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I had an interesting conversation with my client Karla recently. She's absolutely crushing it and has already lost over 20 pounds on her road to her first Ironman 70.3 triathlon.
But she told me she sometimes skips her breathwork. Why? Because she felt she was already pretty calm and had her anger under control. I hear this exact same thing from my busy male executive clients. You think you're completely fine because you're not yelling in the boardroom. I told Karla there's a fundamental difference. There are actually three levels of calm. The first stage is looking calm. You don't yell, you don't overreact, and you stay looking controlled. The next level is being calm. You don't explode or roll your eyes… you just hold everything inside. The Ninja level is feeling calm. When you feel calm, the game changes and you become a black belt of the breath and emotional regulation. Most guys I coach are trapped at level two. You just hold it all in. But emotional regulation is the key to a good life. When you can't handle your emotions, you make poor decisions when it comes to eating. You snap at your kids, you're short with your wife, and you stay up all night because you're anxious. As a NASM Master Trainer and 7-time Ironman finisher, I can tell you exactly why people fail. You can't access true emotional regulation without regulation of your breathing mechanics. Diaphragmatic breathing is your Body's Throttle. In Phase 1 of my LivFit 365 program, we tackle The Domino Effect. The Breath Domino is the very first step. You'll die in 3 minutes without air, and it's the only way to manually pull back on the gas so your brain knows you aren't being chased by a lion. Let's stop holding it all in and start actually feeling calm.
PS: I was trying to teach my son, Jagger, about deep breathing today, but he was more interested in feeding his breakfast to our golden retriever, Kona… rats. |
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Here's the exact 5-point checklist I use with all my clients to master the Neuro-breath. It's gotten some incredible results.
In our Order of Operations, breath is the very first domino. When you get this right, you kill the 3:00 PM energy crash and stop paying the Exhaustion Tax. Step 1: Clear the airways. If you can't breathe through your nose, your body's engine is sputtering before you even turn the key. Start with a quick nose-unblocking exercise to clear your nostrils so you can comfortably access your Neuro-breath. Step 2: Lock in your tongue posture. Say the word ‘thin‘ and hold that ‘n' sound. Feel where your tongue rests against the roof of your mouth? Keep it there and create a slight suction. This acts as a natural backstop, forcing you to breathe exclusively through your nose. It's the ultimate biological filter, purifying and humidifying the air while killing off pathogens. Step 3: Control the exhaust. Breathing out through your nose naturally slows your breath rate. Quick, shallow mouth-breathing tells your brain you're running from a tiger, instantly flipping on your fight-or-flight stress response. Nasal breathing hits the brakes on that stress, giving you the clarity to own your day. Step 4: Grab the Body Throttle. Place your hands on the sides of your lower ribs. Take a low, slow breath. If you feel those ribs expand outward laterally without your shoulders shrugging up, you're doing it perfectly. Step 5: Take the 40-second CO2 tolerance test. Exhale all your air into a controlled pause and pinch your nose. You should be able to hold this comfortably for 40 seconds. If you can't, your tolerance for CO2 is too low. This means your ‘air hunger' will hijack your diaphragm when you try to take deeper breaths. It's the ultimate diagnostic test for your internal hardware. Apply this checklist, and you'll build the physical foundation you need to run your life like a Swiss watch.
PS: If you are unsure or don't know how to do a specific step, please hit REPLY and I'll personally help you. |
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“You're obsessed with this breathing thing.” It was 6:00 AM, and I was training my client Jesse over Zoom. We were right in the middle of a side neck stretch. He stopped, looked right at the camera, and dropped that line on me. At first, I was completely taken aback. The room was dead quiet, and all I could hear was the humming of my computer fan. I felt that realization hit my whole body like a physical shock. But then I smiled. I realized what he was saying was completely true. I'm obsessed with it because it is my North Star. It's the missing piece to true behavior change. Once I started adapting the breath and changing mechanics, everything shifted. I learned about the diaphragm, the lymphatic system, and the autonomic nervous system. I started going a lot deeper into the science of oxygen and carbon dioxide. And the deeper I went, the more I recognized something crucial. I finally understood why changing your breathing mechanics is so incredibly hard. Out of all the thousands of people I've trained in my life, only one stands out. I have just one client who's close to making functional breathing their default… Just one. The odds are heavily stacked against us. Let's look at why. First, your breath is ingrained in you for survival. Three minutes without oxygen, and you die. Your body will always find a way to breathe because the alternative is death. It doesn't care if you use your upper chest, your traps, your neck, or your throat. The body is just trying to get oxygen into the system. When your diaphragm isn't used, that body throttle in the center of your core experiences muscle atrophy. Think of a broken arm inside a cast. For a lot of us, our diaphragm has atrophied. Second, you need a neuromuscular connection. You must have a mind-muscle connection to activate that specific muscle. Think about flexing your calf or pulling with your back.
