-mentioned behaviors will very likely improve your confidence, but do not rush -- It is better to adopt one behavior at a time and notice the benefits which will help integrate said behavior.

And, I hope through this article, that you have found a new level of agency in your life.

Bear out.

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Predictions versus Observation

Posted on by Bear

Predictions versus Observation

Introduction


We all know the feeling of walking into new place for the first time, we're excited but also slightly scared. Or the feeling you get when your test score is far worse than you expected, a sadness and/or frustrations. Or how about eating a very tasty pastry that you've never had before, that rush of bliss and pleasure that engulfs you.


What all of these phenomena have in common is that which you expected and that which you experienced, there was a difference which caused a rush of feelings and emotions - This we call prediction versus observation.


What is the primary intent behind making predictions?


As mentioned before, any living organism will try to reduce uncertainty. If you predict an event correctly you can adjust yourself accordingly and have a greater chance to survive the ordeal, if however you are completely wrong it could cause death. 


The way an organism regulates itself is through a process called allostasis, which essentially means 'to keep an internal balance with future events in mind'. Predictions with high probabilities will make you more efficient at negating risks and thus increase survival.



How is a prediction calculated?


Organisms use a mathematical equation called 'the Bayesian Inference' to in order to deduce a likelihood of an event taking place and what the potential gain and loss might be.


It predicts based on priors (what has happened), poster prediction(what do I think is going to happen) and the observation (what has actually happened). The difference between the prediction and the observation is in physiological terms called a somatic error, individuals often experience this through depression and/or anxiety.


What does a somatic error cause?


A somatic error forces the organism to reconfigure its internal state to match the external world, this can be done via upregulation or downregulation. Regulations can be a decrease of the heartrate, a tensing of  the musculature or a release of Insulin


How can I improve my predictions


There are few ways to do this effectively, the simplest way would be to gather more data - Another option would be to expose yourself to a multitude of states (high stress, alternative states etc.) and lastly to deduce patterns from the data.


Deducing patterns from data is made far easier via systems as a system can categorize raw data allowing for great computation and thus better predictions.


What effect will better predictions have for my life?


The effects are varying but the most common and direct effect will be a great sense of wellbeing, a feeling you are ready for whatever life throws at you. Other effects could include better sleep, improved sex life and more success at work


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Systems theory

Posted on by Bear

Systems theory

Introduction


Life has existed on our planet for millions of years and has slowly become more complex over time through a process called evolution, which in simple terms is called 'trial and error'. Life has been and still is in a constant battle with Entropy, which you might know as death or chaos - Everything that is built will eventually crumble, especially if its not being looked after.


The major issue for life was the requirement of energy to reduce entropy, any action taken has a cost and seeing as every lifeform has a finite amount of energy we run into a problem - This is where information comes in; seeking out patterns in order to make growing in complexity and reducing entropy more effective. But in order to retrieve information about the direct environment a certain type of algorithm had to be produced - You can compare this process to your phone, a more efficient way to stay in contact with other individuals in comparison to sending letters - This is where the system comes in


What is a system? 


Hold onto your horses as things are going to get freaky, a system is a sentient entity that adapts to its environment - A system can be organic like you and me, organizational like a business, solar like our own galaxy, a religion or a thought pattern. 


A system has three primary components; structure, metabolism & information - Structure can be your bones and muscles, a set of rules within a company or the walls of a building - Metabolism comprises primarily of the moving parts, like the human beings of a business, the metabolic processes in our body or the movement of planets in line with the sun - Information is anything that is measured, is used for patterns or supplies energy.


What is the primary intent of a system?


First and foremost is to reduce entropy (fight death), and it does this by surviving and procreating. It's important to understand that surviving has a higher priority than procreating, we all like sex but when there is an imminent threat our libido drops to zero.


It reduces entropy by gathering raw data from its environment and producing information which in term can be used for pattern recognition which is often termed knowledge and/or wisdom. 


How does a system formulate its own actions?


It does this by calculating probabilities through an algorithm which we call the Bayesian inference (more on that later), it predicts the likelihood of imminent death and potential gain. The lesser the chance of imminent death the greater the expenditure on processes with a procreating nature - However if the chance of death increases the behaviour shifts towards that of preserving rather than creating.



How does the systems theory tie in with training


As stated before, all the actions that we take are to reduce uncertainty (entropy) the same goes for any type of training - Willingly exposing yourself to chaos will make you more adept at dealing with a similar source in the future, and thus reducing the chance of death.

