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Do you really need to compromise in relationships?

Mike Patterson

The concept of compromise has always bothered me, especially in relationships.

Not because I'm stubborn (well, sometimes I am... 😁)

But because I always thought it implied compromising my identity for someone else.
And what kind of healthy relationship would encourage me to compromise myself.

I've always heard it said that relationships are about compromise. But I don't believe that's true.

I believe that healthy relationships are about maintaining the proper polarity, so that connection can remain vibrant.

When you think of polarity, you might think of two sides of a battery or a magnet.
The poles must remain at a healthy distance but remain connected for energy to emerge from that connection.

To me, this paints a picture of a healthy relational dynamic.
It's about maintaining the proper distance and creating polarity so that the proper energy can flow between the two poles.
Not too close, not too far...but the right distance.

A healthy distance must be maintained for the proper charge and energy to sustain.
Two poles of a battery or a magnet don't compromise themselves to maintain the charge or the magnetic attraction.
They simply remain at the proper distance so that energy can flow between them.

You want to talk about the law of attraction?
Well, here's a good starting point.
Are you too close or too far to maintain a healthy polarity, a powerful connection?

The Paradox of Needing and Knowing

Mike Patterson

I’ve heard that paradox is the language of spirituality and this paradox has been rattling in my brain lately.
Often times in life we feel the need for affirmation, the need to be recognized for who we are and what we are doing in the world by the people in our lives that are most important to us. And on the other hand, part of us knows we can be comfortable with who we are despite the reflection we get from others.

So which one is it then?
Do we require the affirmation and reflection from others in order to feel secure in who we are?
Or do we build an internal sense of identity by continually going through a process of self-reflection to build our individual identities?

I don't think it's a "this or that" answer...so I think my answer to both questions is "yes".

Traü partners with the Harvard Varsity Club!

Mike Patterson

This has been a while in the making but we're very excited to announce our most recent partnership with the Harvard Varsity Club! I don't often publicize the fact that I went to Harvard (well, mostly because of this) but Traü WAS inspired by an undergarment I wore as football player at Harvard so when the Harvard Varsity Club reached out about the partnership, I jumped on the opportunity!

For a little more of the backstory, the inspiration for Traü came from an undergarment athletes wore under practice gear and game uniforms called "U-Trow". Equipment managers Chet and Artie held them very close to their chests and only gave each athlete one pair per season (except for the very lucky few - of which I was not one!).

After I graduated, I couldn't find anything as good as U-Trow so I reinvented them and Traü was born!

So it's come full circle, and we're going back to our roots with this fantastic collaboration with the Harvard Varsity Club. Thank you Harvard Varsity Club, we're excited about this partnership! Check out the collaboration at the HVC Marketplace, and grab yourself some Traü while you're there.

Give Someone Your Blessing Today

Mike Patterson

I've invited my good friend Dr. Michael Diamond from IgKnight the King to share periodically on our blog and this week, I wanted to share a video he did recently about giving blessing. Not only is Michael a fellow birthday brother (we share the same 7/7 birthday!) but he has deep, insightful points of view and the state of men in our world today.

Michael dives into the power of giving and receiving blessing and how slowing down, pausing, taking a breath and giving blessing is something that is so very important for all men to assimilate and include in our lives. Michael has built an incredible body of work around the four male archetypes - Lover, Magician, Warrior, King - and leads men, including me, in that work through his group called IGKnight the King.

Take 7 minutes out of your day and dig in here with Michael on this very important topic. And more importantly, after you've watched it, reach out to someone who could use your blessing!

Why Men Need Friends and Community

Mike Patterson

As I've "gained some years" (read: gotten older!), I've realized the importance of friends and community. A while back I read Triumphs of Experience based on the longest ongoing study involving the same cohort of men at over 80 years running. The primary conclusion of the study looking into the key elements of men's happiness and longevity was their community relationships (and surprisingly, their relationship to alcohol, but that's a topic for another time!).

