Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:40 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
Heineken wrote:
. I have tried so hard to achieve this and that, but an injury always intervenes despite all caution. "buddhism."
You probably have severe postural distortions that predisposed you to injuries.
Even most - in fact the overwhelming majority - of people who work out religiously have severe distortions in their posture. That's why they always end up getting injured and then moving to progressively lower impact activities. The person gives up running, then starts bicycling. Then has to give that up for swimming or yoga. The person thinks "well I'm just getting older" or "I have bad luck and got injured." The reality is their bodies - even ones who are "fit" - are horribly out of kilter. Muscles that should be loose are tight (hip flexors) while muscles that should be firm are loose. (gluteals.)
Yoga is great at stretching but often the problem is under-activation of a related muscle group which is "unplugged" due to postural distortions. I, for instance, used to get hamstring pulls. Stretched the hell out of them but it never seem to make much more than a temporary difference. Then I learned the hammies often get pulled when the glutes aren't firing properly. This is very common in Westerners, including those who exercise a lot. Yoga does nothing for this and, in fact, would likely make the situation worse.
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:45 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
Compelled by this thread, I mention Eric Maisel's book, Ten Zen Seconds. (I suggest this as a Buddhist snob).
Breathe in for five seconds and breathe out. Then have take an intention and divide the intended thought accordingly. For example, for falling asleep, inhale for five seconds (observe the second hand on a clock and practice, it was longer than I thought) and say on the inhale, "I amm-mm falling..." and during the exhale, "a-sleeeep."
Maisel says the meditator can divide the statement/syllables between the inhale and exhale any way that feels natural.
What I like about this exercise is using breath and good thinking in ten seconds.
But like any exercise, repetition is key. And breathing deeply is good for the body.
cynthia
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6475 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
MattSavinar wrote:
Heineken wrote:
. I have tried so hard to achieve this and that, but an injury always intervenes despite all caution. "buddhism."
You probably have severe postural distortions that predisposed you to injuries.
Even most - in fact the overwhelming majority - of people who work out religiously have severe distortions in their posture. That's why they always end up getting injured and then moving to progressively lower impact activities. The person gives up running, then starts bicycling. Then has to give that up for swimming or yoga. The person thinks "well I'm just getting older" or "I have bad luck and got injured." The reality is their bodies - even ones who are "fit" - are horribly out of kilter. Muscles that should be loose are tight (hip flexors) while muscles that should be firm are loose. (gluteals.)
Yoga is great at stretching but often the problem is under-activation of a related muscle group which is "unplugged" due to postural distortions. I, for instance, used to get hamstring pulls. Stretched the hell out of them but it never seem to make much more than a temporary difference. Then I learned the hammies often get pulled when the glutes aren't firing properly. This is very common in Westerners, including those who exercise a lot. Yoga does nothing for this and, in fact, would likely make the situation worse.
I hear what you're saying about the development of imbalances in the body, but yoga is absolutely the last possible source of those.
I do think it's important to focus on opposing muscle groups. For example, in most older adults, after a lifetime of walking and sitting, the flexor muscles on the backs of the legs have greatly shortened and weakened. These need to be stretched and strengthened to bring them into balance with the quads. I don't know what you mean by such terms as "underactivation" and "unplugged."
I have the same "posture" now as I did when I was young, but then I rarely got injured.
The difference is age, not "posture." Most of my injury problems are related simply to age, that great leveler. The deterioration can be slowed a bit but cannot be stopped. Toward the end, injuries can be avoided only by an absence of use of parts. Then you die.
You'll understand this better as YOU get older. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:58 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
I have a plan for self-improvement that I'm planning on implementing sometime in the new year. It's not a New Years resolution in as much as it is just timed that way.
I know that when you talk about self-improvement with others, it's easy to just talk and take no action. That is why I want to stay short on details and I'll post back in 6 months to see if I'm on track with it.
I've taken different, radical shifts in my life for the better. This one it is the most radical of all, wish me luck.
Joined: Dec 13, 2007 Posts: 34 Location: Texas Hill Country
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:30 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
Heineken wrote:
Yes, it's the journey and not the destination, oldstyle. So true.
Life could be viewed as an endless series of problems. Solve one and another takes its place. It's a many-headed hydra. I have studied how this happens with a certain horrified fascination.
You never really get ahead. You never get free.
Very good point and description of what alot of people face. I am not sure I agree with that 100% though, or at least I think it goes a little deeper. What you described can certainly be the case for some people. It tends to be the case for me as I am an engineer, my brain works that way. I constrantly appraise situations, work to production schedules, budgets and deal with problems and changes that arise on a daily basis. Even when at home, I follow a similiar mindset, thats how I approach things. But not everyone is like that. Some people fill there life with drama. I have people in my (extended) family that just dont seem to be happy unless something is horribly wrong. They have no desire to fix anything. Be it someone in jail, someone cheating or suspected of cheating, someone loosing their job or pregnant, or just family disputes where everyone has to be involved. Some people feel that need another way, perhaps by pursuing material things. They purchase nice cars, like a bmw 750 li, only to be happy for a month then desire better rims and wheels for it. Or chase a breitling watch for 4 grand only to realize they really need the 10 grand rolex. Your absolutely correct in your description that we generally never break free from these pursuits and are never free.
