Welcome back to the Daily Dumbbell, where we believe that the only acceptable time to run is if you're being chased by a horde of donut-wielding zombies.

We are absolutely going to get a donut after hitting publish on this one. What a way to start Monday!

Today we’re reviewing last week’s admittedly weak crop of research and helping you develop a better warmup routine.

Let’s dive in!

Research Roundup:

Interesting
Optical Illusions are in our eyes?

Turns out illusions may be due to limitations in the ability of our eyes, not psychological processes in the brain.

They also answered the question of why people like HD TVs so much. Because they apparently needed to run experiments for that.

A Follow Up
Finally, an answer on light drinking being protective

Remember those perplexing J-Shaped curves that showed a handful of drinks per week might lead to better health outcomes than none at all?

And uh yea, that tracks. Had the researchers called us we probably could have told them that a drink does tend to take the edge off.

Turns out that while alcohol isn’t great for us, it puts stress on the liver and the heart in higher levels, stress also puts stress on the heart. Go figure.

So if avoiding that post work beer (just one mind you) is stressing you out, just give in! Sorry D.A.R.E.

We’re not going to lie to you, the science was not bussin last week. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for more interesting findings this week. We might have to call Bro Oprah (Andrew Huberman) and tell him to get his buddies back to work. Cuz yeesh.

Monday Movement:

Rev Up the Engine: Rethinking Your Boring Warmup Routine

Remember warmups before gym class – the land of static stretches that felt more like a slow-motion ballet than a true warmup. If you've ever found yourself wondering how touching your toes or waving your arms in circles was supposed to prepare you for a full-on basketball game, you weren't alone.

A proper warmup is like whispering sweet nothings to your muscles; it gets them excited and ready to perform. It's not just about going through the motions; it's about engaging the specific muscles you’ll be using, and giving your body a gentle nudge, saying, “Hey buddy, it's go-time!”.

Let's hit the refresh button on our warmup playbook and embrace a routine that feels like your own personal hype squad.

Our Rebooted Template:

3 Rounds
- 1:00 Cardio
- 10 Reps Upper Body
- 10 Reps Lower Body
- 10-12 Reps or :20 Secs of an Ab Exercise

1. Pulse Raiser - 1 Minute of Cardio Set your warmup in motion with 1 minute of heart-pumping cardio. That can be running, biking, rowing, etc. It could even be jumping jacks. Start off easy and get a little more into it each round.

2. Upper Body Activation - 10 Reps Next, let’s wake up the upper body. Depending on your main workout, choose an exercise that engages the same muscles. Going for bench press today? Warm up with push-ups or dumbbell floor presses. About to tackle pull-ups? How about some body rows or band pull-aparts?

3. Lower Body Activation - 10 Reps Time for the lower body to join the party. Again, pick an exercise that syncs with what’s ahead. If you’re going to be working on squats, get started with air squats or lunges. Deadlift day? How about some hip bridges or kettlebell swings?

4. Core Connection - 10-12 Reps or 20 Seconds No warmup is complete without showing some love to the abs. Engage your core with exercises like planks, leg raises, or Russian twists. Remember, the core is the body’s powerhouse, so let’s get it fired up!

5. Mental Gear-Up - 1-2 Minutes The body’s primed, but what about the mind? Take a moment to visualize the workout ahead. Imagine crushing those lifts or setting a new personal record. Mindset is a mighty tool, so sharpen it.

6. Final Systems Check - 30 Seconds Quick check-in! How are you feeling? Any areas that need a little extra warming up? Address them now before you dive into the main event.

And just like that, you’ve transformed your warmup from a lackluster opening act into the headline show. This routine is your ticket to a performance that’s not just effective, but injury-free and powerful. Say goodbye to your gym class warmup, and hello to the routine that means business!

Hopefully you enjoyed today’s quick and easy newsletter. We like to ease into the week like Wyndham Clark eased into the first 6 years of his career before winning his first (and 2nd) events and making $7.2M in the past month.