Muscle Intelligence — Longevity, Training & Human Performance with Ben Pakulski

Today on the podcast we feature an exceptional woman, Annette Verpillot. Annette is the founder of Posturepro, a health company specializing in neuromechanics and Postural Recalibration. She is a Canadian entrepreneur, therapist, public speaker, and internationally esteemed Posturologist. On today's show, we discuss Annette's methodology in optimizing brain, body connection. She's developed some of the world's most advanced rehabilitation and injury prevention techniques where she helps people optimize performance, optimize their mind and optimize the development of the children. We also get into how your feet, your jaw, and your breathing are implicated in everything as far as your brain develops and performs, and the way you think. Annette is a wealth of knowledge and she's here to share some of that knowledge with us today! We're excited to have her back so, be sure to stay tuned for more insights into optimal posture and body mechanics!

Don't forget to check out our great sponsors, BLUblox for amazing blue light blocking eyewear and receive a 15% discount off your purchase when you use the code 'muscle' at checkout or go directly to blublox.com/muscleintelligence!

Timestamps

• Understanding the Posturepro method and how it relates to posturology. [6:10]
• Things that affect your ideal posture and postural stability. [08:50]
• The future of prevention in sports. [10:20]
• Movement in children and how it activates the brain. [11:11]
• The first 6 years of life an important time in developing brain stimulus. [13:17]
• Identifying imbalances in the brain and how it affects your posture. [15:40]
• Posture as a visual representation of the map of the brain and whether change is possible. [18:39]
• Postural abnormality as a sympathetic stress and how to calm it down. [21:25]
• Steps to follow to ensure the full development of a child's brain. [24:28]
• Development of the jaw and how it affects the connection of our brain and body. [28:32]
• Creating a change to help stimulate good habits that can help the development of the jaw. [32:00]
• The connection between eyesight and posture. [37:39]
• Big sensory connection between our feet and brain and how our footwear is affecting our gait and our posture. [41:16]
• Rewiring the brain by changing the input going to the brain. [43:30]
• The benefits of barefoot for foot abnormalities and shoes to help develop the foot. [44:16]
• Postural abnormalities and how they contribute to emotional instabilities. [46:03]
• Annette recommends some ways for parents to help with brain development. [51:05]
• Why you should ensure your posture is properly aligned. [53:05]
• The three pillars: sensory information - visual stimulation, vestibular stimulations, and proprioception. [55:10]
• The accreditation process for becoming a Posturepro practitioner. [56:50]
• Addressing the cause rather than managing the symptoms, what it entails. [58:37]
• What age groups Annette works with why starting with children is so important. [59:56]

Today on the podcast we feature an exceptional woman, Annette Verpillot. Annette is the founder of Posturepro, a health company specializing in neuromechanics and Postural Recalibration. She is a Canadian entrepreneur, therapist, public speaker, and internationally esteemed Posturologist. On today's show, we discuss Annette’s methodology in optimizing brain, body connection. She’s developed some of the world’s most advanced rehabilitation and injury prevention techniques where she helps people optimize performance, optimize their mind and optimize the development of the children. We also get into how your feet, your jaw, and your breathing are implicated in everything as far as your brain develops and performs, and the way you think. Annette is a wealth of knowledge and she's here to share some of that knowledge with us today! We’re excited to have her back so, be sure to stay tuned for more insights into optimal posture and body mechanics!

Don’t forget to check out our great sponsors, BLUblox for amazing blue light blocking eyewear and receive a 15% discount off your purchase when you use the code 'muscle' at checkout or go directly to blublox.com/muscleintelligence!