Motor mechanics are a huge part of activating the diaphragm. The third barrier is synergistic dominance. Overactive muscles take over the movement to compensate for the lazy diaphragm. Your body is conditioned to breathe with your upper chest and neck. So, the diaphragm doesn't feel like it needs to do its job. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because changing this pattern requires extreme intention. We have to be purposeful in our conviction to use that diaphragm. We have to keep our mouths closed and pin the tongue to the roof of the mouth. We have to make these habitual changes to improve the physical function of our breathing. Those old neural nets are deeply ingrained in your autonomic nervous system. To change them, you're going to have to be aware and present. It's going to be uncomfortable… Your brain and body will want to default back to chest breathing because it feels familiar and comfortable. Nobody wants to think about their breath all day long. But pushing through this discomfort is how you master your Neuro-breath. It's how you take control of your stress and your health. This is exactly how you stop the exhausting cycle of a high-performer and upgrade your Internal Operating System. Rats, I know building this habit feels tough. But once you recognize, or know what I know. You'll see that everything is at stake. Everything.
PS: I have a Functional Breathing Checklist that I use with all my clients. I'll share that with you next week. PPS: By the way, Jesse has officially lost over 30 pounds with less time in the gym. So, there must be something to this breathing stuff 😉 |
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Hey Reader, It was Saturday afternoon. I'd just finished training my clients and headed upstairs. I walked up the steps quietly. Suddenly, I heard a deep sigh. A sigh's usually a sign that your brain isn't getting enough oxygen. Your body's just trying to force more air in. I walked into the room and saw my mom, Mama Sofia, sitting on a stool. She was completely hunched over her phone. Her shoulders were pinned right up by her ears. Her mouth was open as she took shallow breaths. I knew right away she was worried about something. I didn't even need to know what she was looking at. I walked up to her and said, “Mami, va a estar bien.” That means it's going to be okay. She just looked at me, closed her mouth, and smiled.
The reason I'm sharing this with you is because of what happens inside your body during moments like this. When your physical mechanics break down, your mind starts to spin. Her shallow breathing triggered an immediate stress response. Her brain wasn't getting enough oxygen. Because of that lack of oxygen, her mind was trying to solve imaginary problems she couldn't actually fix… You might be doing the exact same thing when you feel overwhelmed. When you feel rushed or anxious, it almost always stems from a lack of oxygen. Before you try to change your diet or start a new workout, you have to fix your breathing first. If you don't regulate your breath, you'll always default back to stress.
PS: You might be thinking … yeah, I get it. But how do I do it? On Saturday, I'll share with you exactly HOW to do it. |
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Hey Reader, Courtney looked at me as we laid in bed. Jagger was running wild all over our blankets. She softly asked if I wanted to go to Lifetime Fitness with them. I didn't say anything at first… I just sat there and paused. I love to run and swim, and it was Father's Day morning. The old me would've instantly said no. I would've rushed out the door to grind through a solo workout. Instead, I kept quiet and wrestled with Jagger. I heard his loud laugh echo through the room. Then he yelled, “Dada! Dada!” and jumped right off the big bed. I looked up and saw the biggest smile on Courtney's face. When she asked me a second time to come with them, I knew she really wanted me there. In that exact moment, I had to pause and ask myself who I truly wanted to be. I'm a trainer, an author, and an Ironman. But the title I wear most proudly is “Dada.”
I realized my family is what matters most. I chose to go with them, and looking into Jagger's eyes that morning brought me pure bliss. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because today is the 4th of July. It's a day we celebrate America's independence with our families. We barbecue, we hit the pool, and we watch the fireworks. These holidays remind us to intentionally make time for each other. We're constantly getting pulled between competing demands. But today is a perfect reminder to pause and choose connection. Deep down, your intuition already knows what matters most. You just need space to recognize that truth. A simple breath is the key to creating that space. When you lean into a deliberate breath, you hit the pause button on your old habits. And the true you can emerge. Take today to be present and calm. Breathe with purpose, love with meaning, and enjoy this incredible gift we call life.
