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Hint: Mind maxing… bro
Socrates — the great philosopher — on fitness:
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”
We both know it…
It may seem like a burden, but one of the best parts of being a guy? We don’t get to use bullsh*t filters.
No, “Body positivity.”
No, “Healthy at any size.”
No, “Accept me just the way I am.”
And if you’re being honest with yourself, you wouldn’t want it any other way.
Men are made for doing, so embrace it.
Let’s talk about 2 reasons to get in the gym and turn on peak performance mode.
1. Boosting Your IQ
If you want to maximize your IQ, maximize your sweat.
It’s no secret that regular exercise is a key component of the majority of very successful people’s daily routines. (upwards of 75% according to Tom Corley, author of “Change Your Habits, Change Your Life.”)
Who are some successful entrepreneurs you look up to?
I guarantee you they’ve got, “Get in the gym!” penciled into their daily schedule
And the science backs all of this up.
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is shown to positively correlate with fluid intelligence. [1][2]
What is fluid intelligence?
Glad you asked.
There are two parts to your IQ — fluid and crystallized.
Fluid intelligence refers to the capacity to solve and think logically about novel problems.
Crystallized intelligence involves recalling stored knowledge and past experiences.
The more we work out, the stronger our novel problem-solving skills become.
But not just any workout, in those studies above, it was aerobic exercises that delivered results.
In other words, cardio activities like running, swimming, or hiking boosted fluid intelligence, not muscle-building activities like bodybuilding or Olympic weightlifting.
So for you “no cardio” bros out there, too bad.
Get your heart rate up, your body sweating, and your fluid intelligence rising off the charts.
2. The Way of The Moving Body and Still Mind
What good is a maxed-out IQ ceiling if you can’t use it properly?
Men’s greatest superpower is the ability to focus — everything flows from focus.
- Introspection.
- Self-discipline.
- Training.
- Mastery.
- Success.
So how does better physical fitness translate into better focus?
Follow this logic:
1. Focus is the ability to hold your attention on a target — watching a “boring” lecture or reading a novel without mind-wandering.
2. Meditation is one of the most powerful tools for boosting attentional performance — noticing when you’re in focus and out of focus (meta-awareness).
3. Physical fitness fixes muscle imbalances, relieves joint pain, and reduces excess fat which results in better meditation sessions.
Simply put,
better physical health = better meditation = better attentional performance = stronger focus.
And it doesn’t stop there, meditation and physical activity have also been shown to help keep your mental game in check — studies show a reduction in depression and anxiety. [3][4]
Invest in your body and your mind will follow.
Conclusion
If you want some great ideas on a fitness regimen that speaks to your needs, go check out our article “The World Is Trying to Take Your Gains” — we talk about 3 different workout philosophies and you need to choose one if you’re going to succeed as a man in the future.
Until we have more advice for getting men and masculinity on track…
Get moving, gentlemen.
