RESOURCE GUIDE
7. STRESS & HUMAN HISTORY
WHY: If you want to understand exercise, you must understand stress. Exercise is planned, structured stress. Knowledge about how the psychological stress/emotional chemical environment can overlap physical training stress via inborn factors and experiences is probably the most important thing to understand as a coach aka a stress manager.
Books
WHY: I think this should be your first pick. Sapolsky will incorporate both stress science and human history while making you laugh.
WHY: If you like physiology you will enjoy this book. This book explains how stress affects every system in the body, such as the immune system and how exercise can be a beneficial stressor.
WHY: This is a fascinating read and will help you understand primitive and modern human adaptations.
WHY: Why is our body shaped the way that it is? What is the purpose of a thumb? What is the purpose of the arch of our foot? Lieberman dives deep into how are body has evolved over time and the purpose for each adaptation. This information provides perspective on what our body are meant for and are capable of doing.
WHY: This book is a must in understanding what a homeostatic and allostatic system is and why the difference matters. This information can be related to your training modalities, programming, and understanding behavior.
WHY: Once you have explored the above topics you can begin to understand where humankind is headed and the problems we may come to face. This information can be related to client behavior and lifestyle barriers.
- When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection by Gabor Maté $12.29
WHY: The book “explores the role of the mind-body link in conditions and diseases such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, IBS, and multiple sclerosis, draws on medical research and the author's clinical experience as a family physician, and includes The Seven A's of Healing-principles of healing and the prevention of illness from hidden stress.”
- Stress-Proof: The Scientific Solution to Protect Your Brain and Body- and be More Resilient Every Day by Mithu Storoni $15.28
WHY: “Each chapter examines a common stress agent—including inflammation, an out-of-sync body clock, cortisol levels, and emotional triggers—and presents simple ways to minimize its harmful effects with changes in diet, exercise, and other daily habits—including surprising hacks involving music, eye movements, body temperature, daily routine, and more.”
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Seminars & Online Courses
WHY: Learning about human behavior can help you understand and interact with clients and athletes. You can be more effective as a coach, create better relationships, and help clients succeed more in the gym.
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Podcasts
- Healthy Living Stanford: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers with Dr. Robert Sapolsky March 30, 2007
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Articles
WHY: This article goes through what stress is, how it can affect your health, and how to manage it.
WHY: “How many people have gut issues? So many. How many people know that stress can impact gut health? Not that many. This article is great for your own health, but also for your clients.” - Lucy Hendricks
WHY: This article is basically a textbook on allostasis, homeostasis, and the human brain. I can’t recommend this article highly enough.
- Allostatic Overload: Stress and Emotional Context Part 1 and Part 2 by Michelle Boland
WHY: This article makes the connection between understanding the brain, stress, and training. The articles explains how physiology dictates behavior and behavior modifies physiology. Part 2 connects these concepts to training modalities.
