ERIC KIM

Peak Physical Strength

Currently I am at my peak physical condition. Deadlift is at 455 pounds (I can do more), Squat is at 375, floor bench is at 265, etc.

I am convinced … one of the greatest joys I am experiencing right is the fact I am in peak physical shape, strength, and condition. I have never been this strong before in my life (I am currently 32 years old), and I know that my strength is still building and climbing. Extreme optimism for the future.

Why strive towards peak physical strength?

There is not much you can control in life. To a great extent, you cannot control how much money you make, what background you were born into, what country or nationality you were born into, your family situation, etc. However, you can control the practice and training of building your strength and body to the peak physical shape. This means:

Don’t compare your physical strength or body to anyone else. Instead, you are seeking your own personal records in strength, physique, etc.

This means, you’re the only ruler for yourself.

100 POUND DUMBBELL PRESS at GYM / ERIC KIM

Why is physical and physiological well-being so important?

Let us consider–

Many of us want to be ‘happy’ in life. But in truth, ‘happiness’ is a physiological state of being — somewhat regulated by our hormones, muscles, tissues, brain, ligaments, and other things which are contained in our body.

Something which can also *not* be divorced from our physiological well-being is the state of our body. How strong we are. How fit we are. If a man is chronically sleep deprived (2-6 hours of sleep a night) and in horrible physiological shape (over-fat, low muscle mass), we cannot rate this man happy … even if he were a trillionaire.

So how do we achieve peak physical strength?

Extreme fitness and extreme recovery seems to be the name of the game. A few times a week you go for ‘one rep max’ attempts in powerlifting (deadlift, squat, bench, etc), and the other days you engage in fun physical activities (dance, yoga, calisthenics, bodyweight exercises, barre, etc).

And in the evenings, cut off caffeine after dinner-time. And when you break your fast, eat a shitload of meat, and optimize your sleep. To optimize for sleep, some ideas which have helped me:

  1. Sleep with a face-mask
  2. Sleep with ear-plugs (I like the ‘Hearos’ brand, the little baby blue ones)
  3. Sleep with a white noise machine
  4. Optimally live in an apartment or a home which is in a quiet neighborhood
  5. Don’t “work” after dinner-time, to allow your brain to start to shut down. Read books instead (I find even reading digitally is fine).
  6. Experiment with a really hot bath followed by a cold shower. If not, a really hot shower ending with a cold shower. Or just go straight into the cold shower.

Peak physical strength towards what ends?

So we might still inquire:

Once I am in peak physical or physiological shape/strength/condition … then what?

Then you harness that great elevated physical condition in order to make more spirited philosophical writings, more spirited creative art work, and to elevate your thoughts and ideas.

Or in other words:

Trust no philosopher or artist who doesn’t deadlift (Nassim Taleb) or eat meat (ERIC KIM)

ERIC

Physiology 101