Good morning. It’s Tuesday, November 18th.

In today’s email:

• Learn: Don’t Stop Jumping

• Try: 10 Explosive Movements

• Watch: Lessons from Olympic Track Coach

• Focus: Low Drop Running Shoes

• In the News: How Leaders Become Leaders

• Brain Games: Logic Equations

Stat of the Day

The reduction in peak power from when we’re young as we age. Critically important to maintain our power to maximize our longevity and quality of life. (Journal of Applied Physiology)

Learn

Don’t Stop Jumping

Even if you’re doing your daily cardio and lifting weights every week there might be one thing you’re missing in your workout routine - power.

Power isn’t just for athletes - it’s for all of us to live our best life and to slow down aging. It’s a better predictor of being able to live without compromise as we age than just strength. 

But here’s the thing - after we hit 40, we can lose 0.5-1% muscle mass every year. Strength declines even faster - falling 1-3% a year. But power - it can drop 3-4% every year.

This is because we stop using our Type II (fast-twitch) muscle fibers. These are the fibers that let us jump, sprint, change direction, and react quickly.

When we stop using them, they shrink. And when they shrink, we stop being able to move with power - probably without us even noticing it.

Power = Speed x Force

Even if we’re hitting the gym to maintain our force (strength) we’re not spending enough time on the speed side of the equation.

The good news: it doesn’t take much to maintain these fibers.

Why We Should Jump

Jumping forces our brain, muscles, and connective tissue to work together at high speed. It trains coordination and alignment - so we can reduce stiffness and strengthen our joints - exactly what Type II fibers are built for.

The biggest benefit of jumping might be the increase in bone density as we age.

Two separate studies looked at high-impact jump training and both found that very small doses made a measurable difference in bone mineral density (BMD).

One showed that just 10–20 jumps, twice a day, significantly improved hip BMD in just a few months (16 weeks).

Another study found that just 10 maximal vertical jumps, three times per week, increased BMD in both the femoral neck and lumbar spine over six months.

That’s just 30 jumps a week to increase bone density!

Think about the small investment for such a big return in power. No long workouts. No special equipment - just focusing on still being an explosive athlete (at any age).

How to Jump Safely

It’s not best to just “jump” right into this routine. Depending on your current activity levels - your tissues and joints need to be prepared for the force exerted on them during any jumping movements.

The Warm Up

Even the best athletes in the world engage in a dynamic stretching to create a safe zone for explosive workouts. The first thing is to stimulate your muscles. Start with a few minutes of the following:

• Good Mornings (wake up your lower back and hamstrings)

• Knee hugs

• Ankle rotations (both directions)

• Torso twists

Next - start to add in some easy movements to activate the muscles for more explosive jumps - again, depends on where you’re starting today:

• Jumping Jacks (easy)

• Butt kicks

• Twisting hops

Once you’re ready - then it’s time for a few real jumps. Pick your favorite and slowly build up from a handful of jumps to a few minutes of jump work.

• Plyo hops – small vertical or lateral hops

• Skip jumps – hop on one foot while lifting the opposite knee

• Speed skaters – side-to-side hops from one leg to the other

• Broad jumps – jump forward with a soft, balanced landing

• Jump squats – squat, jump, land, immediately squat again

• Jump rope – or “rope-free” jump rope to start

You literally might start with 5-10 jumps just a couple times a week. That will start to wake up those sleeping Type II muscle fibers without overloading your joints.

From there - even as you become a jump expert the goal isn’t to do a ton of reps, it’s about explosiveness and quality. The higher the jump, the softer the landing - that’s what will build those declining muscles.

BONUS: Try Skipping

When was the last time you skipped? It’s something we’ve left to our kids. Seems silly and you probably would get some stares if you’re just skipping down the street.

But track coach Stuart McMillan, has his top Olympic athletes skipping and says it might be the best movement we’re not doing right now.

When we skip we stand up tall and open our chest; we coordinate ankle flexion, knee drive, and hip extension; we get our knee behind our hip.

All of this is gold for posture, running mechanics, and hip power. Skipping also has a brain benefit. The coordination it requires, forces your nervous system to fire in fast, patterned sequences - the exact thing we lose when we stop doing explosive work.