PS: I'm going to try my best to stay awake for the fireworks tonight. But since I strictly go to bed at 7 pm every night, there's a good chance I'll be fast asleep before the sun even goes down. Send some strong black coffee my way. Happy 4th! |
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Hey Reader, I saw the message pop up on my phone and immediately held my breath. A shock of disbelief and anxiety shot up and down my back. Jagger got kicked out of the Kids Academy at Life Time Fitness for fighting. He's only two years old, but he managed to get a write-up and a ban for the rest of the day. Rats… I completely lost focus on my work. I was at a total loss on how to respond. My immediate response was to check on my wife, Courtney. It sucks when your son comes off as a bully. Because of the ban, I had to completely change my workout plan. I called an audible and worked out at the park. Courtney and I sat down to figure out how to handle this. We frantically looked up how to teach him not to hit. The coaching was rather straightforward. We practiced “Gentle Hands” and made sure to catch him doing things right. We maintained our composure and took deep breaths to model the behavior. We also changed his morning routine so he doesn't go into the kids club on full gas. Now he takes a nice half-mile walk in the morning with Courtney and our golden retriever, Kona. When he finally returned to the kids club, he was a new man. He played nicely with his friends, and his new “Gentle Hands Jagger” persona emerged.
The reason I'm sharing this with you is because of what it taught me about behavior change. When you try to make a positive change in your life, your mind tells you that giant problems need giant solutions. But big problems often require small, simple solutions. The fix is almost always asymmetric. We're officially halfway through 2026. You should be halfway to your fitness, mental, and relationship goals. If you're in the exact same spot you were at the beginning of the year, it's time to change your actions. Start with something simple and repeatable so you can feel like a winner. Losers don't change, but winners change one small action at a time. I want you to think of one specific action you can do today. Take one deep diaphragmatic breath. Carry a water bottle or have an extra drink of water. Go to bed a little bit earlier. Go for a short walk or take a couple of seconds to do a neck stretch. Eat a little bit slower and chew your food one more time. Any of these small actions will push you forward. You got this!
PS: Courtney's joking about featuring this morning's toddler crime spree on the next episode of Forensic Tales. I'll let you know if Jagger makes the cut. |
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Hey Reader, The next time you're in a random fitness class, pay close attention to your body. If your lower back hurts during a workout, that's bad.. If you're jumping boxes and you're over 30 and feeling pain, that's bad… It isn't enough to just work out if you're spinning your wheels. You might actually be doing more harm than good. Are you better off doing corrective stretching or foam rolling? Definitely. Once I locked in my movement mechanics, everything shifted. I was no longer a guy trying to survive the gym. I built a bulletproof system and became a 7-time Ironman finisher. If you're a high performer, you don't have time to waste on workouts that leave you drained for your 3 PM meeting. You're already carrying the weight of your career and your family. You don't need fitness to be another crisis you have to manage. You need an SOP that puts your fitness on autopilot. You need to build your Survival Chain. You need to know exactly what your body requires based on your age, time constraints, and injuries. We don't rely on willpower. We install a system that puts your health on autopilot so you build energy instead of draining it. Stop guessing what your body needs. It's Gametime! Let's make it happen. I created a specific quiz based on my book, Live Fit. It tells you exactly what workout will be the most effective for you. It factors in your gender, age, time constraints, injuries, and fitness level. Click here for the The 22-Year Fitness Decoder: Find Your Perfect Workout Stop the random workouts. Take the quiz today and find the right path for your body.
