“Take the case of courage. No quality has ever so much addled the brains and tangled the definitions of merely rational sages. Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. 'He that will lose his life, the same shall save it,' is not a piece of mysticism for saints and heroes. It is a piece of everyday advice for sailors or mountaineers. It might be printed in an Alpine guide or a drill book. This paradox is the whole principle of courage; even of quite earthly or brutal courage. A man cut off by the sea may save his life if we will risk it on the precipice.
He can only get away from death by continually stepping within an inch of it. A soldier surrounded by enemies, if he is to cut his way out, needs to combine a strong desire for living with a strange carelessness about dying. He must not merely cling to life, for then he will be a coward, and will not escape. He must not merely wait for death, for then he will be a suicide, and will not escape. He must seek his life in a spirit of furious indifference to it; he must desire life like water and yet drink death like wine.”
― G.K. Chesterton
Reflecting
Seeking life in a spirit of furious indifference to death? Such men still live among us. One is Mark Twight.
For decades, Mark has been the best example I know of living this contradiction of terms. He is the only one who would ever question his courage, but it is clearly a virtue that he thinks about a lot,
Outside observers see his accomplishments in the mountains as stepping within an inch of death. Albi Sole described Twight’s first ascent of Reality Bath as “so dangerous as to be of little value except to those suicidally inclined.” Joe Josephson added that it was “undoubtedly the most dangerous ice route in the range.” Dangerous? Sure. Suicidal? No. There’s a big difference between climbing something because it is deadly and climbing it because it is consequential. And everything that matters risks consequences.
If Twight wasn’t striking the right balance, he would have died in the mountains long ago. He has written that courage is not fearlessness, it is acting in spite of the fear. Twight needed courage for all of the other things that matter – getting uncomfortable, growing, defying anyone who tried to write his script, living unapologetically, and refusing to quit. This isn’t a death wish; it is a life wish. Read more about a good day to risk everything on the aptly named Reality Bath.
Training
This morning’s white board –
60 Box Jumps/Box Step Ups 24”
40 chest to bar
20 Squat Cleans 185 lbs.
Fueling
Two restaurant tweaks – I mostly prep my own food but if you are traveling and host a dinner at a restaurant instead of home a few things can make it a lot healthier:
Have them just pour everyone waters with out asking and keep the water coming. Get alcohol only in response to specific requests for it, but no wine menus or bringing up other drinks.
No bread unless asked. For something to snack on before orders are made, just bring out oysters and shrimp. It has the same advantage of being popular and tasty and gives people something to do but instead of packing on processed carbs, it packs on clean protein.
Supplementing
42% off a good Vitamin D source. In this cold dark month, virtually everyone should be supplementing their Vitamin D.
Measuring
If trying to build muscle and are going up in weight, what is the easiest way make sure it isn’t too much fat? There’s a more expensive and accurate way and a quick and dirty way. Expensive and accurate? Smart scale.
Quick and dirty? Measuring tape Keep your waist under half you height; ideally closer to 40%. If your waist is constant or shrinking, then it is probably muscle. If that waist is expanding, probably fat.
Recovering
I’m currently recovering from my Friday CrossFit workout immediately followed by an hour with my coach 1-on-1. At the end of our workout, we spent some time working on blood flow restriction training: push-ups, squats, and curls with arm and leg cuffs. Their app sets the pressure and can remember workouts to replicate programs on command. BFR speeds recovery since it gets the same impact on muscles with far less on joints. Less weight but more hypertrophy.
Closing
Life a life worth living. Choose what that means to you but it doesn’t mean merely clinging to life. I know the stats on motorcycling and proximity flying and they’re not good. But they help you feel alive while you still are. Even if you use a lot of discretion, eventually the actuarial tables catch up with you. I’m still figuring out how to feel alive and stay alive.
I make the compromises that don’t cost me anything: after a big health setback, I will need supplemental oxygen at altitude. It isn’t totally clear what I can do on my own without guides to lead. So I bring Os and guides wherever I need them. But once reasonable steps are taken to stay alive, then be him that will lose his life, be the same who shall save it.
Great stuff. Do you abstain from alcohol altogether or limit it?
So glad I opened this email. Great stuff Chris.