How well is your body connected to your mind? Take these tests to find out

in health •  7 years ago 

I've always been into activity. I don't really watch sports on TV, and the only sport I enjoy playing and watching is basketball (I know, it doesn't fit my profile very well)

But I've always been into activity. I was in good shape as a teenager, I've had my powerlifter-period in my twenties and then I started enjoying cardiovascular sports like jogging, swimming and biking in my early thirties (which is where I am now..at 36..)

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The last couple of years I've lost about 20kg's (45pounds), and after my mother died young from heart failure, or heart arrythmia or inherited ateroschlerosis or who knows really (not the doctors) I've been working hard to not exercise TOO much. I'm the sort of person who could run a ultra marathon on willpower only. I've also been working hard not to stress to much about it, because stress is probably a worse factor than genetics.

So I've been doing yoga and stretching exercises. Every human being needs to disconnect their body from their mind during the day. If it's sex, exercise, a movie or yoga. Vikings had their Gods who they spoke with, they did shrooms, they fought, they found sports in surviving for weeks in the cold alone. People have always been doing things to distract them from their mind. Ice bathing, religion, sports, sex, drugs, alcohol, entertainment, yoga, arts, music.

I've learned that it doesn't take that much. 30 minutes yoga. An hour jog, a cold shower. But what's often the hard part with all of these things is the patience to do it. After you've put your kids to sleep, do you go and do your yoga, or is it more tempting to watch another episode of Stranger Things?

But that patience is something that is worth working on or maintaining (if you have it) It could mean more than just patience. It is also about concentration, and the ability to control your body, through and with nerve impulses, muscle control and connectivity with the brain. That ability is shown to have a strong inverse correlation with things such as stroke and Alzheimers.

Some studies have found that people who are able to balance on one foot with their eyes closed for more than 20 seconds is more than 20% less likely to have a stroke or develop Alzheimers than those who weren't able to.

 

The reason is thought to be correlated with the ability to focus your mind. I'm sure it has something to do with nerves and muscles also, but the thing is it can be trained.

So because I am a person who likes to torture myself, here are some exercises and tests you can do at home, anytime. I do this usually 3-4 times a week. And I must say it has done (alongside a lot of jogging) wonders to my foot strength and stamina. I rarely feel fatigued in my feet, even after standing or walking the entire day. I think I also want to credit the barefoot theory a little bit. I have switched from cushioned shoes to barefoot shoes or semi-barefoot shoes (at least as little support and cushion as possible). I used to believe I needed so much support and cushion because of my dual ACL-tear on both knees. But I've never felt as good as I do now. I run over 120km monthly and take two 7-8 mile (10-12km) trips weekly.

Anyways, here are the test!

 

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1. The Foot Stand

 

Stand on one foot with your eyes open. Just stand there as long as you can. When and where does it hurt? Your calves? The buttom of your feet? How long can you do it? I can do it for almost indefinitely now.

To make it harder stand on foot with your eyes closed. You're allowed to sway your arms etc. My record? 6 minutes. I think I'm able to do it for quite a bit longer, but at this point it hurts pretty much all over the place and I want to be able to walk the next day.

To make it EVEN harder, raise one foot and touch the inside of the opposite knee with it. Arms crossed. Eyes closes. GO! My record? 2 minutes. Not because of pain, but because of balance. You should be able to do and duplicate 20 seconds.

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2 The Wall Sit

 

Ah..the classic. This one is a test of your willpower. I push my self to the point where I am in pain for about 10 minutes after. My record 6 minutes. You should be able to do 2 minutes.

But there is of course a worse version of this - the ONE legged wall sit. Oh, you didn't realize there was one? Try it. Fortunately it doesn't have that much to do with patience or willpower..more with pain tolerance. My record 120 seconds. You should be able to do 60 seconds.

Remember to keep your arms and hands away from your knee. No cheating. Arms should rest down your sides or push back against the wall.

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3 The Calf raise

One leg only. Quickly raise up and hold for 2 seconds on top. Then slowly down. I'm at 25 reps x 3 sets now on each foot. Not pause between. A normal person should be able to do 20x3.

 

Please post your results in the comments. I'd love to see how good or bad you're doing! ;)

 
 

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I have another great exercise, but its a little bit strenuous: do a handstand against the wall, and then start doing upside down pushups. Try it and let me know how it works out for you. ;-)

I don't think I can do any..Do I even dare try? But thanks for the reminder..it is important to stay playful and try difficult things like that. I'm not great at that..but I should be better. I'll build up some upperbody strength first..I can hardly do 30 pushups. I doubt I can do any handstand pushups.

I don’t think I can do that now , but I still ca get 42knots speed with my windsurfing board 😎😁 with 30x knots of wind 😉🍻

Great post man! This part, in particulary: "After you've put your kids to sleep, do you go and do your yoga, or is it more tempting to watch another episode of Stranger Things?" is for me. I have have very little time for me, untill get to sleep. So, i need work a little in freelancer, make some exercises (yoga too) and have some entertainment, like watch Stranger things, hehe. But i can't do all this things in two hours, and i need sleep! Hehe, so complicated. But i really need, really want star a new routine of exercises and yoga!
Thanks!!
Greetings from Brazil, follow you!