Timestamps

• Understanding the Posturepro method and how it relates to posturology. [6:10]
• Things that affect your ideal posture and postural stability. [08:50]
• The future of prevention in sports. [10:20]
• Movement in children and how it activates the brain. [11:11]
• The first 6 years of life an important time in developing brain stimulus. [13:17]
• Identifying imbalances in the brain and how it affects your posture. [15:40]
• Posture as a visual representation of the map of the brain and whether change is possible. [18:39]
• Postural abnormality as a sympathetic stress and how to calm it down. [21:25]
• Steps to follow to ensure the full development of a child’s brain. [24:28]
• Development of the jaw and how it affects the connection of our brain and body. [28:32]
• Creating a change to help stimulate good habits that can help the development of the jaw. [32:00]
• The connection between eyesight and posture. [37:39]
• Big sensory connection between our feet and brain and how our footwear is affecting our gait and our posture. [41:16]
• Rewiring the brain by changing the input going to the brain. [43:30]
• The benefits of barefoot for foot abnormalities and shoes to help develop the foot. [44:16]
• Postural abnormalities and how they contribute to emotional instabilities. [46:03]
• Annette recommends some ways for parents to help with brain development. [51:05]
• Why you should ensure your posture is properly aligned. [53:05]
• The three pillars: sensory information - visual stimulation, vestibular stimulations, and proprioception. [55:10]
• The accreditation process for becoming a Posturepro practitioner. [56:50]
• Addressing the cause rather than managing the symptoms, what it entails. [58:37]
• What age groups Annette works with why starting with children is so important. [59:56]

For today's Q&A session, we're switching it up. Ben is chatting with health and fitness expert, Dr. Chris Spearman but Chris will be the one asking the questions today. From a Ph.D. in Cancer Research to a global cover model, Chris is now one of the world's leading online fitness coaches and the CEO of Fitness Coach Freedom. Ben being an IFBB Bodybuilder himself and having trained Chris, he is well versed in the area of fitness and training. Chris is here today to pick Ben's brain about his training. During this episode, they discuss what training looked like during Ben's peak, during the ascension and now during the new mountain, he's transcending. They're each a very different point in life and it can be very helpful to other people going through their journey. They also talk about the psychological aspect linked to training and the benefits to breathing awareness and meditation.

Timestamps

• Ben's training right now and how it fits into his life with family and business. [2:44]
• Advice Ben has for others - making a constant effort on intelligent muscle building. [6:40]
• In order to optimize growth it has to be perfect practice not just repetitive practice. [08:38]
• Putting force through a muscle without changing anything except for internal stimulus. [11:10]
• Meditation and why training is your best time to be present. [16:35]
• Would Ben still have trained this way if he had to go back in time. [19:58]
• Understanding progressive overload. [24:03]
• Distance: moment arm - from the line of force to the axis of rotation. [25:30]
• Advice to people who are hesitant about doing group training. [27:15]
• Building muscle by going through the different stages of mobility, stability and skill. [29:50]
• Where to go to learnt he fundamentals of muscle building . [32:39]
• Smaller, simple exercises people can do to be more aware of their breathing. [36:03]
• Anxiety is not a character trait, it's a state and you can fix it. [39:39]
• If Ben applied the knowledge he knows now, 10 years ago, what would the outcome be. [43:29]
• The significance of breathing in waist control. [45:22]
• The ability of someone to reach the heights that they're physically and mentally capable of. [46:50]
• Values in discipline to be developed without having to experience the pain of failure. [50:19]
• Getting out of that victim mentality and acknowledging it in your life. [52:06]
• Rapid, immediate, drastic action toward fixing it. [55:55]
• Hear more about the Muscle Camps, what it's all about it and the finalized dates. [58:05]

For today's Q&A session, we’re switching it up. Ben is chatting with health and fitness expert, Dr. Chris Spearman but Chris will be the one asking the questions today. From a Ph.D. in Cancer Research to a global cover model, Chris is now one of the world’s leading online fitness coaches and the CEO of Fitness Coach Freedom. Ben being an IFBB Bodybuilder himself and having trained Chris, he is well versed in the area of fitness and training. Chris is here today to pick Ben’s brain about his training. During this episode, they discuss what training looked like during Ben’s peak, during the ascension and now during the new mountain, he’s transcending. They’re each a very different point in life and it can be very helpful to other people going through their journey. They also talk about the psychological aspect linked to training and the benefits to breathing awareness and meditation.

