June 11, 2016
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Last week, I went rafting in the Grand Canyon, and I completely unplugged with zero cell phone or internet for five days.
I came out of this “digital detox” extremely nervous about what my e-mail inbox would look like, how many voicemails and text messages I'd have, and what kind of fires I'd need to put out on the business front.
But amazingly, things were just fine.
It took me two hours to catch-up on e-mail.
None of my clients died, and most got through their pre-written workouts just fine without me.
The post office was still delivering mail to my home.
And life, my body, and my brain felt very, very good. Detoxed. Clean.
My guest today, Joe DiStefano, is all about the digital detox. But he's no hairy hippie living in the woods.
Instead, Joe is the co-founder of Spartan Coaching, the world's first international obstacle race training certification program. He has a B.S. in Exercise and Sports Science from Fitchburg State University, and he is pursuing a master's degree in Sports Psychology. Certified through the NASM as a Performance Enhancement Specialist and Corrective Exercise Specialist, he is also a Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA and has been trained at the C.H.E.K Institute as a Holistic Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.
Over the past decade, DiStafano has worked as a health and performance coach and a serial entrepreneur. Prior to joining Spartan Race, he oversaw the development of more than 100 women-only personal training studios across the U.S. His specialties include corrective exercise, nutrition, stress management, human psychology and business development.
During our discussion, you'll discover:
-Why Joe swears by using an “upright ski ergometer” as the #1 tool for total body fitness…
-The best way to make coffee if you want to retain all the bioactive, cognitive-performance enhancing components…
-Joe's top tip for travel-proofing your immune system…
-How to enhance the absorption of any supplement you take…
-The best body-weight-only travel workout you can do anytime, anyplace without anybody noticing…
-How your organs stick to one another, and the kind of breathing technique that can “unstick” these organs…
-Joe's underground method of making the gluten in bread less damaging…
-What happened to Joe's body when he experimented with doing 5-6 hours of yoga per day during a digital detox in Costa Rica…
-And much more…
Resources from this episode:
–Chemex Ottomatic coffee maker
–The Prague School method of training
–Dr. Goodman's new book “True To Form”
-Joe's TED Talk on Breathing
–The Ancestral Health Symposium 2016 in Boulder
–Planche isometric position Joe holds in an airport
–Gelato Oldbridge outside the Vatican
–Instagram.com/jdispartan (where Joe posts many of his workouts)
–The Fresh Press Olive Oil club that Ben mentions
–Dec 3-10, 2016: Runga in Costa Rica: 8 days, epic food, twice daily yoga, salt water pool and manual therapy and spa services galore, experts from around the world teaching running clinics, kettlebell seminars, lecturing on nutrition, etc. Also daily adventures ranging from zip lining to white water, along with a full digital detox. Code “BEN” gets you a free gift with your RUNGA registration valued at $75! Click here to get in now.
-Get a SpartanX and a SpartanSGX certification (click here and use discount code BEN10)
Do you have questions, comments or feedback for me or Joe DiStefano? Leave your thoughts below and one of use will reply!
Just a quick comment. When I worked at Natural Grocers Vitamin Cottage straight out the Navy, the Oreganol rep came in to do a demo at like 6:00 in the morning. At the end of his presentation, he proceeded to drink an entire bottle. Now THAT is intense.
For those that have never had it, there is a reason that in the podcast, Joe mentions 5 or 6 drops in a cup of water. A bottle straight to the dome is hardcore! Thanks for the podcast guys. Looking forward to completing my Trifecta in Dallas in October. Aroo!
Much Respect and Love,
Levi
Enjoyed this! When Joe discusses the breathing techniques he employs – the aspect of prenatal breathing, the concept of using the diaphragm to compress (and therefore massage) the organs, and the ability to “send” the breath where he wants through his mind/body connection; he is absolutely practicing his own version of QiGong (energy work or cultivation). Focusing on the three Dan-Tiens or “energy elixirs” (the main located in the abdomen below the navel) during this regimen would definitely enhance the overall health aspect by channeling his Qi (KI, Chi, Prana, etc.). There are 12 main meridians (6-Yin and 6-Yang), directly associated with specific organs, and also eight extraordinary vessels, two of which are the “Conception Vessel” and the “Governing Vessel”; both of these incorporate the all three Dan-Tiens.
Focusing on filling/expanding the low back above the glutes along with the abdomen is a great addition to practicing QiGong mind control. Even more so, incorporating specific arm movements such as those found in the 8-Brocades (eight silken movements) can greatly enhance the practice as each opens a meridian tied to a specific organ. Here is a link to a short version my Sifu Kurtis Taylor and I did (he is doing the practice and I am narrating) posted as Health Defense QiGong for Athletes – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQGXOZuYLNI
Also, when Joe says the two main points to focus on while training are “position and Breath”; I feel he hits the effective training nail on the head!
Thanks Joe, Thanks Ben!
Ben, try the Primula pour over coffer maker. It’s a fine mesh pour over cone type single cup brewer. The steel cone fits inside a glass cone with a small pinhole at the bottom so, unlike other pour overs, it keeps the hot water in contact with the grounds longer, similar to a clever dripper. Your coffer never contacts paper or plastic, unlike the Aeropress or the clever dripper, and you don’t get ANY grounds in your cup, unlike a french press or cowboy method. It’s about $20.
Best gelato in Rome is Giolitti’s and for natural seasonal flavor Grom. The origins of pizza is Naples. Rome is trying to muscle in because they know the tourists love pizza. Rome seems to be more creative.
Hey Ben,
What do you typically use olive oil for? I want to start using olive oil but don’t really know how to incorporate it into my diet. Also what’s the reason for using Oregon oil every morning?
hey Tony,
Olive oil: dress it on salads, veggies, and cook with it on low heat, if you eat occasionally bread, that’s a great vehicle for copious olive oil.
Oregano Oil is a great anti-septic, pro-immune booster!
Thanks!
Joe