Quote:
It's important not to get too deeply invested in solving the problems, therefore. (And self-improvement could be viewed as a problem, or set of problems, that need solving.) Solve the problems that can't be ignored with your lower consciousness, while trying to keep the higher levels unsullied. Whatever that means.
We all have a need to feel valued and important on some level which is what drives these behaviours in my opinion. My personal thought is that it helps us all deal with lifes insecurities inside ourselves (most of us it is probably leftover from our childhoods.) How we cope with insecurity is what makes us who we are as grownups. Some people fix problems, some people just need to be involved in others lifes to feel important, some people need nice things, some people need to have many friends, some people need for everyone to know how tough they are. Underneath it's the same thing until we discover some way to work through our insecurities that lead us to these neurotic ways of self gratification that provide a self sense of value. (is this the ego masturbation topic referenced above?)
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:16 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
Heineken wrote:
I do think it's important to focus on opposing muscle groups. For example, in most older adults, after a lifetime of walking and sitting, the flexor muscles on the backs of the legs have greatly shortened and weakened. These need to be stretched and strengthened to bring them into balance with the quads. I don't know what you mean by such terms as "underactivation" and "unplugged."
One of the reasons the flexor muscles on teh back of the legs are shortened is because the glutes fail to fire properly. Stretching the shortened muscles is only treating the symptom.
Quote:
I have the same "posture" now as I did when I was young, but then I rarely got injured.
Right. Your posture was probably distorted even as a young person but it took a certain number of repetitions before the symptoms became obvious.
Quote:
The difference is age, not "posture." Most of my injury problems are related simply to age, that great leveler. The deterioration can be slowed a bit but cannot be stopped. Toward the end, injuries can be avoided only by an absence of use of parts. Then you die.
You'll understand this better as YOU get older.
The postural distortions greatly amplify the deterioration process.
Look, it sounds like I touched a nerve. Won't mention it again. If you want to stay gimpy, that's your choice. _________________ http://www.peakoil.org
Joined: Nov 25, 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Columbia, South Carolina
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
Spring Creek, good luck. PM me in 6 months, let me know how it's going.
Re : relearning to move/use muscles/be in one's body/etc. : If I could afford it I would go to someone regularly who teaches Alexandar technique. I read some books on it and went to one session and found it very helpful.
I say this now as I'm laying on my back w/ my laptop on my chest. Old habits die hard. All in all being on the Internet for more than a few hours a day is simply not healthy. _________________ My PO Amazon store (shameless plug).
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6475 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 2:44 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
MattSavinar wrote:
Heineken wrote:
I do think it's important to focus on opposing muscle groups. For example, in most older adults, after a lifetime of walking and sitting, the flexor muscles on the backs of the legs have greatly shortened and weakened. These need to be stretched and strengthened to bring them into balance with the quads. I don't know what you mean by such terms as "underactivation" and "unplugged."
One of the reasons the flexor muscles on teh back of the legs are shortened is because the glutes fail to fire properly. Stretching the shortened muscles is only treating the symptom.
Quote:
I have the same "posture" now as I did when I was young, but then I rarely got injured.
Right. Your posture was probably distorted even as a young person but it took a certain number of repetitions before the symptoms became obvious.
Quote:
The difference is age, not "posture." Most of my injury problems are related simply to age, that great leveler. The deterioration can be slowed a bit but cannot be stopped. Toward the end, injuries can be avoided only by an absence of use of parts. Then you die.
You'll understand this better as YOU get older.
The postural distortions greatly amplify the deterioration process.
Look, it sounds like I touched a nerve. Won't mention it again. If you want to stay gimpy, that's your choice.
No nerves have been touched, Matt. It's just that, as someone with a little anatomy and physiology background, I don't think what you're saying, in this particular case, makes much sense. For example, nerve cells "fire," but the muscles of the rear end? I can't even picture that. Also, I don't really agree that "posture" is that big of a deal. Especially for people who practice yoga (who tend to have good posture anyway). As another example, much back pain isn't the result of bad posture but a result of the intervertebral discs atrophying; the nerves leading in and out of the spine then tend to get compressed. Ouch. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12548 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 3:22 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
I still don't have my crap together, but I'm learning new things all the time. I don't feel I need to reach a goal of "personal completeness" or something.
Skill I'm learning currently - how to make fitted dress patterns. _________________ No original ideas are contained in this post.
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:50 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
I used to have a goal of "personal completeness," or something like that at least. That was my driving motivation when I was younger (teens and early twenties). It's stuck with me ever since, though I no longer believe that "personal completeness" is even possible.
Improvement is possible, but let's parse.
On the one hand, there's learning new skills and abstract information, or improving one's physical fitness. Learning to play the guitar or shoot a rifle or sew a dress from scratch or grow potatoes. All good skills to know. There's also abstract knowledge, like the philosophical differences between the Hinayana and the Mahayana, or the chemical basis of photosynthesis, or Thomas Jefferson's musings on yeoman farmers, or theories about Peak Oil. Also good to know, in moderation. And being physically fit is never a bad thing, unless it prevents greater pleasures.
On the other hand, there's being a better person. I guess this mostly means being nice to people. Or generally being happier ("smiles are contagious" and all that rot). Or focusing your mental energy on some bit of wisdom someone happened to write down thousands of years ago. This is what religion and philosophy usually boils down to. And if being nice to people helps you get laid, all the better
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6475 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:19 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on "self improvement"
Someone I used to work for put it this way: "It's more important to be kind than to be clever." (He was both, at different times.) _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
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