Thanks for the comment @thomashblum !

I think it's like that for most of us..especially with kids. You work all day, and then you want to/and must be with your kid from (in my opinion) as early as possible until they go to bed. Then at eight oclock you have 3-4 hours to do work, yoga or entertainment.

I usually do yoga first. Thats the most important thing. 30 minutes. Then I do 30 minutes to 1 hour work. Then I make some food and watch hbo for an hour OR I play computer games.

I just have to accept that I cant play computer games for 7 hours..ever. I cant binge watch tv-shows...ever. So I have to enjoy that short hour with a cool real time strategy game or an episode of curb your enthusiasm or stranger things :)

That's just the reality.

Oh, and thanks for the follow and resteem!

Great, thanks for the tips, my daughter sleep a little more late (nine oclock) but the question is my organization, just need to be focused and organize my time! Thanks!

Interesting article, we share the same type of thinking.

I feel as if young people these days are so overwhelmed by the media showing them they should be big and lean, leading people to neglect their flexibility, spirituality and mental state.

I have experience in this, as before I trained professionally in dance I was into a lot of bodybuilding - leaving me inflexible and weak. Dance changed this.

It's important we don't push ourselves too hard whilst neglecting our softer sides. On the other hand, we shouldn't rest exactly, but instead reflect and BREATHE.

I'm not sure if what I said makes any sense to you?

Makes enough sense as it is

I think it does make sense. Neglecting our "softer" sides, ignoring feelings, never cry, never breathe properly etc ironically makes you weak. People can be trapped in what looks like strong bodies..but those bodies can have some very weak points. They are often more like shells. They can have a lot of tension and inflammations. They can't run, they're not flexible, bad circulation, and they are often not in touch with their breath nor their feelings.

Most people though are neither strong nor flexible or in touch with themselves. They are just weak physically AND mentally. Unfortunately we live in a society where we're not told the truth of how to live well.

In my opinion it is important to be strong. It is important to be tuff and to deal with the world. But how do you get there? How do you become strong? The strongest version of yourself. I believe it's through being an open person, someone who is not afraid (not even afraid of crying and displaying feelings), and someone who is connected with his body.

Thanks for your input! I'm not sure if what I said made any sense to YOU :)

You basically just translated what I said into something understandable ;)

People need to be vulnerable and malleable to progress.

In regards to 'how do you get there?' and 'how do you become strong' - I feel that sometimes strength is found in vulnerability, similarly to what you're saying - but also whilst keeping a strong mind.

For example when I have witnessed grown men cry, I don't see a feminine person - instead I see strength for allowing those feelings to flow.

Exactly. Allowing feelings, and not feeling shame. We all know the classic "trying to keep the tears in while at the movies" Which is OK I guess. It's a social thing. But when you do that when you're alone watching a movie..that's not good. Why can't you even display feelings to yourself? Why can't you allow yourself to have feelings?

I'm convinced that in order to become strong you must tolerate all aspects of yourself. If you're a walking shell, you can probably kick someones ass. But you're weak because you get so quickly aroused (not sexually..) and your adrenaline goes off too quickly. You have no control over your emotions. A strong person is someone who is composed and deals with issues. Someone who is in balance.

When someone approaches you agressively on the street, you should not immediately kick him in the face. Nor should you start crying and begging him to stop being aggressive. You should stay focused and composed and in control.

I think we're having a mutual understanding of what strength is my friend :)

Oh..and btw, just so that we're clear..I believe its a virtue to be strong. And with strong I even mean almost dangerous. We should be boarderline dangerous. Not weak and harmless. But it does not mean we should act on it. But have the ability to be if needed.

I need 2 times to get the 20 seconds

Keep practicing! Or you'll die young!!!! (Just kidding) ;P

Well with 50 is not bad going 😎

50 seconds eyes closed and arms crossed?

Not with arms crossed 😎🙈

How did you fail at 50 seconds? Did you fall? Or did it hurt?

😂🍷🍻don’t hurt

i am really not fit @scandinavianlife
i tried the 1 foot stand was moving from one side to the other...balance was my problem... but got to the one minute...
then i went for the sitting on the wall... wow... i managed 60 seconds also and was sweating all over... this seems to be a great workout... simple things you can do indoors in your room can have a great impact... so grateful for this...will do them daily to build up stamina...thanks for sharing this dear... you the best!

Thanks for your kind words!

It is exercise. It is different than dynamic exercise. But these static exercises can also say alot about our health. And they are difficult because they are boring, painful and static. Which is also the sort of anti-thesis to everything in todays society which is fast, sweaty and dynamic.

This is slow, static and requires patience.

sure and will keep working on it to build up stamina... thanks dear...

I go to have a go of the test of 20 second eyes closed 😂🍷🍻

This post has received a 17.80 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @scandinavianlife.

Try Ashtanga Yoga, every morning for 20-30 min 😉