Buffetting Your Fitness: Learning from Warren Buffett's Principles

Welcome back to the Daily Dumbbell, where we’re just as devastated as you to find out Mark Zuckerberg runs a sub 20:00 5k. We’re against bullying at the Daily Dumbbell, but Zuck is a dork and we’re none too pleased to find out he’d beat us in a race.

What’s next? You’re going to say he’d fold us up in a fight? Because he’s been training BJJ for 3 years? And he won a tournament over the weekend? Fuck this.

Moving on.

Today we’re talking about a real billionaire, Warren Buffett! More accurately, what you can learn from his investment principles and how you can apply them to your health.

Let’s dive in!

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Buffetting Your Fitness:
Learning from Warren Buffett’s Principles

Over the weekend, thousands of investors flocked to Omaha to hear Warren Buffett deliver his yearly address to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. And just like every other year, his speech was filled with wisdom and fascinating takeaways.

And it got us thinking—why not apply the same principles Buffet touts in our own health and fitness journey? While it’s unlikely you could convince Warren to be your Personal Trainer, that’s a bit of a stretch, (ba dum ch!) the Oracle of Omaha has some valuable insights that can help you level up your fitness game.

Buffett Rule #1: Never Lose Money. 
(Buffett Rule #2: Never Forget Rule #1.)

It’s been the motto since day 1.

For Wayne & Drake it’s YOLO. For Buffett & Munger it’s Never Lose Money.

You’re not going to get rich by losing money. For your money to consistently build and compound, it needs to grow, not shrink.

Fitness Rule #1: Avoid Injury & Burnout

Long term success in the health and fitness game is all about consistency. To hit audacious goals in the gym requires time. If you’re getting hurt all the time or getting frustrated/burnt out and taking chunks of time off, you will derail your progress.

In investing, this means not taking dumb risks. Don’t day trade or make compulsive decisions.

In the gym, this means being patient. Don’t make big jumps in weight because you feel good today. Trust the process and pull back if it doesn’t feel good. Don’t rush it because you want abs in time for summer.

Buffett Rule #2: Invest in businesses you understand

Our good friend Warren recommends you stick to your circle of competence. Stick to investing in businesses you understand. He missed out on most of the internet boom because he and Charlie didn’t know those businesses so they stayed away. You could look at that as a missed opportunity, or you could look at the results:

During the very worst 10 year period in the stock market’s history the S&P 500 averaged -3% returns. A roughly 42% loss. Very sus. In that very same time period Berkshire Hathaway returned a 48% gain. Bussin indeed.

They didn’t buy Apple until 2016. Missing out on most of the growth… right? The stock has nearly 7x’d since then. It’s not always a bad thing to wait and see.

Fitness Rule #2: Stick to protocols you understand

We’re not saying don’t go chasing waterfalls here. It’s not about staying in the rivers and lakes that you’re used to. This is about being competent in the gym and with the movements/workouts you’re doing. Don’t know how to do a certain lift safely? Ask for help. Get a trainer/coach. Don’t just wing it.

Remember yesterday’s breakdown of deadlifts? Deadlifts aren’t dangerous. Deadlifts done poorly are. 

Next time there’s a new gym/nutrition fad, ask yourself: If this were a stock, would Buffett buy it? The answer is likely no. You’re not going to miss out on amazing gains by waiting to see if the science backs up this new nonsense.

Buffett Rule #3: Focus on long-term value

Focus on long term goals and strategies. If I handed you $10k and told you to double it in the stock market in 30 days, what are you going to do?

You’d have to resort to risky trades with a potentially high payoff but a low chance of working out. Instead, what if I gave you 10 years to double that money? Now, you can just park that baby in an index fund where your money will double on average every 7-8 years.

Fitness Rule #3: Focus on long-term strategies

The same principle applies to fitness. If I told you that you had only 30 days to achieve six-pack abs, you'd have to push yourself to the limit, potentially resorting to extreme measures like starvation or dehydration. Not exactly a pleasant journey.

But what if I gave you 3, or even 5 years to transform your physique? Suddenly, it becomes much more achievable by making small, sustainable changes over time.

Remember, just as Warren Buffett focuses on long-term value in investing, you should also prioritize long-term strategies in your fitness journey. It's about building a strong foundation, making consistent progress, and reaping the rewards that come with sustainable and lasting results.

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and you’re not getting abs by June

Buffett/Fitness Rule #4: Focus on quality over quantity

Buffett and Munger don’t just throw money all over the place. They prefer to invest in a few high-quality businesses rather than diversifying across many mediocre ones.

In the gym, there's an epidemic. No we’re not talking about TikTok butt leggings. We're talking about junk volume; mindlessly piling on set after set, neglecting the quality of movement and form.

Just as Buffett and Munger prefer to invest in a select few high-quality businesses, you too can focus on a few key movements and prioritize form over quantity. Ditch the notion that you need 20-30 sets for a single body part in one day. It's time to unleash the power of precision and intent!

Like a refined connoisseur, aim for around 20 sets per body part per week, ensuring each rep looks the same from warmup to near max. Remember, it's not about mindlessly chasing numbers but about crafting a portfolio of strength and skill.

Buffett/Fitness Rule #5: Learn from your mistakes

Picture this: you make a not-so-stellar investment or attempt to lift more weight than your muscles can handle, only to end up in the red (injured). We've all been there. But here's the thing—mistakes are an integral part of the process, whether in finance or fitness.

Instead of wallowing in self-blame, put on your learning cap. Take a moment to reflect: What went wrong? What role did I play in it? This introspection is the key to growth and improvement. Learn from your missteps and let them guide you towards better decisions.

We all yearn for a shortcut or a magic formula to skip the trial and error. But here's the truth: even with an exceptional coach by your side, there will always be the need for experimentation and refinement. Embrace this process and savor the lessons along the way.

By following these principles, with a dash of luck and perseverance, you too can aspire to be a vibrant, 92-year-old legend—jacked, wealthy, and unapologetically passionate about Coca Cola. Now that's the sweet taste of success!

A Study
Hearing Loss & Dementia Risk

In people with hearing loss, hearing aids may reduce dementia risk. The My First Million pod had a recent episode where Stanford students pitched their businesses, Shark Tank style.

One of the teams was working on a lens you could clip onto your glasses that would have real time closed captioning. They talked about studies like this one and a little about why people who are hard of hearing are more susceptible to dementia & what they can do to counteract it. Fascinating stuff.

A Tweet
A Nice Gym Workaround

A Meme (or two)

Thanks for spending another morning with us! Hope you have a tremendous Thursday full of good investments & quality gains.

Come back tomorrow for a fun feature on the Godfather of Fitness himself, Jack Lalanne!