Relating the components of fitness to building character Part 2. Muscular Endurance

       Actions create causes, and the ability to repeat movements is essential for progress. Motion involves muscular exertion and this can be a repetitive movement of major muscle groups or isolated. Our ability to continue movement depends on our muscular endurance, and is often combined with cardiovascular endurance activities. I often think of the same exercises and look at the heart rate to differentiate.  The ability to use our own body weight is a essential foundation for any fitness goal, as it creates time for proper form.

   Commitment, loyalty, and dependability for long lasting continued results are some things that come to mind when I think of muscular endurance. Wearing out a muscle group until complete failure gives you the experience of confidence knowing that you are committed to do all you can. This practice prepares you to hold on when you are tired, and let's you find how to tap in to just one more when needed.



Muscular endurance.
Ability of muscles to exert tension over an extended period. This can be in movement, or isometric. Some common exercises we can do to practice this are push ups, pull ups, body weight squats, wall sits, plank holds, ECT. 

  Push ups 
  I have always loved the simplicity of this as well as watching the body progress when you put in the practice. However in regards to position of movement, I find it symbolic that you are starting facing the ground and pushing away, and view it as the first step of any come back. This practice wires my brain for resilience, as I repeat picking myself up when I am tired. 

 Squats/ lunges
  A motion we will need if we want to be mobile as we age. Unless you sleep standing, you need to do this motion to be on foot snd ready for whats next, and it puts you in ready to go position. Doing body weight squats may not seem effective if you are used to loading on weight, to that I challenge 20 min nonstop squat session. Practice what it is like to stand up from a complete seated position over and over, and you will sharpen your ability to be ready for things as they come. Repeat the motion of standing despite how tired you are and your mind will become familiar with that continued effort. This will become your nature when you practice.

   Dips
     A less seen body weight movement, however I believe is powerhouse of upper body strength alot skip over. I do refer to dips being done from a bar, or handles as body is upright as opposed to the bench dip style. This exercise gives you the motion of overcoming where you are against resistance to rise above with limited support. Enough said.

  Pull ups
 Perhaps a separate and more advance body weight exercise. If you can't complete a pull up you can still hold on for awhile keeping you muscle under tension and gaining progress. The idea is much of holding on with just two hands, and eventually the ability to pull your own weight so to say. I have long used the visualization of hanging off a cliff and being able to pull myself up from what seemed like disaster.

  Wall sits/planks 
    A popular exercise for sports conditioning we may have been introduced to as a punishment, or a challenge. Both of these are wonderful in the constant state of readiness, allowing yourself to be familiar with the sense of burning as you tap into mind over matter when dedicated to progression. This is a perfect place to feel the recruitment of more muscle fibers being recruited as well as you building new nueropathways of lasting through discomfort.

    Including muscular endurance is not the main part of every ones overall fitness goal, but taking the time to integrate these things can help build value to all of what you do in life. Standing up, hanging on, rising above, and ready to act despite fatigue. These are practices worth integrating. Using the mind and body together is when the goal becomes the path, and every step is progress.

  I will be launching a podcast this spring to promote these benefits. Follow for updates, and please share if you like. 
   Speaking events to cover these subjects more in depth can be booked by contacting 
    Kineticenergyforces@gmail.com 
 

   

Relating the components of fitness to building character part 1 Muscular strength

    Developing character through fitness

 

  If  you have devoted any time in life to developing your fitness, you can agree that is certainly brings about a building of character at the same time.  All of our personal favorite physical activities fall into one or more of the components of fitness. These are considered to be muscular strength ( measured on one rep max), muscular endurance (nonstop high volume movement, such as push ups), cardiovascular endurance (moderate heart rate for 60 plus mins), flexibility (range of motion), and the result of our activities being displayed at our body composition (measured lean body mass and fat).  We train to progress and excel in these areas, and can probably agree it takes a lot of our mind being involved. The development of character that has accompanied your practice can be notice when you take a step back. Each component of fitness also includes our brain, emotions, attention, and every cell in our body working together to experience a practice.

  Taking time to be aware of the relationship between each component of fitness and the attributes it can bring to life is a better way to take advantage of our time more wisely. This series will address them separately. I am aware the individual experiences are varied, and hope that the practice of integrating awareness of the mind and body will yield more results for those willing to experience this practice.

