Elemental Fitness: Physical Training For Emotional Balance

Fascia plasticity through gentle rotational movement. We're looking to show our soft tissue that it's safe to expand the range of motion. This practice mostly involves repetitive rotation/weigh shifting, gradually increasing depth. Think: shifting your weight like an ocean wave. As always, go at your own pace. Only go as far as you can do without any pain. If any point in the progression is too hard or causes discomfort, simply repeat the last level that you can do with ease.

Tai chi-inspired moving meditation. Here you will repeat the same "wave" movement over and over, looking to find maximal ease. Can you make each repetition easier than the last? See if you can match your breath with the movement (inhale with raising arms, exhale with falling). The video is a short tutorial. The recommendation is to continue for 5-10 minutes.

Tendon elasticity, or "spring," is the first athletic trait we lose as we age. It corresponds with the emotions of playfulness, creativity, and curiosity. This session is all about bouncing. Each exercise is to be done on timed repetitions-- but you don't have to follow my exact speed. Go at your own pace!

We follow the Air training with simple pranayama meditation. With your heart rate likely elevated, see how well you can slow down your breath and pulse through gentle inhales and exhales. This is a short demo. It is recommended to continue for 10 minutes. Use the Insight Timer app!

This is the one training session where it's highly recommended to go outside. Unlike the others where you are in one place and can follow along, this one is best done by watching and pausing for each exercise. Fire is all about power and determination. Fewer repetitions, more intensity. We're aiming to stimulate the creatine phosphate system, which produces our "one rep-max" energy. How quickly can you go from "0 to 60"?

We use kapalbhati (breath of fire), not only to stay on theme, but to ease us into downregulation from the intensity of the Fire physical training. This is a short demo. It's recommended to do the breath of fire for as many repetitions as comfortable, then continue into 5-10 minutes of pranayama. Aim to downregulate as effectively as possible.

Earth represents GABA, a neurotransmitter of inhibition (self-control). Earth represents stability. Today's physical training is about finding balance and the ability to endure. This is one training day where we will actually "chase the burn" (lactic acid) by challenging our anaerobic endurance. As always, go at your own pace, and stop at the most challenging but doable/pain free progression level.

Today's standing meditation is known as "Zhan Zhuang"; standing like a tree. The idea is to try to find relaxation in this posture such that it feels like your limbs are "growing" up with energy, rather than you using your muscles to force the position. See if you can make it 5 minutes! Fun fact: When sleeping in outer space (and no longer subject to gravity), astronauts have been found to take this exact arm position.