I recently came across this article from OptHealth (a Traü friend of the family and community member) and was intrigued by the importance of friendships for men's health.

I'm often amazed at (and even been jealous of) how women can maintain and continue to develop the depth of their relationships while we men struggle to do so.

The OptHealth article gives some good guidelines and paints a picture of what healthy male friendships look like. They contain:

One of my all-time favorite poets David Whyte, writes that good friendships are based on mutual and consistent forgiveness...and I don't think I've ever ready something more true.

Community and connection is vital to our health.
If there's anything the past few years have taught us, it's this.
We MUST remain connected to each other and continue to foster the depth of those connections through forgiveness and mutual understanding.

So men, take heed, stay connected to your friend and communities... [The Traü Tribe](/content/pages/tra-tribe-main "Traü Tribe"/index.html) is one small way to do so!

Forget About Your New Years Resolutions!

Mike Patterson

This is always the time of year that we start to hear about resolutions, turning over a new leaf, new year, new you...blah, blah. blah.

Are you as tired of that bulls**t as I am??

The problem I have with this paradigm is that it's short-term oriented and based on a negative assumption. Meaning it's based on something you HAVEN'T been doing.

I learned something in management many years ago - rather than try to build skills that you DON'T have (which is important, don't get me wrong) why not double down on the things you're GOOD at instead?

So I would ask you, rather than focusing on resolutions, why don't you focus on your COMMITMENTS?

Why don't you focus on the areas of your life where you're already doing the work and can double down?
In these areas where your commitments really matter, how can you add fuel to the fire?

In the past two years, I've been focusing on these major bucket: health, relationship, family, finances and life mission.

And these are some of my commitments for each in 2023:

These are the major areas of commitment in my life and some of the things I'm doing in each area. By putting down real actions and remaining committed to them, I KNOW my life and the lives of those around me will vastly improve. What are your commitments in 2023?

Sometimes You Just Need to Hit ⏸️ !

Mike Patterson

I've spent the last two weeks recovering from COVID. Getting a lot of rest, eating well, taking my vitamins and drinking a lot of water. It's been a major reset and of course I've been exercising a lot less.

Which concerned me at first. But then I realized I'm not training for a triathlon...or a marathon. And you know what?

After two week's rest from physical activity, my body feels a lot better.

I was on a serious workout kick, getting to the gym 3-4 times a week and doing my weekly stair workouts but my knees were starting to ache and my back felt a couple degrees away from going out again.

You may say that I've been doing too many of the wrong exercises, and you'd have a case (I AM going to start doing more passive exercises like yoga and bodyweight workouts) but I also just simply needed a break.

Because we all need breaks now and then. As a matter of fact, what we really need is balance. And the elements of that balance change every year.

We need yearly reset periods to get out of our patterns. We need to pause so we can see what we really need.

Yet we get caught up in the momentum of life and forget this, I know I do. I've been saying that COVID has been the great psychological pause, the great reset, where we all get to re-examine our priorities. But now after catching it and going through it for two weeks, I'm realizing it's a great PHYSICAL reset as well, allowing me to reassess physically and determine what's best for me right now.

I'm fortunate to have the strength and health to come through COVID AND physically challenging times can get us down to what's essential. The pauses can be a huge blessing because they get us back to basics, back to what is most important and most helpful right now. What basics do you have to get back to this week? What does your body REALLY need?

Slow down and ask yourself, the answers are in the pause.

A Lesson on Being Thankful for What We Have

Mike Patterson

This past week I jumped on the scale and was below 195 lbs for the first time in quite a while. It was a goal of mine to get under the 195 mark and here we are at the halfway point, which also happens to coincide with my birthday, and I'm happy to say I've hit my target weight at under 195 lbs.

Not to say that the number on the scale is everything (and MAINTAINING that weight is crucial) but I knew I was running a bit heavy, and I vowed to drop below my personal Mason/Dixon line of 195 by mid-year.

But then I caught COVID a couple days before my birthday which immediately put me into a tailspin about not being able to workout and maintain the shape I was able to build up over the past 6 months.

