You were born for this.

May 30, 2012 – 1:33 pm
"My Style is the True Yoga" (Martial Art, Kettlebell lifting, Club swinging, Natural Movement style, etc.) Incorrect. If a discipline enabled your development, it's not THE style but YOUR style, not THE pose but YOUR pose, not THE technique, but YOUR technique, as it remains biomechanically (and energetically) impossible to replicate someone else's style, pose or technique. It's even impossible to replicate your OWN skill twice. Educational systems are vehicles for exploring your physical expression of aliveness, not destinations to observe and worship. Commit yourself to a discipline, surround yourself with the support of your team, and master the basics; rather than dabbling in too many styles and becoming master-of-none. Flippant dalliance causes you to get lost in the wilderness of systems, history, theory, context, politics. None of that drama matters, for it's not truly the system that you master, but yourself. Show me a technique. Where is it? Nowhere. You ...

Mindful vs Mindless Movement

May 30, 2012 – 11:13 am
  Having participated in this discipline for the past 20 years, I've observed the seismic shift occurring in the fitness community; adjusting the what, why, where, and how we exercise. Although dualistic contrasts are problematic, we can witness the contradistinction between the prior and emergent paradigms: Mindless vs Mindless Movement: ignores dysfunction vs restores lost function external appearance of physique vs internal experience of movement prioritizes high intensity vs values varied intensity body as machine body as ecosystem numbs sensation enhances proprioceptive awareness exclusively quantifies movement vs qualifies movement with quantity segments vs integrates exhausts vs recovers demands randomness vs values planned variety obligatory vs playful external authority vs innate empowerment probable harming vs purposeful healing single planes of motion vs maximal degrees of freedom V/R, Scott Sonnon a2a_linkname="Mindful vs Mindless Movement";a2a_linkurl="http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?p=1012";

“Be courageous, but calm.”

May 30, 2012 – 10:03 am
As my teacher from India arrives this week, I am reminded of counsel she once gave, "Be courageous, but calm." Simpler, clearer wisdom could not be uttered. Life can feel like an asylum running amok, and certainly we will need to face, not flee, from its challenges, but if we are to unlock the opportunities lying within, we must exhale, settle down, and get grounded... if we intend to act reasonably, sufficiently and non-excessively. V/R, Scott Sonnon a2a_linkname="\"Be courageous, but calm.\" ";a2a_linkurl="http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?p=1011";

Fear Not, Your Light

May 30, 2012 – 9:59 am
  Plato wrote, "Easily, we forgive a child who afraid of the dark; for the real tragedy of life: when we fear our own light." Suffer no judgements by others, though they will come. Await them expectantly with a smile; knowing that they are cloaked cries for help, secret wishes to be proven wrong that their innate strength is a lie. Keep courage in the darkness we all must face, but confidently step into your own light. Be your truth... and others will illuminate their own. V/R, Scott Sonnon a2a_linkname="Fear Not, Your Light";a2a_linkurl="http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?p=1010";

Obesity: Beauty and Worth vs Health and Fitness

May 30, 2012 – 9:58 am
Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." Let's seek to use our minds greatly, and discuss some ideas for a moment. As someone who overcame childhood obesity, without yo-yo backsliding, I intimately can relate that these are some of the strongest emotions in the world surrounding nutrition, exercise and body image. Obesity has become a bug-bear designation, fraught with sensitive, reactive ego. When we recover from obesity, or food sensitivities (like gluten) and substance addictions (like sugar), an enormous chemical storm assails our mind with the "molecules of emotion" (ibid Candace Pert). This gives rise to a cacophony of self-deprecating judgements, which we often outwardly projected upon others. [Disease and illness of any kind can cause this catastrophizing filter judging ourselves and others.] So, let's distinguish between: preferential judgement (what you consider beautiful and worthy) and professional assessment (what has been scientifically evaluated and you have been ...

