What I Read This Week - 4.14.24
Weekly finds from across the internet.
Hey Everyone,
Happy Master’s Sunday! Publishing this week from out on the road, so let’s jump right in.
Today, finds on:
Resistance training as a time machine
Practical use cases for AI/ChatGPT you can tap into today
A call to action to re-discover each of our “third places”
And more! Enjoy, and see you next week.
- CG
Health/Fitness
Resistance Training Partially Reverses Some of the Hallmarks of Aging - Dr. Peter Attia (~6 min)
If you were looking for a reason to pick some heavy things up and put them down, this is it.
In recent years, longevity focused research has begun to center heavily on the role of muscle mass and strength in age-related decline. A growing body of research in the field suggests that sarcopenia - the loss in muscle strength and mass as we age - is a primary culprit for decreases in quality of life, as muscle strength has been linked to a wide range of human functions such as cognition and metabolic health.
Yet while this process is a natural law of biology that we all must face, hope is not entirely lost. In fact, as Dr. Attia highlights here, new research suggests that strength training can serve as a de facto time machine for us to fight the aging process itself. By delaying atrophy of Type II muscle fibers, those most responsible for power output, resistance training can allow us to preserve muscular function more indefinitely than initially thought.
Most importantly, as the article points out, these effects appear to be age-agnostic. Both young and old adults alike experienced similar effects in terms of delayed Type II fiber atrophy, suggesting that it is never too late to start.
To Build Muscle, It’s the Sets That Count - Alex Hutchinson (~4 min)
We now know that resistance training is key to both building muscle mass and maintaining it over the course of a lifespan. But considering the impact that increased mass seems to have on human function, how can we be more strategic in gaining it?
While some may respond to a “minimum-effective-dose” of reps, as this article suggests, many others will find a “strength plateau” such that a minimum set is not enough. The antidote? More reps. According to a new research paper published in February, increasing the number of reps/sets performed with a given weight has a clear, direct relationship to muscle mass growth.
For muscle size, five sets is better than three and three sets are better than one. Essentially: whatever you are picking up and putting down, do it more.
How Sauna Frequency Affects All-Cause & Cardiovascular Mortality - Dr. Rhonda Patrick (~1 min)
Found this to be an interesting quick hitter on the health benefits of consistent sauna exposure. According to Rhonda, research has shown nearly a 40% decrease in all-cause mortality with a minimum-effective-dose of four 20 minute sauna sessions per week.
If you are not a fan of steady state cardio but still want to accrue similar benefits, this is your lifeline to go sit in a sauna instead (bonus points for doing both!).
Storytelling
The More You Say - Robert Greene (~1 min)
I liked this quote from Robert Greene, author of Mastery and The 48 Laws of Power:
“The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.”
I found it to be a blunt yet insightful re-framing of the commonly held advice to “say more by saying less”. Greene takes a different angle, encouraging us instead to focus on what we should avoid - sticking our feet in our mouths.
The shorter your message, the less opportunity you have to mess it up.
The Future (AI, Tech, etc.)
How I Use ChatGPT (As a Reasonable Person) - Evan Armstrong (~10 min)
If you have been reading this newsletter for the last couple months, then you are well aware of my belief that AI is leading to a fundamental shift in how humans work. Yet for all the promise the technology offers, it also comes with an accompanying air of intimidation. As a result, I find it valuable to demystify AI through practical tools, tips, and the like that any of us can follow. Theory is great, but practicality is even better.
In this piece, Evan Armstrong from Every offers just that - providing examples of specific use cases that ChatGPT can help you with today. In his words:
“Now - right now - AI has both the capability and ubiquity to significantly improve your productivity by more than 20%. We have crossed the product Rubicon.
Two specific ways Evan suggests to think about AI, both of which I personally ascribe to:
Automation of Low Leverage Thought - For any and all low-leverage, tedious thoughts, think about ChatGPT as your first lifeline. Outsource the simple tasks, the questions you need answered so that you can open up space for your mind to focus on the things that carry the most leverage.
AI as Your Personal Intern - Imagine having your own personal assistant, one that can create a graph, write lines of code, or format a paper for you at the drop of a hat. AI can do just that for you, today. A good rule of thumb: if you don’t have the time for it but you need it, see if ChatGPT can help.
How AI Will Usher in an Era of Abundance - a16z (~2 min)
Shifting from practicality to theory, I found this to be an insightful take from a16z on the broader impacts of AI across society. In short, they predict an era of abundance, writing:
Consumers’ lives will be enriched through new channels for creativity and self expression, new paths to self discovery and belonging, and new ways to do the most meaningful work of their lives.
Personal Growth
3 Steps to Avoid the Dark Side of Compounding - Sahil Bloom (~2 min)
Much of the personal development space revolves around the idea of marginal gains. The concept is simple: improve by merely 1% each day and you will experience valuable compounding effects as time works its magic. The more small wins we stack today, the bigger our spoils tomorrow.
Yet while it can be instructive to focus on the value of compounding the things we do want, it can be just as important to focus on avoiding what we don’t. This is because of a simple truth: compounding works in both directions, positive and negative.
As Sahil lays out in this piece, there is a dark side of compounding that we can quickly fall into if we are not careful. Small losses can accrue nearly as quickly as small wins. As a result, the next decision after a mistake carries an elevated sense of importance: we may have gotten cut, but that doesn’t mean we can’t stop the bleeding.
We want compounding to work for us, not against us. So the next time you make a small mistake, realize the quickest way to get back on track is simply to take the next right step. You are always just one good decision away.
Third Places - Noah Ryan (~1 min)
We are all familiar with the concept of ‘work-life balance’, which establishes a dichotomy between the two areas in which we invest most of our time as humans. I’ve always felt there to be something missing in that framework, and think Noah helps fill in the gaps here with the concept of a third place: a separate, physical space for ritualistic social connection.
He points out that we have lost sight today of what many before us knew: strong social bonds are key for human functioning. As a downstream effect of modern concepts such as social media and remote work, we have become more physically disconnected than ever. We are spending less time with each other in person, losing out the benefits of togetherness in the process.
But there is a remedy. Noah suggests we move forward by first looking backward, re-establishing habitual locations where we can share space - and the moments it gives rise to - with others.
So here’s to each of us finding our own third places where we can connect on a deeper level. Let’s rediscover that which we once knew.