I know, living in my brain is not always rainbows and unicorns. I've caught a world-haulting virus and I'm worried about getting my workouts in and maintaining my optimum weight!

Yikes Mike.

So on this day, as I begin my 54th revolution around the sun - I'm 53 but remember, when we're born we start our 1st cycle - I count my blessings for what I've physically been able to achieve especially the blessing that I can even attempt to achieve them at all.

There are many of us who simply can't physically train, and I'm darn grateful that I will train another day. My body is capable, strong and resilient, and I am one blessed birthday boy. Wishing you all heath and wellness.

How you can take your life to the next level

Mike Patterson

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about taking my life to the next level — my business, my workouts, my relationship. The first step is of course defining what that means but then the simple question that follows is: how do you take something to the next level?

And while I don’t think there’s any one thing that moves us to the next level, I HAVE noticed a particular physical phenomenon in my workouts that I think applies to all of the areas in our lives where we want to jump to the next level.

If you’ve trained regularly, you realize that your workouts advance in jumps and then there are plateaus. You have to work hard to jump to the next level and establish another gear.

Once you get to a certain level, you realize that the ability to jump to the next level comes from one thing: your ability to endure pain.

I’ve heard elite cyclists say that most of their success is built around their ability to endure pain.

While I was doing the 5-minute plank challenge and building up to 5-minutes, I had to break through a level at around 2:30–3:00. When I first started, I started to break down at that point.

I quickly began to realize that to get to the 5-minute mark it was going to be about my mental toughness, and my ability to__sit in the pain.

Training is about building more gears. A bike or a car with one gear can only go so fast before it burns out. We build endurance, knowledge and experience in stages, developing new gears so we can ride at higher speeds.

If you’ve ever watched the movie Miracle or studied the 1980 Men’s Olympic Hockey team, you’d learn that yes, they were an extremely talented group of young hockey players AND they were also in much better shape than anyone they played, including and especially the Russian team they beat in the semi-finals.

They had to endure an absolute onslaught for 10:00 in the third period of their infamous semi-final game against the Russians, and they were able to do so because of their conditioning. They had an extra gear, they worked to create that extra gear and they broke through that ceiling to get to an elite level in their physical endurance.

They endured a substantial amount of pain but the reward was literally... GOLD!

Often times building that extra gear means enduring a substantial amount of pain at the end of something, being able to move through the pain so that the pain or the fear of the pain no longer dominates. This is where we build endurance, in the times when it's toughest.

So if you're going through hell and at that breakdown point, keep going...

Breakdown can often be the flip side of break-THROUGH.

Sit with it, stand in it, walk through the fire, the next level...and maybe some gold...is on the other side of the pain.

Try This Simple at Home Workout to Get Into Summer Shape

Mike Patterson

With summer coming up quickly, it's time for us to shed our winter weight, get back on the exercise train and get ready to break out the swimsuits.

I have a high school reunion coming up in a few weeks so I'm kicking in the A-game and getting active.

I ALSO recently came back from one of my men's retreats and remembered the power of bodyweight exercises so I'm going do 5 workouts a week this month, including the one below when I don't get to the gym.

Here's what's on the docket:

So here's the workout in summary:

All of this can be done from the comfort of your own home and it will certainly get the heart rate going!

It's time to get busy people so let's kick it into gear and shed some of that winter weight.

Marcus Aurelius' Advice for a Successful Life

Mike Patterson

I came across this quote from Marcus Aurelius recently from another one of my favorite newsletters, The Marginalian.

I couldn't help but think of how this simple piece of advice can shape a day, a week, a year or even a life.

If we were to look at the things that happen to us with an unbiased eye, thinking about how they are shaping us in the big picture and not affecting us in the short term, we could likely see everything as teaching moments.

If I could remember this piece of advice more often, choosing to see events in my life as teaching moments rather than forces I need to conquer, I'd live a much more balanced life.

It reminds me of the fable about the farmer, his son and their horse:

A farmer and his son had a beloved horse who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbours exclaimed, “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not.”

