Camp F.I.T.T.: Mighty Minds 03/22 Day 16

[sostinkinhappy]

"For they had learned that true safety was to be found in long previous training and not in eloquent exhortations uttered when they were going into action." - Thucydides

Okay, back to our thinking assignments…today’s it taken from this quote by Thucydides. Thucydides was an Athenian aristocrat who was in his late 20’s when the Peloponnesian war broke out in 424. He decided that he would write a history of the war as it unfolded, which he did a very good job at as evidenced by the fact that we are still quoting him today! At any rate, during this same time period as Athenians struggled for their independence, Thucydides saw how impressive human nature and life could be at their best, but also how rapidly both could degenerate under stress.

One of the things he noticed were those who were successful, who made it home from the battle fields had some very specific attributes. One of the things that he noticed was it was those who spent time off the battlefield preparing who returned day after day. He also noticed it was those reviewed what had happened during the previous engagements and tried to make improvements were also the ones returning home from the battlefields.

So how does this apply to us? I think if we can apply some of the lessons that Thucydides observed to our mindful practice of TTapp, we might be able to keep our bodies in motion just a little longer with just a little bit better form. John J. Bowman, Ph.D. in sports psychology, summed up some of the qualities that Thucydides observed as “The Three Crazy Rules for Psyching Up.” (Okay, okay, I know that we aren’t headed of to run a marathon or compete in a pentathlon, but I don’t know about you, but there are some times when I need some serious “psyching up” to do my TTapp for the day!)

Here are the three crazy rules: First, SOMETIMES UP MEANS DOWN. Second, DON'T GO TO PRACTICE, and third, THERE IS NO FAILURE, ONLY FEEDBACK.

You are probably sitting there scratching your pretty little head wondering how on earth these three rules apply to us so I am going to spend some time over the next couple of days exploring how these 3 crazy rules work for us, starting with the first crazy rule: SOMETIMES UP MEANS DOWN.

Sometimes we let our emotions get in the way of our mindful practice of TTapp. We let the stresses of the day get in the way of really paying attention to what we have set out to accomplish—mainly to heal ourselves and to build stronger bodies. Sometimes, especially with an activity the demands such mindful awareness as TTapp, “stepping up to the plate” mean quieting down our fears, concerns, worries.


I know that on the day when I am particularly stressed, the last thing I want to do is TTapp and I think it is because I know that I am going to have to pay attention, that I can’t be brainless about my workout (which I do enjoy on occasion, and when I want to do that I go the the gym and walk on the treadmill while my headphones and mind are tuned into CNN or FoxNews or MSNBC). What has helped me the most to get over this hump, to help myself “key up” for TTapping is to allow myself a few minutes to calm down—I will do a set of Hoe Downs and then go lay down for 10 minutes, or just do some stretching. Once my mind is more settled, I find that I am more able to focus on TTapp.

[u]Thinking Assignment o’the Day</u>

Have you guys had the same kinds of experiences with TTapp or am I the only one who really doesn’t want to do it on a stressful day, even though I know it is what I need more than anything? What kinds of things have you found that help to you get relaxed and focused on doing your workout? Do you have any tricks that help you get over that feeling of, “Gosh darn it, do I have to do this again today?” Take the time to write about what it is that you do or could do that would help you de-stress a little so that you are willing and able to do TTapp. If you want, share it here with us.

Much love and belief--


Melynda Fitt
TTapp Trainer UTAH


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[writemore]

Hi, Melynda -

I hope all of your moving preparations are going smoothly. That's quite an undertaking to move so far with 2 young children. Do you have family/friends in D.C.?

Yes, I do find it very difficult to do anything on stressful days, and even more so with something like T-Tapp that takes so much energy. If I'm having a problem getting started, I will allow myself to read one chapter of my current book, with the promise that after I finish it I will get right up and Tapp. (A nice soaky bath would be great, but then I'd just have to shower again after Tapping ).

I've been Tapping on a semi-regular basis for maybe 3 years now, but I keep getting sidetracked by various things like illness and surgery, etc. Although I've gotten through a couple 14-day boot camps in the past, this is the first time I've gotten this far. A very important factor this time has been that son has done some of the workouts with me. It's so helpful to be accountable to someone else! Something else that has helped is planning first thing in the morning when I'll do my workout. I don't always do it the same time of the day, but just knowing that there is a slot planned for it seems to keep me on track.

I check for posts on this board several times a day, too, just to know how everyone else is doing. There is great comfort and strength knowing that other people are in this with me.

Another thing is that I've given myself permission to skip something if I really can't do it. But I have to think about it instead of just skipping it. And I usually realize that if I skip it, I'll regret that decision, so I just go ahead and do it.

It's been kind of odd, seeing how I've reacted to exercise in the past, but I am so psyched for this MB! Maybe I'm just finally ready to buckle down and lose these extra inches or something. I don't know. I've struggled a few days to finish parts of it, and I've skipped something occasionally. But that's okay. I refuse to set myself up for failure just because I didn't do that last set of HD and TTN. I will not feel guilty because of it!

Suzanne

[Pensguys]

I think for me I sometimes feel pushed for time which adds stress to my life....I like to stay up late and sleep late....but homeschooling 2 boys doesn't allow that (it COULD if it would work for you, but we need a morning school schedule). When I sleep later than I should and then get on the computer, it puts me behind, so I look for things to "not do today" so I can get "caught up to where I should be"....and one of those is exercise. I feel a stress of getting up and doing it BEFORE the boys get up because they drive me INSANE when I'm trying to do it and they are up.