And let’s be honest: it’s hard to skip and not feel good. We lose playful movement as adults, but that doesn’t mean it stops being good for us.

TL;DR

Power fades fast - faster than muscle or strength - but it responds quickly when you train it, even in small doses. A handful of quality jumps a few times per week can protect your bones, sharpen your reactions, and keep your fast-twitch fibers alive and well.

Try

10 Explosive Movements

Add to your routine this week - just 10 controlled jumps. Or go outside and incorporate some skipping into your walk or run.

Just 30 seconds (2-3x) of skipping intermixed with your typical workout is enough to start feeling the benefits of more power - plus a bigger smile.

Pro Tip: Always remember to warm-up (see above) and get your muscles and joints prepped for any new workout routine. Consult a trusted medical or physical therapist before starting anything new.

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Watch

Lessons From an Olympic Track Coach

Here’s a video of Stuart McMillan showing Andrew Huberman how to effectively skip (not slow jog) to warm-up before a more intense running session. I saw this and immediately changed how I thought about my posture and leg position when I was getting started into my morning runs.

I promise you’ll come away with some awesome tips to increase your speed and reduce injuries during your cardio workouts (and who knows - maybe get a lot faster too).

Focus

Low Drop Running Shoes

Tied to the above - I made the switch to Altra running shoes. We talked about this last year - that most running shoes are like running in heels.

I went from wearing Brooks to going with the Altra Experience Flow 2. It still has a lot of cushion - it’s not at all a barefoot shoe. But it has two huge differences that have been a game-changer for me:

• Wide Toe Box: most shoes scrunch our toes together, but we want to broaden them out for a natural foot strike. You don’t realize it until you wear the right wide shoes like these.

• Low Drop: this means the heel isn’t much higher than the front of the shoe. These are 0.4mm and allow me to strike the ground with the ball of my foot, not my heel. Pro Tip: Don’t jump from normal shoes to a 0.0mm drop - make a gradual transition.

If you’re struggling with injuries, alignment, or pain - consider looking at shoes that offer these benefits.

H&L in the News

It's Time to Go: Backed up? These fiber-packed foods and gut-friendly drinks - like oatmeal, kiwi, and coffee - can get your system moving naturally. Say goodbye to constipation! (NYTimes)

Speaking of Posture - Stand Taller, Daily: Fix rounded shoulders and slouching in just five minutes a day. PT-approved Wall Angels, pec stretches, and pelvic tucks help rebalance tight and weak muscles so you move better and feel stronger. (Outside)

Struggle Shapes Leaders: True leadership is forged in life’s liminal spaces - the grief, uncertainty, and “necessary suffering” that reshape us. Here’s why slowing down, staying open, and letting discomfort teach you builds wiser, more grounded leaders. (Big Think)

Brain Games

Logic Equations

9 variables today - A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I - with nine possible values - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. None of the variables can share the same number. Based on the following equations, what do the variables equal:

1. I > B

2. 3D = 4B

3. 3B = 2C

4. A > E

5. F = 2H

6. 4E = 3G

9 variables and only 6 equations, but you got this! Get out the stop watch and see how fast you can solve!

Credit: Brainzilla

** For answer, scroll to the bottom of the email

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Brain Games Answer

Answer: Yellow are the values for the variables. A=5, B=6, etc.

Why?

• Start with equation (2). The least common denominators (LCDs) are 12 and 24 - to be possible, D is in the set {4,8} and B is in {3,6}.

• Now, look at equation (3). Similar to the last step, find the LCDs (6, 12, 18) and the associated sets: B = {2,4,6} and C = {3,6,9}. So B = 6 and C = 9, and if B = 6 then D = 8.

• Onto equation (6). Same LCDs as equation (2) - 12, 24. So E = {3,6} and G = {4,8}. We know B = 6, so E = 3 and G = 4.

• 4 values remain - 1, 2, 5, 7. For equation (5) to work (F = 2H), F and H can’t use 5 or 7. H = 1, F = 2.

• Two more equations, let’s look at them together. (1) I > B, (4) A > E. B = 6, E = 3 and only 5 and 7 remain. So A = 5 and I = 7.

✅ How long did it take you?

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This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].

To health!