At first blush, it sounds like a sadistic joke that you need more stress in your life.
“More stress?
Screw you, nerd — my life’s already a flaming dumpster of deadlines, sleep deprivation, and caffeine-fueled anxiety. Why the hell would I want more?”

I get it.
You don’t need more Zoom calls, more rage from your boss, or more existential dread at 2 AM.

But here’s the physiological plot twist:
You do need more stress — just the right kind.

Not All Stress Is Created Equal

Stress is like tequila: the right dose at the right time makes you invincible; too much, and you’re waking up half-naked on a golf course in Tijuana wondering where your pants went, er, so I have heard.

The secret isn’t to avoid stress — it’s to weaponize it.
Apply it with precision, let it burn just enough to trigger adaptation, not annihilation.

That’s the whole Physiologic Flexibility philosophy in a single sentence.

• You pick the stressors now, so when life throws them at you later, you don’t shatter like a cheap Temu squat rack.
• Your body learns, adapts, and hardens. You become the kind of organism that doesn’t panic when the oxygen drops, the heat spikes, or the chaos hits.

That’s called preconditioning — the art and science of making yourself harder to kill.

The Biology of Controlled Suffering

The research calls it “preconditioning” — deliberate micro-doses of stress that train your body to handle bigger storms later (1–6).

Take high-intensity cardio.
Ever wonder why some people keel over mid-sprint while others come out godlike, drenched in sweat and dopamine?

When you push intensity high enough, you create tiny oxygen deficits in your heart — not enough to kill you, just enough to whisper:

Your heart listens. It adapts. It upgrades its internal defense systems like a Navy SEAL prepping for war:

• More mitochondria (more power plants)
• Better oxygen efficiency
• Increased resistance to future stressors

That’s the kind of stress that saves your ass when the real chaos comes — when life decides to punch you in the lungs.

Real-World Preconditioning: Cold, Heat, Breath, and Fuel Shifting

This isn’t just cardio masochism.
Your body can be preconditioned in multiple domains — and that’s the entire engine of the Phys Flex Cert.

• Heat & Cold: Train your tissues to laugh in the face of environmental extremes. Sauna, ice bath, repeat.
• Breathwork: Manipulate oxygen and CO₂ like a performance drug. Control your state, control the chaos.
• Fuel Shifting: Teach your metabolism to flip between carbs, ketones, and lactate like it’s switching ammo mid-battle.

This is stress science in motion.
This is human adaptation — engineered.

No Stress? Bad News, Brosefus.

Most people who haunt the purple halls of PF live in hermetically sealed, climate-controlled bubbles of convenience, whining when their DoorDash is late.
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Their greatest adversity is a slow Wi-Fi connection or Karen who sits on the Pec Deck for 8 minute rest periods like a stuffed animal.

Then life throws them an actual stressor — an illness, a breakup, a hard training block — and they collapse faster than an undercooked soufflé.

Here’s the chart no one wants to see:

• Mild stress = growth, adaptation, resilience.
• No stress = no armor.
• Massive stress without preconditioning = cellular napalm.

You don’t get to pick when chaos hits.
But you can decide how ready you’ll be.

Will You Be Ready?

The world’s not getting calmer.
Entropy’s winning, and it’s bringing friends.

You can’t dodge stress forever — but you can build the physiology to absorb it and thrive.

That’s the mission of the Phys Flex Cert — to train you (and your clients) to master the adaptive systems that make humans damn near unbreakable.

And if you jump in before midnight, you’ll still get:

• A private 1-on-1 call with me (normally $250)
• Access to my private “Ask Me Anything” call series (4.5 hours of raw, advanced physiology & applied coaching)

After tonight, both disappear like cortisol after a perfect cold plunge.
And this Cert won’t open again until March 2026.

https://miket.me/physflex

Much love, strategic suffering, and resilience-building,
Dr. Mike

PS – 1-on-1 Call Bonus Ends at Midnight PST

After tonight, the private coaching call vanishes into the void.

PPS – Here’s What Matt Had to Say

https://miket.me/physflex

References

1) Lalonde F, Poirier P, Arvisais D, Curnier D. Exercise-induced ischemic preconditioning and the potential application to cardiac rehabilitation: a systematic review. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev. 2015 Mar-Apr;35(2):93-102. doi: 10.1097/HCR.0000000000000099. PMID: 25622217.

2) Sabino-Carvalho JL, Obeid-Freitas T, Paula-Ribeiro M, Lopes TR, Ferreira THN, Succi JE, Silva AC, Silva BM. Ischemic preconditioning boosts post-exercise but not resting cardiac vagal control in endurance runners. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2019 Mar;119(3):621-632. doi: 10.1007/s00421-018-4052-3. Epub 2018 Dec 12. PMID: 30542933.

3) Crisafulli A, Pagliaro P, Roberto S, Cugusi L, Mercuro G, Lazou A, Beauloye C, Bertrand L, Hausenloy DJ, Aragno M, Penna C. Diabetic Cardiomyopathy and Ischemic Heart Disease: Prevention and Therapy by Exercise and Conditioning. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Apr 21;21(8):2896. doi: 10.3390/ijms21082896. PMID: 32326182; PMCID: PMC7215312.

4) Santana MNS, Souza DS, Miguel-Dos-Santos R, Rabelo TK, Vasconcelos CML, Navia-Pelaez JM, Jesus ICG, Silva-Neto JAD, Lauton-Santos S, Capettini LDSA, Guatimosim S, Rogers RG, Santos MRVD, Santana-Filho VJ, Mesquita TRR. Resistance exercise mediates remote ischemic preconditioning by limiting cardiac eNOS uncoupling. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2018 Dec;125:61-72. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2018.10.016. Epub 2018 Oct 16. PMID: 30339842.

5) Lalonde F, Poirier P, Sylvestre MP, Arvisais D, Curnier D. Exercise-induced ischemic preconditioning detected by sequential exercise stress tests: a meta-analysis. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2015 Jan;22(1):100-12. doi: 10.1177/2047487313502447. Epub 2013 Aug 27. PMID: 23983070.

6) Sprick JD, Mallet RT, Przyklenk K, Rickards CA. Ischaemic and hypoxic conditioning: potential for protection of vital organs. Exp Physiol. 2019 Mar;104(3):278-294. doi: 10.1113/EP087122. Epub 2019 Jan 24. PMID: 30597638; PMCID: PMC6397065.

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_____________________

Mike T Nelson CISSN, CSCS, MSME, PhD
Associate Professor, Carrick Institute
Owner, Extreme Human Performance, LLC
Editorial Board Member, STRONG Fitness Mag

Mike T Nelson is a PhD and not a physician or registered dietitian. The contents of this email should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

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