How To Train Using The Advantages Of Being A Human

Big Head and Big Brain

We have bigger brains than most of our mammalian counterparts. And although we could collectively use some training on how to use them, we can, without much effort, outthink the rest of the planet. 

The key operations of the human brain are memory, intelligence, imagination, concentration, intuition, and willpower. How we train our brains to achieve the highest level of human performance is a topic too big for a single paragraph, but rest assured, each one of these mental powers is within our human control.

There are two relevant brain facts to share:

1) You must sleep. The better you sleep, the better you’ll be. Good Movers sleep well.

2) Things that excite our brain become part of us, they become easier to do. Mastery excites the brain. 

Vertical Life Requires Vertical Strength

We are the only mammals that walk on two legs and stand vertically. This life orientation comes with benefits and challenges. It is up to us to understand how our bodies work so we can work with them properly.

Our posture is different from other creatures and so is our spine. We have what is called a double curve in our spine and we must know how to use it to be able to balance our head on top of our body. 

The ability to hold our spines erect (while sitting or standing) is the most important shape for us to master. This erect spine shape influences breathing, digestion, the ability for our brains to communicate with the rest of our body. Good access to this shape is required to safely make yourself strong. 

The idea that we live a vertical life is the key idea to recognize the importance of vertical strength. Vertical strength is the ability to move things vertically (not just the ability to jump high). Vertical strength is built around the idea that our bones, when stacked properly, are in their safest and most efficient positions to manage gravity and manage objects that are affected by gravity.

When you need strength in real life, when you need to lift, push, pull, or throw, you are going to need to be on your feet to successfully perform these actions. You are going to need to manage momentum, spine shapes, arm levers and leg springs. Mastering vertical strength is the key to doing anything well. 

Leg Springs, the Achilles Tendon and Endurance

Believe it or not, humans are some of the best runners on the planet. We are not the fastest, nor the most agile. But, there is a cyclical leg bouncing pattern that allows us to cover a great distance at a medium pace. The tempo you know as jogging, is actually a magical human power. You know this pattern. You feel it when you are skipping along, jumping rope, or running down the stairs. 

This action is known as leg spring triple bounce. You use it every time you use your legs. We don’t have hooves or claws, we have feet and toes...and an achilles tendon. On every step our toes spread and our calves muscles and our achilles act like piston springs pushing us accelerating and decelerating our movements.  

The achilles tendon is the key to our leg spring's bounce, which is the key to our ability to cover that marathon distance faster than most other animals. Our legs are built as springs and the human body is built for cyclical movement patterns. The leg spring triple bounce cyclical movement is the key to your cardio respiratory endurance.  

Kettlebell Training is the only form of strength training that uses vertical strength and cyclical movement. This is a powerful combination and why being good at kettlebell lifting makes you good at everything else.

Power, Precision & a Thumb

Power needs precision. Without precision, power is reckless. You see this fact in human performance activities; spiriting, jumping, punching, throwing. These are high performance movements that require specific practice to execute and a base level of strength to perform, even as an amateur.

When looking at all power and precision movements, you will see a connection and a rhythmic pattern between the hip and shoulder. It requires us to whip and snap forces from our lower body through our torso and express our arms. This pattern is everywhere in evolutionary movements. From darts to javelin and swimming to boxing. It’s just how we move.

There are two forms of strength training that allow you to access this hip to shoulder pattern. Olympic lifting and kettlebell training. As we practice and discuss movements in kettlebell training like the bottoms up no catch, the clean, or the snatch, you’ll learn to understand and appreciate how owning this skill makes your body strong, toned, and fit.