Body Beautiful Bootcamp 101

Tweet

A friend of mine here on MyLot was recently relating to me the items on his desk. It brought to my attention what was on my desk, and also brought me to the realization that as much as I talk about ‘creating your own reality’ and establishing ‘mini environments’ that promote my well-being, I had become very lax in that practice. It’s a jungle out there no matter where you live, and that’s no lie. You’ve got to have a core of strength, determination, and alertness to stay alive. You have to be agile, ever alert; physically, mentally, and emotionally, prepared for ANY eventuality, while simultaneously visualizing the objective of any given moment sharply and clearly in the mind’s eye. If you aren’t, your energy disperses willy-nilly in a thousand different directions and nothing of any real value is accomplished. Bodies are built for motion. Without motion inertia sets in and the forces of this physical world will take you down and put you in the recycling bin. The body has movable parts that require regular use to maintain optimum efficiency. Sometimes I will sit at my computer for hours at a time, eventually struggling to get out of my chair, stiff and sore. In the meantime dishes pile up unwashed, the air becomes thick with floating cat hair and dust, and my mother goes nuts because my phone line is always busy, hehehe. My solution to this problem has been to set a timer the minute I sit down at my computer. I set it for 1 hour. Then when the timer goes off I get up and do something physical for 10 or 20 minutes, sometimes even longer. I might go take a jog down by the river, or jump on the trampoline to some bouncy music, or do some squats or some yoga. I divvy up my daily chores into these segments too; I might get up and wash some dishes, vacuum the floor, or brush my hair. Or even just practice some deep breathing. The body’s central point of power seems to be the pelvic region. The Cradle of Life, supported by the muscles of the butt and the abdominals. These muscles should be well-toned and strong to do their job powerfully and effectively. The legs should be lean and strong... for their job of carrying this towering teetering structure along. And out of that cradle the spine is born, curving up to the glowing orb that it balances on top. The control tower. My point here being that while this might appear a delicately and precariously balanced structure, and it is, still, it is built to be incredibly resilient, flexible, and strong. I consider it a high priority to keep it ‘well-oiled’ and running smooth. The abdominals, for example, not only need to be strong and well-toned for their job of balance and power, but they also contribute to the full expulsion of stale air and toxins, part of the system for keeping the body (and mind) in balance. When the lungs fully expand with fresh air it relieves stress on the heart, massages internal organs, and provides the brain with plenty of oxygen. I like to consciously breathe deeply of Life and freshness, and breathe out stress and tension. Using the breath like this is also an excellent meditation, while using the abdominals to push out every drop of air on the exhale is an excellent isometric exercise. Thus I am even contributing to my physical strength and well-being while I am playing on my computer, smoking and drinking, hahahahaha! What about you? Do you have a system for keeping yourself in optimal shape, or have you grown lazy and let inertia set in? If so, have no fear! It is never too late to start new!