Physical condition

[mYTHmAKER]

No offence at all .

 

Proper breathing, most importantly from the abdomen, not the chest as many people do.

 

If you don't already breath this way, you can learn how to by practising qigong and doing so until the breathing becomes a habit.

 

I 'learned' how to breath from the abdomen by practising the 18 step Taiji Qigong exercises, and there is a thread on them currently active.

 

I would add that this is normal breathing, not reverse breathing. In and out, from the abdomen.

 

You don't have to be standing or sitting cross legged either. On your chair, let your thoughts just fall away-no force-and think about your dantien. Breathe. There you go.

 

Best,

 

Mike

 

P.S. One of the reasons I have long stopped doing crunches are because they screw up the ability to breath properly. There are better ways to condition the midsection.

 

Yes abdominal breathing. Really very simple to learn.

Just put your mind/attention on your abdomen and your breath will follow.

Don't focus on the breath. If you do you will get stuck.

Remind yourself every once and a while and pretty soon it will become automatic.

Climb stairs this way and you won't get out of breath.

 

Try an experiment.

Put your attention in your upper chest see what happens to your body.

Your hips will thrust forward - chest becomes convex - voice will be higher

You lose your grounding

Then put your attention on your abdomen.

Hips relax - chest becomes concave - voice gets deeper and you are grounded.

[qirin]

I would get myself a Kettlebell and start with 3 sets of 50 swings in the morning.

 

two things, both directed at the OP (even tho he doesn't seem to be responding ) --

 

first, kettlebells use your body in a way that's very different from most other things; if you go this route ease into it. start with sets of ten. if you bring your kettlebell home crank out 3x50 swings, you will be so saddle sore you won't be able to walk for a week.

 

second, you don't need a kettlebell to do kettlebell drills. if you have a 30-40 pound dumbell you can do swings or snatches. look on youtube (kettlebell swing or kettlebell snatch) to see how to do them. with a kb, a snatch is considered an advanced exercise, but the dumbbell eliminates the factors that lead to that. there are advantages to having a genuine kb, but a dumbbell is actually safer.

[Vajrasattva]

Definitively not a good idea. Fasting is a very demanding thing on your body & mind. You'll shock your body and place too much stress on your nervous system. Don't even try fasting while you are working either.

 

Best is done at meditation retreats or during your holidays, if you got nothing to do.

 

 

ahhhhh.....okay......well....jee...ummm.....

 

Well I just did 30 days of fasting and still did Chi Kung, Silat Training and Kettle bells every night with out issues.

 

Key is take small cat naps when possible. Breath a lot. Build up your Lower dan tien. Also when you feel hunger give thanks and embrace the fasting as if it is the best friend you have. Go easy on the work outs and add more chi kung than heavy training but still train.

 

If you do LONG fasts have a small meal after the sun goes done as is done in Ramadan. Infact I am still on the fast although ramadan ended. I have decided to stay on till i am told otherwise by the big guy upstairs : ).

 

When fasting do not think of yourself weak instead think you have a majestic power that can not be obtained by any other means but fasting alone.

 

Also dedicate your fast to the Divine.

 

Peace

 

Santiago

Edited October 2, 2008 by Vajrasattva

[Vajrasattva]

leangains.com

[Prince...]

I would get myself a Kettlebell and start with 3 sets of 50 swings in the morning.

 

Dave Whitley KB Snatches

y46E8euCMzs

 

 

Dave Whitley Showreel: KB Swings at ~2:28, I would suggest not trying the pancake flips, though!

QcwGXapR-Wg

 

 

In addition to being RKC certified, his Southern Praying Mantis is awesome! I worked out with him for 3 months this summer in the mornings.

[mjjbecker]

Ah, Southern Praying Mantis. A fine art.

[Pranaman]

I am interested in kettlebell training. I wonder what type of muscle it builds, i'm looking for tone, raw strength, and as possibly small sized muscle as can be maintained while gaining the most strength from strength training. I want to be fast. I want to abide by the "Mass X Acceleration = Force" equation, and build mass, but not volume(as to not inhibit speed).

 

My non-standing exercises include pull-ups, medicine ball push-ups and chest push-ups, planks, knuckle push-ups(ten seconds down ten up), then as many and as fast as possible, then hold the knuckle push-up posture static for a few minutes. I also do forearm work like moving the fingers and hands with extend arms, that's an intense burn. This other exercise where you are standing up, feet a little more than shoulders width apart, you stick the end of a staff in the corner of a room, and you shimmy down as far as you can go and back up.

 

So I ask, with no weight training, is intermittent fasting for me?

[Japhy Ryder]

 

P.S. One of the reasons I have long stopped doing crunches are because they screw up the ability to breath properly. There are better ways to condition the midsection.

 

mjjbecker, what are these "better ways"?

 

Take care.