   Muscular Strength

Muscular strength refers to the amount of force a muscle can produce with a single maximal effort. Muscle strength is measured during muscular contraction. The size of your muscle fibers and the ability of nerves to activate muscle fibers are related to muscle strength.

   Notice how you feel when working on increasing your strength, and the word confidence will come to many of us quickly. This confidence is a direct result of the experience of handling heavy weight in a controlled manner. When we continue to take on resistance our strength increases. The heavier loads increase our muscle fiber size, as does the volume of training display our bodies ability to continually adapt. The practice of activating our nervous system in movement is essential for progress.

     The relationship of the movement is another aspect to take into consideration. Our posture sets the stage for movement, and where we move our energy follows. Notice how you feel when standing, attentive and ready to move as opposed to laying down. Our posture and movements have a direct result on our mind set. Take notice and find meaning in your movements that are helpful to you. Here are two examples of how to apply this, or look at.

 The single rep max of a squat is display our ability to stand upright while bearing the weight. Think of the amount of times we have felt overwhelmed and that things are too much, the single act of standing up right sets our mind and body for stability, grounding, and readiness to act.

  The deadlift is a great symbol of removing obstacles,  the willingness to pick up responsibility, take action, and make changes. The practice of this not only involves a upper and lower body, but calls into a large amount of intention, skill, procedure, and attention to detail. This is reserved for the wise and mature. Results will not be haphazard and only experienced with pure form, which includes the control of the weight on the eccentric movement. Here is what separates the wise and foolish. The letting go with control is where is the strength is built.

  The one rep max has been a time tested display of strength and is used for lifting competitions as well as the standards of proper form. This can be seen best in  powerlifting, and any gym across the world as we like to see what we are capable of in a single moment. This is most scene with classic lifts such as a bench press, squat, or deadlift. Being called on to perform maximum effort recruits our nervous system to a different and more important task than mindless movements. Some of us will experience we can do much more than we thought in a single moment when called to action. Others  may come to a reality check, aka an ego check. The practice of a one rep max should be used occasionally,and is not recommended on a regular basis as it is a risk of injury. This can be done for different body parts or specific lifts on a rotating schedule.

 

   
  

 



     

Personal Crucible

   The crucible 

   A crucible is most known as a personal test, and thought of a single event that is challenging both physically and mentally. It is a raw reflection of our character and what skills we have practiced. Mindful,  attentive critical thinking while in the midst of strength and endurance tasks. The mind of a warrior is still and able to respond with wisdom all the while exhibiting peak physical performance. The invitation of a single event that is going to test this is popular, and certainly is the way many people get started with training. You can see the human desire for this experience as people train for marathons, obstacle races, or other single events. I like to call this the gateway experience to warrior living. It is an introduction to the connection of discipline and freedom. It is a great awakening to what we are capable of, but have not yet previously experienced.

  Another definition presents the crucible as a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development. I like this perspective in that it invites you to the idea of the practice being the reward itself. Creating space for engaging in challenges that you don't have a medal, a selfie, or have any recognition. Just training hard because it is who you are. This is the way of the warrior.

   Personal Crucible 

     The practice of a personal crucible is a must for continued growth as well as a wonderful reference point. The idea of setting up a challenge for ourselves and following through when no one is looking as our true self. This can also be taking on what others turn from. Such as if it starts raining head out for 3 hours on foot with a pack, just to know you can endure discomfort. Warriors don't need mirrors, medals or an audience, but finding the experience to be the reward is the place of a integrity.  Many of us get a taste of this in long and hard training sessions, this is another gateway to the warrior spirit.

   Implementing this on monthly basis in some  is what I recommend. This is obviously a very individual practice, however most will be in an endurance or high volume set up of some sort. My go to suggestion is walking on foot from sunrise to sunset. You will want to stop, but the mission is continuing forward momentum and being amazed with what you can do in a day. Doing this on varied terrain is a great way to spend a day, on a trail or a beach. You can start at sunset and walk half the hours out, then come back unless you are lucky enough to have a ride back.