Timestamps

• Ben’s training right now and how it fits into his life with family and business. [2:44]
• Advice Ben has for others - making a constant effort on intelligent muscle building. [6:40]
• In order to optimize growth it has to be perfect practice not just repetitive practice. [08:38]
• Putting force through a muscle without changing anything except for internal stimulus. [11:10]
• Meditation and why training is your best time to be present. [16:35]
• Would Ben still have trained this way if he had to go back in time. [19:58]
• Understanding progressive overload. [24:03]
• Distance: moment arm - from the line of force to the axis of rotation. [25:30]
• Advice to people who are hesitant about doing group training. [27:15]
• Building muscle by going through the different stages of mobility, stability and skill. [29:50]
• Where to go to learnt he fundamentals of muscle building . [32:39]
• Smaller, simple exercises people can do to be more aware of their breathing. [36:03]
• Anxiety is not a character trait, it's a state and you can fix it. [39:39]
• If Ben applied the knowledge he knows now, 10 years ago, what would the outcome be. [43:29]
• The significance of breathing in waist control. [45:22]
• The ability of someone to reach the heights that they’re physically and mentally capable of. [46:50]
• Values in discipline to be developed without having to experience the pain of failure. [50:19]
• Getting out of that victim mentality and acknowledging it in your life. [52:06]
• Rapid, immediate, drastic action toward fixing it. [55:55]
• Hear more about the Muscle Camps, what it’s all about it and the finalized dates. [58:05]

Welcome back to the show everybody! Today our guest is Nicolas Pineault, author of the new book, The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMF and expert on electromagnetic fields and their effects on our health. Nicolas does a great job of pitching his information at an accessible level and on this show and in his book he lays out a realistic and sensible way to approach safeguarding yourself from the dangers that EMF's pose. He explains a few of the fundamental dimensions to the discourse around the topic before diving into strategies, tools, and resources for combatting negative effects. We talk about peroxynitrite, kill switches, cellular towers, and more! The conversation then turns to blue light and how it fits into these concerns. Nicolas offers some advice for eyewear, clothing, and furniture for better sleep and vision in this regard and we also get to hear about some of his future projects, including a podcast he will be launching soon!

On the topic of blue-light-blocking, remember to check out our great show sponsors, BLUblox at blublox.com/muscleintelligence and receive 15% off your order!

Timestamps

• Nicolas' laptop lifestyle, partnership with his wife, and recent travels! [4:20]
• What electromagnetic fields do to our body; clarifying the effects. [7:13]
• Peroxynitrite and its consequences on our health on many levels [19:48]
• Simple strategies for blocking harmful effects at home and at work. [26:34]
• EMF kill switches and room shielding for your important spaces. [31:28]
• Cellular towers and the EMF environments that surround most of us. [37:56]
• Blue-light exposure and what we know about its effects on sight and sleep. [43:25]
• The foundational approach to reducing harmful EMF's before other measures. [50:43]
• Screen-time and healthier practices for young children. [53:23]
• Some of Nicolas' hopes for the future and the podcast he is working on. [59:16]
• EMF-blocking clothing and protecting sperm from harm. [1:02:28]

Welcome back to the show everybody! Today our guest is Nicolas Pineault, author of the new book, The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMF and expert on electromagnetic fields and their effects on our health. Nicolas does a great job of pitching his information at an accessible level and on this show and in his book he lays out a realistic and sensible way to approach safeguarding yourself from the dangers that EMF's pose. He explains a few of the fundamental dimensions to the discourse around the topic before diving into strategies, tools, and resources for combatting negative effects. We talk about peroxynitrite, kill switches, cellular towers, and more! The conversation then turns to blue light and how it fits into these concerns. Nicolas offers some advice for eyewear, clothing, and furniture for better sleep and vision in this regard and we also get to hear about some of his future projects, including a podcast he will be launching soon!

On the topic of blue-light-blocking, remember to check out our great show sponsors, BLUblox at blublox.com/muscleintelligence and receive 15% off your order!

