Hey friend,

I was having a conversation with a client who told me that he was too tired to hit the gym.

So we did a little experiment with each other:

We agreed to show up at his basement gym and stay there for 30 minutes, and he could do anything he wanted.

We set a timeframe of a week, and all we would do is observe what happens.

The first time he went, he spent the first 20 minutes on his phone and the last 10 minutes walking on his treadmill.

The second time, he did 10 minutes on his phone and 20 minutes of walking.

By the 7th day, he didn't want to waste the time he had in the gym and started lifting.

The results?

He was feeling so energized after his gym sessions that his wife would get annoyed at him.

Most people wait for motivation to show up, but the reality is, you need to show up to get the motivation

If you find yourself in a similar position as my client, then try this out for yourself.

You might be surprised at what happens.

Here Is Your 4 Minute Friday:

1. How To Be An 80-Year-Old And Have A VO2 Max Of A 35-Year-Old

In a new study, an unidentified 80-year-old man just shattered the record for the highest VO₂ max ever measured at his age.

He posted a V02 max of 50 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹. To put this in context, this is something you’d expect from a fit 35-year-old, not someone collecting a pension.

Researchers wanted to know how this was possible, and here's what they found:

• He was lean, clocking in at 12% body fat
• He was strong with nearly half of his body weight being muscle.
• He was active logging at least 11,000 steps per day.

He lifted and did endurance workouts three times a week, and to top it all off, he lived a lifetime of manual labor and endurance racing behind him.

His heart hit 175 beats per minute at max effort, pumped blood efficiently, and his lungs worked like someone decades younger.

His VO₂ max was 50% higher than the average 80-year-old and even beat most 30-year-olds.

What’s wild is that his decline rate was totally normal at around 7–11% per decade. He just started higher and never stopped.

The big lesson is to build fitness early and never give it back. But if you can't do that, remember, much like ​Richard Morgan​, it's never too late to start.

2. A Mental Practice To Increase Strength By 35% (Without Exercise)

Now, this next one may sound woo-woo, but it's real science.

A study called “From Mental Power to Muscle Power” found that people who only imagined flexing their muscles (with no actual movement) got stronger.

Participants practiced mental imagery of contracting their muscles for several weeks.

By the end, their strength had increased significantly compared to those who did nothing. Some even gained up to 40% more strength just from thinking about training.

Mental imagery helped the brain learned to recruit muscle fibers more efficiently through improved neural signaling.

It’s the same reason athletes visualize their routines before competing: the brain fires in nearly the same way during vivid imagination as it does in real action.

Here's where it gets interesting: These gains kept improving for weeks after the training stopped, showing that the brain was still rewiring itself.

So while mental reps won’t replace the gym, they might help bridge the gap when you’re injured, traveling, or stuck in meetings all day.

Turns out, mind-muscle connection isn’t just gym bro talk, it’s neuroscience.

❤️ My Favourite Thing This Week

Something you should know about me is that I take my ergonomics seriously.

Since I'm traveling atm, I also do a lot of work on my laptop.

Something I brought with me to my travels has been the ​Roost laptop stand​.

This helps keep my laptop at eye level, so I don't have to crank my neck down looking at a laptop.

One of the best parts about it is that it folds and expands, making its footprint as small (or as big) as I need it to be.

The change in my travel workstation has been subtle but noticeable.

If you're looking to upgrade your desk setup, I highly recommend it.

Here's a ​link to their website​. I've got no affiliation with them. I just love their product.

Client Of The Week - Jordan Gray, Entrepreneur

Jordan is an entrepreneur and owner of ​JordanGrayconsulting.com​. He ended up gaining a ton of weight after his business became successful. He struggled with stress eating and just being too comfortable.

In 6 months, we dropped 54 lbs, improved his bloodwork, and doubled his energy levels.

Here's how we did it:

• We fixed his relationship with food. Instead of stress eating, we eliminated snacking and had him take walks outside.
• We made sure to eat at least .8 grams of protein per pound. This ensured he was keeping muscle instead of wasting it away.
• We did 3 strength training sessions a week. He wanted more, so we upped it to 4 days a week while optimizing recovery.
• Finally, we ensured it was simple and easy for his busy schedule and kept him accountable for the process.

I'm proud of how Jordan showed up to the coaching and his health. Now we're onto building muscle. Time to level up.

Are you an entrepreneur who wants to drop the fat, gain muscle, and boost energy? Click this link to apply for our coaching program.

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

We can't control what happens to us in life, but we can control what they mean to us. This is in our power.

Personally, I try to ask myself how things are happening in my favor. When I ask my mind this question, it gives me the right answers.

As promised, get healthier in under 4 minutes.

- Dan

When you're ready, here are 2 ways I can help:

1. The Lean Body 90 System: When you’re ready to get in great shape, Lean Body 90 is the obvious choice. You can get in great shape and reach your fitness goals in just 90 minutes a week. Lose weight and build muscle even without hours in the gym or highly restrictive diets. Join 1000+ students here.

2. Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost energy, and get in your best shape? Apply for private one-on-one coaching here.

References

How to be 80 years old with a V02 max of a 35-year-old

Karlsen T, Leinan IM, Bækkerud FH, Lundgren KM, Tari A, Steinshamn SL, Støylen A, Rognmo Ø. How to Be 80-Year-Old and Have a VO2max of a 35-Year-Old. Case Rep Med. 2015;2015:909561. doi: 10.1155/2015/909561. Epub 2015 Feb 18. PMID: 25788946; PMCID: PMC4348610.

The Mental Practice To Increase Strength By 35% Without Exercise

Vinoth K. Ranganathan, Vlodek Siemionow, Jing Z. Liu, Vinod Sahgal, Guang H. Yue, From mental power to muscle power—gaining strength by using the mind, Neuropsychologia, Volume 42, Issue 7, 2004, Pages 944-956, ISSN 0028-3932,​ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.11.018.​ 

Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.