Walt Whitman’s Cold Water and Open Air Advice, Checked by Science
In 1858, Walt Whitman quietly wrote a newspaper health series praising cold bathing, fresh air, and outdoor exercise. Here is what he actually said, and what modern research supports.
Chris Pruitt
Chris Pruitt is a certified ASFA personal trainer and the founder of WorkoutHealthy, a fitness equipment retailer serving customers since 2007. He has more than 16 years in the fitness business, and he writes and fact checks everything published on Insider.
Vittorino da Feltre’s Pleasant House: A Renaissance School That Made Time for Play
In 1423, Vittorino da Feltre opened a school in Mantua where physical training stood beside books. Here is what his students actually did, and what research says about active school days.
Plato on Balancing Gymnastics and Music: Training Body and Mind
In the Republic, Plato warned that pure athletes turn savage and pure musicians turn soft. Here is what he actually argued, and what research says about exercise and the mind.
1,224 Pounds Across Ten Meters: Patrik Baboumian’s Yoke Carry World Record
In 2013, vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian carried a 555.2 kg yoke 10 meters, a Guinness World Record that still stands. Here is what the lift actually demands, and what the vegan diet angle does and does not prove.
Martha Stewart Trains Five Days a Week, but the ‘No Days Off’ Claim Goes Too Far
Martha Stewart's current routine includes three Pilates sessions and two weight workouts most weeks, plus plenty of everyday movement.
Will Smith’s Best Shape of My Life Was a 20-Week Reset, Not a Marathon Plan
What Will Smith’s 2021 series actually documented: a 20-week goal, strength and cardio work, setbacks, and a mental-health turn—not verified marathon training.
Pan Zhanle’s 46.40: The Fastest 100m Freestyle in Swimming History
Pan Zhanle swam 46.40 seconds in the men's 100m freestyle final at Paris 2024, breaking his own world record and winning by more than a full second. Here is what the numbers, the science, and an independent check of the record's current status actually show.
10 Gym Habits That Cost Everyone Else Training Time
Ten gym habits everyone recognizes, what each one actually costs the people around you, and the ten second fix for each. Includes the one almost every lifter becomes at least once.
STRUETH Twin Study: Can Switching Training Rescue Progress?
The STRUETH twin study found that strength responded most to resistance training and VO2max responded most to endurance training. Switching modes helped some low responders, but that does not prove fixed responder types.
312 Ring Dips With a 100-Pound Pack: Jake Rintoul’s One-Hour Record
Jake Rintoul completed 312 ring dips with a 100-pound pack in one hour after more than two years of preparation. Guinness lists the 2024 mark on its public record page.