04/01/2026

ON SUNDAY January 4, 2026 theSunday Special IX

Grip strength is a strong indicator of overall longevity.”

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Carry half your weight in each hand and walk for around one minute.

Dead hang This one’s deceptively simple – you just grip a pull-up bar (or any sort of bar capable of holding your weight) and hang WKHUH IHHW R̆ WKH JURXQG QR VZLQJLQJ ,W sounds easy, but oh boy, it tests your grip VWUHQJWK 7KLV WXUQV RXW WR EH D PDVVLYH SUHGLFWRU RI ORQJHYLW\ Studies show that weaker grips cor relate with higher risks of heart disease, IDOOV DQG HYHQ HDUO\ PRUWDOLW\ :K\" *ULS UHÀHFWV RYHUDOO PXVFOH KHDOWK DQG QHUYRXV V\VWHP IXQFWLRQ $V ZH DJH ± HVSHFLDOO\ LQ our fast-paced urban lives, where we’re typing more than lifting – grip fades, mak ing everyday tasks like carrying groceries RU RSHQLQJ MDUV PRUH GL̇ FXOW $ ttia highlights that grip strength is a VWURQJ LQGLFDWRU RI RYHUDOO ORQJHYLW\ In his podcasts, he explains that it’s not just about hands – it’s a window into your ZKROH ERG\¶V VWUHQJWK )RU IRONV RYHU OLNH PH $WWLD UHFRPPHQGV PHQ DLP IRU D WZR PLQXWH KDQJ ZRPHQ IRU VHFRQGV WR WZR PLQXWHV 7KDW¶V WKH EHQFKPDUN IRU ³HOLWH´ DJHLQJ $Q\WKLQJ XQGHU VHFRQGV" 7KHQ LW¶V WLPH WR WUDLQ In my case, I managed two minutes and VHFRQGV , SUREDEO\ FRXOG¶YH KHOG RXW for longer, but I’d already passed the mark DQG GHFLGHG DJDLQVW LW ,W EXUQHG LQWHQVHO\ in my forearms and shoulders and it was H\H RSHQLQJ T UDLQLQJ IRU GHDG KDQJV" 6WDUW ZLWK VKRUWHU KDQJV ± VD\ WR VHFRQGV DQG EXLOG XS ,QFRUSRUDWH H[HUFLVHV OLNH farmer’s carries (more on that next) or GHDGOLIWV 'R WKHP WZR WR WKUHH WLPHV D ZHHN DQG \RX¶OO VHH SURJUHVV Farmer’s carry T KH IDUPHU¶V FDUU\ LV QH[W RQ WKH OLVW *UDE WZR KHDY\ ZHLJKWV GXPEEHOOV kettlebells or even water jugs), hold them E\ \RXU VLGHV DQG ZDON VWHDGLO\ ,W¶V OLNH simulating carrying shopping bags from WKH ZHW PDUNHW EXW DPSHG XS 7KLV WHVW hammers your grip, core stability, posture DQG RYHUDOO VWUHQJWK 7KHVH DUH DOO NH\ elements in preventing injuries as you JHW ROGHU 5HVHDUFK OLQNV VWURQJ FDUU\LQJ ability to balance better and lower fall risk, which is huge, since falls are a top cause RI GLVDELOLW\ LQ VHQLRUV $WWLD UHFRPPHQGV this exercise for longevity, with patients carrying half their body weight in each KDQG IRU DERXW D PLQXWH

It’s about functional power: Can you KDXO OXJJDJH DW ./,$ ZLWKRXW VWUDLQLQJ" )RU PHQ RYHU DLP IRU D WRWDO ERG\ - ZHLJKW KDOI SHU KDQG IRU WR PLQXWHV ZRPHQ DGMXVW WR RI WKDW (OLWH OHYHO" 7ZR PLQXWHV ZLWKRXW GURSSLQJ This was tougher than expected for me, feeling every step in my traps, forearms DQG HYHQ DEV 7KH PRPHQW P\ WLPHU UDQJ to signal one minute, I let the weights JR 7R JHW EHWWHU SUDFWLFH ZHHNO\ 6WDUW with lighter loads for longer distances, WKHQ UDPS XS ZHLJKW $GG FRUH ZRUN OLNH WKH DE ZKHHO SODQNV RU 5XVVLDQ WZLVWV )RU XUEDQ GZHOOHUV WXUQ HUUDQGV LQWR training – carry your grocery bags home ZLWKRXW XVLQJ D WUROOH\ ,W¶V SUDFWLFDO DQG EXLOGV WKDW UHDO ZRUOG UHVLOLHQFH

Holding an air squat: Building lower body strength to improve mobility and prevent falls.