Back again!

[Hans]

Back again!

I was a member of the old Forum for quite a long time – and I visited that at least once a day.

I’m a 53-year old physician and former amateur martial artist (judo, jiujitsu, aikido, karate, taiji) who have – for more years than I want to admit – let my body lie fallow.

While not doing very much to maintain muscle and endurance – and certainly not maintaining my weight! – I have kept busy working on movement skills, balance, rhythm etc. with, e.g., taiji, various bodywork and body-learning/awareness disciplines such Feldenkrais, Alexander and many others.

To give an idea of where my interests lie I may mention authors like Peter Ralston (”Cheng Hsin: The Principles of Effortless Power”), Tim Cartmell (”Effortless Combat Throws”), John Douillard (”Body, Mind and Sport”), and Gay Hendricks (”Achieving Vibrance”). – (Considering my present weight I may have spent too much time on the ”effortless” parts!)

And to these I have for the last couple of years added Scott Sonnon. (No surprise there!)

I’m still very interested in martial arts, nowadays emphasizing the self-defence aspects more. (I can still very easily throw my 15-year old taller and very athletic and strong son around!) As an out-of-shape 50+-year-old, though, what has really spiked my enthusiasm is Zdorovye! So far I have worked mainly with the Be Breathed tape, but I also have the Body-Flow tape (and book), and will shortly order Maximology, Warrior Wellness and Movement Health.

This forum seems mainly to attract athletes, martial artists and sports people, which is as it should be, of course. But I would like to see the older, out-of-shape, overweight couch potatoes join us, too!

I would love to see Zdorovye and Body-Flow spread to (and thru) our senior citizens, to old folks’ homes, etc. Considering what y’all (athletes et al) have discovered and gained from learning from Scott…imagine what could be achieved if you have an old body that haven’t moved ”properly” for most of your life – just think of the potential for improvement!!!

Let's spread the message!

And, all ye out-of-shape big people out there – I dare you to come out of your closets! Come join me! Let's discuss our particular difficulties!

Wishing y’all wellness and lots of peaks on your path!

Hans Du Rietz
Sweden

[Scott Sonnon]

Hans, welcome to the Tribe's new home! You have a great deal to contribute and I look forward to reading your progress, discoveries and insights!

[admin]

Hans, Welcome!

As another post-50 non-ahtlete, your comments strike a sympathetic cord.
...imagine what could be achieved if you have an old body that hasn’t moved ”properly” for most of your life – just think of the potential for improvement!!!
I've been into Z and CST for about a year, and altho I feel I still have very far to go before I could call myself rehabilitated and fully free of bodily kinks and embedded trauma, the progress I have made in the past year has been at least as rewarding as just about anything else I've ever done in life. I still dabble in T'ai Chi and continue to see a Feldenkrais bodyworker, but shudder to think where I'd be without having stumbled across all of this. Please see my write-up on the Body Flow site for some idea of how exciting this all can be.

As for old folks homes and senior citizens, the potential is vast and untapped. And I second your call for all the lurkers and overweight couch/mouse potatos and aging weekend warriors to come out of the closet here and post their experiences. After all, one of the first things that must be left behind if we are going to progress is our egos and our embarassment with where we think we are and where we think we should be on this road. Really, for myself its more about reclaiming the fun and simple enjoyment of movement than what others might think of me...and just as important, about helping other do the same!

We look forward to seeing your progress here on the forum.

Michael Gannon, CST Alpha

[Ken Harper]

Hans, Michael:

Maybe we should call ourselves the Z-Geezer Group (with a French pronunciation of "Z" for self-deprecating, Inspector Clouseau humor). Five years ago, a friend of mind who was a leading digital media artist gave me a "digital geezer" certificate when I hit the magic half-century mark.

I'm 55, and started w/ Z a couple-threeyears ago. I also train Girevoy Sport (kettlebell competition) and don't plan on letting my age put me into an asterisk category.

In fact, as I watch the youthful Bill Fox (Prana) put up his KB numbers, I'm thinking there's a nice competition brewing, but that's a sidebar.

Actually, Scott has twice helped me eliiminate serious, systemic pain. The first was back pain that my doctor and PT thought was a herniated disc and nothing could fix until I started combining Z and kettlebells.

The second was more recently when I got help w/ prolonged pain from a knee injury related to jumping rope.

I alternate Body-Flow/CST days w/ KB training for the most part. I also use my clubbells to get ready for and stay in shape for cross-country skiing, which I do in the winter w/ my wife and children.

Maybe we could create our own group on the forum to help others speak up and join in!

The greatest compliment I got regarding the effect "Z" has had on my life was when my 13 year old son, who is quite mobile and flexible, asked my wife if I was training to become an acrobat!

Best,

Ken, RKC

[Scott Sonnon]

If you suspect sufficient interest, I'd be more than willing to request that the Forum Admin set up a "Boomer Health & Fitness Zone" or some other such name you feel best addresses the call to the 50+ Club. We'd need a moderator or two to welcome and assist member questions. Let me know if this interests you, folks. You know that we're here to provide the best services possible for our customers and clients.

[SteveB]

At 51, and intending to live as close to 120 years as possible, I love everything that Z-Health stands for. When you're in your 20's and 30's it is possible to ignore that HEALTH is the foundation of fitness. We Survivors don't have that illusion, and if we want to reclaim lost movement options, let alone actually improve, it is crucial that our foundation be sound. The Warrior Wellness program may be the best Z-health foundation. It and the "Five Tibetans" program are my only absolutely never-miss daily practises. Once health is established, then basic fitness--bodyweight, weights, Clubbells, Kettlebells, whatever. The most important thing is to measure your success in terms of the quality of linkage between mind and body, the percentage of your latent ability that you are accessing. This keeps us from mourning lost capacities--such mourning actually keeps us from seeing how incredibly much there still is to learn. Look at training sessions as opportunities to learn, not just "work the body." Most of all, HAVE FUN. Look to find ways to explore, express creativity, grow, and contribute.

Welcome to the Tribe!

Steven Barnes

[mechow]

Hey Hans
Isnt that book 'the Principles of Effortless Power' great! and Scott Sonnon's work is outstanding! I think they go together marvelously. These are my 2 main paths. Ive been to Peter Ralston's camp. It was really good. Now Im trying to get to Sonnon's. I have progressed through warrior wellness and into fisticuffs, and can say that this approach has done as much as tai chi is doing, in a different way. I havn't been involved in pugilism much up till now, so I havnt trained the 'projection' style punch too much and now im only interested in 'casting.' I havnt seen this before Scott and Peter, and am now going solely in that direction. Trying to relax completely, integrate, move from center....you know, the '5 principles of an effortlessly effective body being.' Sonnon and Ralston work so well together. I feel like I am getting a complete education. Yeah I would love to work with people on Scott's material. It would be one way I would choose to make a living. Maybe sometime in the future. That new softwork trailer is pretty cool.
Dan