A few days later, the horse returned home, leading a few wild horses back to the farm as well. The neighbours shouted out, “Your horse has returned, and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not.”

Later that week, the farmer’s son was trying to break one of the horses and she threw him to the ground, breaking his leg. The neighbours cried, “Your son broke his leg, what terrible luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not.”

A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, recruiting all boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son, because he had a broken leg. The neighbours shouted, “Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!” To which the farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”

(Story copy courtesy of Jay Mavani on Medium)

Seeing things from a bigger perspective can always bring balance and wisdom to your actions.

Baby Steps on Your Way to Atomic Habits

Mike Patterson

Last Traü Tip, we talked about James Clear's Atomic Habits and how his book sheds light on our habitual patterns. Clear says things like:

So to kick off Spring, I wanted to focus on this last piece of advice - starting small.

I've recently been struggling with eating at night.

I typically have a great meal with my girlfriend around 7ish and then we polish off the meal with a tasty piece of chocolate.

It's the perfect topper but I've found that about 30 minutes later, I want more sweets!

So I run into the kitchen and grab more chocolate or get a bowl of granola and some fruit. Well, this negative atomic habit has been wreaking havoc on my sleep.

To counteract it however, I've implemented a very simple positive Atomic Habit - I brush my teeth after the meal and the small piece of chocolate.

After brushing my teeth, I no longer want to eat and go through the hassle of brushing them again.

This one small habitual change has made a world of difference for my metabolism and my sleep.

So see if you can flip the script in your life and find an unhealthy habit that can be countered by a healthy one.

Baby steps y'all, remember it's the small things that make big changes!

Are You Building Atomic Habits?

Mike Patterson

I recently listened to a Brené Brown interview with James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, and was struck by its relevance to the Traü Tribe, so I had to share.

I HIGHLY recommend listening to both episodes of the podcast ( Episode #1 and Episode #2).

What I found particularly relevant was Clear's guidance on habits and how we can better integrate them into our lives. His advice illuminates some very important concepts when it comes to the types of habits we often talk about in this newsletter.

A while ago we talked about S.M.A.R.T. goals - Atomic Habits builds on that framework.

I particularly like the story in Part II of the podcast where James references a friend who would drive to the gym, do a 5-minute workout, and then drive home.

He was building the muscle of someone that goes to the gym in very small steps. From there, he could build a new version of himself.

If you've fallen off the wagon a bit, take stock of your habits. How can you build Atomic Habits? Small, consistent changes that can make a powerful impact when strung together!

Are you setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

Mike Patterson

I've never been a fan of New Year's resolutions.

Why? Because most of them are here and gone by the time we get to Valentine's day!

And why do you think that is?...

Well, in my opinion we're not setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and so our resolutions are flying south like a duck in winter!

So what are S.M.A.R.T. goals?

S.M.A.R.T. goals follow a simple framework, as a result are much more actionable and achievable.

Here's are the elements of a S.M.A.R.T. goal:

Simple: keep your goals simple, complex goals will be abandoned quickly.

Measurable: what is the measurement of success or the outcome you're looking to achieve? (i.e. I will work out for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. OR, I will get to 190 lbs and 15% body fat.)

Achievable : can you get to your goal or is it just too outrageous? (Hint: don't set outrageous goals.)

Relevant: is your goal tied to something that's important to you? If it's not, you won't care enough.

Time-Bound: we must put time constraints on the goal or it will get stretched out and likely not achieved. What is your EXACT timeframe? (i.e., I will do 100 pushups a day for 6 months.

The last piece that helps TREMENDOUSLY is having an accountability partner for your S.M.A.R.T. goals. Find someone to partner with for weekly check-ins to stay accountable to your S.M.A.R.T. goal progress.

So if you're looking to set some new habits in action and have big goals for 2022, make sure they're S.M.A.R.T. goals.

If you want to learn more about S.M.A.R.T. goals there are some great resources here.

