The ATG Longevity Regimen
Youth is flexibility. Adulthood is strength. What’s aging?
Over the last 10+ years of forming the ATG system, I’ve gravitated to training “from the ground up.”
What does this mean exactly?
Well, sled or resisted treadmill has been the opening step of ATG exercise for quite some years now.
What makes it unique is that the friction of the GROUND is the resistance.
This makes it fundamentally safe.
Put a hundred, a thousand, a MILLION pounds on a sled and…
It’s still safe.
It just won’t move.
To be clear, I’m not saying to load, load, load.
PRECISELY: Use the amount of weight you still take a NATURAL and ATHLETIC step with:
When stepping backward, this can be measured.
Are your toes going behind your knees on each step?
And visually, it should also be SMOOTH, not choppy.
If the resistance is increased too much, you can’t step in a natural position. Your steps become very small. For the SAME reason: smaller steps are a regression!
So…
If you don’t feel comfortable with a natural step, START SMALL!
Get those smaller steps quicker - while still being smooth.
Gradually increase the size of your step until your toes can get behind your knees.
Increase resistance only as long as you can still step naturally.
For maximum results, continue to try to step faster - while still being smooth.
Unlike machines, you’re pushing through your TOES. (Leg press, leg extension, leg curl… the most common gym leg machines are all flat-footed and don’t load the foot structures in a natural athletic manner. For the record, I respect ALL machines and all forms of exercise. I’m just pointing out a difference in how the foot works when sledding.)
Because you’re pushing through your toes, and faster, you get unique strengthening and cardio at the SAME TIME.
And when you go BACKWARD as much as forward, you have a unique KNEE rehab/prehab exercise PLUS unique strengthening PLUS cardio, SAFELY… all wrapped up into one.
I’m proud that we now have an ideal ATG sled at a great price, AND The Backward Treadmill for home use, which was a breakthrough in being the first resisted treadmill under $1,000.
Here in 2024, we’re at a golden age of exercise longevity.
And we’re only at Step 1.
After pushing through the TOES with the sled, we then move up into the ANKLE, on BOTH sides.
Then we move up into deeper leg work.
“STRETCH-STRENGTH” is, in my opinion, the greatest LONG-term longevity breakthrough.
Youth is flexibility.
Adulthood is strength.
What’s aging?
LOSS OF BOTH.
And now we have step by step systems which grandparents are CONSISTENTLY winning with, improving strength and flexibility at the same time.
We’re seeing people in their 40s and even 50s regaining the ability to dunk a basketball.
They all credit stretch-strength as the most significant reason.
We continue up into mobility of the hips, which is a modern issue brought on by too much time sitting in chairs.
We continue on up into the core.
Then the posture.
We flow through the upper body…
All the way to the GRIP. The only problem I’ve found with high-quality gripper sets is they usually start at 100 pounds of pressure, which most people can’t do. Derek had the idea to bring them down to 25 pounds. We couldn’t find anyone already producing this, so we’re custom manufacturing our own full set for the whole family. That’s what you see in this picture:
Apparently GRIP is a gem for longevity.
The stronger the grip, the less your body thinks you’re aging… that’s the theory.
But theories or not…
Who wants a weak grip?
And how cool that we can start at the TOES and finish with the grip?
This is how I train.
This is how my mom trains at age 70. Thanks to this regimen, she KNOWS her exercise formula for life.
Exercise?
Solved.
At least that’s how she sees it.
And it’s how Derek (@Mr1nf1n1ty) trains. He’s been training this way since his 30s. He’s 45 now, and his goal is for his 50s to feel like 20s!
He and my mom were the most significant contributors to this “ground-up” style of exercise for longevity.
I don’t see exercise in terms of absolutes.
This isn’t “the best” way.
Or maybe it is.
Doesn’t matter.
It’s a CONSISTENTLY WORKABLE system.
And I think that’s valuable.
I hope you find it valuable too.
My opinion is that even ONE time through is GREAT.
On a second round through, I suggest thinking about your own body and goals.
The best use of a second round would be to bring up your weakest and/or tightest links.
I don’t think you have to do it daily. I think 3 times per week is probably the safest bet.
I think even once per week is a great investment.
Ultimately, I think of exercise as one of the beautiful freedoms of life.
On the app, we’re keeping our favorite options up to date for each step. You can find the program in the Longevity section.
Thanks to YOU and the amazing ATG team for making this all possible.
Yours in Solutions,
Ben
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