You Become What You Most Repeatedly Do

May 27, 2012 – 7:15 pm
You become what you most repeatedly do, whether you prefer it or not. Some read this and see problems. Others read this and see possibilities. The former believe in fate, the latter - in the forge. Not the discovery that we can become whatever we do that shocked me most, but the awareness that we CHOOSE to perceive that as obstacle or opportunity, which transformed me... And this compels me to share that news with as many as I can reach. What you are now, you can sacrifice for who you wish to become. Instead of deciding to "live a little" and suffer the consequences, choose to "live a lot" and enjoy them. V/R, Scott Sonnon a2a_linkname="You Become What You Most Repeatedly Do";a2a_linkurl="http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?p=1008";

Make Your Line Longer

May 27, 2012 – 7:14 pm
I received a message from an old "competitor" of mine who had beaten me at a kickboxing tournament in the early 90s. He wrote "others may buy into all this world championship BS, but I remember what you were really like when I handed you your ass back in ‘91. Chumps lose, not champs." Brother, the one who doesn’t fall, hasn't stood up. I've lost more fights than most people have had. The only undefeated champions are those who have never competed. In 20 years of competitive fighting on the National Team, winning US gold in five different sports, I am happy with how long I stuck with the game. Are you? It seems that your animosity toward me may be a projection of disappointment in your stamina for your own goals. You're better than that. Mentally diminishing the accomplishments of another will not make you feel any better about yourself. One late ...

Is your Yoga Strong?

May 7, 2012 – 10:52 am
Many of us hold preconceived ideas and notions of what "yoga" ought to involve, its purpose, intent and mission. But physical yoga is intended for one reason: to reunite the body, mind and emotions into one-pointed focus. Where ever you are, in what ever you do, you can "yoke" these apparently separated aspects into union. A strong yoga practice can use any intensity level for its physiological purpose, but do to so safely and appropriately, track and measure your internal arousal level. First, determine your heart rate maximum. HRmax = 205.8 − (0.685 × age). Then, match your intensity to the appropriate fitness level and internal response to the activity. Convalescing: No Intensity (<40%HRmax) Beginners: Low Intensity (40-60%HRmax) Builds aerobic base and aids in recovery Intermediate: Moderate Intensity (60-80%HRmax) increases endurance and trains the anaerobic threshold Experienced only: High Intensity builds high-end work capacity No Intensity: If you're recovering, reconditioning, or recuperating, begin with light joint rotations here, ...

Your Greatest Strength? (Will Surprise you.)

May 7, 2012 – 6:43 am
A strange post to my page today: "Stick to teaching how to fight and drop the positive attitude shit. I dont care about being a better person. For a lot of people life just sucks and they need to get strong enough to take what they deserve before anyone else takes it from them. Being kind to everyone makes you weak and gets you exploited." I can appreciate your concern about exploitation, about becoming vulnerable. Coming from a history of violence, and experiencing first hand the physical, mental and emotional cruelty, I would never suggest anything but strength. In the mid 90s, I tested for my black belt in Aikido, I had all the skills, as well as my youthful vigor as a nationally competitive fighter. Thrashing my demonstration, sending my ukes flying like broken balsa wood, my Aikido teacher asked me to attack him instead. Seeing this as an opportunity to ...

Higher than you Imagine

May 6, 2012 – 3:30 pm
After six years in Russia, I was asked to exhibition against a Russian master of sport, and feared I'd let my coach, team, company and family down. What if I FAILED? So my coach asked for my best fighting posture. He pushed me easily over and said, "100% of the attacks you don't take will miss, and 50% of your best defense remains vulnerable. Hold back nothing. Your best odds: whatever you fear, move directly toward it, relentlessly." That lesson has shown me more success than any fearful cautiousness. Like my unlikely win against the Russian master, you will take a few shots, some of them will rock you, but you will earn zero regrets and uncommon success. I once gauged my success on the level of my competition. But now, I find myself transcending 'otherly' competition. Now, I focus on competing with my current notion of my potential: how am I limiting ...