👋 Hey. Welcome to issue #139 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (4 min read):
😴 My sleep potion
A few weeks back I shared some research on the supplement glycine.
It’s shown to lower core body temperature. Which helps us fall to sleep faster and get better-quality sleep.
I started taking 3g of glycine with 1.3g of magnesium glycinate about half an hour before bed.
(they're different but related—mag glycinate gives added magnesium boost plus some extra glycinate)
Anyway, I haven't slept this well in a while.
A small increase to deep sleep (according to my highly inaccurate watch). But a big increase to my anecdotal sleep quality and—I've even noticed—mood, energy and focus throughout the day.
Don't know if I can attribute it all to this new potion. But it's now 100% in the regular lineup.
🥛 The Fermentary
If you're looking to add some fermented foods to your diet to culture that gut...
And find the supermarket kombucha, yoghurts and kefirs full of additives - consider doing it DIY.
The Fermentary sells starter kits for stuff like kefir and kombucha.
I've been DIYing milk kefir — throwing it in smoothies and oat bowls.
It's a small time investment to get in the hang of it, but once you've got your grains firing, it's easy.
Thank you RB for the rec xx
🏃 Improve running efficiency by 2-4% in 6 weeks in 5 minutes a day
Last week I shared an overlooked way to improve our run times.
With two exercises to help strengthen the weak link in our running chain — the muscles around our ankles.
Here's another:
A 2023 study found a daily 5-minute hopping protocol improved running efficiency by 2-4% in 6 weeks.
Start with:
- 10 seconds of two-legged hopping
- 50 seconds rest
- Repeat 5 times (total: 5 minutes)
Over 6 weeks:
- Decrease rest
- Increase reps
- Work up to 15 sets of 10 seconds hopping with 10 seconds rest (total: 5 minutes)
Note the study was in amateur runners.
So if you've caught the running bug, might be worth a thought if you want to run faster.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
📬 Did someone forward this to you? I send an email like this every week. Join free here.
👇 If these emails aren't for you anymore you can unsubscribe below. No stress, they're not for everyone.
Want more? Check out the Everday Athlete Toolbox and Elite Sleep Audit
The Everyday Athlete Newsletter is not a licensed health service nor a substitute for professional health advice, treatment or assessment. The information shared in this email is general and written for a specific audience. If you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional.
0 comments