Guys can be pretty stubborn when it comes to their health. They often ignore signs and symptoms until their bodies break down or they're diagnosed with a disease.



It doesn't need to be that way. You don't have to be the guy who spends the second half of his life talking about how good the first half was.





A man's body reflects his standards. It sets an example for those around him, especially his kids. Without your health, you can only contribute a fraction of your potential.



I'm not saying that every guy needs to look like Wolverine, nor does he need to deadlift a car or do a triathlon. But if he has high standards, his health and fitness will reflect it.




No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training...what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.
Socrates



When I picture a "man's man," I visualize a guy who has vigor.



He has a passion for life, which shows through in how he moves, how he looks, and in how he can respond, physically and mentally.



If you've let yourself go, I hope this is your "wakeup call." No matter what success you've had up to this point, if you don't care for your physical and mental health, your success streak will eventually end. It could even come to a screeching halt, due to a major health problem.



The good news is, you don't have to do a lot to significantly improve your health. But, you do have to do some things.



I could make a list of probably 1000 things a man could do to improve his health (maybe I’ll do that for a blog post one day).



But, rather than listing hundreds of things you can do that impact your health a little, I’d rather focus on a few things that impact your health the most.



I narrowed my list down to five practices you could implement today.



Actually,  four of the five you can implement today, all on your own. One of them requires your spouse, so you're not in total control of that one. However, it's on the list because it's that important for your wellbeing.



Here are your five simple habits to better health. This is the "Fast Pass" to vigor.







NOTE: The five habits in this article came from a live presentation I delivered. Since I already had the slides, I included most of them in the article for some extra visuals. Also, that presentation, and some persistence from a friend, were what led to the launch of VIGOR Training (now called Lumberjacked) and the other fitness programs I offer.











Lift Heavy Things



Other than shooting something or fighting someone, I don’t know that there’s anything that feels more “manly” than lifting something heavy.



A man has the hormones, the muscle type, and bone structure to lift heavy things. His body was made for it.



Obviously, some guys have better genetics than others, but all guys have the propensity to lift heavy things, and become stronger and more muscular.



You have more than 650 muscles, which move most of the 206 bones in your body! Unlike a car, the more you use your body, the stronger and more powerful it becomes. Of course, the less you use it, the sloppier and weaker you get.



Benefits of Strength Training



Beyond looking better in swim trunks or a custom-fit suit, weight training also helps you:




Maintain muscle and metabolic rate while losing weight



Improve blood sugar levels



Increase bone density



Increase range of motion and balance



Improve mobility



Improve mental strength, stamina and confidence



Recover faster from injuries




If you haven’t touched a weight in your life, start right now. It's not too late.



Injured? Have limb that’s out of commission? Bad knees? That’s no problem. You can work around all of that and more.



To build strength, you need to be:



Consistent: You don’t get stronger from one tough workout, done every once in a while. You get stronger from repeatedly exposing your body to challenges beyond what it’s capable of...