What’s On My Mind

What’s On My Mind
Resilience Requires Exposure

This Month’s Health Challenge
Importance of Hydration and pH Balance

What’s On My Mind

Resilience Requires Exposure - By Kyle Ligon

I recently listened to a podcast where the guest, a PhD and an “expert” in physiology, said something along the lines of:

Machines are safer than free weights because they work our big muscles without stressing our smaller muscles. Our smaller muscles are the most likely to get injured, so working out with machines reduces the risk of injury.

I could not disagree more with this type of thinking and because this is an unfortunately all too common misconception, I want to walk through why, at MovementLink, we prescribe to an exact opposite approach.

First of all, the risk of injury in the gym is present, but very, very small (when things are done thoughtfully). I have had a few little tweaks which caused me to make a few minor modifications in workouts for a few days, but I learned something from those that ultimately made me stronger. I have not been “injured” in over 10 years…inside or outside of the gym.

Second, reducing the strain on our body in our workouts would reduce the risk of injury in the gym, but what if another professor came along and said that not going to the gym altogether is safer than working out with machines because those who don’t go to the gym are even less likely to get injured in the gym? It’s obviously a stupid argument, but when we take logic to the extremes any flaws become too large to miss.

We should base our decision on exercise style, selection, equipment, and technique on reducing the risk of injury in our lives, which includes inside the gym, but is not solely focused on inside the gym. This is an incredibly important distinction. If you only use machines and never work out your small muscles, yes, things you don’t work out aren’t likely to get injured in the gym, but they are way more likely to get injured outside the gym, when you are forced to use them.

But why would you get forced to use them? Because those small muscles exist for a reason and a critical one at that! When our bodies move in the real world we use what have been named functional movement patterns. These are when we move our body with natural, multi-joint movements that are either performed with just our body weight or by moving external, free weights like bags, dogs, kids, coolers, furniture, etc. In the real world, you will use those small muscles, you don’t have a choice, and your exercise program should absolutely be developing those small muscles in a way that integrates exactly into how we move in the real world.

A key concept here is hormesis, a phenomenon where stressors that may be harmful at high doses can trigger beneficial adaptations in response to lower dose exposures. Over time, adaptations to the stresses we put on our body can make us more resilient to the stress. We build a lower probability of injury in life not by avoiding using certain muscles or positions, but by slowly and strategically progressing our exposure over time. No dose equals no adaptations and therefore not being prepared. Overdose exposes us to harm. The key is to get the dose correct, not avoid a dose.

To see if strategically and gradually exposing ourselves to positions that most mistakenly believe to be injury prone can even work, we can again look at an extreme example, the YouTube sensation Knees Over Toes Guy He shows how our body can develop extreme resiliency through exposure to "compromised" knee positions. He says he has dealt with serious knee issues in the past, but has rehabbed his knees by progressing his workouts to use a lot of exercises that put his knees in extreme positions, making all the areas around the knee get stronger. Because his knees have adapted to such extreme positions in workouts, his knees should be able to handle with ease the more regular positions he may find himself in in the real world. He claims his knees are metaphorically bulletproof and seeing the things he can do, I believe him.

Not letting your knees travel beyond your toes in a squat (or ever in workouts) is an old-school, very outdated, and a failed attempt to protect peoples’ knees. The logic was that when your knees go beyond your toes, the more and more pressure gets put on them. Well, unfortunately for those who don’t let their knees travel naturally forward in certain exercises in the gym, their knees will go over toes in all sorts of real world scenarios, the most obvious being walking down stairs. Just in a regular, deep squat the knees will track forward of the toes (if the person has adequate ankle range of motion). In this scenario, and the machine scenario above, in an attempt to reduce the risk of injury in the gym by avoiding exposure is in exchange for a dramatically increased injury risk outside of the gym.

Y’all know I love talking about context, so let’s look at who else typically does not train with their knees over their toes? Powerlifters. Because the only goal of powerlifting is to compete in 1 rep max squat, bench press, and deadlift, maybe wearing a squat suit, advice that comes from even world class powerlifters should be taken in the context of powerlifting competitions, not how powerlifting training and techniques transfer into your everyday life and sports. If you only care about these 3 exercises performed in a way to get the most weight on the bar as opposed to using these exercises to generate real world results, you don’t need your knees to go over your toes. People learn from the best powerlifters in the world, but forget that they may have a broader range of goals than just 1 rep max in 3 lifts.

As we want to learn from the best powerlifters in the world while also keeping in mind the context of their goals, we also want to keep the context of Knees Over Toes Guy’s goals in mind. Yes, it’s important to “bulletproof” our knees, but not at the expense of any of our non-negotiable exercise goals or non-negotiable exercise stimuli.