Now how do I get past that urge of "I don't WANT to tapp today"? Usually, I say, "the others online are 'watching' me. I don't want to quit. It is ok to have a box that is not checked every now and then, but I want to give it my all. If school starts late today, then so be it." I guess kind of a mini-pep talk.
Pen
Wife to Eugene
Mom to Joseph (7) & Jacob (5)

When I get a little money, I buy books, and if any is left, I buy food and clothes." --Erasmus

[Golfnsuch]

I Tapp first thing in the morning. By getting up when my toddler does, I know we have an hour together and he likes nothing more than running around me while I Tapp (he also like horsey rides during HTF butt tucks - don't get me started...)[]. Anyhow, there is nothing to get in my way at 5 or 5:30; nothing else that needs to be done. Laundry, dishes, et. al., would just wake up the rest of the family. If I hesitate or watch TV the time slips away and then its gone.

I keep my progress chart, spray and tapes all right next to each other in what we call the workout room (an unfinished room in our basement with foam flooring from Costco, a TV/VCR mounted on the wall and an exercise bike). My chart gives me the added oomph I sometimes need to get started. I look at what tapes I did on my most successful weeks inch-wise and experiment with the order of my weekly workouts. Keeping all of my tapes right there also allows me some flexibility. When I'm up for a challenge, I have the old Intermediate & the Maxis, when I don't want to Tapp but know I should, there's HTF & SITTM and when I really don't want to "think" while I workout, I do salsa dance tapes.

Variety, past and current success, and having the time to "share" with Ty are what keep me going.

Take care, Elizabeth

Safety Harbor 2005 or BUST!

[Elindamay]

"I can do anything for 15 minutes!" That's what I tell myself when I am pooped or stressed out. The majority of the time, after I have started, I am re-energized and ready to continue. If, after 15 minutes, I still feel exhausted or stressed out, I give myself permission to go take a rest. I must need it. Yesterday, after driving all day long to come home, I really didn't feel like doing anything. So I put in SATI and just watched the instructional part. By the time I was done watching it, I thought well this will only be 15 minutes I can do it. I went to bed, ready to sleep, with a true tired feeling... not just an exhausted one. I can never fall asleep when I am overexhausted.
Melinda

[weezie]

I LOVE THIS TOPIC! I mean, I love all of them, but this is SO FREAKIN' TRUE! I've always used exercise as a chance to numb my brain and just zone out. There are times when I have really had to focus on my workouts... like training for my rowing class or training for swimming. When I look back, I see that those workouts where I really focused on each movement and each breath always ended up being the best workouts physically as well as mentally. It helped to take my mind off of everything else and just focus on the basics, like breathing and moving with good form.

I suppose I sometimes forget that being in "the zone" can stimulate and invigorate our minds and bodies much more than just zoning out. TTapp requires a lot of focus, but we are returning to the basics--to correct form and breathing. Our minds do take a break from the struggles and challenges in our lives because we shut out the world, return to the basics, and get in the ttapp zone. It's a mind workout, but it challenges our mind in a different way than work and school and family, and, and, and...

I suppose when I feel overwhelmed and completely lacking the desire to workout, I either tell someone to give me a swift kick in the pants, or I try to picture how I want to look and feel. Knowing that TTapp will get me there usually gives me the push I need to put on my sneakers and get in the zone.

Steph
T-Tapp Trainer-in-Training [^]

"You see, it's never you against the whole world... Just you against yourself!" -Katharine Hepburn

[Kiwi]

I set a goal for myself to become a TTAPP trainer in October 2005 to get me off the couch and exercising.

At first my goal seemed a bit unrealistic given my negative fitness level at the time. After just a few weeks TTapp'n I knew it was possible... after teaching two TTAPP classes, I knew it was probable that I would achieve my goal. Each positie success with TTAPP reinforces my desire to achieve my personal goals.

Whenever I get the blahs and don't want to excercise I think of my friends who I am trying to help get fit too. As a teacher, I don't want them slacking off so I can't either. Sometimes when I'm really tired (like when my son keeps me up all night) I switch to a shorter workout and try to be gratefull that I'm moving! Anything is an improvement over where I was!!!

In an earlier thinking assignment was to appreciate the good things about ourselves... being albe to move more easily is a wonderful thing!!!

Ke'Ora


Joanne
Trainer-in-Training
Logan, Utah

[stephanie g]

This is going to be short and strange. I wanted to post last night but my hubby taught his internet class and I was really tried and did not get back on the computer after he was done-ANYWAY!!!!
I have found during this model blitz that when I am sitting at the computer and my two littlest ones are asleep-hopefully-that my mind tends to think, "Hey, I want to surf for an hour instead of tapp and I have got myself up out of the chair and got dressed and worked out".
I used to be a morning exerciser and this was how I was able to train for the marathon but yes, I only had one child and life was less stressful then. I realized that my don't surf, workout method has been happening since we started this and if it keeps me going, I am going to keep doing it this way. Maybe the thought that I have to report in to HF and put it down in words is what motivates me to get up out of my seat or maybe it is something else BUT who really cares what triggers my mind as long as it fires.

stephanie g