  Strategy based

   Having a strategy for various types of crucible events for yourself will result in you being prepared for more conditions. Getting used to being in silence, solitude, outdoors over night in all seasons, tired, hungry and still set on forward momentum. All night full moon hikes, with body weight exercises on the hour. Pack hikes through mid day heat, and uphill in the winter wilderness through snow. That is when you can't resist trying to do it barefoot to match the expression. Then find an extreme sense of gratitude for the boots you are in. After 15 miles you will think more about the term walk a mile in some ones shoes. Then every few miles you really think of some one having to walk far each day, and what that life like. Now you are cross training compassion. This is how are warrior spirit developed. Through practice.

  Mini version/ endurance day weekly

   Any one who has previously been involved with endurance training knows about the long day. Dedicated to building higher volume longer times, and is where endurance is experienced. It is its own reward that you experience the knowing you can. The practice of discipline has brought you to freedom of being able to. By practice you continue to see the ability to adapt to conditions. Time spent can be 90 mins to 3 hours for most. Introduce a day on the weekends to spend 3 hours walking some where with a few. Make a field trip of it, and a weekly routine that will help you reset, even while engaging in continued forward momentum. Even amongst activity can a wise man find rest. This is the way of the warrior, operating from a place of stillness.

  Action plan 

   Write down some things you could do, or places you could see while doing. Hiking, bike trails, rowing, stand up paddle, swim, and you get the idea of lots of options. Think along the lines of what would be very intense in a day, write down on one piece of paper and collect ideas in a jar. You can just pick one the night before. That is a fun personal crucible practice.

  Some you could do on a weekly long day, and switch up if you want. Runners keep that long day, cycle scenic routes and enjoy the activity. You will find the sense of stillness and even while tired. Knowing this is what you do, and making time to invite progress is a good use of time.

 
  

    


 




 

 

Take a hike with a deck of cards

   One of my favorite work outs when doing body weight exercises is using a deck of cards.
Pick an exercise for each suit, and use the number shown for reps, face cards are ten and aces are till failure. Shuffle that deck, warm up and start flipping over cards.

 This will give you over a hundred reps per exercise, and is a great test of endurance and strength. It is can be done any where, and I recommend once a month under a full moon.
Doing this along a hike at a good spot is a scenic all body option, and best to focus on upper body at that time.

  Exercise ideas for suits

   This can be done to target different body parts, upper/ lower splits or an all body. You are certainly encouraged to try the deck in many different variations of exercises used. The options are endless possibilities of a useful training session.

  All body
  Diamonds:push ups
 Spades:squats
 Hearts:8 count body builders
 Clubs:Everest climbers

    Upper body
  Diamonds: push ups
  Spades: pull ups
  Hearts: dips
  Clubs: chin ups

    Lower body
 Diamonds: squats
 Spades: side lunges
 Hearts: pistol squats
 Clubs: one leg dead lift hand to floor

  Keep a deck of cards in your car, and take a field trip with this idea. Take a hit, and get through this deck 3 times for a good time.

 



 

Minimalist on fitness

   The minimalist approach to strength training
    In regards to time management and minimal equipment I want to introduce what I think is the most effective use of time when training your body that can result in strength increase, better breathing, and awareness of the energy. This is using isometric and calisthenics with the primary goal off having a high volume of time under tension with sets and reps. All the while increasing stabilizer muscles, improving balance, and endurance.

   Time under tension is where the majic is in regards to building strength. Holding positions recruits more motor units and begins to form new nueropathways as you continue to adapt, you will use more muscle fibers and aid to the strengthing of tendons and ligaments.

   I always start any work out with a warm up of mostly dynamic movement to engage multiple muscle recruitment and experience a full range of motion for all the joints. I include breath and energy work.

  Making the most of what you have where you are in the moment. Finding a rock or tree limb if you are out doors. My favorite way to do this is on a hike find a spot and do a few circuits. The continued adapting is part of the training and can only be skilled through experience. Warriors adapt and find the strength while letting no disaster go to waste.

  My work outs are influenced by yoga, qi qoung, kung fu, muay thai, and awareness of energy.  I use complex and primal movements to link your mind and connect with your spirit animal.  I don't except most others do that. There is a strong mind and body connection with all martial arts, and yoga. This is another key feature of minimal work out I find conditioning the mind in stillness.

  I will start posting one or 2 all body circuits you can do to get full muscle fiber activation each week. Plus what to do with just a rope, a cinder block, or a shovel. I am open to the challenge of using any object to benefit my strength.





