Heart Rate Variability – What it is and why you might be interested in it. According to experts, the key to a longer, healthier, and happier life comes down to these 5 things. I call them The 5 Things . A healthy diet. Abundant cardiovascular and resistance exercising. Sleep and restorative downtime. Stress management and mental health. Community. The famous Coach Ted Lasso, when challenged to explain the offsides penalty in soccer (or football, depending on where you watch the game), dodged the question by saying it’s kind of hard to define but you know it when you see it. Knowing if you’re getting the 5 Things right more often than wrong might not be as easy to recognize as an offsides violation. Until now. That’s where understanding and measuring Heart Rate Variability may interest you. What It Is – What It Measures – What it Means Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measures the variation in the time intervals between successive heartbeats, reflecting the beat-to-beat changes controlled by the autonomic nervous system. It’s an indicator of the body's ability to adapt to various stimuli, stressors, and activities. Things influencing HRV include diet, physical activity, sleep, and stress levels. Not coincidentally, that’s 4 of The 5 Things. Higher HRV typically correlates with better health and fitness, while lower HRV may indicate increased stress or potential health issues. HRV serves as an indicator of autonomic nervous system function, offering insights into the balance between sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity. A higher HRV suggests a dominance of parasympathetic activity, promoting relaxation and recovery, while a lower HRV may signify sympathetic dominance, indicating heightened stress or fatigue. Understanding HRV enables individuals to make informed lifestyle choices to optimize well-being, manage stress, improve recovery, and enhance overall health and performance. It is objective feedback about how well you’re balancing the 5 Things . Among all the ways we might describe people, two of those ways might be 1) people who geek out on technology and data and 2) people who definitely do not. HRV Monitoring Devices May Appeal to Both Types of People I became aware of HRV monitoring around 2012 from Joel Jamieson - a strength and conditioning coach who recognized the utility of tracking trends in HRV to maximize training efficiency. Since then, several companies have developed convenient wearable tech devices that measure HRV and other vital signs and then provide guidance on how to improve them. I have been wearing a Whoop wrist strap for about 2 years now. I have friends who wear the Oura Ring and others who use FitBit , Apple Watches , and Garmin Watches . With some variations between them, each monitors your HRV and gives you actionable insights about what to do about it. Here are some examples of how HRV monitoring devices can help you. Sleep tracking. Every morning you get a sleep score that tells you about the quantity and quality of your sleep. If it needs improvement, the devices have advice how to improve. Recovery score. If you’ve been hanging out with me for long, you’ve probably heard me say, “Work without rest is a wasted effort.” You need to recover between workouts because the magic happens on the rest intervals. If you’re not recovered, you don’t need to add more exercise stress to your body. When your device says you’re not recovered, heed! Strain Guide. Based on your HRV, Sleep and Recovery scores, these devices will give you advice about how hard you should train that day - if at all. Health Markers. While tracking HRV, these devices also collect respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and resting heart rate data. If any are outside of normal, you get advice about how to improve them. These data are often your first signs that you're coming down with a bug. Trends. Like a lot of information, there is often more value in seeing trends in the information than individual scores or values on any given day. The Point Ideally, all of us would benefit having the intuition and self-awareness to recognize how we’re doing without relying on tech. But the truth is, external feedback is often the only way we see ourselves. Whether it’s a mirror, friend, mate, teacher, therapist, coach, or a tech device – objective observations of ourselves is how we see ourselves. HRV isn’t a technological solution to a lifestyle question, though. Your heart has always beat with some measure of variability and how much so is an indication of how you’re doing. The fact that we can measure that variability with inexpensive wearable devices is a modern technological development – and a really cool one at that (in my opinion). If you can do this on your own, that’s extra-ordinary. But if you can use one of these feedback tools to help you develop your intuition and self-awareness, then why not? Use them. Learn how. Graduate. Share your new skills. If you would like to experiment with Whoop, you can use my super special link . You’ll get a free Whoop device and your first month of tracking for free. Full disclosure: I’ll get a month for free, too. And don't forget the 5th Thing and hug your friends. Resources: Joel Jamieson – 8 Weeks Out An Overview of Heart Rate Variability Metrics and Norms - Fred Shaffer and J. P. Ginsberg Outlive – The Science and Art of Longevity – Peter Attia, MD Blue Zones Curious to learn more? We encourage you to do a 30-Day Trial Membership. In 30 days, you will get a private onboarding session that includes the Functional Movement Screen® , then 8 semi-private training sessions doing the program we design based on that first session. And you’ll get to be a part of one of the most inviting, inclusive, and fun communities you’ll find anywhere. At the end of your trial, you get to decide if you liked it and if you want to continue with a regular 6-month membership. All the options and prices are on our Membership page. Click here to sign up now! Our facility is conveniently located on the northwest corner of Denver in beautiful downtown Wheat Ridge.

