Hold Om

Those who do not move, do not notice their chains-

Can someone please answer this seemingly “simple” question: What the heck is progress?

Let’s narrow our focus on yoga for our conversation this morning … Progress on your trusty yoga mat looks and feels rather different from a straight gravel road shooting up over the horizon. After a few sips of juniper berry infused mead, I like to think of progress on the mat as more of a dance, the rumba to be more specific. Two steps forward, one step back, a smile, loosening up a bit, three steps forward, two confident steps back. We seem to find our own pace, our own rhythm even if it takes a few drinks.

Progress with yoga often gets worse, much worse before it gets better. Being a dude I didn’t know this initially and I thought I was losing control of both my mind and body. I was confused (this is very easy for me) because I thought that yoga was supposed strengthen me both spiritually and physically – Instantly.

What I didn’t know at the time was that this dance backwards was the very beginning of taking a few gentle, confident steps forward.  I had to regress before I could start once again to creep ahead. Just like an infant crawling on their little hands and knees, I needed to learn how to roll over, sit up, fall down and crawl before I could walk (literally).

Sometimes I didn’t want to get up after falling down. Looking back, I don’t know how I got up on my feet again after the trying times, life. Eventually I did. Then I stumbled and fell again back onto my mat. Clumsily I rose to my knees, then to my shaky feet once again. This morning I stood straight after riding my bike to work. This is my dance in life.

Notes:

Learning to love yourself, to take care of your emotional and physical self. This is how I define progress.

CultFit One


Lately

I can’t help wanting us
to be like other people.
For example, if I were a smoker,

you’d lift a match to the cigarette
just as I put it between my lips.
It’s never been like that

between us: none of that
easy chemistry, no quick, half automatic
flares. Everything between us

had to be learned.
Saturday finds me brooding
behind my book, all my fantasies

of seduction run up
against the rocks.
Tell me again

why you don’t like
sex in the afternoon?
No, don’t tell me–

I’ll never understand you
never understand us, America’s strangest
loving couple: they never

drink a bottle of wine together
and rarely look at each other.
Into each other’s eyes, I mean.

- Deborah Garrison A Working Girl Can’t Win

Notes:

How hard is it to put down the gadgets, pull your lover close, eye to eye, heart to heart, open a bottle of wine, chill?!?

CultFit Embrace


Everybody Pass Me By

How many things one should disregard in order to act-

Preface: The post that follows evolved from a discussion between some dude and a highly motivated yoga fashionista/passionate runner …

We see it everywhere: More and more well-intentioned, active people who use “data” to solve the “problems” in their life. More specifically: Using the endless amounts of data we collect from our gadgets to help us run, bike, swim and supposedly live a better more fulfilling life.

Here are a few ideas that have been lost in the space-time continuum, hidden under the centre couch cushion … let me flip it over for you.

My lap times are abysmal! I need to shave off at least ten seconds a lap to compete in my next triathlon!

Look at the “problems” you face not as problems but as challenges. Difficult experiences and situations in life can be excellent opportunities for growth, exploring new possibilities. Most importantly perhaps, do not run (swim) away from your problems. It’s impossible to run away, analyze downloaded data and grow simultaneously.

I’m supposed to get 35-40 miles in per week to maintain my training schedule for my first ultra-marathon this September …

Be gentle, take care and be kind to yourself. As humans, parents, lovers, friends and somewhere way down the list: Athletes .. we always have something that needs a little work, some tweaks here and there and improvements to be made. The process of becoming who we want to be, starts with acceptance of who we are, right now.

Racing in this new age group is rather intimidating. It’s like my 9am yoga class.

By focusing on the right attitude for “life” and paying little attention to differences? We are afforded the ability to carry over lessons we learn within everyday life. Completely accepting of the fact that differences exist between all of us and these differences always will. If we continue to stay focused on what divides us instead of what unites us? Our ego will inflate in such a way that our thoughts will change from being positive to being negative.

Notes:

Data can be really useful to us, there’s no doubt about it. Although I passionately feel that if we fail to address and discuss: Envy, Shame, Guilt, Pride, Lust, Hatred, and Greed … These emotions lead to a negative emotional state, one that provides little gain, much like the data we use to comfort our soul.