PS: Kona just stole my running shoe… rats. Good thing she's a female golden retriever, otherwise I'd be wrestling a much bigger dog for my laces. Stop guessing and take the quiz today! —> The Human Hardware Quiz: Find Your Exact Workout Match |
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Hey Reader, Let me let you in on a secret most trainers won't tell you. Most of the fitness industry is built on a massive lie. On Thursday, I told you about how I was working out constantly at UC Irvine. I was doing the crunches. I was doing the side bends. And my body was secretly falling apart. Then I discovered the actual mechanics of the human body. I started seeing the body as a physical mechanism. I was finally applying my engineering principles to human movement for the very first time. I went on a massive growth curve. I grabbed every certification I could find, eventually becoming a recognized NASM Master Trainer. Here's the fundamental problem with traditional fitness. There are way too many fly by night trainers who just don't understand the why behind the movements. They think guys like you just want better abs. They grossly underestimate that you want a transformative change. You want peak status and cognitive clarity. Because of this lack of knowledge, people suffer. We deal with chronic back pain, sleep apnea, and dysregulated breathing. You don't need a grueling bootcamp that spikes your cortisol and leaves you depleted. You need the Move Domino. Instead of restrictive dieting and endless cardio, we use your body's mechanics to reset the hardware. We focus on the Body Throttle to slow down your engine and regain control. My philosophy is powerfully simple. We build a high-performance system for your life so you can operate on a full battery. But even after I learned this powerful tool… I almost failed again. I tried to use the tool without a specific map to guide my daily decisions. I'll share that exact SOP with you on Tuesday so you don't make the same mistake.
PS: I'm putting the final touches on a brand new assessment. It's a quick tool to help you figure out exactly what your body needs based on your specific life demands. I'll drop the link on Tuesday. |
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Hey Reader, I remember the exact moment my career path changed. I was getting ready to graduate from UC Irvine. I was checking out basketballs at the Anteater Recreation Center. My friend Kevin recognized me and walked up to me. He looked right at me and said, “Hey. Would you want a job?” He was the Fitness Manager at the 24 Hour Fitness right by UCI. At the time, I thought being a personal trainer sounded glorious. So I got my certification.
But it's amazing what I quickly figured out. Even though I worked out constantly after my brother Richard passed away, I was doing almost everything wrong. I read all the fitness magazines. I listened to my buddies who told me to do side bends and crunches. My body looked like it was in good shape. It turns out, it wasn't. If you're a busy executive, you probably know this exact feeling. You're hitting the gym, trying to kill that “Soft CEO” syndrome. You're putting in the heavy work, but you wake up with your joints popping like bubble wrap. You sit in important boardrooms dealing with an executive slouch. Your lower back is constantly screaming at you. You think it's just your age catching up with you. Or worse, you think you just need more willpower to push through the discomfort. You don't. You're actually running an outdated operating system that is destroying your human hardware. You're paying a massive Exhaustion Tax every single day. I almost quit the fitness industry completely… until I discovered the actual mechanics of the human body. I realized that the standard advice is a trap. There is a biological reason your workouts are leaving you exhausted and in pain. It isn't a lack of discipline. It's a fundamental flaw in your movement foundation. I'll reveal exactly what that “circuit breaker” is this Saturday so you can finally stop hurting yourself.
PS: Jagger just realized he can use the couch as a trampoline… rats. It's going to be a long night. Keep an eye on your inbox this Saturday. I have something special coming that will completely change how you view your next workout. |
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I handed Sonny my phone to look at his assessment photos. He looked at me and asked, “Is that what I really looked like?” All those hours of dropping weights had done nothing. All those massive puddles of sweat had yielded zero physical results. He was devastated. But he was finally ready to listen. Classic trainers are taught to simply exercise you to death. To a hammer, everything looks like a nail. But we needed a completely different set of tools. You cannot think or sweat your way out of a physiological burnout. Sonny was paying a massive Exhaustion Tax. He was a highly successful president at work, but he had become a “Soft CEO” in the mirror. He was winning the money game but losing the life game. Instead of just sweating, we focused on the 5 Daily Dominos. I hold two degrees, one in Engineering and the other in Behavioral Economics. My engineering brain told me we needed to fix his hardware. We started Phase 1: The Domino Effect. We focused on the Move Domino. He realized how incredibly fast he could lose fat by just walking more and tracking his steps. He didn't need to drop heavy weights to burn off fat. Once he understood that simple lever, Sonny was off to the races. His body finally started to change. The muscle was really starting to shine through. The transformation was so profound that he took our work outside the gym. He actually brought me into his corporate office to present to his team. I walked in ready to help his employees. They all looked exhausted, stressed, and completely overwhelmed. They expected me to act like a drill sergeant. They braced themselves for a lecture about dedicating six hours a week to the gym. But I asked them to do something completely different. Keep an eye on your inbox this Tuesday for the big reveal.
P.S. The 4th of July is right around the corner. If you are already stressing about how you will look or feel at those summer pool parties, take a deep breath. You got this, plus it's too late to change anything for this 4th 😉 |
