New Warrior Wellness observations

[Ryan]

Within the last couple days, I had a flat tire. While trying to change the lugs, I greatly exacerbated a lower back problem (just right of the spine and runs down into my gluteal area). Little did I know that the lugs were "frozen" to the wheel. In my efforts to change the tire, I actually bent the lug wrench, eventhough it was too short for any sufficient leverage. Sounds negative right? Wrong.

Sure, I hurt my back, but I learned some very interesting things from it:

1. I could sense when my body was bracing itself, my abs would remain flexed unless I took notice of them. Is this close to fear reactivity? (I have not begun Body Flow yet, I wish to focus more on basic recovery of movement.)

2. I have learned to trust my body even more. Intuitively, I have been allowing my body to move and change direction gently. My transitions between everyday movements have become more fluid as I am now relaxing into my movements.

3. Although my back is injured, my daily Warrior Wellness practice has become deeper and I am "feeling" my movements even more.

In the past, when I would injure my back or any other body part, I would be focused on the pain and diminished capacity for functioning. Not now. I have learned so much about my body in the last couple days that I wouldn't pass up this "injury" for anything. Emotionally, I have no fear and can smile just fine. I attribute this change in persective to my daily practice of Warrior Wellness. I am still suprised at the difference this program has made in my emotional life. Just wanted to share this with the tribe...

[Connie Brown]

That is very cool! There's something about being armed with understanding, and the means to be in charge of our breathing/movement/structure, that changes everything.

great story

[KD Jones]

This is really great. Beautiful really, if you think about it on the level of reunion...

I had something similar (but much smaller) recently. We live in one of those split-level mid 70's construction houses. We've had to knock a few walls out... but the way I move is still too big for the house - I've slam into corners, and am constantly whacking my forearms into the few doorknobs in the hallway.

Anyway, several days ago, I was speeding out of my daughter's room towoard some other imperative, and my shoulder made contact with one of the dreaded corners. I didn't notice until I was down the hall that without thinking, I had 'slipped' the impact. My body had made a 'vertical wave' quickly enough to maintain the flow of my movement, speed and balance.

"Thank you, Warrior Wellness (Intu-Flow)"

[Nick1974]

Good post Ryan. My perspective on 'fitness' has completely changed also since discovering RMAX. Coach Sonnon's articles 'What is fitness' and 'what is flow in fitness' blew me away, and changed my view of what it means to be fit.

Previously, when training 'conventionally' I would adjust my life around my workouts, and make sacrifices in my life to conserve the energy and motivation to 'do my workouts'. I would avoid doing anything physical (other than my workouts) for fear of it injuring me or tiring me out and preventing me from 'achieving my fitness goals' - because I defined fitness as being able to attain a certain work capacity in the gym. For example I would use an elevator instead of stairs so I could conserve energy for my squat workout that night. Ridiculous I know!

But now I view my training as an investment whose returns are: more energy, vitality, concentration, relaxation, and efficiency of movement throughout the whole day (not just during the 'workout'). I take pleasure now in the 'fun' of scootting up a flight of stairs efficiently, and effortlesslessly (ie reaping the rewards of my training). I'm not suggesting that all of a sudden I am the perfect picture of health and fitness - far from it - but I am saying that my view on the definition of what constitutes that has changed, and as a result, so have my training modalities.

And I agree with you about the 'bodily awareness'. Before I would deny problems and hope they would disapppear, and live in fear of them happening, now I listen to everything that is happening internally and respond appropriately to address the issue (without anxiety). Actually by being sensitive to your body's needs and treating it with respect you actually grow to respect yourself more as a person, and others for that matter. The change in me is quite profound.