We've also formulated that a systemical approach to reducing uncertainty is far superior in terms of computational power (setting probabilities), hence why I HIGHLY recommend systemizing your training - Not only will give this approach a superior benefit to you the organism, it also requires less effort to execute and increases evolution and adaptability over time

How can I use these systems


The keyword is experience, experiencing a benefit through anecdotal evidence - Which is why I won't divulge too much information and ask you to read the preceeding blog posts

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Principles & Training

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Principles & Training

Introduction


Let's set some concepts straight before we go down the rabbit hole, namely what is a principle and what is not - A principle is a guideline that changes with the individual and the environment, unlike a rule that is static and has to change by force over time. To give you an idea what this means in relation to training let's sketch a situation; A principle for training like getting a stress peak response can always be achieved no matter how fatigued you are, a rule like doing 60 minutes of exercise at an average heartrate of 110 beats per minute will at times be impossible.


Another concept we'll have to clarify is the act of training, what it means in terms of you the person. Training is in simple terms intentional behavior with the intent of improving oneself, this is often in relation to future events - You might want to ready yourself for a physical altercation or improve your ability to run away from a threat.




''Principles adapt whereas rules are static''


Training in relation to principles


Our lives are incredibly complex and dynamic, we are continuously affected by the outside world and change ourselves accordingly. With this in mind it only seems logical that your exercise regime should reflect this, what works one day might not work the next day.


When starting out with fitness you will come across plenty of dogmatic approaches that show you that there is right and wrong way of doing things. I myself think in terms of better and worse, as there is never complete certainty. Keeping an open mind when it comes to your own approach.


A good example of a dogmatic approach is Crossfit, where the aim is to increase the amount of kilograms you can lift or how fast you can complete a workout - I completely understand the attraction of these fitness 'religions', but you can do so much better for yourself.

How about relaying your focus to actually enjoying what you are doing and using your training to stimulate other areas in your life like your professional career. 


For this to be successful you will need a framework of principles that will guide you towards more effective training rather than numbers, knowing when you're doing well or when there is room for improvement. 


Principles can start out really simple and turn more complex over time as your understanding grows - You might start out with 'The training should support my sleep' and end up with 'my training should make me a better father'. It all depends on what you want and what kind of a live you are living.


How can you formulate your own principles?


This is simpler than you might think, consider what it is that gives your life meaning - Now consider how training will support that which gives meaning to your life. 


Give the process time as you will discover more about yourself and the long-term effects of training over time, which will automatically change your view and thus your principles

What principles do I use and why?


Let me first clarify that I use two types; personal principles and principles involved with biological system (more on that later) - The former is to me as a person and the latter involves all living beings and can thus be used for anything.


My personal intent is to be capable in any situation and to be a foundation to those I deem worthy, for this reason I primarily focus on function. This intent affects virtually every training I will do, it the fuel to my fire.

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The bottleneck principle

Posted on by Bear

Introduction

You're at work and trying to focus on those files your boss sent through but you can't focus, it doesn't matter how many cups of coffee you're gulping down it's just not happening. Your co-worker sees that you're a bit off-centre and asks you what's wrong to which you reply that you haven't been sleeping well - Your co-worker has always been health-concerned and recommends you all these rituals and supplements to help with the sleep, to which you just nod because you know what's going on - You and your wife have been very distant lately and the thought of separating keeps you up at night.

What this little narrative clearly indicates to me is that there is a hierarchy to things, where more fundamental components of your life have a greater effect on you and more precise component have a lesser effect on you. Your relationship to your wife is more important than how well you are performing at work. Knowing this makes the approach to bettering yourself rather simple; start with the foundational first.

This principle can be used in virtually any situation but seeing as my area of focus is Strength & Conditioning we will relay the focus to the body; how the bottleneck and/or hierarchy principle applies to training.

Introduction

You're at work and trying to focus on those files your boss sent through but you can't focus, it doesn't matter how many cups of coffee you're gulping down it's just not happening. Your co-worker sees that you're a bit off-centre and asks you what's wrong to which you reply that you haven't been sleeping well - Your co-worker has always been health-concerned and recommends you all these rituals and supplements to help with the sleep, to which you just nod because you know what's going on - You and your wife have been very distant lately and the thought of separating keeps you up at night.

