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mushtaq
05-30-2004, 01:18 PM
Hi All,

I feel quite honored to have been invited to participate in this section of the Forum.

Ever since I was first introduced to Scott’s work I have felt that there was a potential for something beyond “just” fitness. It has always seemed that knowingly or unknowingly, this work was becoming a process that would facilitate whole person integration and development in ways that are being used nowhere else that I am aware of.

So I am both excited and delighted to see this section of the forum being devoted to “wellness”. I am very much interested to see where this will take us all, especially after the “remedial” work is out of the way and the “generative” work begins.

I have to admit to being just a bit confused about how to proceed, so I am going to jump in with my best guess and trust to the rest of the group to help me “fine tune”

Date: 5/29/04

Time: I usually spread my workout over several sessions during the day and evening, one friend told me that I have a “grazing” style of working out. I am not sure what the best way to log my daily activities is yet so I will have to play it by ear and perhaps try several different ways.

Morning Workout 8:00 am

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: On a scale of one to ten, about a four.

I just completed a trip yesterday that took me halfway around the world and from the southern hemisphere to the northern. I am feeling pretty beat up from sitting on planes and in airports for about thirty hours.

Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness level one.

“Control pause” breathing meditation*

I chose to do level one today as I am feeling pretty beat up physically from my long plane trip. I have found for myself, that when I have undergone a lot of physical stress it is often best for me to go back to “basics”.

*this is a traditional Sufi meditation practice that I modified to work in alignment with the “Be Breathed” and “Performance Breathing” protocols.

Sets: One set of the full level one. Five minutes meditation.

Repetitions: Ten repetitions of each exercise. Lengthened the “control pause” to about 30 seconds in meditation.

Rest Period: No rest period

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 5 of 10 (feeling like I didn’t want to overdo it today)


Rate of Technique (RT): 6 out of 10 (feeling stiff)



Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 4 out of 10 I am not feeling pain from the movements, but rather stiffness and a shortening of my ROM.



Sensations: A good deal of “stiffness” in the joints and a feeling of my upper thoracic spine being “locked”. Muscle pain in my neck to start. An overall feeling of relief after the set was finished.



Feelings: I hit some interesting emotions in this workout. As I started on the upper spine I was hit with feeling of “nostalgic sadness” associated with my students in Arusha. This is the first time in six months that I have not had at least one workout a day with them. I think I am feeling isolated from my support system.


Images: Flashes of Mount Meru occurred off and on throughout the session.


Thoughts: My thoughts revolve around the question of lone training versus working with a support group. There seem to be advantages and disadvantages to both.

Questions: No particular questions at the moment.



Date: 5/29/04

Time: Afternoon 1:30 pm

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: 5 of 10

Exercise Selection: Clubbell workout with my 15 lb club, consisting of swings and clean to order as warm-up, then torch snatches, pendulums (inward outward), Armpit casts, head casts, swipes, fimbos*.

“Control pause” breathing meditation.

*The fimbo is a club exercise I developed for people who do a lot of staff and sword work (I don’t know if anyone else has come up with it, but I haven’t seen it described under a different name anywhere). It has an added benefit of really developing the biceps and related pulling muscles.


Sets: Three sets of ten each except for the fimbo which was four sets. Five minutes meditation.

Repetitions: Ten repetitions of each exercise. Lengthened the “control pause” to about 30 seconds in meditation.

Rest Period: one minute rest between sets.

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 5 of 10 (feeling like I didn’t want to overdo it today)


Rate of Technique (RT): 6 out of 10


Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 3 out of 10 I am feeling better for my morning workout.

Sensations: My body liked the clubs today. I found the sequential joint rotations (shoulder, elbow, wrist) of the fimbo to be peculiarly pleasurable.

Feelings: After some slight internal grumbling over slight pain and stiffness, I mostly experienced a lot of happiness with being able to swing the clubs again.


Images: none that I remember


Thoughts: I am always just slightly amazed at how much I enjoy working with the clubs being as I have always disliked every other form of resistance training I have ever done

Questions: No particular questions at the moment.


Date: 5/29/04

Time: Late Afternoon 5:30 pm

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: 5 of 10

Exercise Selection: Juru and lankah (These are the basic movement sets of Pencak Silat, the martial art I practice and teach, think of them maybe as kinetic chains with a focus on combat applications, though they are not usually taught as such).

Sword work.

“Control pause” breathing meditation.

Sets: No sets, just sort of flowed through movements for an hour.

Repetitions: I guess it would be one rep.

Rest Period: Five minutes rest between empty hand and sword

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 5 of 10

Rate of Technique (RT): 5 out of 10 Balance was off. Timing was off.


Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 3 out of 10 still a little stiff

Sensations: I had difficulty finding my dynamic balance point. Sort of felt like my center was hiding. My mobility is not what I want it to be.

Feelings: A slight sense of frustration.


Images: none that I remember


Thoughts: Gotta work on balance.

Questions: No particular questions at the moment.


Date: 5/29/04

Time: evening 9:00 pm

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: 5 of 10

Exercise Selection: The Five Tibetans. “Control pause” breathing meditation.




Sets: one set of each of the five, 30 minutes meditation.

Repetitions: Twenty one repetitions of each exercise. Lengthened the “control pause” somewhat beyond 30 seconds in meditation.

