Stability and mobility work
Daily joint, foot and breathing work to keep strength usable
Controlled joint articulation, foot and grip work, spine and hip position, breathing mechanics that support the trunk: unglamorous groundwork. The argument is that stability is what lets you express strength without getting hurt, and that injuries, not motivation, are what actually end training careers. Usually 10-20 minutes before a session rather than a separate workout.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Chris BumsteadDoes it
Bodybuilder · Six-time Classic Physique Mr. Olympia
A shoulder injury straight after retiring forced months of rehab, and he says it changed how he trains. With coach Justin King he rebuilt his program around isometric holds, explosive work, sled pushes, rotational patterns and sprint mechanics alongside hypertrophy days, an approach they call Jacklete: keep the size, get athletic again.
Source: The Standard newsletter: Build Muscle + Mobility That Lasts - Chris WilliamsonDoes it
Host · Modern Wisdom
Stuart McGill's Big 3 and Foundation Training exercises run every morning, as maintenance rather than part of a lifting session.
Source: Ben Greenfield Life podcast - Jocko WillinkDoes it
Retired Navy SEAL officer · Jocko Podcast
Mobility work daily, treated as the price of continuing to train hard and grapple in his fifties.
Source: Jocko Podcast - Kelly StarrettDoes it
Doctor of physical therapy · The Ready State
Fifteen minutes a day is the number he settled on. In physical therapy school he studied barriers to adherence, and longer sessions were the ones that fell away. So he picks one stiff area, works it for a couple of weeks until it stops bothering him, then moves on to the next. Position mechanics first, he says, and there is less maintenance left to do.
Source: The Tim Ferriss Show: Kelly Starrett Q&A, episode 85 transcript - Michael PhelpsDoes it
Olympic swimmer · Most decorated Olympian in history
Stretches for around 45 minutes a day. A single trainer handled all of his stretching, massage and soft-tissue work for fifteen years, and he says he has to recover properly to do everything he wants to do now.
Source: The Tim Ferriss Show #494: Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett, transcript - Peter AttiaDoes it
Physician · The Drive · author of Outlive
Foot mechanics get dedicated time. So do spine and breathing mechanics. The argument is that stability is what lets you express strength without injury.
Source: Outlive (official book page) - Tom BradyDoes it
Former NFL quarterback · The TB12 Method
Core and glute stability anchor his in-season nine-exercise band workout, along with strict neutral alignment. He says that without good core stability he would not be able to transfer force from his feet up through his throwing arm.
Source: NOBULL (TB12): Tom Brady's Favorite High-Intensity Workout - Chris HemsworthDiscusses
Actor · Limitless and Centr
For Extraction 2 his team brought in physiotherapist Michal Novotny, who opened every session with 30 minutes of joint work and closed with more than 50 stretches, plus pool sessions to rest a sore lower back. Zocchi adds that muscle grows back slower with age, and that shaped the exercises chosen.
Source: British GQ: Chris Hemsworth wanted smaller biceps for Extraction 2
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or longevity.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
On record from 43 of 62 tracked people: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
On record from 21 of 62 tracked people: 15 do it, 5 recommend it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
On record from 12 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
On record from 9 of 62 tracked people: 9 do it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Daily stretching
Long, regular stretching sessions to undo years of tightness and keep training possible
On record from 7 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
High-intensity interval training
Short all-out efforts with full recovery in between, a few times a week
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 has discussed it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.