Hi folks, As Rick Fee has improved my swim performance by focusing on conditioning, rather than technique, we noticed that my pull boy times are much better than when I swim without. The difference can be as much as 11 seconds over 100 yards, taking me from a 1:28 to 1:41. I hate that, and I wondered why it was happening. I feel the same, either way. But as we say in Feldenkrais, "Just because it feels ... Read more
Train Your Observational Skills To Improve Your Sport Or Generate Blogging Ideas
Hi folks, In the study of the Feldenkrais Method and Continuum, body scanning, or looking inwards to see what your body has to say after a maneuver, is a key component of the process of learning to become more aware of your body. Such awareness is both an inherent and an acquired skill, but it can be honed to a high level of proficiency. Awareness really depends upon one's observational abilities, ... Read more
Finding The Most Effective Way To Move Body Parts Is Quite A Trick But Worth The Trouble
Hi folks, About 20 years ago I was an enthusiastic SCUBA diver, but I had lots of trouble clearing my ears. A bolus of air would just remain lodged in my middle ear, while my Eustachian tubes would refuse to release the pressure. Several dives were ruined that way, but if I could get below about 30 feet, no more problems. I repeatedly tried to clear the air by yawning or using the Valsalva maneuver ... Read more
Sports Training Art Or Science?
Hi folks, It is unusual for a scientist, as far as I know, to employ an artist to work directly in their research program, but that is what happened in my laboratory in the early 1980s. Andy Fleishman collaborated with us to produce models of the nose of the rat because of his eye for detail and accuracy. It worked out well for our research program, leading to software that would reduce the need for ... Read more
Lemons Always Remind Me Of Zaid And The Ugly Duckling
Hi folks, The problem with changing jobs is that it separates you from old friends, as your lives don't intersect so regularly anymore. I have one such friend in New Jersey, Zaid, who made my stay in Sanofi-Aventis so much more fun because of the questions he posed. Zaid is a thinker, and as a researcher I like to solve problems. Zaid would pose me puzzling biological questions all of the time, and I ... Read more
A Long Blog Post For Benjamin (Heartosaurus) On Flexibility As He Ages
Hi folks, Today my workout will consist of a long walk enjoying an exploration of the littoral zone (shoreline) ecology of this region of Spain. It is limited in scope because the Mediterranean Sea has very shallow tides due to flow constraints in the Strait of Gibraltar, but there is still a rich sea life to be seen. As I always do when I walk along a coastal shoreline, I'll be musing about my experiences as ... Read more
Swimming Is Helping My Running Due To Improved Lat Involvement And Conditioning Thanks To Jack Heggie
Hi folks, I recently posted on the issue of my dramatically improved swim times in the pool as a result of Rick Fee's encouragement to focus more on conditioning than technique, and my coach indicating how I might engage my lat (Latissimus dorsi) muscles more effectively. Interestingly, I now feel that this is paying dividends for running. I suspect that the benefits derive from both greater ... Read more
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