What this little narrative clearly indicates to me is that there is a hierarchy to things, where more fundamental components of your life have a greater effect on you and more precise component have a lesser effect on you. Your relationship to your wife is more important than how well you are performing at work. Knowing this makes the approach to bettering yourself rather simple; start with the foundational first.

This principle can be used in virtually any situation but seeing as my area of focus is Strength & Conditioning we will relay the focus to the body; how the bottleneck and/or hierarchy principle applies to training.

Step one; What do you want to achieve?

The body is incredibly malleable and will adjust itself according to an aim, the clearer that aim is the better your biology will adapt - Be very straightforward in what you want and why, as biological adaptation is a costly process.

In order for you to get a better grasp of this principle in relationship to training I will divulge into an intent I have and what actions I have undertaken to move closer to this intent - My intent is to downregulate sympathetic markers on a nasal breath-only workout as well as speed-up the execution of the exercises.

Specifics

The workout is; - 20 burpees - 30 sit-ups - 400 metre run x5 - The constraints are; that it must all be done whilst keeping the mouth closed and one inhale and exhale per burpee/sit-up

Measurements

As mentioned before the intent is to downregulate the sympathetic markers whilst speeding up the the exercises, which is why I have to measure in a very specific manner whether I'm improving.

  • My ability to take in my direct environment
  • What muscular tension is being generated
  • The level of physical discomfort that I'm experiencing
  • My state of mind; am I calm, do I want to fight or run away
  • Are my breaths full or hampered
  • How fast am I running
  • How fluid are the movements
  • How quickly do I recover after the burpees
  • How tense is my body

What systems are being targeted and might hamper the training

First and foremost, all systems are always being targeted during any training, we are merely talking about their level of importance in relation the the workout - The body is divergent and not convergent.

The primary systems that are being worked are; your respiratory system (the gas exchange and muscles involved), your vascular system (transport of metabolites and gasses via the blood), your cardiac nervous system (contraction of the heart and coherence of the body), your central nervous system (your response to stressors), metabolic systems (lipolysis; breakdown of fatty into energy) and your muscular system (primarily your internal torque chain and slow twitch fibres)

What steps can we take to strengthen these systems

Word of caution; as stated before, nearly any action you take will affect every system in your body - We are once again talking about a hierarchy.

  • respiratory system

Breathwork like Wim Hof can be an effective tool, swimming can be effective (especially sprints and underwater swimming)

  • vascular system

The vascular system responds to nearly everything but to really stress out the vascular system you can try; cold exposure, very challenging breath-holds and going into the sauna

  • cardiac nervous system

This one is a bit tricky to explain as coherence of an organism is an incredibly important effect the heart can have, I will divulge into this at a later stage

To improve the physical properties of the cardiac system you can; engage in all-out sprints for less than 60 seconds, endurance tension for an extended period and expose yourself to intensity peaks with a short bout of recovery.

  • central nervous system

The primary role of the nervous system is to make predictions about the future based on incoming data and recommending actions - This makes training your CNS very complex but not impossible.

What I do is exposing myself to a myriad of stressors during the same workout as well as during my everyday life to strengthen that feeling of safety - No specifics this time

  • metabolic system

You have several metabolic system but for now we are talking about lipolysis; the breakdown of stored fat into readily useful energy.

My recommendation is to keep your level of certain minerals high (potassium/magnesium/calcium/zinc/selenium/iron) through organ meats, nuts and certain vegetables

Other than that you can play around with periods of fasting with extended exercise.

  • muscular system

Seeing as we're concerned with the body, we're dealing with an incredibly complex situation - I will try to give you a narrative but don't expect to be able to put this into concrete actions right away.

The muscles work in a chain and the force production can and will be hampered if certain areas are weaker than others, which is why balancing the body is a good strategy.

What I also recommend is to get better at the movement and/or similar movements so that your body learns to be more efficient.

The last thing I will mention is that both your hands and feet are two very potent sites for force production, if you do not actively use your hands and feet during these movements you're leaving gains on the table.

Let's pull it back to the governing principle

In order to improve I need to focus on the main system that's holding me back, and sometimes this might be an unknown unknown (completely unknown to you) - This is why exploration is incredibly important when it comes to any progress.

