It would not take much consideration to realise that the effects on personal wellbeing within the last three years, have changed the language around health and fitness, while reevaluating the way we look at health and wellbeing.
Community and global issues such as mental health, the immune system, and reorganising preferences to accomodate the societal limitations, has affected work, family, personal health, and our friendships.
I have always offered my clients a perspective of health understanding, within the subject of wellbeing, before fitness. Here are some of the principals I share with my clients to implement on a daily basis, as a way to train wellbeing, and leverage into fitness when their body and mind are ready!
For this blog, and our small but large community base here at Northern Beaches Integrative Practitioners, I will share my own Principals that assist the reader, if they decide to implement! Whether it be exercising in low to moderate intensities, or simply ascertaining how any principal could be used for them or their family.
P #1 Mind First Body Second…… the most apt analogy I use to clients, is the assembly of a computer. The software is the Mind. The hardware is the Body. Moreover, the SW is the nerves and nervous system, and our ability to concentrate and the felt awareness the body is giving us. The HW is the bones and muscles. They are controlled by our SW. The HW is the aesthetics. The manual vechile that is ultimately the result and ‘cause and effect’, of our nervous system.
P #2 Zone 1 2 3……. the zones are your target areas to breath. P #1 is also a accomplice when we employ P #2. (ie do not be discouraged if when you action to breath toward a zone, that your body does not display a felt recognition of your intention). Zone 1 is the upper chest, that also covers your upper back, neck, throat, head and face. Z1 Red Flags – Headaches, Wry Neck, Tense Shoulders, RSI or tingling in the arms or hands / fingers Z1 usage is when in emergencies. Zone 1 is your MINIMAL USEAGE zone.
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Zone 2 is the thoracic space, your lower ribs, and your sternum. The lower lobes of the lungs is where you have the ability to convert oxygen into energy. The most oxygen into an abundance of energy!… but only if we can target and respirate efficiently within this zone. Z2 Red Flags – inability to expand lower ribs upon attempting. This can be from many factors, however the goal is more about now, practicing the Z2 awareness and breathing, and develop the neural pathway). Then the performance of your exercise and activity, will be self empowering beyond what you have experienced before. Zone 2 is your TRAINING zone. Z2 in training and for active charging up of the body Zone 3 is your RELAXATION zone.
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Z3 is your belly, lower back, and if you were to think internally, your abdominal musculature / pelvic floor, and all the intestinal tubing that covers 100’s of meters. The harmony and intestinal balance, is heavily exposed now with the discussions around our microbiome. Zone 3 to relax and digest. This is most of the time or at rest. (ie between sets,
while eating) Z3 Red Flags – many imbalances can occur at Z3. It is the site of our digestion processes, which include constipation, SIBO, endometriosis, IBS, diarrhoea, and of course healthy gut function. We can all start at a baseline that enables our brain to connect here. That is a positive start! Then we graduate and progress. Z3 is your RELAX HERE, AND BREATH MOST OF THE TIME zone! The frequency to you deliver respiration into each zone is not mandatory 24/7. The more you practice though, the better the brain will connect, neural pathways will be grooved, and overtime, the default to these zones occurs with beneficial gains. These times can be when being mindful of practicing any form of self
relaxation or movement. Although, I have had clients sprint stairs and hills, while in Z2 and nose inhale / nose exhale breathing! It is well served to practice each zone, at the appropriate times, and also mentally observe what the other zones are doing when targeting a neighbouring zone.
P #3 The More you Relax, The More you Feel….. this principal is very much a trust principal. Have faith that your self awareness and perception of relaxation, is enough!…. and it will become apparent more and more.
The awareness then changes to, a broader awareness. One that you can distinguish more and more between relaxation and tension. Soft and hard. Stressed and de stressed. Contraction and letting go.
This principal is not saying that relaxation is key to health and longevity etc,… its saying be aware of both sides. And know when you are in one or the other.
We will need to brace, and create stability in the body to lift an object that is heavy. You will need to contract, be rigid….the question is, do you know when to let go, to be relaxed. Can you tell the diffs nee, and is your body and mind giving you signs!
All this terminology that covers our innate physiology, is the language we are finding now in community circles. Especially in healing an wellbeing practices and interactions.
I hope you enjoyed the introduction to wellbeing basics. I would welcome you to contact me for any questions or bookings in the clinic!