[peterng25]

I quit fencing a couple of years before I discovered RMAX. I've been doing body martial arts (krav maga), and it's going really well, feel much more confident than I could without the resources found here.
Yesterday, I fenced again and it was a real eye opener! I guess you can imagine going back to a martial art, with the apprehension that its 'teachings' are so specialized, that nothing I learned here would be relevant. I was girding myself for some sort of disappointment.
Let me tell everyone, fencing as I saw it with my RMAX eyes was like having a special zoom and focus feature installed secretly in your brain. All the work done on Warrior Wellness kicked in, clicking in one after another. Performance breathing is a gem, makes you leap forward in progress. I want to say that grappling, striking, sword fights, shooting, each deals with specialized circumstances ('Biomechanics of the blade!'), but our knowledge seems universally applicable.
One question I'd like to raise, is has any tribesmember noticed anything when doing riding/driving/flying sports, ala motorbike, motocross, etc... By now I am thinking that there has to be some benefits from what we practice daily

Peter

[Ryan]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and your willingness to share. I love the way a simple post can bring us together in common experience and expound upon the details that we could not see in ourselves.


I had something similar (but much smaller) recently.

Kd, I don't think that your experience is smaller in any way; it's awesome. The event was profound in that it had no impact.

Great stuff, everyone, great stuff...

[BanzaiBonnie]

On Coach Sonnon's recommendation I had been working on the knee circles for the last week and I was hoping I was doing it right. I've been taking 500mg. Naproxen 2x daily for months and it was no longer taking care of the pain in my knee. I quit taking the Naproxen the day I began the knee circles and have only had an occasional twinge since.

My copy of Warrior Wellness came yesterday.

After one round with Warrior Wellness I felt great. My circulation was pumped up and my whole body was warm. I tend to have low blood pressure, so getting it to circulate in the way it did was fantastic.

Now, my fitness has not been the best, but my husband's is really poor. He is so impressed with the way I am looking and feeling he is going to start Coach Barnes "Five Minute Miracle" and follow with Warrior Wellness. I am going to shut up and not say anything more to him about it because it has to be carried by his own desire to feel better.

At 50, I have no intention of going into the next 50 or more years of my life being some crippled person barely able to move.

I'm just going to go about the business of getting fit and people around me will want to know what I'm doing. When I tell them, I'll point them this direction and they'll have the opportunity to do something too.

[Scott Sonnon]

Bonnie, you're wonderful! Congratulations on your dedication to your pain-free health and longevity!!! :D :D

[stultzies9]

Reading Steven Barnes for years, and being turned on to RMAX because of him has completely changed the way I think and feel about fitness. I used to be pretty obsessed with the idea of having the "bodybuilder" physique, which, since I'm pretty heavily overweight, seemed right out of the realm of possibility. Since starting Warrior Wellness and Intu-Flow, and spending WAY too much time on this forum, that's all changed. Anymore, I don't care if I match the current social "ideal", as long as I'm fit enough to work all day, spend time with my friends, family, and loved ones, and rehearse and play out without collapsing afterwards.

In fact, I was watching TV the other day and saw one of the new Bowflex commercials, and they had some 41 year old professional volleyball player pitching for them. His whole spiel came down to "I have pumped arms, ripped abs, and legs of steel". Which in and of itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for the first time, I found myself wondering "Yeah, but how do your knees and back feel?"

I'm corrupted now. Yay corruption! :lol:

[Scott Sonnon]

Aaron, :lol: word, mi amigo!

[Nick1974]

I found myself wondering "Yeah, but how do your knees and back feel?"

Exactly Aaron, I think the same way now. :lol: I actually feel pity for people who are stuck in the "bigger, faster, heavier poundage" mentality - at best its just unsustainable, at worst it will destroy your health completely and irreversibly. In any event, it will come to an end eventually - then what? Retirement??

[Scott Sonnon]

Nick, exactly. From athletics, it's commonly accepted for adults to retire at 25. I've been doing my best work at 36... and it only keeps getting smoother, easier, more energetic and painless.

[stultzies9]

I think that more than anything, this is what's kept me coming back here over and over again. This is the first place outside of a Tai Chi class I've seen that emphasizes being healthy even when you're old. Where just about every other fitness ideal seems to stop caring about you when you're over 50, this place puts all it's emphasis on being able to still move, and maybe even move more efficiently, when you're well into your "golden years".