 


 

Subliminal progression

    When we start getting active there is an adaption time in which we face the discouragement of not being good at some thing, we get tired fast,  often compare ourselves to others and spend much time in mental conflict that leaves us to decide to quit or persevere. Yet this is the birth time of adventure and you are subliminally gaining progress when we decide to embrace the discomfort and continue.
    
     Unless you are a prodigy of some sort you will recognize the constant struggles, yet we are rarely mindful of the progress we make. In doing we gain experience, with mistakes we learn lessons, and with practice we come closer to mastering. So each training session is getting you to the better version of you. The time you spend to educate yourself is important, because you increase your sources of information available to apply. Learning what your body adapts to is an ongoing experiment that you are in control of. Be encouraged you are better than you were last week, last month and last year.

     The ability to recognize small progressions gives us the insight to add things that will help our journey to improvement. Daily choices will create our future, and we have endless options to get the most of our tomorrows. Adding time to your life for most rest is a sure way to see instant progress in anything. Investing time in breathing exercises a few minutes several times through out the day is a great example of some thing that will add up over time.

     Being mindful of our actions in day to day life can also lead us to look at things we may need to change.Things we do that are self destructive, or harmful to us. This can be the nutrition, sugary drinks, lack of proper hydration, or even our negative mindset in situations. The suffering we bring on ourselves by constantly comparing ourselves to others is popular in competitive athletes. We often rob the joy of the activity in the obsession to be better. If you find you dread training take a look at intentions, and get back to the simple love of what you do. We will be better at what we do, whether it is a good or bad thing for us.

     Some examples of things you can add to aid in any conditioning are the following;
       Breathing exercises in traffic
       Each day of the week pick a body weight exercise to do several times through out the day.
       Add in stretching
       Spend 10 mins a day walking as part of your morning or evening routine
       Pick a day of the month to challenge yourself in what you are doing.
      
     Remember that what you practice you will master, eventually. Never loose the joy of what you are doing.
    
      In my long journey of running I get setback over and over, yet I know I will eventually conquer an ultra because I have my mind made up and will rejoice in the smalls things. I think about the classic question and complaint of a child on a car trip, "are we there yet?". When I was young there was no GPS, so some times there was the scenic route instead and it was always better in the long run. The journey is the fun part, the people we meet along the way, the laughable mistakes we make, and priceless memories of progress we would never know if we quit when it is uncomfortable.

     
       

Five ways that five minutes can change your life

      We all have the same amount of time in a day, yet we often confuse being busy with being productive or meaningful. Time management is some thing we hear about, and it seems people just want to find ways to do more and then wonder why they are so tired, stressed, and worn out.
 
        Here is a short list of things we can do in 5 minutes that will yield short and long term benefits.

1. Five minutes of gratitude. Before you even get out of bed in the morning, you can start each day with focusing your mind on the good things you have in life. If you need help with that you can begin with being grateful for a bed to sleep in, a roof over your head, running water, electricity, being able to stand on two feet, and clean air to breath, and breath itself is also a plus.

2. Five minutes of traffic mantras.  On your way to work or any time during traffic you can spend time saying out load some of your favorite mantras or quotes. If you really want to get creative start singing them. Nothing like passing time rocking out to your own version of what gets you in a state of mind that is relaxed and able to not be swayed by what is going on around you. If you don't believe me just try beat boxing like a rapper, or singing them like an opera singer. You will laugh at yourself, then look in the mirror and say out loud, "yes, I alone am responsible for my happiness".

3. Five minutes to make some ones day. It doesn't take long to make some ones day, and it is usually simple things that can go along way to accomplish this. It can be simple as making a lunch for a coworker, thanking a person for their customer service, giving a few compliments a day. Endless options. Just start looking for easy ways to make some ones day, and think about the small things that would make yours as ideas for things to do for others.

4. Five minutes of stretching. Very few people spend any time thinking of the constant imbalance we put our body in on a daily basis, yet will invest money getting our car aligned and blow off our body daily. Of coarse I highly recommend more than 5 minutes, but this is a good start. Never stretch cold muscles. Simply walking in place or doing some arm circles is an easy way to get ready.

5. Five minutes of sun and silence. As we become an population attached to constant entertainment, news, and information we seldom take time to unplug and enjoy simplicity. Make a way to enjoy the sunrise or sunset with no noise or outside distraction. Focus on the beginning of day, or end of one. Realizing each is a gift.