Hey fitness nerds!

Thank you all 93,455 of you!

Most people train to look good or get stronger. But what if I told you that traditional fitness training leaves huge gaps in your ability to handle real life?

I learned this the hard way when I was fit but got injured doing simple everyday tasks.

Read 🔽 below! 

💪 

IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES WE WILL COVER:

Weekly Insights:

• How to Train Robustness Instead of Just Fitness

• Article Explained Simple: Structured Exercise After Colon Cancer Treatment Improves Survival

• 3 Tips for At Home Environment Tweaks That Increase Movement Without Working Out

• Barbecue Smoked Spatchcock Chicken

How to Train Robustness Instead of Just Fitness

Being fit is not the same as being robust.

Fitness measures how well you perform specific tasks like running a certain distance or lifting a particular weight. Robustness measures how well your body handles unexpected challenges.

You can be extremely fit but surprisingly fragile.

The problem with traditional fitness training is that it focuses on predictable movements in controlled environments. You do the same exercises, the same way, in the same conditions every single time.

Your body adapts only to these specific patterns. It becomes very efficient at them but lacks the ability to handle variation.

Real life throws chaos at you constantly.

You slip on ice. You catch a falling object. You lift something awkwardly from the trunk of your car. These movements happen at unexpected angles with unpredictable loads.

Traditional fitness does not prepare you for this variability. Your muscles and joints have not experienced the stress patterns that real life demands.

This creates vulnerability. People who are gym strong often get injured doing simple tasks because their bodies lack robust movement patterns.

Robustness training emphasizes movement variability.

Instead of always squatting with perfect form at the same depth, you train squats at different depths, speeds, and foot positions. You squat on stable ground and unstable surfaces.

Instead of only pressing weights overhead in a controlled manner, you press at different angles and with different objects. You practice movements that require coordination and adaptation.

This builds resilience throughout your entire system.

Your nervous system learns to coordinate muscles in countless different ways. Your joints experience stress from multiple directions, which strengthens the connective tissues.

Your body becomes adaptable rather than just adapted to specific movements.

Odd object training enhances robustness significantly.

Lifting sandbags, water filled containers, or awkward shaped objects forces your body to constantly adjust and stabilize. Unlike barbells, these objects shift and move unpredictably.

This teaches your muscles to work together as a complete system rather than in isolation. It develops the small stabilizer muscles that traditional training often misses.

Movement in multiple planes of motion matters tremendously.

Most gym exercises happen in one plane. Squats and deadlifts move you up and down. Bench press moves weight forward and back.

Real life requires rotation, lateral movement, and diagonal patterns. Walking up stairs while carrying groceries. Twisting to grab something from the back seat. Playing with your kids.

Training these movements builds true functional strength that transfers to everything you do.

Balance and proprioception training creates robustness.

Standing on one leg, using balance boards, or doing exercises with eyes closed improves your body's awareness of its position in space.

This develops quick reflexes and automatic corrections when you encounter unexpected situations. It is the difference between catching yourself when you trip and falling hard.

Here is how to add robustness to your training.

Include at least one session per week focused entirely on movement variation. Practice familiar exercises in unfamiliar ways.

Add carries, crawls, and ground based movements to your routine. These challenge your body in ways traditional exercises cannot.

Train outdoors when possible. Uneven terrain, wind resistance, and temperature changes all force your body to adapt beyond what a gym provides.

The goal is not to abandon traditional fitness training. Strength and cardiovascular fitness remain important.

But layering robustness training on top creates a body that is both powerful and resilient. You become someone who can handle whatever physical challenges life throws at you.

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Article of the Week

3 Tips for At Home Environment Tweaks That Increase Movement Without Working Out

Small changes to your living space can dramatically increase daily movement without formal exercise sessions.

1. Place everyday items strategically higher or lower

   1. Store frequently used items on top shelves or bottom drawers instead of at eye level.

   2. This forces you to squat, reach, and stretch dozens of times daily.

   3. Your coffee mugs on the top shelf mean morning squats. Pots and pans stored low create natural movement patterns.

   4. These micro workouts add up to significant daily activity without any conscious effort.
      
      

2. Create an uncomfortable primary seating option

   1. Replace your comfy couch with a firm floor cushion or meditation bench as your main sitting spot.

   2. This encourages you to change positions frequently, stand up more often, and sit on the floor.

   3. Floor sitting builds hip mobility and core strength naturally.

   4. Keep the comfortable furniture as an option but make active sitting your default.
      
      

3. Remove convenience from your environment

   1. Put your trash can in another room. Store your phone charger away from where you typically sit.

   2. Place your water pitcher on a different floor of your house.

   3. These small inconveniences force you to get up and move regularly.

   4. Each trip breaks up sedentary time and adds steps to your day without feeling like exercise.

Barbecue Smoked Spatchcock Chicken Recipe (makes 6 servings)

Spatchcock chicken cooks faster and more evenly than a whole bird. This smoked version delivers incredible flavor with great macros.

I make this every weekend when the weather is nice. The leftovers are perfect for meal prep throughout the week.

This recipe was created in 2 minutes with the BusyBody App. Click the button for free access to the app.

Macros per Serving

• Total Calories: 285 kcal

• Protein: 42 g

• Carbohydrates: 3 g

• Sugars: 2 g

• Fat: 11 g

The Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 2 teaspoons black pepper

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 lemon, halved

• Wood chips for smoking (hickory or apple wood)

The Instructions

• Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it completely.

• Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it. The chicken should lay flat like a butterfly.

• Mix all the dry spices and brown sugar in a small bowl to create your rub.

• Rub the olive oil all over the chicken, covering both sides thoroughly.

• Apply the spice rub generously to all surfaces of the chicken. Get it under the skin where possible for maximum flavor.

• Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prepare your grill or smoker.

• Prepare your smoker or grill for indirect heat at 225 to 250 degrees. Add soaked wood chips for smoke.

• Place the chicken skin side up on the grate away from direct heat. Add the lemon halves to the grill for extra flavor.

• Smoke for 2 to 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast.

• Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces.

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