Opposite to what I expected

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[Kelly Allen]

On two occations now I have dragged my ass into the dojo wondering how I'm going to survive the warm ups little lone the actual training only to discover that after the warm up I was feeling much better and at the end of the session I was rareing for more.

Now I always enjoy my work outs but when I come into the Dojo raring to go I find I've had enough at the end.

I'm not complaining or anything but I find it interesting that my body acts opposite to what I might expect it too. So I'm curious, does anyone else's system respond this way to workouts? And to those who are medically adept, why would my body rebound so well when I feel I'm barely functioning to start, as opposed to my body running out of steam when I start class feeling good?

Or maybe I'm just a goofy backwards guy.:D

[Abasan]

First off, I thought because of the name you were a girl... sorry.

Second... Me too! Same thing happens. But then it happens to most of us, when we want to do something good for the body. Like exercise, eat healthy... and then the darkside calls forth and say no... play computer games or eat chocalates instead.

But if you do force yourself to go... your body just sweats that negative vibes out.

Also there is this expectation problem. When we anticipate we are going to do this and that, and we can't wait to get there... inadvertently we are building up this expectation. And it can get higher and higher just like the expectation inflation effect. pretty soon though, the real world hits you and its just not happening. Then you get withdrawn and thus your body responds negatively.

I think, we all train better without the clock there on the wall. If our aim is to run 20 mins, might as well time it to 25... because it gives that margin for the body to give up...

Like today, i've been dying to go to the dojo after missing one 2 days of training because of a flu. But just as my workday is done, my body is giving me all sorts of disgruntles and complaints. The worst I can do is to reach home with plenty of time for my brain to think of excuses for skipping today.

[Daniel Mills]

I find very much the same.

I'm generally quite unfit (or as my Doctor likes to point out, an extremely fit person, in a hugely overweight persons body, I have perfect blood pressure, etc, yet.. weigh almost 400lbs at 21 years of age, Aiiiii..)

Warm-ups absolutely kill me, and I find myself drenched with sweat before Sensei even enters the room, but I force myself through it because.. I know I have to, and ultimately, I want to. If I begin hurting or feel like I really can't do anymore, I'll stop and stretch a while, whilst the others finish on instruction or get to the same point as I.

On Wednesday, I had what I would class as simply.. the hardest I've worked in the short time I've been training and studying in Aikido. By the end of the session, another white belt and I were running through techniques for our 7th kyu grading, constantly. We were laughing, and generally having a productive, yet hugely enjoyable time (Especially when she, a 5', smaller framed lady, managed to send me, a 6'1", 400lb'er backwards with so much force, I actually did my first ever backwards roll.. without any choice in the matter!), as the end of the session came, I found that I was so tired that even raising to my knees after being put down was an effort that required a hugely exagerated heave-ho!

The bizarre thing was.. that evening, I did not ache one single bit. And yesterday/the day after, I did not ache whatsoever.

I figure I must be doing something right to my body, after all these years of neglect :)

[Aikilove]

Depending on what you do outside of the dojo (e.g. you are sitting in front of a computer or answering phones all day) you can still be tired enough to consider not going to the dojo, but your blood circulation is actually way down. So when you start to warm up the circulation goes up again and revitalize your brain and body. That's why you might feel you have more energy after training than before.

[kensparrow]

I've had the same thing happen a few times: crawl to the dojo and have a great class, run to the dojo and have a terrible one. Maybe since you walk in already revved up you are using up your energy faster than if you start slow.

I've also had the experience of being "off" (as in a total spaz) all class until someone throws me really hard and then just like that, I'm "on". Kind of weird...

[Joseph Huebner]

Kelly:

Oh, yeah... I work 24 hour shifts. Although some nights we sleep, there are those particular nights when we don't get a wink. Then we go home to our "normal" lives. I won't go into narritives, let's just say I've got a wife, kid, and a list of chores waiting for me when I get home. "These" days can last 36-40 hours.

I feel pretty good after class even when sleep-deprived. I contribute this to stretching, activity, and most certainly some adrenalin. There's probably a detailed relative article in a medical publication somewhere, buried, written by a neurologist, endocrinologist, or some other type of "ologist". This experience/explaination is easier on the eyes and would come to similar conclusions.

Joseph Huebner

[William Boyd]

:) Hi Kelly,

usually I go to the dojo after work and am tired but after class I find myself full of energy.

ai ki do

[Kelly Allen]

Thanks All! I do work a desk job. Night shift to boot. In fact this is how I pass the time at work with these forums. (Bad employee). The circulation theory is a good one. It makes good sense to me.

I like the lack of centeredness take as well. Ukemi helps me get that back as well.