Knees Over Toes Guy’s program proves that by dedicating tons of training time to “compromised” positions in a progressive and scalable way, massive resiliency can be achieved. But let’s not get too excited about following a hyper-specific program like this, as opportunity cost and sufficient “bullet proofing" should all be considered to make your workout program time efficient. We definitely want a buffer zone of resiliency across our body, but we don’t need to make one aspect of fitness our entire focus. If we are laying a foundation for a house there is a sufficient size and at a certain point, continuing to put time and effort into the foundation is just overkill.

We need to learn from these extreme examples like world class powerlifters and Knees Over Toes Guy but not at the expense of getting adequate exposure to all areas of fitness. Remember, a little goes a long way, especially with the spillover benefits of cross-training all areas of fitness. At MovementLink, we work in these more extreme positions in our warm-ups and in our 10minutes a day of movement and mobility, so we gain daily exposure and when that is mixed with using mostly functional movement patterns and free weights in our workouts, we can build full body resiliency along with balancing all of our non-negotiable goals.

We embrace the concept that strategic exposure is how we build resilience and if we want the adaptations we get from our workouts to transfer into the real world, then our workouts need to mimic the real world. This is also Why We Don’t Wear Gear and we highly recommend barefoot shoes. We want the muscles, tendons, and ligaments to develop in a way that directly translates to our goals and if our training was restricted to machines or using gear for support, then if we ever found ourself needing to carry a heavy cooler on a beach, we don’t want to need a weight belt, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and running shoes to not get injured.

Exercise selection in the gym is all about risk management. The style of workouts and the exercises you choose should limit risk, while actually providing the results you’re after. Machine usage should be limited as they do not require your body to move like it needs to in the real world. Extreme accessory work should be limited as the majority of our time should be spent on the core functional movement patterns. 1 rep maxes, working to failure, and using highly technical exercises like a heavy barbell snatch and kipping handstand push-ups should be viewed through a risk/reward lens and likely don’t have a foundational role in most people’s workout programs.

Remember, we absolutely want to reduce risk in the gym, but that is not the #1 goal. More important is reducing the risk of injury in our life, which requires developing and strengthening functional movement patterns through exposure.

A Complete Guide to the MovementLink Method

This Month’s Health Challenge

Importance of Hydration and pH Balance - By Kelly Dodds

There are two key components that make up proper hydration: the amount of water and concentration of electrolytes in our body. Both of these components of hydration are essential for every cellular process that keeps us alive and well, as our bodies require a certain amount of water and pH level (concentration of electrolytes) to function properly and support vital functions.
Electrolytes are minerals that dissolve in water, and act as an acid or a base– which affects the pH level of blood and other cellular fluids. Key electrolytes include:

Sodium
Potassium
Calcium
Phosphate
Magnesium
Bicarbonate

The human body is made up of roughly 60% water– and we lose approximately 2–3 liters (about 60–100 ounces) of water each day through sweat, breathing, urine, and other bodily functions. This lost water must be replaced regularly. Women are generally recommended to drink about 2.2 liters (approximately 75 ounces or 0.6 gallons) daily, while men should aim for at least 3.0 liters (roughly 100 ounces or 0.8 gallons) each day.

Similarly, electrolytes are lost along with water. They are replaced when we eat foods and drink fluids. Maintaining the right balance of electrolytes is as crucial as drinking enough water because they are necessary for all cellular processes, like transmitting nerve impulses, regulating muscle function, and maintaining fluid balance in and around cells. Though we can make short-term adaptations during low hydration levels, inadequate hydration over the long term causes our body to break down, leading to disorders or disease.

Here are just some of the ways our bodies are affected by hydration status:

Cellular Function: Every cell in our body needs water to function properly. Not just processes inside of every cell, like nutrient transport, waste elimination, protein synthesis, or DNA transcription, but also all signaling communication between cells.
Skin Health: Adequate hydration supports the skin’s barrier function, keeping it plump and reducing dryness.
Regulating Temperature: Water helps cool our body through sweating, which also eliminates some toxins.
Cognitive Function: Research shows that dehydration impairs cognitive performance. Tasks that involve attention, executive function, and motor coordination can suffer when water loss exceeds 2% of body mass.
Mood and Energy: Low hydration levels have been linked to increased feelings of anger, hostility, confusion, depression, and fatigue.
Digestion and Absorption: It helps break down food and transport nutrients.
Digestive Health: Water intake is important in preventing constipation and supporting overall gastrointestinal function.
Detoxification: Your kidneys need water to remove waste and toxins.
Kidney Health: High fluid intake is associated with a lower risk of developing kidney stones.
Body Weight and Composition: Increased water consumption can help reduce body fat and contribute to weight loss in obese adults, independently of changes in calorie intake.