New-Client Onboarding As part of our new-client onboarding experience, we take a detailed history of your health, catalog any injuries from the past or present, discuss a variety of other exercise-readiness issues and perform a qualitative movement screen called the FMS. All this to make sure we understand what makes you unique and special – so your workouts are not too easy and not too hard from the get-go. It’s the Goldilocks of exercise programming – just right. It's starts with a story about a car. Picture your car parked in the garage. In this scenario, you work from home. And because you work from home, you don’t know that the front-end of your car is out of alignment. If your car is just parked in the garage and you never drive it, it doesn’t actually matter that the wheels are out of alignment. Right? Now let’s say you do use the car but only for occasional short trips to the 7-11 a couple blocks away to buy beer and cigarettes. In this case, it probably still doesn’t matter much. But now let’s imagine you get a sweet new job that means you commute on the highway 15 miles each direction every day. Well now the fact that your front-end is out of alignment matters quite a lot. Now you’re driving at highway speeds, 30 miles per day, 5 days per week. After a couple weeks of ignoring the problem, the consequences of the misalignment become evident. At first, it’s uneven tire wear. And then the shock absorbers and steering parts quit handling like they used to. And then other stuff breaks and then it’s this, and then it’s that. The repair bills get more expensive the longer you ignore the situation and all this could have been easy and inexpensive to repair had you just fixed the alignment to begin with. It's not actually a story about a car. Now let’s imagine that the sweet new job is a metaphor for a new exercise program and that car is a metaphor for your body. Before you start doing a lot of new exercises, we recommend checking out how well your body and all its moving parts move. The Functional Movement Screen Introducing: The Functional Movement Screen , aka the FMS: a quick and simple way to evaluate how well your moving parts move. The Functional Movement Screen is a screening tool designed to assess movement patterns in individuals. It consists of a series of seven fundamental movement patterns that are evaluated through specific tests. These movement patterns include squatting, lunging, reaching, bending, and others. The purpose of the FMS is to identify movement dysfunctions, asymmetries, or limitations that may predispose individuals to injury or affect their performance. The FMS has its origins with the partnership of two physical therapists – Gray Cook (of "Cook Hip Lift" fame) and Lee Burton. While working with young athletes, they observed signs of movement dysfunction that frequently resulted in injuries. The pair created a system that helped identify inefficiencies in movement and a process to correct those inefficiencies before they lead to injuries. Since the mid 1990s, they’ve refined the system and taught it to thousands of health and fitness professionals around the world. We began using the FMS in 2010 when we opened Vitruvian Fitness. At our new-client onboarding sessions, the FMS is just the beginning of the process. Using the data we collect during the screen, we implement a variety of strategies to help our clients move better, more efficiently, and more safely. And all this leads to stronger, more powerful, more athletic. healthier, and injury resistant members. To paraphrase Gray Cook, “let’s play to our strengths, work on our weaknesses,” and move forward together to reach even greater heights. Curious to learn more? We encourage you to do a 30-Day Trial Membership. In 30 days, you will get a private onboarding session that includes the Functional Movement Screen® , then 8 semi-private training sessions doing the program we design based on that first session. And you’ll get to be a part of one of the most inviting, inclusive, and fun communities you’ll find anywhere. At the end of your trial, you get to decide if you liked it and if you want to continue with a regular 6-month membership. All the options and prices are on our Membership page. Click here to sign up now! Our facility is conveniently located on the northwest corner of Denver in beautiful downtown Wheat Ridge.

What makes functional training functional? Focusing on the nature of functional exercise, our exercises are designed with the intent to move in patterns, not parts.

How do you know how much of each to do? This is a great question. It may not surprise you that the answer is, "it depends." Some people love doing cardio. Some people love lifting weights. Some people dislike both. The short answer to this question, obviously, is both. Do both. Lots.

