Push it to the Limit
The Field
Memorial Day weekend was a treat for Tellïo. One of his fellow comrades (Rell) visited him in the Midwest. These two guys are fitness, travelling, and interesting characters. That weekend was nothing out of the ordinary. Rell is a wide-board fellow who can lift massive weights whereas Tellïo is lean and prefers calisthenic workouts. Both parties benefit from the training they've designed, which combines weight training and bodyweight movements to strengthen and challenge each other.
Since Tellïo and Rell have relocated to different parts of the states, Saint Louis and Boston respectively, both have stubbornly stuck to their default training style. When they met this time around, they again had to compromise on their workouts. However, this worked in their favor because these lads motivated each other in the midst of their training. For example, on Memorial Day, the goal was to complete "Murph" a well known workout in the Crossfit community that is designed to test a person's grit and works out almost every tissue, cell and fibre in the human body. The workout consists of:
1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push-ups
300 air squats
1 mile run
Ready. Set. Go!
This was a long and tedious workout but in the end it was worth it and made for a vivid day. The exercise lasted between 49 and 65 minutes. The positive part about this activity is that it was done in a nearby park and the only equipment needed was a set of monkey bars. In this particular moment Tellïo was supporting Rell and encouraging him during the peak moment to stay confident and push through. The day before, the fellows had headed out to Tellïos' rock climbing gym Climb So ill, where the essence of both worlds existed. Rell picked up and dropped heavy weights while Tellïo bouldered and climbed up up and away. At some point, Rell challenged Tellïo to shoulder press 145 pounds to see if he still had. Yes, Tellïo still had, but the ability to lift continuously like Rell - absolutely not.
The key takeaway from the day was that working out in tandem or in a group is super duper beneficial. This is because there is a sense of camaraderie and community. The No one is left behind mentality spreads within a team and everyone is held accountable. Most people will not push themselves to the limits on their own. Instead, they are more likely to do so when they are among others in the heat of battle.
Another observation, Tellïo and Rell have different body and blood types which contribute to their advantages and disadvantages from a lifestyle, nutrition and fitness perspective. For example, Tellïo is lean and blood type B. This type typically thrives on mindfulness exercises like cycling, hiking and climbing while following a balanced nutritional plan. Rell is thick and bulky, and he has blood type O. Weight training is an art he excels at. The heavier the weight, the more he evolves into the best version of himself. Protein and vegetables are his fuel. Not totally fixed on the blood type diet but it does have some correlations and a more detailed discussion will come in the coming weeks.
Cheers!
To sum things up, it's essential to workout but finding a buddy or group is a major perk. It makes a difference and makes exercise enjoyable. The Murph workout had the lads eating like there was no tomorrow. They headed out to a local BBQ spot known as Pappy's Smokehouse. To top it all off, they deservedly had a glass of wine in Defiance Ridge winery (outside St. Louis city limits). Really consider your genetic makeup and find ways to optimize your health. Fitness, nutrition and lifestyle are intertwined. As always, Stay Strong & Stay Vivid!
References
Counts, Laura. “Friends with Health Benefits: How the Buddy System Pays off When Pursuing Goals - Haas News: Berkeley Haas.” Haas News | Berkeley Haas, 25 July 2024, newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/research/friends-with-health-benefits-how-the-buddy-system-pays-off-when-pursuing-goals/.
Hill CR, Max EJ, Wittenbaum GM, Feltz DL (2020) Characterizing Relationships with Exercise Partners: Communication, Closeness, and Performance. Int J Sports Exerc Med 6:167.
D'Adamo, Peter. Eat Right 4 Your Type : the Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight. New York :G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996.
Štefan L, Čule M, Milinović I, Juranko D, Sporiš G. The Relationship between Lifestyle Factors and Body Compositionin Young Adults. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 Aug 8;14(8):893. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14080893. PMID: 28786940; PMCID: PMC5580597.