Optimizing Mobility and Movement as Biohackers

I recently had the honor of speaking at the 2023 Biohacker Summit in London on optimizing mobility and movement as biohackers. With my background as a professional MMA fighter and health consultant, I shared insights from my journey of learning how to biohack my own mobility.

I opened by demonstrating a corrective exercise for the area between the first and second ribs, where tightness can contribute to poor posture. I then introduced myself and described my blended background of martial arts, nutrition, and fitness, which led me into the biohacking community.

The title of my talk was “Biohacking Mobility and Corrective Exercise.” I explained how the mindset around exercise often focuses on the extremes of “no pain, no gains” and punishing workouts. However, corrective exercise focuses on improving mobility - our range of motion without compensation. I discussed the Functional Movement Systems principles, where movement quality influences performance and skill. The takeaway is that trying new exercises without proper mobility can lead to injury.

I defined biohacking movement as using tools to quantify and optimize movement for an active lifestyle. Monitoring mobility, prehab exercises, and restorative movements like yoga can all be considered biohacks. I shared my own example of years of unbalanced training as a fighter leading to injuries. Proper biohacking movement is now essential to my longevity.

To demonstrate, I had the audience perform neck releases to combat the chronic tightness from martial arts head positioning. I guided them through exercises to stretch the sternocleidomastoid muscles and strengthen the neck extensors. We also did shoulder exercises to release the lower trapezius.

I emphasized why overdoing specific movements creates imbalances—for instance, my years of martial arts and baseball yielded a strong throwing pattern but poor bilateral movement. The key is developing generalized movement capacities first before specializing. I closed the interactive movement session by reviewing biohacking techniques I use personally with clients to assess and address their daily readiness and lifestyle factors.

I shared interesting recent research showing metabolism does not slow down until around age 60, countering outdated notions of precipitous declines. I also referenced a study about the benefits of 4-second sprint intervals, illustrating how brief, focused biohacking exercises can boost fat metabolism.

To demonstrate an entire lifestyle biohacking approach, I outlined my personal ergonomic workstation setup. From a standing desk to an ergonomic chair to a portable treadmill, I optimize my environment for active sitting and movement. Lifestyle hacks like posture correction, exercise snacks, and recovery routines enable me to maintain mobility for martial arts training.

In closing, I encouraged the audience to invest in their biohacking education, get personalized assessments, and focus on customized movement goals based on their needs. I reminded them that small adjustments like better breathing mechanics can make a major difference. Our bodies thrive on homeostasis rather than extremes. By biohacking mobility and movement daily, we can unlock our potential while preventing injury.

Show notes

• Move Well Move Often>Functional Movement Systems

• Professional Kettlebell Practitioner> Strong First

• Metabolism doesn’t slow down until the age of 60> Daily energy expenditure through the human life course

• 4 seconds sprint is more effective> Hourly 4-s Sprints Prevent Impairment of Postprandial Fat Metabolism from Inactivity

Event Highlights

Reflecting on the Biohacker Summit in London, the venue under Waterloo Station, with its Banksy-inspired graffiti backdrop, set a lively stage for intellectual exploration and camaraderie.

The event unfolded with insightful talks by notable biohackers, researchers, and health enthusiasts, covering daily routine crafting to sleep mastery and stress management. These talks not only broadened our horizons but also deepened our appreciation for the vast potential of biohacking.

A congregation of over 450 curious minds formed a vibrant networking hub, fostering meaningful interactions and camaraderie among biohacking enthusiasts. The cutting-edge exhibition showcased gadgets, products, and supplements to enhance human performance, giving a tactile glimpse into the future of biohacking.

As the event concluded, attendees were armed with actionable strategies to incorporate the discussed biohacks into their daily lives, catering to seasoned and newcomers and propelling us towards enhanced performance, longevity, and a better quality of life.

“Top Daily Biohacks” was more than an event; it was an invitation to step into a future of optimized health and well-being. The London event set a high anticipation for the upcoming summit in Amsterdam, marking a compelling prelude to our biohacking journey. The diversity in the audience, with over 80% from outside the biohacking community, brought a unique blend of curiosity and sophistication, enriching the event’s dialogue.

The Biohacker Summit London 2023 served as a bold precursor to the Amsterdam summit, heralding a promising future filled with endless possibilities for those keen on transcending traditional health and performance boundaries. The journey has just begun, and the excitement for what's next is refreshing.

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