Mind Body Fitness: Focus, Preparation, Performance - Softcover

Seabourne Ph.D., Tom

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1886969876 ISBN 13: 9781886969872

Publisher: YMAA Publication Center, 2001

Synopsis

You take care of yourself. You eat the right food, exercise regularly, using all the latest information on stretching, cardiovascular training and weights. And yet, you're not in the best shape you can possibly be. What can you do, short of quitting your job and becoming a professional athlete? You can use the same techniques as the Pros and the Olympians... the Mind/Body Connection.

If you want to improve your performance in any activity, your body is only going to take you so far. You need your mind working with your body in harmony. It has been clinically proven that the mind and body working together can produce better results than previously dreamed possible. Author and medal-winning martial artist Tom Seabourne will show you how, integrating techniques from eastern disciplines such as Martial Arts and Yoga as well as western methods such as visualization and stress-reduction. Whether you're an elite competitor or an overworked, out-of-shape parent, Mind/Body Fitness will work for you!

• Easy-to-Learn Relaxation & Meditation Skills that You Can Practice Anytime & Anywhere.
• Increase Focus, Confidence & Health using Clinically Proven Mind/Body Techniques.
• Dietary Tips to Optimize Your Mental & Physical Effectiveness.
• Easy-to-Use Checklists with Strategies on Mindfulness, Goal Setting & Time Management.

About this title

From the Author:

"I wrote this book to share what I consider, the most important aspect of martial arts, sports, and activity—mindfulness. Mindfulness is that continuing, never ending, constant awareness. All martial artists no matter what style they practice, eventually get to a point where they learn to understand and cultivate this concept in order to reach the next level. Anybody can throw a punch or a kick, but doing it mindfully is another thing. Relaxing and focusing all of your power and energy is an art. Mindfulness cultivates that art. Mindfulness is not inborn, but is always available to you. First you must learn the concept, and then you must practice it. After you learn the concept of mindfulness, share it with your friends. As they become mindful there will be less arguing and conflict. When they share mindfulness with their acquaintances, peace of mind and harmony will spread to everyone, everywhere. When we get caught up in our busy lives we forget our roots. My martial arts training began at the age of eleven. I studied in Asia and trained in a dojo that required strict discipline and self-control. There was no room for ego. If I didn’t remain mindful of my stance, my Asian master promptly reminded me by taking me to the floor. After a year of training six nights a week for two hours a night, I was able to remain relaxed and focused throughout the training session. This is where I began to understand mindfulness. Mindfulness allows you to alter your activation levels at will so that you can relax and yet still be aware of your surroundings..."

From the Inside Flap:

To possess the total integration of your mind and body requires you to be relaxed and focused. I call this mind/body. You know how to relax—or at least you think you do. Your muscles are stiff. Perhaps you are trying too hard. When you attempt to relax, you are unsuccessful because you are thinking too much. Think of only one thing. Whether you pay attention to your breathing, your heart rate, or your spouse, you are experiencing mindfulness. Mindfulness has everything to do with relaxation and focus. Mind/body fitness is all about awareness. Your friends may choose to play tennis or jog. You need to find what is good for you. Although affiliation and camaraderie make activity fun, it is more important that you perform your workout on your terms. Do what you love. Do what is right for your mind/body. You know when a movement or thought is right for your body or your mind, and you know when it is wrong. Your mind/body will rebel against inappropriate movements or thoughts. Perhaps at first you enjoyed running and anti-inflammatory medication dulled any discomfort you may have experienced. Then the pain and confusion became stronger than any sedative. Soon your knees and hips told you to walk. Finally, stationary cycling became your non-impact activity of choice. Group exercise leaders crank up their music so students are distracted from discomfort. They count rhythmically and entice their charges to ignore pain. Every once in a while, an insightful instructor turns off the music. The students listen to their bodies instead of chaos. At this point, there is nothing to dull their sensations. These students are mindful of their movement without distraction. Be mindful during your activities. Practice martial arts or go bowling, cycling, or running. Whatever your choice, if you are relaxed and focused, you are practicing mindfulness. Rather than fretting about your bowling score or how many calories you are burning, remain in the present. Do not fear victory or anticipate success. Play. Immerse yourself in your action. Associate with your activity. Become fully involved in whatever you are doing with no second guesses. Dissociation, the opposite of association, may be considered mindful exercise. Sometimes when practicing, martial artists, long distance cyclists, and marathon runners dissociate their minds from pain. Instead, they let their minds wander to grocery lists, dinner, or building their fortunes. Tibetan monks dissociate to achieve altered states of consciousness. You too dissociate every day of your life, for example, by doodling and daydreaming. Burned out athletes find mind/body training revitalizing. Mind/body activities can include pilates, taijiquan, yoga, and individualized programs provided in this book. You can use mind/body techniques to warmup and cooldown during athletics. Because in these activities you do not pound the pavement, mind/body training appeals to those fearful of high-intensity physical training routines. Mind/body practice results in other benefits as well, including stress management, improved concentration, and enhanced discipline.

About this edition

• Publisher: YMAA Publication Center
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1886969876
• ISBN 13: 9781886969872
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 190