“Return to the root
And you will see meaning”
-Jianzhi Sengcan
Hang like a monkey for health span! “Hang out grip strength” refers to the ability of your upper extremity muscles and tendons to keep you in a “dead hang” when suspended on a pull-up bar. Grip strength is one of the best indicators of overall health, a screening tool for sarcopenia (age related muscle loss) and a predictor of health span, the period of time you are thriving. People who maintain grip strength age more slowly and maintain independence longer. Another easy way to improve grip strength is a farmer’s carry, striving for >50% of your body weight split between each hand.
In addition to grip strengthening, optimize health span with other primal, functional movements for a powerful body. Everyone is aware of the importance of getting in your steps, but it’s also important to incorporate sprints if possible, and jumping for explosive dynamic movements to bump up the intensity. If unable, try in a pool or just bounce on a rebounder. Other functional movements include squats, push-ups and dead lifts to build core strength. Core exercises may be performed with just body weight initially, and progressed with extra loading.
Get back in touch with how our ancestors lived by adopting resting positions such as sitting cross-legged or side sitting, which do wonders for hip mobility. This ability to get on and off the floor without upper extremity support is also one of the top predictors of longevity. If we look at the people of the Blue Zones or modern hunter gatherers, many of these functional motions are part of their daily lives out in nature. Returning to your primal roots will give new meaning to all your endeavors to truly thrive!