Rest Period: none

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 5 of 10

Rate of Technique (RT): 6 out of 10


Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 3 out of 10

Sensations: Still feeling the effects of the trip, mostly as fatigue at the moment.

Feelings: Meditation was good this evening. Breathing, attention and awarness were starting feel connected again.


Images: none that I remember


Thoughts: Tomorrow I need to work balance exercises.

Questions: No particular questions at the moment.

mushtaq
05-30-2004, 04:31 PM
Date: 5/30/04

Time: Morning Workout 6:00 am

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: 5 of 10

I am starting to recover from the tip, but my internal clock has yet to reset itself.

Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness level two.

“Control pause” breathing meditation


Sets: One set of the full level two with two extra sets of the four corner balance drill. Five minutes meditation.

Repetitions: Ten repetitions of each exercise.
Rest Period: No rest period

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 5 of 10

Rate of Technique (RT): 6 out of 10
My balance has been most effected by the long trip and the jet lag and it is defiantly affecting my form.

Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 3 out of 10 feeling better on the physical level today.

Sensations: still experiencing a degradation of my equilibrium and fine motor skills


Feelings: edging right up to feelings of irritation and a hint of anger. I hate feeling clumsy. I had to focus strongly on keeping my breathing correct. That helped.


Images: No images.


Thoughts: I have been wondering why it bothers me so much to feel clumsy. Especially if there is no one around to notice. It defiantly seem connected to self image.

Questions: Anyone know any good exercises for jet lag and resetting the internal clock?

Scott Sonnon
05-30-2004, 06:59 PM
Mushtaq,

Welcome aboard, amigo. Performance Breathing control pause extension and Warrior Wellness may help jet lag.

The Fimbo sounds like a great topic for an article for CST MAG.

mushtaq
05-30-2004, 08:22 PM
Date: 5/30/04

Time: Afternoon Workout 4:00 pm

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: 6 of 10

My energy is beginning to pick up again.

Exercise Selection: Clubbell workout. Swings and clean to order as warm-up. Bull whips, Swipes, Head casts, Side swipes, Fimbos, Parry casts.

Sets: Three sets

Repetitions: fifteen repetitions of each exercise.
Rest Period: one minute between sets

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 6 of 10

Rate of Technique (RT): 7 out of 10
I’m feeling more “in the groove” this afternoon.

Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 2 out of 10

Sensations: My balance is more what I am used to and I am feeling more “in my body” thanks I think to the morning Warrior Wellness session.


Feelings: Mostly enjoyment, a feeling of mild pleasure at the sensation of swinging the clubs.


Images: No images.


Thoughts: My mind is fairly quiet through the whole workout.

Questions: No questions at the moment

mushtaq
05-30-2004, 08:28 PM
Mushtaq,

Welcome aboard, amigo. Performance Breathing™ control pause extension and Warrior Wellness™ may help jet lag.

The Fimbo sounds like a great topic for an article for CST MAG.

I think that without Performance Breathing™ control pause extension and Warrior Wellness™ I would be jelly brained for a few days.

I will get Steve to help me put the Fimbo into article form. If it is indeed a new exercise I think it will be useful for the whole Tribe.

I am very impressed with the content of this group and am really looking forward to seeing where this goes.


Mushtaq Ali

mushtaq
05-31-2004, 08:05 AM
Date: 5/30/04

Time: Evening Workout 9:00 pm

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: 7 of 10

Exercise Selection: Five Tibetans, Control Pause breathing

Sets: one set

Repetitions: Twenty one repetitions of each exercise. Breath practice for twenty minutes.

Rest Period: None

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 6 of 10

Rate of Technique (RT): 7 out of 10

Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 2 out of 10

Sensations: My body is feeling all in all pretty good. I am still experiencing an annoying discomfort in the upper spine, not all the kinks are out yet.


Feelings: An overall feeling of “coming back to life”. I have experienced a low-grade anxiety during the session though. My mind keeps coming back to food. (see thoughts)


Images: No images.


Thoughts: All day I have been concerned about my diet. After eating “African” style for seven months I am finding Western food revolting. Nothing here has any real taste anymore. I have to see if I can find an open health food store tomorrow.

Questions: No questions at the moment

mushtaq
05-31-2004, 08:19 AM
Date: 5/31/04

Time: Morning Workout 6:30 am

Place: Backyard, Napa house.

Energy Level: 8 of 10

Exercise Selection: Warrior Wellness level two, Control Pause breathing

Sets: one set

Repetitions: ten repetitions of each exercise. Breath practice for five minutes.

Rest Period: None

Rate of Perceived Exertion: 6 of 10

Rate of Technique (RT): 7 out of 10

Rate of Perceived Discomfort (RPD): 2 out of 10

Sensations: I feel much more energetic this morning, my joints are feeling much more supple than they have in the last several days. I am still experiencing a bound area in the upper spine around T3/T4 that is giving me some limitation. I gotta work on this today.


Feelings: Something is bubbling just under the surface, but I have not connected to it yet.


Images: No images.


Thoughts: I am still thinking about food.

Questions: I am completely unfamiliar with the “Potatoes not Prozac” material. I will be ordering the book tomorrow but in the meantime is there anything available that gives a brief outline of the philosophy?

Scott Sonnon
05-31-2004, 08:40 AM
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