Efficiency versus growth

Posted on by Bear

Introduction

Everything in life acts in cycles; night/day, winter/summer, life/death etc. A cycle consists of oscillations with peaks and slopes - this is generally how your body functions most effective, not through constant peaks or slopes but through lots of variation.

Our society goes through cycles of war and peace time, our body goes through cycles of growth and loss. It is a truth many of us unconsciously know about - Yet we often act counter to that truth.

The usual recommendation when it comes to progress is 'Consistency is key', yet nothing in life is consistent. When looking up health tips you'll often see recommendations such as; eat that amount of this, this product and do that. What all of these recommendations have in common is their chronic nature, keep doing the same thing no matter the circumstances.

In my opinion this chronic nature of acting will result in overreliance, injury, sickness and general fatigue. I might even go so far as to say that many of the illnesses we endure as a society are due to the constant tension or lack of varied stressors- I think we can do better.

How to incorporate cycles and variation into your life

The used methods will have to vary from person to person as the cycles should be in relation to your current life. Every method will have a different effect depending on the person and stage of their life.

What remains unchanged however are the principles in regards to these cycles, one of them being Complexity VS Simplicity - More on that later.

Every domain of your life can be exposed to cycles; having focus heavy days during your work and off days right after, training hard a few days of the week followed by a period of rest or periods of feasting and periods of fasting. Utilizing this strategy will cause short-term stress, allowing you to adapt directly followed by a recovery phase.

Complexity VS Simplicity

The above mentioned principle is particularly effective for your metabolism and diet, but it can be used for any situation in your life. A period of stimulated growth followed by a period of reduction where you are forced to become more efficient

Fast vs Feast

When your goal is to have a healthy and functional body, my general recommendation is to have a period of feasting and a period of fasting. During the former you'll want maximum stimulation and growth - building muscle and other tissue. Subsequently this phase will be followed by fasting, a phase where you kill off the weak cells - recycling of broken tissue and forcing processes to become more energy efficient.

Sped up metabolism VS Efficient metabolism

Metabolism in simple terms is the synthesis of readily useful energy for the body, this happens through conversion of sustenance and/or tissue into something we call ATP (an energy unit used by the body).

During periods of growth your body will learn to release energy faster and in turn increase the usage of fuel sources. This often goes hand in hand with mouth breathing, exercise like sprints and increased food intake.

During periods of efficiency your body will learn to streamline chemical reactions within the body and increase the conversion from sustenance into useful energy. Inducing periods of efficiency can be done through; forced nasal breathing, endurance workouts, decreased food intake and longer stressors.

What I do personally

When it comes to fast vs feast I have days where I eat throughout the day, these are often days with little stress and easy to perform tasks. And there are days where I eat nothing or just one meal to starve my body slightly.

To make my metabolism more effective I tend to incorporate workouts focussed on intensity allowing all the metabolic processes in my body to speed up, and workouts with slowed down breath to force my body to widen my arteries and veins as well as dealing with less oxygen.

Adjust your training to the time of day

Posted on by Bear

Introduction

Let's get a couple of details straightened out before we move on, the first one being training; what is training exactly, and why is it necessary. Training is challenging someone or something to get desired adaptations, in simple words; you get better through discomfort - Training is necessary as we humans need a certain dose of stress in order to function properly, and seeing as that our lives are relatively comfortable, self-imposed stress is required.

Seeing as 'getting better' is your main concern you will want to maximise the effectiveness of your effort, which is where the ciradian rhythm comes in. Every organism goes through cycles, the most common one is the cycle of being asleep and being awake. This cycle is primarily dependant on temperature and light exposure. Your body adjust itself to the time of day.

How does the circadian rhythm affect us?

The circadian rhythm primes you for certain behaviour, where in the morning you get a shot of the 'stress' hormone cortisol to get you moving and a shot of the 'relaxation' hormone melatonin to make you drowsy. These are just two examples of the many physiological responses your body has to the circadian rhythm.

It is worth considering what actions, tasks and/or behaviour are best for the morning/afternoon/evening. Not only will the activity be easier to execute, it will also support everything else much more effectively.

How does all of this relate to training?

Every type of training has its own physiological and psychological effect on us. Some training will make you sleepy, other exercises giving you focus and/or energize you. Matching your remaining day, time of the day with the right exercises can greatly benefit you.

What type of training has what effect?

I'm going to speak in general terms as every individual responds different to stressors and there are many many other factors that affect your response to stress (work, caffeine, kids, etc.)