What Are Kaly, Mark, and Tom Reading? Continuous Learning, Education, and Innovation are among our core values here at Vitruvian Fitness®. Reading good books helps us grow as people and trainers which we hope makes our value and appeal to you even better. Here is a short list of some books that we think you will enjoy, too. They are organized loosely by genre and if links are provided, they are to the authors' websites unless otherwise noted. Personal Development and Exploration From Mark The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself – Michael Singer This is a transformative guide to inner freedom, inviting readers to explore the depths of consciousness and transcend the limitations of the ego, offering profound insights and practical teachings for achieving spiritual growth and inner peace. Singer's book encourages readers to cultivate mindfulness, let go of past conditioning, and embrace the present moment to experience true liberation and fulfillment. From Kaly Leadership and Self Deception – the Arbinger Institute This is a compelling narrative that reveals the profound impact of self-deception on leadership and relationships, offering powerful insights into overcoming personal and organizational barriers to success. Through engaging storytelling and practical guidance, the book prompts readers to shift their perspectives, cultivate empathy, and foster authentic connections, ultimately empowering them to become more effective leaders and create positive change in their lives and workplaces. Atomic Habits – James Clear This is a transformative guide to building small, incremental habits that lead to remarkable results, offering practical strategies grounded in psychology and neuroscience. Clear's insightful book empowers readers to harness the power of habit formation, make meaningful changes, and achieve lasting personal and professional growth by focusing on consistent, incremental improvements and leveraging the compounding effect of small habits over time. The Happiness Advantage – Shawn Achor This is a compelling exploration of the profound impact of positive psychology on success and well-being, offering practical strategies to cultivate happiness and resilience in both personal and professional life. Through engaging anecdotes and scientific research, Achor demonstrates how adopting a positive mindset can lead to increased productivity, improved relationships, and greater overall satisfaction, inspiring readers to harness the power of positivity to achieve greater success and fulfillment. From Tom Joy of Living – Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a renowned Tibetan Buddhist meditation master known for his teachings on meditation, mindfulness, and neuroscience, as well as his emphasis on integrating traditional Buddhist practices with modern scientific understanding. He is particularly famous for his accessible approach to meditation and his efforts to make the benefits of mindfulness accessible to people from all walks of life through his writings, teachings, and retreats. The Obstacle is the Way – Ryan Holiday Ego is the Enemy – Ryan Holiday Ryan Holiday is a best-selling author, media strategist, and prominent figure in the realm of stoicism, renowned for his modern interpretations of ancient wisdom and his practical applications of stoic philosophy to contemporary life and business. "The Obstacle Is the Way" and "Ego Is the Enemy," have become popular resources for personal and professional growth, offering timeless principles for navigating challenges, achieving success, and cultivating resilience in the face of adversity. Crucial Conversations – Joseph Grenny et al This book offers practical strategies for handling high-stakes conversations with clarity, confidence, and compassion, empowering readers to navigate difficult dialogues effectively and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Through insightful guidance and real-life examples, the book equips individuals with the skills to communicate openly, address sensitive topics, and build stronger relationships both personally and professionally. You Are a Badass – Jen Sincero This is a motivational guide to unleashing personal potential, encouraging readers to embrace self-love, overcome self-doubt, and pursue their dreams with unapologetic confidence. Through humorous anecdotes and practical advice, Sincero inspires readers to break free from limiting beliefs, take bold action, and create a life they love, empowering them to tap into their inner badassery and live with purpose and passion. Think Again – Adam Grant This is a thought-provoking exploration of the power of rethinking and unlearning in an ever-changing world, offering practical strategies to challenge assumptions, embrace intellectual humility, and navigate uncertainty with agility. Through compelling anecdotes and research-backed insights, Grant inspires readers to cultivate a growth mindset, engage in constructive dialogue, and continuously evolve their beliefs and perspectives, empowering them to make better decisions and thrive in the face of complexity and ambiguity. Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E Frankl This is a profound memoir and existential exploration of human resilience, detailing Frankl's experiences in Nazi concentration camps and his discovery of meaning amid unimaginable suffering. Through his observations and insights, Frankl offers a powerful testament to the human spirit's capacity to find purpose and hope even in the darkest of circumstances, inspiring readers to embrace life's challenges with courage, dignity, and a sense of purpose. How to Change Your Mind – Michael Pollan This is a groundbreaking exploration of the history, science, and therapeutic potential of psychedelics, offering a compelling narrative that challenges preconceived notions and sheds light on the resurgence of interest in these substances. Through immersive storytelling and rigorous research, Pollan delves into the transformative experiences of individuals who have undergone psychedelic therapy, inviting readers to reconsider the nature of consciousness, mental health, and the profound implications of altering one's perception, ultimately sparking a broader conversation about the therapeutic use of psychedelics for personal growth and healing. Food, Nutrition, Thoughts about Food and Nutrition From Kaly In Defense of Food – Michael Pollan Michael Pollan is an acclaimed author, journalist, and professor who has dedicated much