IntuFlow discomfort scale

[Nick1974]

During Intuflow , is performing at a discomfort level of 4 more beneficial than performing at a 0?

If one's session had an average discomfort level of 4 it would be a very different experience than if it was 0. 0 would be 'fun'. 4 would be 'hard work'. Question is, can we progress without putting in some 'hard work'?

[Connie Brown]

That's an interesting question.

I think it's not just about the issue, and the discomfort, but also time.

Say you "shave off" the tension or dysfunction, in such tiny slices that your discomfort was never higher than 3. Wouldn't it take longer? or if you go low enough in discomfort... never progress?

Or, if you try to speed things up but go over a discomfort of 4, then the body braces to defend and you regress instead of progress.

Certainly "effort" is required.

[Coach Flanagan]

Gross analogy - When you go to a massage therapist, do they barely touch you (RPD:0) or do they get in deep(RPD:3)? If you encounter no discomfort, you're not going to your fullest, safely accessed range of motion so you most certainly are short changing yourself.

Also, "hard work" is a measure of effort, not of discomfort. Rate of perceived discomfort(RPD) of 3 can be considered "Slightly uncomfortable work"

[Coach Gostnell]

I must get too long-winded while composing, because once again the Forum tossed me out before I could finish. But here it is:


During Intuflow , is performing at a discomfort level of 4 more beneficial than performing at a 0?

If one's session had an average discomfort level of 4 it would be a very different experience than if it was 0. 0 would be 'fun'. 4 would be 'hard work'. Question is, can we progress without putting in some 'hard work'?

Hi Nick,
A discomfort level of 4 is not necessarily "hard work". Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is the way to gauge work.

Someone could have a low RPE and a high Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD), which could mean they're doing damage to themself without really "working at it."

The intuitive CST guidelines for most workouts call for RPE of 6 to 9, RPD of 3 to 4 or lower, and then of course a high RPT (Technique - 6 and above). Numbers outside those ranges mean something in the workout needs to be adjusted, i.e. effort increased, or decreased, depending on discomfort and technique.

As the numbers change, say RPE goes below 6, RPD goes or stays down, while RPT goes up, it may be time to evaluate starting a new cycle of exercises.

Coach Sonnon wrote an elightening article in Guys v. Gals

http://www.rmaxinternational.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2281&highlight=difference+women

that you might want to peruse because it explains so well how we might be correlating discomfort with effort, and vice versa.

[Nick1974]

Connie, I'm not sure I understand your response (just the way you wrote it). But I think you're saying lower than 3 or 4 will result in no (or very slowwwww) progression, and more than 4 will result in regression due to re-enforcement of fear reactivity.

Sean - good analogy, I'm thinking along the same lines. And yes 'hard work' was a bad choice of words. 'Uncomfortable work' is what I meant.

I hope I don't offend anyone, but I'm skeptical when people report about how much 'fun' intuflow is; it makes me think they aren't doing it right. I don't find it fun at all. Its uncomfortable, frustrating, difficult, and progress is VERY slow for me. But that's not becasue its a bad programme, its because my body is in such bad condition!

[Connie Brown]

Connie, I'm not sure I understand your response (just the way you wrote it). But I think you're saying lower than 3 or 4 will result in no (or very slowwwww) progression, and more than 4 will result in regression due to re-enforcement of fear reactivity.
Yes, I think you got what I meant. I meant, less discomfort might mean slower progress. Slow is not automatically bad... sometimes it's what is needed.


I hope I don't offend anyone, but I'm skeptical when people report about how much 'fun' intuflow is; it makes me think they aren't doing it right.
oh we are talking about the parts that feel good and skipping those other ones.
JUST KIDDING. I too get frustrated and sometimes it is difficult, I am awkward, and progress feels like nil.

I vividly remember the first time I finally figured out that when Scott says on the DVD, "this is a tender movement for some people", that means it's going to be awkward as heck, hurt, and it will be ME.

[Coach Flanagan]

Its not "fun" as in exhilirating but on days you get a good practice in it can feel like a pirate finding buried treasure. If you're finding it frustrating, chances are you're forcing it. You should be (as Coach Sonnon said on a video, PYB I believe) "Enteratained, not frustrated". Personally, I love finding the hitches in my movement. I would be much more frustrated if I could find them and had no idea how to get better. With that said, if tommorow I were to try cloverleaves on every joint of my body, I would become frustrated pretty quickly because thats very much out of reach at the moment.

So fun as in exhilating for me, rarely. Fun as in entertaining, usually. Its just a matter of challenging yourself just enough that you have to be conscious in what you're doing and enjoying being a little bit more free of your impediments. Finding the right time of day and setting is also pretty important, but thats a while 'nother story.

Though its still work so if you dont find that fun, thats ok - as long as you still do it I'm happy;) :)

[Coach Gostnell]

but I'm skeptical when people report about how much 'fun' intuflow is;

Now if you'd said FLOWFIT, I'd be right there with you - the funnest thing about that is when the timer rings that it's over.

But I do have to say that IntuFlow is very enjoyable for me - at least once I get started. Sometimes beginning it (usually at 0'dark-thirty a.m.) is a challenge; have to think of just one movement at a time, but I'll start very slow & the "head downward, core outward" regime has the benefit, already mentioned, of getting me awake enough to finish.