Traü Introduces Eco-Friendly Packaging

Mike Patterson

We have some exciting news to start out the new year, one that has been in the works for quite some time now!

For the past six months we've been on the search for recyclable, sustainable packaging for our shipping containers and we're proud to announce that we've partnered with EcoEnclose to supply our fully recyclable mailers.

We strive, in everything we do, to keep our product and our business as sustainable as possible so we're very proud to take this step from our former poly-mailers to these 100% curbside recyclable apparel mailers from EcoEnclose.

We're incredibly excited about this evolution in our business. Please support us in maintaining the health of our planet! 💚 💚

Mike

Traü Tip Belly Buster for the Holidays

Mike Patterson

We know the last thing you want to hear about during the holidays is core exercises. You're probably thinking "My belly is going in the opposite direction this week!"

But Traü ambassador Matt Fox has a fantastic 7-minute core workout for those of us that want to burn the belly over the holidays and not just add to our mid-sections! (Queue the Something about Mary 7-minute abs scene now.)

I know I will be getting to this at least 2-3 times this week.

You can also download Matt's app for $1 for the first month and get access to all his workout programs (no gym needed), mobility classes, nutrition, video library and more.

Enjoy your holidays and keep that core in check Tribe!

GTC - Get That Cardio BABY!

Mike Patterson

All fall we've been focused on cardio and core remembering that as we get older, these two aspects of our fitness will become more and more important. I've been getting consistent cardio for the past 4 months and oh what a difference it has made!

Lots of people can't stand cardio, don't want to do it, don't want to even think about it. I. Don't. Care.

Seriously, I don't care if you hate it, you need to do whatever you can to get weekly cardiovascular exercise. Most experts will tell you to get 30+ minutes of cardiovascular exercise AT LEAST 3-4 times per week.

And I understand, maybe you're not a runner, but cardiovascular does not = running. There are a number of options for you including:

I understand it's hard. I know it's challenging but this is your health we're talking about and health is wealth. And as the wise philosopher Mike Tyson once said, "Success is doing the things you hate like you love them."

Keep moving and get sweaty my friends!

Are You Focused on Your Core? 🎯 🎯

Mike Patterson

I've always loved the metaphor of maintaining a solid core in one's life as well as in our physical activity. A solid core will keep us steady as we get older and ensure that we have the center of gravity we need to keep us moving as we age.

So here are some great simple exercises to keep your core strong. Check out the various videos and integrate them into your weekly routines:

Leg Raises

Plank or Side Plank

Mountain Climbers

"Russian Twist" Kettle Bell Sit-Ups

Keep your center as the focal point and you'll reap the benefits not only in your workouts, but in your life!

Until the next Traü Tip, stay centered my friends!

Lessons from the #5-MinutePlank Challenge

Mike Patterson

I wanted to wrap up with the 5-minute plank challenge by relaying a deeply important principle that I learned (or RE-learned, for that matter!)

The first "self-help" book I ever read was The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey.
One of Covey's seven habits was "making first things first" - building your life around your highest priority and making sure this center was aligned and solid.

I was reminded of this teaching as I wrapped up a month of doing a 5-minute plank 5X a week. I realized that everything else I was doing physically was improved through the core strength generated by the 5-minute plank.

The 5-minute plank really locked in my core strength, and as a result, everything else improved.
My core, my center, is now solid, strengthened and in alignment. It is my focus and everything else has exponentially improved.

So what are you putting at your center, at your core?
And is everything else strengthening and improving as a result?

Are you focused in the right areas and is that focus lifting everything else to a new level?

Don't get me wrong, once you have that focus it WILL be challenging, it WILL be tough, and you WILL want to quit, but that's how you get stronger. You push yourself, you endure, and you come out stronger because your focus is in the right place.

Keep your focus at your center everything else will strengthen and eventually flow!

5-Minute Tips for the Faithful

Mike Patterson

Have you been faithfully practicing the 5-Minute Plank but having trouble breaking through the 5-Minute ceiling?