of his career to exploring the intersections of food, culture, and the environment. His writing about food encompasses a wide range of topics, from the industrial food system and agricultural practices to the cultural significance of food and the impact of diet on health and well-being. Pollan's investigative approach and engaging storytelling style have made him a leading voice in the food movement, inspiring readers to reconsider their relationship with food and the broader implications of food choices on society and the planet. From Tom Food Rules: An Eater's Manual – Michael Pollan Omnivores Dilemma – Michael Pollan Caffeine – Michael Pollan What To Eat – Marion Nestle This is a comprehensive guide to navigating the complex world of food choices, offering practical advice and insights into the food industry, nutrition science, and health implications of various dietary patterns. Through clear analysis and accessible language, Nestle empowers readers to make informed decisions about their diets, advocating for a balanced approach that prioritizes whole, minimally processed foods while highlighting the societal and environmental factors influencing our food choices. Foodist – Darya Pino Rose This is a practical and science-based guide to healthy eating and sustainable habits, offering actionable advice to transform your relationship with food and achieve long-term wellness. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, research, and practical tips, Rose empowers readers to adopt a mindful and enjoyable approach to eating, emphasizing the importance of whole foods, intuitive eating, and behavior change strategies for lasting health and happiness. Health Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity – Peter Attia MD This is a comprehensive exploration of the latest research and practical strategies for extending lifespan and improving healthspan. Drawing on his expertise as a physician and longevity enthusiast, Attia provides evidence-based insights into nutrition, exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors, empowering readers to optimize their health and longevity through informed decision-making and proactive habits. Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker This is a captivating dive into the science of sleep, revealing its profound impact on every aspect of our lives, from physical health to mental well-being and cognitive function. Through compelling research and accessible explanations, Walker highlights the critical importance of quality sleep and offers practical strategies to improve sleep habits, empowering readers to prioritize rest and unlock the transformative benefits of a good night's sleep for overall health and vitality. Note: If you're having trouble sleeping, this is not the resource you're looking for. Sleep Smarter – Shawn Stevenson This is a practical guide to optimizing sleep for improved health and performance, offering science-backed strategies to enhance sleep quality and duration. Through actionable advice and lifestyle recommendations, Stevenson empowers readers to prioritize sleep, address common sleep disruptors, and cultivate bedtime routines that promote restorative rest, ultimately enabling them to wake up feeling energized, focused, and ready to conquer the day. Note: If you're having trouble sleeping, this book is a good start. Exercising These titles have had a significant impact on the type of programming we do at Vitruvian Fitness. Technical books on programming are generally pretty dry and not very interesting to the general public. However, these are among the least dry. In fact, Pavel and Dan John are actually fairly interesting and entertaining. Roar – Stacy Sims PhD Next Level - Stacy Sims PhD Dr. Stacy Sims has significantly advanced women's exercise physiology by pioneering research on how female physiology differs from men's in response to training and nutrition. Her work has led to tailored approaches empowering women to optimize performance and health through menstrual cycle-based training and nutrition strategies. Attempts: Essays on Fitness, Health, Longevity and Easy Strength – Dan John* Dan John is a renowned strength coach and author whose contributions to exercise literature include insightful perspectives on strength training, movement mechanics, and program design, influencing countless athletes and fitness enthusiasts worldwide. Kettlebell Simple & Sinister – Pavel Tsatsouline Pavel Tsatsouline is a prominent strength coach and author known for revolutionizing the fitness industry with his expertise in kettlebell training and minimalist yet highly effective training methodologies. Advances in Functional Training – Michael Boyle* Michael Boyle is a highly regarded strength and conditioning coach and author, renowned for his innovative training methodologies, evidence-based approach, and advocacy for injury prevention in athletes, making significant contributions to the field of sports performance. Athletic Body in Balance – Gray Cook Gray Cook is a leading physical therapist, strength coach, and author known for his groundbreaking work in functional movement assessment and corrective exercise, which has revolutionized the approach to injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization. Core Performance – Mark Verstegen* Mark Verstegen is a prominent strength and conditioning coach, author, and founder of EXOS (formerly known as Athletes' Performance), recognized for his cutting-edge training methodologies, holistic approach to athlete development, and pioneering work in sports performance optimization, which have significantly influenced and shaped the landscape of athletic training and performance enhancement. * These are Amazon links. Curious to learn more about Vitruvian Fitness? We encourage you to do a 30-Day Trial Membership . In 30 days, you will get a private onboarding session that includes the Functional Movement Screen® , then 8 semi-private training sessions doing the program we design based on what we learn about you during that first session. And you’ll get to be a part of one of the most inviting, inclusive, and fun communities you’ll find anywhere. At the end of your trial, you decide if you liked it and if you want to continue with a regular 6-month membership. All the options and prices are on our Membership page . C lick the Get Started button to schedule a call to learn more. Our facility is conveniently located on the northwest corner of Denver in beautiful downtown Wheat Ridge.