No Way Out But Through

When it gets hard, go harder.

…He says the best way out is always through.
And I agree to that, or in so far
As that I can see no way out but through…

- Robert Frost’s A Servant To Servants

Reflecting

Trail running takes a while, but (except for very steep terrain at very high elevation) I keep my heart rate down.  CrossFit metcons are intense, but by the time you’re truly suffering, there isn’t that much time left.  In both cases, there’s a light at the end of the pain cave. 

But boxing.  Boxing is intense and isn’t necessarily over that soon.  So it can be hard to fight until the bell.  Part of it is conditioning, but most of it is will.  Once you are determined to not quit, then you’re kinda stuck with the only alternative of trying to finish. 

When it hurts too much, I try to accelerate.  When my shoulders are on fire and my arms ache and my wrists struggle to stay straight, I change up the tempo and strike faster.  It actually provides a kind of relief to feel more under control than when you’re creeping into the end. When you want it to end, attack the end.  The best way out is through. 

Training

This morning’s white board – a chipper:

• 50 calories on the Echo Bike

• 100 double unders

• 30 kettlebell snatch 70 lbs.

• Rest 4:00 

• 30 kettlebell snatch 70 lbs.

• 100 double unders

• 50 calories on the Echo Bike

In addition to whatever water I carry in flasks, I like having Life Straws with me on long trail runs so that I can drink safely from streams.  This is my favorite one but this one is on sale. It is worth tossing one in your running vest.  I like an extra to give away in case you come across anyone dehydrated in the woods.  If you live near NYC and are interested in trail running, the best way to stay informed (in addition to Vale Tudo!) is to sign up for this email list.

Fueling

Eggs, bacon, onion, and sprouts:

Supplementing

Maximus, one of the startups I invested in that is mostly focused on hormone optimization, has rolled out a hair loss product.  My sense is that it is far better at maintaining than regrowing lost hair.  Until something comes out that work dramatically well, I generally approach this area with a high level of skepticism and low level of curiosity. 

I prefer the Jeff Bezos solution to hair loss: shave it all off, never think about it again, and just get jacked and successful.  Bald/jacked/rich has a perfectly adequate supply to demand ratio.  Unlike hair loss, at least so far, you can actually do something about lifting and earning.  It is unStoic and unmanly to fret about anything you can’t do something about. 

Measuring

Thank you to the Vale Tudo readers who support Watsi; in less than 10 days, we’re most of the way to our modest money goal. But what would mean a lot to me is if everyone would please give something. My plan is for Vale Tudo to always be free, but if you get value out of the time and effort I put into sharing ideas, I’d love it if you’d make even a small donation to my favorite cause.

Recovering

Is acupuncture painful?  Trying it out for recovery but I don’t particularly like needles!

Closing

Shut yo’ mouth.  There are all kinds of benefits to training yourself to breath through your nose.  It is better for your teeth, boosts oxygen uptake, and filters dust and allergens.  If you can’t wear a fitness tracker (such as in jiu jitsu) then you can use your breath to control your heart rate.  For example, I go a round with my mouth closed, then one breathing only out through my mouth, then anything goes for the third. 

Want to nose breath?  Tape your mouth shut at night (you won’t have to forever but a few weeks of this will work).  There are products advertised as mouth tape but Nexcare works perfectly fine and is a better value.  This saline spray helps clear out my nose so that it is unobstructed for breathing (clearly you don’t tape your mouth with a stuffy nose). 

Like all faddish health concepts, some of the claims for the benefits of nose breathing seem overstated.  The claims that it changes facial structure sounded farfetched to me (with mouth breathers looking awful in the pictures they use) and yet Cleveland Clinic and others warn of “mouth breathing face” so maybe it is real.  They claim mouth breathing causes narrowed faces with receding chins and weak jaws. Don’t risk it!