Hey Aretas Performance Community,
The Philosophy: What Gets Measured, Gets Managed
As we kick off a new year at Aretas, we’re moving away from the "just show up and sweat" mentality. Whether you are a competitive athlete, a tactical professional, or simply someone who refuses to let age dictate your physical limits, there is one variable that matters more than almost any other: Power.
In the fitness world, we talk a lot about strength and mobility. But Power—the ability to move a load quickly—is the first thing we lose as we age. If you don't measure your power output, you can't manage your performance.
The Physics: Your Performance Baseline
We use these standards at our Tosa, Hales, and STiKS locations to identify "energy leaks." If you are below the floor on these numbers, you aren't just losing speed; you’re likely increasing your risk of injury because your body has lost its ability to absorb and produce force efficiently.
The Aretas Athlete Standards (Age 40+):
Explosive Height (Vertical Jump): 19”
Horizontal Power (Broad Jump): Can you jump your own body length?
The Foundation (Dead Hang): Can you hang from a bar for >60 seconds? (A primary indicator of shoulder health and total body grip strength).
Work Capacity (Farmer Carry): Carry 75% of your body weight for 90 seconds.
The Work: Reclaiming Your Edge
If you haven't tested these lately, you might be surprised at where you stand. But here is the good news: Explosive muscle fibers can be trained at any age.
This week's Non-Negotiable: Add "Pre-Work" to your sessions. Before you hit the weights or the field, perform 3-5 reps of a maximum-effort jump or medicine ball throw. You need to remind your central nervous system how to "turn on" the fast-twitch fibers before you move into your slower, strength-based lifts.
The Aretas Challenge: Find a line on the floor this weekend and try the Broad Jump.
Mark your starting point.
Jump as far as you can.
Measure it against your height.
Are you "leaking" power or are you owning your movement? Hit reply and let us know your score—we’re building the 2026 Leaderboard now.
With Excellence,
The Aretas Performance Team