My Favorite Exercises Volume III
Become bulletproof.
Post summary
This is the third installment of a monthly series that features my favorite exercises of all time.
In the series, we highlight one perfect exercise that works wonders for anyone who has a body and uses it. That is to say, you.
This month’s exercise focuses on an exercise that will help you perform better in all sports and avoid one of the most common and debilitating injuries.
Watch the video below to learn the exercise.
Housekeeping
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Audio/podcast version
The post
My first real job was acting as Fitness Editor for Men’s Health magazine. I spent about seven years there writing and editing stories about fitness, nutrition, sports performance, health, and more.
In that role, I talked to the world’s greatest athletes and its top health scientists and athletic trainers.
When these experts sent us an exercise or workout, I was the schlub who tested it to ensure it would work for our readers. I vetted hundreds of exercises.
Along the way, I discovered many truly effective exercises—and I’ve kept all the best ones in a file ever since.
When I think about what makes a good exercise, I consider a few factors:
It should deliver many benefits in a single movement, improving our health and fitness in less time.
It should improve our fitness in a way that isn’t just safe, but also makes us safer in the future by making us more resistant to injury.
It should help us move better—because the better we move, the better we feel and perform.
It should offset some of the harms of living in the modern world, where we sit behind screens and steering wheels most of the day.
It should translate to the real world and make us better at the activities we love, whether outdoor sports, pickleball, or chasing down kids.
Enter the My Favorite Exercise series. Each edition will feature one great exercise from my file.
Why just one each month? One is actionable.
For example, when I get a list of 10 really great exercises, I’m more likely to pick and choose. I’ll do some and not others—and I’ll miss out on many benefits.
By focusing on one each month, we’ll all slowly try new exercises and find those that work well for us. And that’ll make us fitter and healthier so we can do big things.
This month’s exercise
My ankles were always my kryptonite.
The problems started while playing basketball in Jr. High and High School. My style of play was most comparable to that of Dennis Rodman1—I couldn’t shoot the ball for shit, but I’d always get double-digit rebounds.
All that time banging it out under the hoop put me in some precarious positions. I had some bad landings atop other players’ feet and twisted the hell out of an ankle.
That instability persisted and traveled with me once I was done with basketball. After I moved to Las Vegas and began trail running more, I frequently rolled my ankles on the rocky, unpredictable trails.
One study found:
Ankle sprains are among the most common recurrent injuries of the lower extremity. Up to 40% of ankle sprains go on to develop chronic symptoms, including pain, swelling, instability, and recurrence that persists at least 12 months post-injury.
A study found that about two million Americans see a doctor each year for sprains. But the scientists estimated that about 11 million sprain their ankles but don’t seek medical attention. And, of course, the risk is much higher in people like us, Two Percenters who actually use our bodies.
What’s more, having “bad ankles” puts you on a precarious path as you age. It can limit your mobility and put you at more risk of falls, a major killer.
Before heading to the Arctic for a month to report The Comfort Crisis, I knew I needed to fix my ankle issue. As I wrote in the book about my preparation:
I’d also start every workout with drills to bulletproof the joints that are commonly injured out in the field. Ankles, knees, shoulders, etc. Roll an ankle out there, and it’s a long hobble back to civilization. Unless the wolves find you early on.
So I did the following drill after my warmup and before I started lifting. It came from Doug Kechijian at Resilient Performance, who wrote all my fitness programming for the Arctic.
I did two sets of it twice each week. I still do it or a variation of it at least once a week.
And it worked:
I didn’t roll an ankle in the Arctic despite the unforgiving and sketchy terrain.
I haven’t had a serious roll since.
I’ve had many occasions on the trail when my foot gets put in a position where it would normally roll, but seems to magically snap back and recover.
It’s worth taking the time to bulletproof your ankles.
This drill helps stiffen the area, making it more resistant to rolls and injuries whether you’re playing tennis, hiking, or chasing down your kids.
How to do it
Watch the video below. I also explain the drill in text, how to start, tips for getting the most from the exercise, and ideal sets, reps, and variations.