Physique I: Finding Balance

Physique I: Finding Balance

 Published on May 8, 2021

 Currently I'm focused on balancing a number of different qualities in my body; strength, endurance, speed, agility, muscularity and flexibility. I do a wide range of activities that demand a very versatile, adaptable body. This means it's difficult to maximize any particular quality, as intensely cultivating one or two aspects of athleticism tends to diminish or inhibit development of the remaining facets.

 Between martial arts, arm wrestling, lifting weights, running and trying to put on muscle this can be a tricky balance to strike. I've gained probably 5-6 pounds of quality muscle in the past year or so while remaining lean, which is quite good for someone who has been training for about 15 years. I'm hovering around 165 pounds at the moment, where I still feel nimble, fast and possessed of decent stamina. I may go as high as 170 and see if it negatively affects my performance. I doubt I'd want to get much bigger than that, as it would likely involve force-feeding and a noticeable loss of agility, speed and stamina.

 My upper body training has been heavily focused on developing strength for arm wrestling while consistently hammering some basic movements like rows, lateral raises, dips, pushups and pullups. My lower body training has, for the last two months or so, been based on exercises recommended by @kneesovertoesguy, who I believe is on to something. His results and the results of those he works with speak for themselves, so consider it charitably if you're looking for a way to develop resilient lower body strength, explosiveness and flexibility. So far I've been quite impressed with the results, but bear in mind that you must start slow with this method and not bite off more than you can chew.

 My diet for the past year has been mostly composed of the following:

  • Grass-fed, grass-finished beef
  • Pastured chicken
  • Goat kefir and goat cheese
  • Raw cow cheese
  • Pastured eggs (egg yolks raw in smoothies, whites cooked)
  • Various mushrooms (white button, crimini, shiitake)
  • Guacamole
  • Sweet potato, Japanese yams
  • White rice
  • Cassava (as waffles made with coconut oil and some coconut sugar)
  • Wild-caught salmon
  • Wild-caught scallops
  • Bell peppers
  • Various garnishes (scallions, jalapenos)
  • Hydrolyzed collagen
  • Various grass-fed beef organs (dehydrated, in pill form)
  • Butter, coconut oil, olive oil
  • Grass-fed lamb
  • Local raw honey
  • Spices: oregano, parsley, thyme, black pepper, ginger, basil
  • Himalayan pink salt

 I also regularly take a few supplements:

  • Magnesium chloride, magnesium glycinate
  • Lugol's iodine
  • L-theanine
  • Lion's mane, chaga, reishi mushroom powders
  • Cocao, maca, turmeric
  • Vitamin D3 (if sunlight is unavailable)
  • Vitamin K2 (MK-4 and MK-7)
  • Large doses of immediate-release, flushing niacin (vitamin B3) now and then
  • Sometimes herbal formulations that are touted as being conducive to healthy male hormone balance

 Finally, I've been utilizing a grounding wire when sleeping and use a big 400 watt LED therapy light that emits red and near-infrared wavelengths every day, when I'm showering. I rarely drink alcohol, and only have a couple drinks when I do. I don't smoke. Overall I feel quite good. I remain this lean and muscular all year round without having to cut or bulk and I eat precisely as much food as I want to. Feels very natural. If any of this is shocking to you you're probably caught up in some mainstream nonsense about what is and isn't healthy. I implore you to investigate things outside conventional channels if you actually want to be rid of chronic health conditions and experience real vitality. It was only after I divested myself of many mistaken ideas that I got to this point.

 If you're unsatisfied with the state of your health and physique know that I empathize with you. I've been there. It took me a very long time and a tremendous amount of frustration to get as far as I have. However long it takes, always remember: You can be healthy and strong; do not listen to anyone that tries to convince you that you're consigned to sickness and debility for the rest of your life. It may well take you a lot longer than you expect it should—I know it did in my case—but that doesn't ultimately matter. Don't give up. It's worth it.