If nothing else, the thought of not having to have my Depends changed for me when I'm 90 keeps me motivated. :lol:

[Connie Brown]

Where just about every other fitness ideal seems to stop caring about you when you're over 50
This goes both ways. For me, I simply cannot whip up any enthusiasm or relevance for Bowflex-type goals any more. That guy who says he has "pumped arms, ripped abs, and legs of steel" I'd be thinking, okay, so what's the "so what." :lol: Is there any "there" there? THAT's what would be interesting.

[Scott Sonnon]

Not to mention the Bowflex product recalls :!: :lol:

[stultzies9]

Not to mention the Bowflex product recalls

LOL! Hadn't heard about those. :lol:

[Scott Sonnon]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/29/health/main596623.shtml


Bowflex Equipment Recalled

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bowflex Power Pro Fitness Machine (AP)



(AP) The makers of the popular Bowflex fitness machine are recalling nearly 800,000 units after dozens of people reported injuries from mechanical problems, the government announced Tuesday.

This marks the second large recall of Bowflex equipment this year. In January, the machine's manufacturer issued a voluntary recall of about 420,000 units after reports of similar mechanical problems.

The latest recall affects 680,000 Bowflex Power Pro systems and 102,000 Bowflex Ultimate Fitness Machines, manufactured by The Nautilus Group, of Vancouver, Wash.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the machine's seat can unexpectedly break on the Ultimate model and Power Pro with "Lat Tower." There were 46 reports of such incidents and two of those were serious injuries requiring stitches to the head.

Another failure involves the machine's backboard bench unexpectedly collapsing when it is in the incline position on Power Pro models without the "Lat Tower." There were 42 reports of this failure and subsequent injuries to the back, neck and head, none of which were serious.

The company issued its recall in January after reports of more than 70 injuries due to the backboard bench failure and problems with the "Lat Tower." That piece — used to strengthen the upper body — can weaken over time and collapse, injuring the user's back, head and shoulder.

The recalled machines were sold at fitness stores and through informercials and direct mail around the nation between 1995 and April of this year. The systems cost between $1,200 and $1,600, depending on the model.

Consumers are advised to stop using the backboard bench in the incline position and contact the company to receive a free repair kit. Customers who participated in the recall in January and owners of the Ultimate systems will automatically receive a kit, the company said. Where owners names are known for all models, the company will contact them as well.

Consumers can call Bowflex at 1-800-820-8604 to receive the repair kit.


©MMIV The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[stultzies9]

ROFLMAO!!!!!

If any negative press for another product could be used to sell more Clubbells, this is it?

"Tired of the debilitating back injuries from your collapsing Bowflex? Try new Clubbells! No moving parts to crack your spine. Guaranteed not to cripple you for life!" :lol:

[Scott Sonnon]

2,002,000 total units recalled @ an average retail price of $1,300/unit = $2,602,600,000 worth of damages to people's wallets not counting the actual physical injury damages :!: :shock: :o :evil: Billions of wasted dollars on an egoic pip dream. Typical of the conventional fitness industry and why RMAX has become so explosively popular these past few years.

Can you imagine if those people had spent less than 1/10th of that cost on a Clubbell? The world would be a better place, and the other 9/10ths could have been spent on good food.

[stultzies9]

Wow. And they're still in business?

I don't know, maybe it's because I've been corrupted, but for $1300, I'd rather buy 10-12 clubbells in differing weights. If nothing else, they're more versatile, and don't take up as much floor space.

[Scott Sonnon]

Yeah, if THIS is koolaid we're drinking, then I'll stick with it considering that they're drinking hemlock. :lol:

[stultzies9]

"Hey, wait a minute here. Why's the Kool-Aid smell like bitter almonds?"

"It's a new flavor. Drink up!"

[Ryan]

Amen, everyone. Since my original post, my lower back is almost completely tension free. The little nagging pain that I had before my tire changing attempt is still there, however it is not pain now. It feels like a knot that is beginning to loosen. Man, when I feel any tension, I know it will melt away in time. Thanks Coach for the tools of empowerment and all of you; your stories and posts inspired me to return to this path of self-discovery.

I've never liked Kool-Aid either.

[BanzaiBonnie]

Excellent, Ryan. The RMax stuff is amazing. My knee feels a bit stronger (stable) every day. And I'm only a week and a half into this.

Keep up the good work.


Bonnie