An often overlooked component of hydration is how it affects our pH levels– a measure of acidity or alkalinity on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral (the pH of pure water). Our body maintains blood pH in a very narrow range—from about 7.35 to 7.45, with an average of 7.40. However, different body fluids have different optimal pH levels; for example, stomach acid is highly acidic to aid digestion and bile is highly alkaline to neutralize stomach acid that enters the intestinal tract.

The body tightly controls pH through several systems:

Lungs: inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Lungs help regulate the pH of the blood by changing breathing rate.
Electrolyte Absorption: through consuming electrolyte minerals such as calcium, sodium, and magnesium (along with their accompanying anions like chloride, bicarbonate, and phosphate) supports the body’s buffering systems, which help maintain the 7.40 balance.
Kidneys: help excrete excess electrolytes, acids, or bases via urine.

While there is no evidence supporting “alkaline diets” or “alkaline water” as a means to regulate pH, the food you eat does play a role in maintaining the proper balance of electrolytes:

Acidic Foods: Protein-rich foods containing lots of amino acids (meats, grains, legumes, dairy) are typically considered “acidic.”
Alkaline Foods: Fruits and vegetables are generally “alkaline.”
Balanced Diet: A well-balanced diet that includes both acidic and alkaline foods, along with adequate hydration, supplies the necessary electrolytes to support the body’s pH homeostasis.

Water plays a crucial role in regulating pH through:

Kidney Function: Adequate water intake helps your kidneys filter blood more effectively. This process is vital for removing excess acids or bases from the body, keeping the blood pH within its narrow, healthy range.
Buffer Systems: Your body contains buffers (such as bicarbonate) that help resist changes in pH. These systems work better when the body is well-hydrated, as water facilitates the transport of these molecules.
Metabolic Processes: Many chemical reactions in the body require water as a solvent. When hydration is optimal, these reactions proceed at the right rate, which in turn supports the body’s overall acid-base balance.

Tips for Maintaining Hydration and pH Balance

Drink Water Regularly and Eat Water-Rich Foods: Aim to replace the 2–3 liters of water lost daily. Adjust your intake based on activity level and environment. Also, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can significantly add to your hydration levels since they contain lots of water in them in addition to electrolytes.
Monitor Electrolyte Intake: Incorporate electrolyte-rich foods or mineral water in your diet, or consider using electrolyte powders added to [adequate amounts of] water if you’re engaging in prolonged physical activity. Electrolyte-rich foods include unprocessed nutrient-dense foods, such as seafood, meats, eggs, dairy, legumes, vegetables, fruits, “whole grains,” nuts & seeds– all part of a healthy well-balanced diet.
Use a Reusable Water Bottle: Keeping a water bottle handy encourages regular hydration throughout the day.
Set Reminders: It’s good to let thirst guide fluid intake, but sometimes we learn to ignore our thirst signals. You can use phone alarms or apps to remind you to drink water more regularly.
Enhance Water Flavor: Add natural flavoring such as citrus fruits, mint, or cucumber to encourage more fluid intake.
Notice Urine Color: Light yellow or nearly clear urine typically indicates good hydration, with the exception of the first urine of the day which is often darker. Note: some B vitamins, medications, foods (like beets), and food colorings can change the color to bright yellow, pink, or orange.
Balance Your Diet: Include a mix of protein foods (acidic) and fruits/vegetables (alkaline) to support electrolyte balance and maintain pH homeostasis.

Adequate hydration and maintaining a balanced pH are essential for overall health and longevity. A balanced diet of unprocessed foods, along with regular water consumption, helps keep your body’s internal environment working properly– providing the water and electrolytes necessary to support critical bodily functions to help you look, feel, and perform at your best

This Month’s Challenge:

Track Water Intake: Keep track of your water intake for 1 week. This can be done manually on paper, your phone calendar, or a notes app; or you can use an app to track and remind you to drink water as needed. Extra challenge: track water intake for the entire month. Reference the tips to maintain adequate hydration [listed above] to guide your daily fluid intake goals.
Notice Results of Adequate Hydration: Pay attention to how you feel when you reach your hydration goals consistently. Notice if you have more energy, less appetite, weight loss, less pain, better performance, improved memory or mood, sleep better, better digestion, or look younger.