Vic Verdier (t:@MovNat) has served in the French navy, trained soldiers in close quarter combat, skydiving, long-range weapon shooting, first aid, and explosives, set a deep water scuba diving record. He currently owns a gym, teaches as a MovNat Master Instructor, and coaches men over forty in how to live better, stronger, and more vibrant lives. 
The typical trajectory for a man is to get a job, get married, have kids, move to the suburbs
As a result, men get stuck in a rut and lose their edge = “Soft suburban dad syndrome”
From an evolutionary standpoint, it was important for men to have a sense of achievement
This sense was mostly based on mastering skills and having a woman in the tribe
“Men are physical by nature -they identify with the ability to do things and be strong”- Vic Verdier
As men age and develop sedentary lifestyles, this drive diminishes
The sedentary lifestyle turns into a vicious cycle – older men are afraid to move and get hurt, so they move less and less, get more limitations, and more pain
Strength and mobility are vital for men to maintain as they get older
From a mental standpoint, men should keep having fun and staying physical
Good movements for men:
  • Lifting – for strength
  • Squatting
  • Spend time on the ground – working on the computer or watching tv
Try a standing desk
Go outside and do a sport
“The more things you do, the more different movements you learn and practice, then the more you expand your abilities of movement and the better you are as an athlete” – Vic Verdier
Get outside your comfort zone – crawl, climb, swim
Don’t get specialized! – Men specialize because they like to be good at what they do
Men work on their strong points and avoid their weaknesses
Trying new things has multiple benefits:
  • Better mobility
  • More movement
  • Less pain
  • It becomes easier to learn new things
  • Fewer limitations
  • You get better at living!
As men age, strength is one of the first things to go as is muscle mass
“But it’s not part of the aging process. It’s not natural at all.” – Vic Verdier
Men should lift every day – it’s good for the muscles and bone density
Kettlebells are great because it trains for explosiveness: the ability to quickly generate power- and often neglected skill
  • Vic’s favorite is the kettlebell swing because it is safe and good for daily practice
  • Jumping and sprinting are also good exercises
The treadmill isn’t ideal for cardio workouts because it’s artificial
Go outside, explore nature – it’s easy, convenient, and social
  • Walking is good but it shouldn’t be the only thing you do
As men age, poor balance leads to falling, the consequences of which are critical
Older people in general start falling because they don’t challenge themselves enough with balance
Easy ways to challenge your balance:
  • Go barefoot
  • Walk on uneven terrain
  • Practice with your eyes closed
  • Climb stairs
  • Walk on 2×4 on the floor and then raise it over time
As men age, there is a drop in testosterone and this means body fat will increase
“Keeping weight down is not only a matter of diet, it is more a matter of lifestyle” – Vic Verdier Vic’s SEEDS philosophy:
  • S- sleep: lack of sleep will disturb the body’s ability to process food
  • E- exercise
  • E- environment: the more you are outside, the more vitamin D you get
  • D- diet: Use common sense. It’s good to fast at some point because, from an evolutionary standpoint, that’s what humans did
  • S – stress: Stop living in a constant state of stress; live a simple life so you have time to spend time in nature and listen to music
Men are, historically speaking, the protectors
Fighting was important for men to defend themselves and their family
Learn combative skills, like martial arts or Thai boxing
  • It boosts confidence
  • It can change both posture and gait
It is useful for men to learn how to use weapons, too
Modern men live very artificial lives in an artificial environment
Three advantages of training/exercising in Nature:
  • 1. There is less safety – everything outdoors challenges the mind and body and therefore forces both to assess the situation every few minutes
  • 2. It’s not easy
  • 3. The outdoors ramps up your sense of creativity – it makes you choose your own path
It’s important to let your brain wander
Be unconventional – pick up a log, climb a tree
It takes courage to be unconventional – mental courage
Everything Vic own fits in a travel bag
Vic’s theory – everything else you need, you can rent
Very often useless things accumulate and all that stuff weighs on a person
“If you don’t use it for one year, get rid of it – it keeps the stress down”- Vic Verdier
So many things are automated and make our lives easy
Don’t get comfortable – go outside, even when the weather is bad
Become comfortable with being uncomfortable
Learn to live with nothing – it’s a great way to learn resilience
Read books about people who challenge themselves and get inspired!
Do weekly self-assessments: Don’t have ground-hog-days
Break your routines
Plan weekend adventures even if it’s just sleeping outside with your kids