Timestamps

• Nicolas' laptop lifestyle, partnership with his wife, and recent travels! [4:20]
• What electromagnetic fields do to our body; clarifying the effects. [7:13]
• Peroxynitrite and its consequences on our health on many levels [19:48]
• Simple strategies for blocking harmful effects at home and at work. [26:34]
• EMF kill switches and room shielding for your important spaces. [31:28]
• Cellular towers and the EMF environments that surround most of us. [37:56]
• Blue-light exposure and what we know about its effects on sight and sleep. [43:25]
• The foundational approach to reducing harmful EMF's before other measures. [50:43]
• Screen-time and healthier practices for young children. [53:23]
• Some of Nicolas' hopes for the future and the podcast he is working on. [59:16]
• EMF-blocking clothing and protecting sperm from harm. [1:02:28]

For today's Q&A session, Ashleigh and Ben are tackling your queries and questions and throwing in some advice and ranting for good measure! They discuss stretching, bodyweight set points and the importance of beliefs. We also get to hear about Ben's stay in Colombia and why he is having such a great time planning for next year. A sizeable portion of today's show is spent considering how much our beliefs and long term goals affect our results, with both Ashleigh and Ben strongly arguing Christmas, how much he hates all the lights and the way in which he is attempting to hack the festive season this year for his and his family's benefit.

Don't forget to check out our great sponsors, BLUblox for amazing blue light blocking eyewear and receive a 15% discount off your purchase when you use the code 'muscle' at checkout or go directly to blublox.com/muscleintelligence!

Timestamps

• Ben's experiences in Colombia so far! [1:53]
• Thoughts on the importance of stretching, pre and post-workout. [5:52]
• Bodyweight set point; what it means to move away from homeostasis. [10:05]
• The way in which your beliefs impact your progress and results. [19:58]
• Repetition, belief and the impact of micro-victories. [24:01]
• This week's healthy habit; vehement pursuit of long-term goals. [26:58]
• Why Ashleigh is so excited about her new BLUblox glasses! [32:19]
• Ben's Christmas hack; getting away from the materialism and too many lights. [35:07]

For today's Q&A session, Ashleigh and Ben are tackling your queries and questions and throwing in some advice and ranting for good measure! They discuss stretching, bodyweight set points and the importance of beliefs. We also get to hear about Ben's stay in Colombia and why he is having such a great time planning for next year. A sizeable portion of today's show is spent considering how much our beliefs and long term goals affect our results, with both Ashleigh and Ben strongly arguing Christmas, how much he hates all the lights and the way in which he is attempting to hack the festive season this year for his and his family's benefit.

Don't forget to check out our great sponsors, BLUblox for amazing blue light blocking eyewear and receive a 15% discount off your purchase when you use the code 'muscle' at checkout or go directly to blublox.com/muscleintelligence!

Timestamps

• Ben's experiences in Colombia so far! [1:53]
• Thoughts on the importance of stretching, pre and post-workout. [5:52]
• Bodyweight set point; what it means to move away from homeostasis. [10:05]
• The way in which your beliefs impact your progress and results. [19:58]
• Repetition, belief and the impact of micro-victories. [24:01]
• This week's healthy habit; vehement pursuit of long-term goals. [26:58]
• Why Ashleigh is so excited about her new BLUblox glasses! [32:19]
• Ben's Christmas hack; getting away from the materialism and too many lights. [35:07]

The topic of neuroscience can be intimidating due to its vastness and complexity. Today on the podcast, we welcome neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman to guide us through the unchartered terrain of the mind, explaining in simple language the scientific processes behind sleep, relaxation, breathing, learning, unlearning, and more, and how each of these is related to mental and physical functioning. Dr. Huberman provides an overview of the history of neuroscience, explaining how the field has shifted the focus away from the regional activity in the brain to look at the importance of neural circuits. We discuss the Huberman Lab's studies of stress and anxiety and the three protocols they employ to induce the regenerative benefits of sleep, including yoga nidra, hypnosis, and breathing practices. Contrary to popular belief, humans are wired for multitasking and Dr. Huberman shares a great deal about directing your attention both internally or externally, and the various purposes of both. One of the most important takeaways from our conversation is that, for humans to function optimally, they need to be able to deliberately disengage – to "rest" their attention. In addition to providing a ton of advice on this front, Dr. Huberman also shares insights on child and adult learning, how these processes might be enhanced, and the new work they are doing in trauma counseling and unlearning negative mental patterns. We shift to talking about circadian rhythms, the importance of correctly timed exposure to light, and why mental health – like physical fitness – is something to be earned.