Be well this weekend.

CultFit Rainbow


Flypaper

My God, a moment of bliss. Why, isn’t that enough for a whole lifetime?-

What if we told you that finishing a marathon, cycling a century, putting up max numbers in the gym, advanced yoga poses, holding a plank for ten minutes … Really don’t matter much?

The ritual does, the preparation, all the hard work, the failure before the activity. Slow down this morning and explore this profound idea with us.

CultFit Reflection

All of the above activities (and more) have a few things in common.

The entire family, including your friends can participate in them. Walking, running, cycling and especially yoga. You don’t have to be “talented” or “skilled”  to have fun with your family and friends. There’s no one to impress

By slowing down to savor the ritual, you are afforded the time to socialize and enjoy yourselves. Let’s use cycling as an example:  You can tease the dudes in your group about their freshly shaven legs and their choice of skin-tight lycra. When you run out of things to share, you can ease into the saddle and enjoy the scenery rolling by.

Often times when we plan a big, wonderful and memorable “LIFE” changing event: Our very first marathon, first time showing up for yoga class, the sleepless night before your first 5k  (look through your blog roll today). We forget about where our journey started. The thing is, our lives are made of so many touching small memories, this is our foundation in life.

The Workout-

A light and flowing Warm Up: Tumbling, Rolling and Jump Rope.

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Ring Dips, Ring Perfect Push Ups, Ring Rows

Notes:

Too many times we only focus on the end result and not where our journey began … Bike ride to the park, a few drinks with friends after a grueling trail run, tying your shoes properly in the morning.  The simple things in life truly are heaven.

CultFit Hard Work


CultFit in the New Year

In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act-

Pop quiz Hot Shots:

The Best CultFit Posts of 2012

Gathered conveniently for you, here are the best posts from 2012, as judged by some random dude (actually all of you):

This is profoundly sad … 11,683
Tuesday 24 April 2012 1,673
Testing The Path Not Normally Taken 1,481
Maybe It’s His Fault 1,391
Grappling With Forgiveness 1,356
Guide to the London Summer Games: CultFit Style 1,259
Big Trouble Upstairs 1,221
Wednesday 20 June 2012 1,197
Wednesday 4 April 2012 1,188
A Thought Provoking Blog … 1,152
Sunday 11 September 2011 1,151
Friday 27 April 2012 1,149
Wednesday 9 May 2012 1,134
You Brought A Gun To A Knife Fight … 1,127
The Beautiful Blogger Award… 1,122

What to look forward to in 2013

We are going step back and strip CultFit of all its distractions, gimmicks, promotions and more.  The main objective is to leave you, our Dear Reader with a pure and simple reading experience.  Reading and digesting the words presented to you without any distractions.

What we feel is necessary for a simple, enjoyable reading experience:

  1. Pithy, socially relevant topics to help you come to peace with your body and mind
  2. No comments or “like” buttons to distract you from our message
  3. A pleasant and easily read format
  4. Minimal navigation, Minimal pics.  Featured content for a “In and Out” experience
  5. A breath of fresh air amidst a sea of distractions

CultFit Bear

The CultFit as you have come to love (used extremely loosely) will simply not be the same …

The “Workout” in 2013

Acquaint yourself with this lovely word:

heu·ris·tic

/hyo͞oˈristik/

Adjective-
Enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves.
Noun-
A heuristic process or method.

CultFit Cat

What does time mean to you?  We believe time is functionally similar to volatility in our lives:  The more time, the more you can achieve, the more disorder to bathe in.  Consider, that if you can suffer limited harm to your body if exposed to small errors (a brisk run, snappy kettlebell work), time brings the kind of “errors” that end up benefitting YOU.  We like to call this experience.  Other programs will break you with their use of time, not here.
Proper Form, Seek Flow, Develop Grace … Only then will we find Perfection

Notes:

Slowly and surely we will be migrating content to our new site, so all hope is not lost!  CultFit will still be here tomorrow, in all its dreadful glory.  Thank you once again for making CultFit what it is!  Be well this New Year and ENJOY!!!

CultFit Frodo