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Today we’re covering an exercise that will turn your legs into pistons, render your core solid as steel, and make your grip a vice.Michael did it to prepare for his 33-day expedition into the Arctic, and he recently placed it back in his routine to get ready for an upcoming backcountry hunt.It will improve your rucking, running, hiking, walking, cycling, lifting, and your ability to do “life stuff” like carrying kids and gear.It may also make you live longer. Stronger legs and grip are two of the best predictors of longevity.For video of the exercise and tactics on how to do it well, visit TWOPCT.com.

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We’re starting a new quarterly episode where we round up the top community comments on Two Percents posts (TWOPCT.com).Magic happens in the comments, where additional information, insight, and inspiration comes to light. It can help us all live better, think differently, and more. I’ll highlight some of the best comments and give some extra thoughts/information you can use.We’ll cover:* How to be self-reliant and find your path in life.* How to balance saving for retirement and living well now.* How to stay active after a running injury and the benefits of cross-training.* Rucking weights and the “low and slow” fitness method (plus a really dumb but useful equation around that method).* The truth about fear.* A great portable exercise tool.* How to use a fitness tracker better.* Dog-friendly travel.* Nutrition for long rucks.* A powerful comment on weight loss and gain.* How to put on muscle and avoid fat gain.* Benefits of the Tsimane Diet.* The value of experimenting on yourself and what conditions are best for experimentation.* How to fail, get back up, and kick ass.If you want full access to this episode, please become a Member of Two Percent.

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Michael covers a powerful three-step process to build good habits and break bad ones. You’ll learn how to use the process to reach any goal.Michael used it to lose a significant amount of weight before a Misogi. But he’s since applied the method to other areas of his life and watched the improvements pile up (e.g., strength, work productivity, etc).Michael will also also cover current problems with how we try to fix bad habits and why memory is the worst resource to use to change.

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In today’s AMA, we’ll be tackling four questions* I’m rucking with your recommendation for the heaviest weight I should use (50 pounds). How should I improve from here? * What’s an ideal minimum effective dose of exercise?* What do participants learn at the Don’t Die event?* I need a knee replacement. Could the knees over toes methodology help my pain?Why each question matters/going beyond the questions* The rucking question: We all want to continue to improve. But, at a certain point, chasing improvement for the sake of it can come with downsides. The answer will help you think about progress in all forms of exercise.* The minimum effective exercise dose question: This answer will help you determine how much exercise you need to stay healthy. We’ve given answers that apply to both for the general public and to Two Percenters (people who want to go beyond).* The Don’t Die event question: We’ll explain the event’s origins, its key takeaways, and some lessons you should consider about living safer, longer, and better.* The knee injury question: Our answer will help you approach any trend in fitness smarter. The result: You’ll be able to analyze and use new ideas in health and fitness in a way that gives you benefits but helps you avoid the downsides of getting swept up.

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“How many calories did my ruck burn?” is a question that fills Michael’s inbox. People message him details like their bodyweight, ruck weight, and pace and ask if he compute their exact calorie burn number. Today, we’re answering that question.We’re unpacking the results of a new study on rucking and calorie burn. You’ll learn what factors contribute to rucking calorie burn and exactly how many calories your ruck burns.To get the full calorie burn data, become a Member and see the post at TWOPCT.com. It contains graphs that reveal how many calories your ruck burns based on your body weight, the weight you have in the ruck, the terrain, and how fast you’re rucking.

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This episode is the most comprehensive guide to rucking. Michael’s book, The Comfort Crisis, set off the rucking craze, according to the New York Times. Since the book’s publication, Michael has received a lot of very specific questions about rucking. Today we’re answering those questions. We’ll cover:* How many calories rucking burns.* Why rucking gives you the SUPERMEDIUM build.* Why women should ruck.* Rucking injury rates and how they compare to running and lifting.* The amount of weight you should ruck with.* The amount of weight you should ruck with if you’re just starting.* Whether you should ever ruck with over 50 pounds or 1/3 bodyweight.* How to fix rucking shoulder aches.* Whether to use a hip belt while rucking.* The difference between rucking with a weight vest and backpack.* Whether you should run with a ruck on.* Whether walking with your kid in a backpack kid carrier counts as rucking.* Final points.Thanks for listening. Become a Member at TWOPCT.com.

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The Expedition rounds up all the most useful, fascinating stuff I’ve encountered in the last month. It’ll help you live better.This month, we’re covering:* A book I enjoyed.* Numbers on:* How much your genes influence your strength.* How many workouts a week younger people have to do to preserve muscle and strength.* How many workouts a week older people have to do to preserve muscle and strength.* A trick that will help you do 77 percent more workouts—and like them all.* Hours of sleep a night that’ll make you sick, depressed, and anxious.* How to prevent half of cases of dementia.* How much money the casinos in my home state of Nevada won from gamblers last year.* Just how strong 80-year-olds can be (hint: really strong). * How we’re dying differently over the past five years.* Weird strength science.* Kids and nutrition—the competing problems of kids nutrition and what this can tell us about how you should feed your kids.* A great story about how competition can fuel fitness.* The true science of how sauna compares to exercise.* A far-out idea that explains why the Scandinavian countries are so happy (it involves bloodthirsty Vikings).* A smart, shocking take on smartphones (involving, um, McDonald’s?).* Why you should love those who push you.* Why problems can be opportunities (a wonderful case study involving Dead & Co).* A good parting quote about how to live.* A very important parting question (my answer involves guns and grapefruits).See you on the other side …

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Today we’re covering a breathing trick that will improve your endurance. It’s simple—it’s effective. The breathing technique originated with one of the fiercest Native American tribes.This tribe was known to drive their enemies into exhaustion with their “almost superhuman stamina,” as one historian put it. Call it the best d*mn endurance breathing trick on the planet. When Michael started doing it, his endurance in all workouts improved. He could cover more miles running and rucking and recover quicker between rounds of intense workouts like Burn The Ships.Try it. It’s not easy at first. It takes some getting used to. But you’ll thank us when: * Your run times drop.* You’re able to cover more ground * You’re less beat down after a run.* Your resting heart rate improves.

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“Nasal breathing” and other breathing techniques have become a massively hyped topic in health and fitness.Proponents say nasal breathing can boost heart health, fitness performance, sleep, and immunity while also reducing our reduce stress—and much more.These people even say you’re breathing “wrong” if you breathe through your mouth.We spoke to scientists and read the research to separate what’s helpful from what’s hype in the breathing world.The result: A no-BS guide to breathing. It’ll help you focus your time and energy on what actually works so you can improve your health and fitness in less time.You’ll learn:* Why humans are unique in how we breathe through our nose.* How breathing through your nose versus your mouth impacts your health and performance.* Where we tipped into insanity around nasal breathing.* How to use nasal breathing in three exercise scenarios: during strength, interval, or cardio workouts.* On Wednesday, we have a super helpful post explaining how I use this information in my own life (my favorite breathing trick).Become a Member at TWOPCT.com to get full access to all our episodes.

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It’s the second Friday of the month, so it’s time for our monthly Gear Not Stuff episode—the internet’s no-BS dive into gear. Today’s Gear Not Stuff will help you not die.We’re covering 11 pieces of gear that can save your life. You should keep them at home, in your car, and take them with you while traveling (even into places you think are safe). Don’t overlook these items. When traveling abroad, gear can determine whether you get home in the plane’s cabin in seat 27C or its cargo belly in a bodybag. Even at home and in cities we believe are secure, having the right gear and using it well can prevent assaults, home and hotel break ins, and more. Have fun, don’t die, buy gear, not stuff.

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