I have to admit, when we started the #5minuteplankchallenge, I thought it was a cute thing to do. I read this article and it motivated me. I got curious and posed the challenge to the Traü Tribe and jumped in, not thinking much of it.

At first it was REALLY hard. I got to 2.5 minutes, then 3...and then hung around that time for a bit. To be honest, it was more of a mental challenge than anything else. Really sitting there and holding plank for 5 minutes...that's a long time.

A couple weeks ago, I pushed through the 5 minute mark and am getting there now with relative ease. My shoulders were screaming, my body was shaking but I just held it...and I broke through the 5 minute ceiling. And since then I've done over 5 minutes every day.

It speaks to setting goals. It speaks to pushing through despite the pain. It speaks to just doing something because you said you would do it - keeping your word. Things we seems to so easily blow off and brush aside nowadays.

And here's the biggest silver lining: I've had back issues for 15 years following a surfing accident in 2007. Since then I've looked for all sorts of cures - massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and they've all helped...

But since I've been doing the 5-minute planks daily, my back has never felt better. My core is noticeably stronger and my back feels sturdy, stable and agile. A simple exercise like holding plank has SIGNIFICANTLY improved my back.

Small things, done daily can yield incredible results. And growth takes incremental steps and small adjustments.

So here's a tip if you're struggling to get over a plateau with the 5-Minute plank: When your shoulders start to get tired and you feel you can't hold the weight any longer pull your hands and forearms toward the center of your body as if trying to resist someone pulling you forward by the arms. At the same time, pull the energy up your legs toward your core.

Your core will engage, tighten and release the tension in your shoulders. I've noticed as I engage my core by pulling my hands and forearms towards my body its increased my endurance and allowed me to go all the way to the 5-minute mark.

Try this little tip and let us know how it's helping in the comments. Keep getting stronger, keep building together!

This Simple Exercise Could Change Your Body

Mike Patterson

Last week I read an article and it motivated me. And I got so curious that I decided to make it my own personal challenge for the month.

It's straightforward, achievable and challenging. The exercise is a simple plank pose and the goal is to work your way toward holding it for 5 minutes.

So that's Traü challenge for the month...do it! I'm committed to getting in plank every day and seeing if I can work my way up to 5 minutes.

Read the article, try the variations, see what kind of results you see.

Get after it and let us know how it's going on Facebook or Instagram!

Well done Traü Tribe, let's get better every day!

A Simple 5-Minute-a-Day Exercise for Great Results

Mike Patterson

Seems like there are so many exercise routines out there. And sometimes we just need something simple that we can do every day. The 10 to 1 exercise is fantastic and an easy 5-minute routine that will get you results immediately.

Start with 10 jumping jacks, 10 mountain climbers, 10 pushups and 10 body-weight squats. Then move to 9 of each, 8 of each, 7 of each and so on all the way down to one of each.

Going from 10 reps to 1 for each exercise take about 5 minutes and is a fantastic exercise in itself OR can be done as a warmup for you Daily Driver types!

If you're not sure how to do these exercises, well, there's always Google. :)

Have at it and let us know how it's going on Facebook or Instagram.

Mike and the Traü Team

What the hell are "Zero Days"?

Mike Patterson

Have you ever been frustrated by New Year's resolutions? Starting many but never really sticking to them? Well Traü Tribe member Charles Scheinblum has a fantastic alternative. In his own words:

"I've tried different New Year’s resolutions with varying success, some work (marathons, flossing) some don’t (I still can’t play piano). Rather than set a specific goal for the whole year in January,  I’m just going to simplify it with a more flexible commitment of one hour a day of some kind of self improvement. I got self-inking stamp and an annual calendar and wrote ‘No Zero Days’ as a reminder at the top. We’ll see how it worked out in 355 days. An hour is only 4% of the day, so it’s easier than it sounds to find the time. So far I’ve been using my rowing machine a lot, taking a course in voiceover, and working in some meditation."