Timestamps

• A brief history of neuroscience and why it has become prominent in the 21st century. [4:27]
• Understanding neural circuits rather than focusing only on regional activity in the brain. [6:37]
• Measuring stress and performance and how they test these responses in people. [10:54]
• The practice of yoga nidra: how it recovers sleep and builds dopamine reserves. [12:56]
• What hypnosis as a relaxation protocol involves and how it relates to internal control. [19:24]
• Breathing practices and what all three protocols teach about interoception. [21:39]
• How humans are biologically wired to multitask and focus on two things at once. [24:46]
• The benefits of focusing your second sphere of attention on your internal landscape. [31:25]
• Understanding that your ability to pay attention is directly proportional to your ability to deliberately disengage. [36:47]
• The role of neural plasticity and adaptive plasticity in development and learning. [40:53]
• The reason why learning in adulthood requires far more effort than in childhood. [44:25]
• How supplementing acetylcholine can expedite the learning process. [50:22]
• Unlearning, introducing competing thoughts, and new approaches to trauma. [56:11]
• The relevance of eye movements and vision in stress and anxiety. [1:00:14]
• How correctly timed light plays such a crucial role in mental and physical health. [1:04:53]
• Why mental health is something that you have to "earn" just like health and fitness. [1:12:26]

The topic of neuroscience can be intimidating due to its vastness and complexity. Today on the podcast, we welcome neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman to guide us through the unchartered terrain of the mind, explaining in simple language the scientific processes behind sleep, relaxation, breathing, learning, unlearning, and more, and how each of these is related to mental and physical functioning. Dr. Huberman provides an overview of the history of neuroscience, explaining how the field has shifted the focus away from the regional activity in the brain to look at the importance of neural circuits. We discuss the Huberman Lab’s studies of stress and anxiety and the three protocols they employ to induce the regenerative benefits of sleep, including yoga nidra, hypnosis, and breathing practices. Contrary to popular belief, humans are wired for multitasking and Dr. Huberman shares a great deal about directing your attention both internally or externally, and the various purposes of both. One of the most important takeaways from our conversation is that, for humans to function optimally, they need to be able to deliberately disengage – to “rest” their attention. In addition to providing a ton of advice on this front, Dr. Huberman also shares insights on child and adult learning, how these processes might be enhanced, and the new work they are doing in trauma counseling and unlearning negative mental patterns. We shift to talking about circadian rhythms, the importance of correctly timed exposure to light, and why mental health – like physical fitness – is something to be earned. 

Timestamps

• A brief history of neuroscience and why it has become prominent in the 21st century. [4:27]
• Understanding neural circuits rather than focusing only on regional activity in the brain. [6:37]
• Measuring stress and performance and how they test these responses in people. [10:54]
• The practice of yoga nidra: how it recovers sleep and builds dopamine reserves. [12:56]
• What hypnosis as a relaxation protocol involves and how it relates to internal control. [19:24]
• Breathing practices and what all three protocols teach about interoception. [21:39]
• How humans are biologically wired to multitask and focus on two things at once. [24:46]
• The benefits of focusing your second sphere of attention on your internal landscape. [31:25]
• Understanding that your ability to pay attention is directly proportional to your ability to deliberately disengage. [36:47]
• The role of neural plasticity and adaptive plasticity in development and learning. [40:53]
• The reason why learning in adulthood requires far more effort than in childhood. [44:25]
• How supplementing acetylcholine can expedite the learning process. [50:22]
• Unlearning, introducing competing thoughts, and new approaches to trauma. [56:11]
• The relevance of eye movements and vision in stress and anxiety. [1:00:14]
• How correctly timed light plays such a crucial role in mental and physical health. [1:04:53] 
• Why mental health is something that you have to “earn” just like health and fitness. [1:12:26]