Trening (Training)

Key Insight

● We will not discuss whether training is needed at all. It is necessary. There is no debate. We will only discuss how, in what amount, when and what benefits. For a start it is important to say that our goal is not to get injured, and if we are out of condition or beginners it is very important to go slowly. Every 8 weeks one week at 50% intensity. Women in their cycle should go by feeling, but if they feel good they can work at 100%.

● Sweating is a very important mechanism for cleansing toxins from the body, and we do not stimulate it often enough. Some people hardly ever sweat, and when they do even a little sweat the body odor can be unpleasant due to accumulated toxins. If we sweat regularly and expel toxins (and we are healthy) the sweat will not have an unpleasant odor. Strong cardio training and sauna are our best allies for healthy sweating.

● Training enables the body to adapt to stress. Stress that is limited and predictable is good for the body and mind in the long term because it strengthens willpower and self‑confidence (in contrast, stress that is unlimited and unpredictable is bad for the body and mind in the long term and creates burnout). Also, stress that is predictable and limited creates the opposite effect of cheap dopamine – first it creates short‑term dissatisfaction but after that long‑term satisfaction. Training also stimulates neuron creation and strengthening of existing brain synapses and literally makes us smarter: ○ Training every day increases neuron creation by 174%, and only after 14 days does the neuron creation rate return to baseline. ○ Training every other day increases by 160%, and after 3 days neuron creation returns to baseline.

● If you have never trained before starting can be very hard both mentally and physically. How to begin? ○ Put it into a routine, ideally at the same time every day, and ideally morning or afternoon to start. Evenings have lower energy and are harder. You can start with 3 days per week, but gradually you should reach 5–6 days per week. ○ At first literally prepare your things for training and walk to the gym and do 5 minutes of light cardio (you can do 10 minutes, but don’t worry about what others think at that moment). The aim is not to complete a workout, but to form a habit. First we must get mentally used to it, then physically. ○ Do not introduce changes in diet (or other changes) together with physical activity; it will be too hard, and caloric needs will rise. First tidy up physical activity, then diet. ○ Physical activity is by far the best cure for depression, and you should feel a noticeably positive change quickly as training becomes more appealing. ○ Only after you successfully form a habit (1–3 months) can you take on more serious training plans or a personal trainer (if you hire one, doing so too early can be bad as they may push you too hard before your habit is built). If you think you’ve formed a habit after 10 days try increasing the pace, but don’t rush. A month or two difference over 100 years doesn’t matter much, and if you raise the pace too quickly the body’s resistance will become too great.

● The best effects are achieved by mixing exercises with different goals: ○ Hypertrophy - 10 to 20 repetitions to failure with weights or bodyweight. ○ Strength - 5 repetitions nearly to failure with weights. ○ Cardio - Elevated heart rate for a longer period. ○ Stretching - after every training plus yoga. ○ Walking - 7500 steps daily.

● An important aspect of training, especially strong cardio training, is also mental: while we fight for breath we cannot think about anything else, and in situations where a problem weighs on us, that hour of “silence” in the brain can be very healing, and often better than any therapy, because it also releases happiness hormones and increases self‑confidence, and oxygenates the brain.

● Pro tip: Invest a good amount of money in 2–3 sets of the best training gear (shorts, T‑shirts, shoes, gloves, bottles, supplements, everything). Buy the most expensive, and then the sunk cost fallacy works for you!