Well glad to see I'm normal after all. Well at least when it comes to this topic anyway.

Thanks again and train well.

[Kelly Allen]

Kelly:

Oh, yeah... I work 24 hour shifts. Although some nights we sleep, there are those particular nights when we don't get a wink. Then we go home to our "normal" lives. I won't go into narritives, let's just say I've got a wife, kid, and a list of chores waiting for me when I get home. "These" days can last 36-40 hours.

Joseph Huebner
:eek: 24 hour shifts!! That's not a job that's a living hell. And to have a family that makes you do more work after. What kind of massacistic person are you that you let yourself live this way.

If I tried to live that lifestyle I'd be dead after the first week.:dead: I have to thank you though. After hearing what you have to suffer for work makes my measly 8 hour night shift look a whole lot better. :D

Kelly

[Anat Amitay]

There are some days I fight with myself if to go and train or get a nice shower and go to bed. Usually when I'm tired but go to train, I get to feel much better afterward and I'm full of energy (before- :dead: after- :) ).

There are a few trainings that by the end I wish they will just finish (not many, though) and that usually happens when our teacher continues way after the usual time and it was a not too dynamic class. For some reason, when we have a dynamic class, even though it's tireing, I feel great, but when it's in a slower pace and very very long (like an hour more), my air comes out.

So, I guess it has a lot to do with our mood, what type of class is being passed that evening etc.

enjoy training!

Anat

[SeiserL]

IMHO, inertia play a great part in working out. If your body is at rest at home, it will tend to want to stay at rest. If it is in motion at the Dojo, it will tend to want to stay in motion. Also a more negative attitude at home may add to the energy drain, while a positive attitude of working out will actually add energy. Don't forget the placebo

effect if just knowing you are doing something that is good for you can help boost the spirits. Enough talk on "why", now just go train because you know it works.

[ian]

Odd thing in chinese martial arts is the yin/yan aspect. i.e. to move you have to first be still. Therefore there are often stationary exercises that are intended to improve your movement (e.g. chi-gung or standing in a posture for large amounts of time). Also necessary to balance stationary and moveing exercise and fast and slow performance of technique. (I think a benefit here is that if you 'try' to do something fast you often tense whereas if you get used to doing something slowly and then increase in speed over time the final result is much faster.). In addition, most chinese martial arts exercises are supposed to energise you and not tire you.

Just using your muscles removes toxins from them and joint manipulation releases endorphins so this is one reason why you could be more envigorated. However we often train so repetitively, with constant attacks, that by the end of the session most people are knackered.

[ian]

P.S. to address your real point (instead of rambling). I find the same in swimming. I'm not sure if it is because I exercise regularly, and when I have a short break it makes me feal more lethargic but when I get back into it I actually have lots of stored energy. (athletes often stop exercising completly for 2-3 days before a competition so that they are on top form). When you are used to a pattern of exercise, stopping makes you very agitated (and sometimes aggresive!)

Ian

[Joseph Huebner]

:eek: 24 hour shifts!! That's not a job that's a living hell. And to have a family that makes you do more work after. What kind of massacistic person are you that you let yourself live this way.

If I tried to live that lifestyle I'd be dead after the first week.:dead: I have to thank you though. After hearing what you have to suffer for work makes my measly 8 hour night shift look a whole lot better. :D

Kelly
It's really not that bad once you become acclaimated to this type of schedule. There are benefits, too. I work a 5 day rotation (On/off/On/off/On/4 Days off). So, after every 5th day I have 4 consecutive days off. Pretty cool! Second, I can't say my job is boring or routine.

Right now I am in the midst of one of those long days, we are in the trauma season now that the weather is nice (Two motorcycle accidents yesterday).

Actually, it is not the clock hours that get you, it's the ambulance call itself. We're riding a wave of adrenalin, we have to think on the run, and do several things at once (Especially with critical patients). You ride this adrenalin rush for a while. When you come down, you feel like you've just crashed yourself.

Some (not all) of my co-workers smoke too much, drink excessively, and participate in damaging activities to compensate. My choice is physical activity which now includes aikido. I'm amazed, for such a sleep deprived person I have alot of energy now I contribute directly to aikido. So, it's not so bad after all

Joseph Huebner :)

[Alec Corper]

Change you mind! I am reminded of an old dojo saying, "when tired train, when sad train, when ill train, when happy train, when bored train, when in pain train........" this does not mean become a masochist, it means step towards training as something that is no longer mood or personal feeling driven This is an aspect of Budo as spiritual training, the development of a center that is independant of our local ego, fudoshin, which is a result worth having since everybody has up and down days but they should not change the way we practise.

regards, Alec