  1. Structure & Controlled contraction

Any training that involves carrying weights, continued contraction of large muscle groups with proper breathing and a calm state will make you more prone to; being relaxed, social and improve your digestion.

This type of training is best done after 5 pm, as it will assist sleep and digestion

2. Flow & Movement

Training that involves moving around, complex movement patterns and long-range of motions will make you more prone to; creative thinking, problem-solving, increased awareness and a calm focus.

This type of training can be done the whole day through, but is best done when you need to be creative and calm.

3. Strength & Conditioning

Exercise that involves ; explosive movement, heavy weight, chasing failure, general discomfort, a state of enduring matched with shallow breathing will make you more prone to; assertive behavior, strong focus, undertaking acitivities and feeling energized

Conditioning is best done early morning and Strength work is best done between 2 and 4 pm, ideal for a work day.

These guidelines are, that's right ; guidelines, not exact science. If you only have time to train in the morning and haven't done structure work in some time, forget the guideline. Just be aware that going against these guidelines will have repercussions such as lethargy and insomnia.

What does this mean for you?

Not only can you program yourself effectively to become more adapt at dealing what you need to deal with like doing that task that you've been putting off or standing in front of a crowd, it will also give you insight into current problems you might be dealing with.

''If your training is the same no matter the time of day, you could do better''

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What is healthy stress?

Posted on by Bear

Introduction

We human beings are odd in comparison with most animals, where a zebra might be concerned with getting eaten by a lion every once in a while, we are concerned about the mortgage on our house or the future of our marriage. The main difference between the rest of the animals and us in terms of stress is Acute Vs Chronic.

Our body is designed to deal with acute stress; fighting off wild animals, picking up heavy rocks to build a house, or getting in combat with a neighbouring village. These are all acute and in some sense healthy if we have time to recover.

Now think about our current situation; you read the news and hear about the collapsing economy, you read an Instagram post that pisses you off or you get stuck in traffic for an hour. These are all more chronic of nature and mostly unhealthy.

What does healthy mean exactly?

To me health is the ability to take a hit, whether it is being able to function on less sleep or not getting as sick after getting infected with a virus. Your body and mind function well and thus can handle more stress.

You might wonder what healthy means in connection with stress, well the answer is simple; your body can adapt to the stressor and get stronger in the process. You can withstand greater temperature changes, less sustenance or less oxygen in the bloodstream.

But, don't forget, it is not about how stressful an activity is - it is about how well you can handle it

How stress can accumulate

Your ability to deal with and overcome stress has to do with many factors, and all of these have to be considered for you to make the 'right' decision when it comes to exposing yourself to a healthy dose of stress.

  • Caffeine consumption
  • Professional insecurity
  • Children
  • Food intolerance
  • Social media
  • Insomnia

How can you overcome chronic stress?

Let's start with the worst thing you can do; staying away from stress, seeking constant comfort. Your body needs stress to stay healthy. Instead seek out acute stress in many forms.

One day you might stress your body out by getting a cold shower, the next day you sweat in the sauna and maybe the next day you do a few sprints. Make sure you stress your body out in different ways so you don't overburden systems within the body.

What sources of stress can I utilize

Before I get into the details let's talk for a moment about the favourable response of the body to the stressor. Your body has several systems that each have their own function and can be trained, think of the cardiovascular system (your heart), your respiratory system (breathing), your immune system, you digestive system etc. All of these systems can be challenged and improved upon

Ways to stress out a system

  • Cold exposure
  • Breath holds
  • Fasting
  • Plant compounds
  • Sprints
  • Carrying heavy weights
  • Sauna
  • Getting choked during Jiu-Jitsu
  • Giving a presentation
  • Driving a car for the first time

None of these methods are healthy in and of itself, it is all about your tolerance to stress and the dosage

How can you track your tolerance to stress

I keep track of my tolerance to new stressors through a couple of parameters, and they are all feeling-based. I personally stay away from tracking devices and rather rely on the signaling of my body.

How I keep track;

  • My libido; how sexually active am I
  • My sleep; how well rested do I feel upon waking up and how easily do I fall asleeo
  • My diet; do I have many sugar cravings and do I experience blood sugar fluctuations?
  • My mental state; do I feel lethargic or am I anxious?
  • My body; are my muscles tight and my joints achy?

''Don't stay away from stress, learn to use it to your advantage''

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