So if you're feeling intimidated by a New Year's resolution or have given up on yours already, give "No Zero Days" a shot. It's a simple and achievable alternative. If you want to thank Charles for the inspiration, you can find him on Instagram here!

You've Been Doing Pushups Wrong Your Whole Life!

Mike Patterson

Many of you have most likely been doing pushups for quite some time.

Pushups are one of the ultimate natural body-weight exercises. But did you know that you're likely doing them wrong?!

Traü ambassador G. Russell Reynolds teaches us how to do pushups properly for maximum results.

And issues quite a large challenge to those of you really looking to push your limits this week...and I know some of you are!

Check out Russell and the full video on Instagram. For those of you in the LA area, message Russell for one of a kind training sessions. Be well until the next Traü tips session!

3 Easy Eating Tips for the Holidays

Mike Patterson

Lots of us stay in great shape for 10 months and then November and December roll around and we lose our way. The holidays can be such an enjoyable eating time but if you're anything like me, you can go over the edge at times and give into what I like to call, "the grub fest"!

Traü ambassador Spencer Sharpe gives us three easy tips to keep our eating on track during the holidays.

1. Plan ahead. 2. Plate your food wisely. 3. "The One Plate Rule"

Check out Spencer and the full video on Instagram.

For those of you in the Montreal area, message Spencer for training / coaching sessions and meal plans.

Be well, Happy Thanksgiving and we'll see you soon for the next Traü tips session!

How to Make a Home Gym Out of A Rope and a Sheet

Mike Patterson

Do you think you can't do a workout because you don't have the right equipment? Do you feel like you're handcuffed because you can't get to the gym? Traü ambassador G. Russell Reynolds is a personal trainer and martial arts expert in LA.

Here, Russell gives us essential tips for working out at home and lets us know without hesitation that we have NO excuses for not working out when the gyms are closed.

AND of course, he gives us some great tips for crafting a simple and affordable home workout.

Check out Russell and the full video on Instagram. For those of you in the LA area, message Russell for one of a kind training sessions. And of course, get yourself some Traü for those sessions! :)

5 Things You Need in Workout Underwear

Mike Patterson

The other day I went on my weekly stair workout here in SF at the famed Lyon Street Stairs. Instead of putting on my workout sunglasses that I normally wear, I threw on a pair of designer sunglasses that my girlfriend gave (she works for a GREAT designer sunglass company called RAEN - shameless plug, check them out).

RAEN are fantastic, they're awesome sunglasses, but as I was working out, they started fogging up, they started slipping off my face and the sun started to glare through into my eyes.
They are great sunglasses, but they're not built for workouts.

And it got me to thinking, there are a lot of great underwear brands out there... BUT THEY ARE NOT BUILT FOR WORKOUTS!

We built Traü specifically for your workouts so we wanted to tell you 5 things that you need in your WORKOUT underwear:

1. Length
If you work out on a regular basis, you realize that your underwear length is crucial. Shorter underwear with a 5" or less inseam will ride up, bunch up and be outright uncomfortable. Your workout underwear must be longer and have at least a 7" inseam.

2. Materials
Cotton is probably the worst material for underwear. It doesn't actively absorb moisture, it doesn't dry fast and it's not odor resistant. Your workout underwear must be made from materials that are odor resistant, water-wicking and fast drying. Of course we prefer bamboo!

3. Waistband
Thin waistbands will wear out, sag and start to fail after a small amount of washes. Make sure your waistband is sturdy as well as absorbent and soft - we prefer jacquard elastic or microfiber elastic.

4. Durability
You're going to wash your workout underwear a lot more than your regular underwear, so your workout underwear MUST be well constructed using durable flat-lock stitching and materials that can take a beating...again, like the bamboo we use!

5. Actual separate undergarment
Please don't tell us your workout shorts have a liner so you're covered...please! Those liners are typically flimsy and will wear out faster than your shorts, then you'll just have to cut them out. Get some workout underwear already!

Keep your eyes on these 5 things when you're looking for some new skivvies for your workout and remember, your workout deserves the best!