Rami's Blog

Like the Yin-Yang, Eastern Martial Arts and Western medicine are two halves of a whole. My mission is to preserve the ancient mind-body tools and pass them on to you.

 

Mind-Body Workout #4: Super Bowl Edition!

It's time for another custom mind-body workout folks, and this month, we're giving you a workout you can do while watching the Super Bowl.

Go get your Patriots gear and get ready to sweat!

Mind-Body Workout #4: Super Bowl Edition!

These exercises have all been tailored to the usual Super Bowl viewing experience, and they are divided up into the three major portions of the game: 1st half, Half-time show, and 2nd half.

1st Half

Breathing for Possession: Every down that the Patriots have the ball, pull your abdominal wall in when you breath in, and push it out when you breath out (Taoist Breath). When the Seahawks have the ball (boo!) do the reverse, called Buddhist Breath.

Stretch for the Kicker:  Anytime the Patriots go for a field goal in the first half of the game, get up and stretch those hips on the wall. In your mind, focus on sending all of that hip strength and flexibility to Gostkowski. We need all 3 of those extra points!

Half-time Show

Let Out Some Heat and Stretch: It's probably getting pretty hot in your house now, with all the cooking and cheering and breathing and stretching going on. The half-time show is the perfect time to open your front door and let the house cool off. While you are there, do these stretches to open up those chest and shoulder muscles to prepare for the second half.

Make Room for More Food: You've still got another two hours to go, but you probably overdid it on the chicken wings and chips in the first half. No problem! Grab a chair, and loosen up your digestive tract with this twisting stretch and be ready to chow down during the finale.

2nd Half

Cheer for the Pats/Yell at the Refs: The second half is when every pass and penalty really starts to matter. Show your team spirit by getting up off the couch for each one and cheering or yelling as you see fit. "Come on, Ref! You call that a penalty?"

Lost Your Seat: Most people at these Super Bowl parties wander around during the middle quarters, but everyone suddenly fills in around the sofa when the game clock reaches 5 minutes or so. Chances are, you just came back from the bathroom and now you don't have a seat. No worries! Stretch those quads and strengthen those knees by sitting on the ground.

There you go! Your one-stop guide to making this the healthiest Super Bowl you've ever had.

Go Patriots!

Increase the Flexibility of your Hips

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: your hips are an incredibly important area of your body. Maintaining proper hip strength and flexibility is key to extending your life's maximum mobility and balance years. This stretch is one of my 12 Body Markers, a system I developed to set clear benchmarks for people trying to regain and maintain their body's natural flexibility and strength. Find your number (0-10) and start stretching!

Relaxing the Body

We have talked about meditation frequently on the blog, but there is a step everyone must take before we meditate that is just as important as doing the proper meditation.

We must properly relax our body.

We must let go of unnecessary tension throughout the entire body, because where there is tension, our qi circulation is inhibited.

While sitting in a chair, slowly relax your body. One-by-one, relax your face, shoulders, arms, torso, belly, hips, legs, and feet. Become aware of the up and down forces within in the body that must be maintained for proper meditation.

Experience the spine, rib cage, and head being gently pulled up, as though suspended on a string from the sky. Feel your abdomen, shoulders and face relax as the tension in your soft tissue melts away.

You can visualize ice melting off into running water from the site of these down forces, to help you experience the release and relaxation.

And remember! Do not slouch. If you collapse forward at all, even a little, you will compress your internal organs. When breathing deep, these organs need space to move so they can benefit from the internal massage. If they are under pressure to begin with, the massage won't do you any good.

Here is the .pdf version of the up and down forces chart. Feel free to print it and hang it up where you meditate, so you can remember them easily.

Sexual Health: Hip Circles

This week we are starting our Sexual Health vlog series, where I will show you exercises to maintain and improve your sexual health functions and performance. Today: two hip circles. I do these circles (and a few more) in many of my classes because the hips are such an important joint for overall health. Do this regularly for a few months, and you will see a great many improvements in your health and sexual performance.

Come to My Meditation Workshop This Sunday

Do you want face-to-face guidance on meditation? Do you want to lower your stress levels, increase your energy, stabilize your mood, and unify your mind and body in health?

This Sunday I am teaching a workshop on meditation at Yang's Fitness Center in Andover, MA. It requires no previous experience with meditation, and is open to everyone of all fitness levels. At this workshop, we'll work on:

The workshop is this Sunday, January 18th, from 11am to 2pm at Yang's Fitness Center in Andover, MA. To register, call: 978.475.2020.

I hope to see you all there on Sunday!

I am also giving a talk at the beginning of the Natural Healing Aids and Therapies Conference at Boston Medical on January 29th, which is open to cancer survivors, patients, and their families. Check out this flyer for all of the details. I hope to see some familiar faces!

Lastly, I've decided to extend the FREE offer on my 15 Minute Mind-Body Workout course on Udemy.com until midnight on February 1st. Hundreds of people have already signed up, so don't miss your chance! Send the links to everyone you know who could use my mind-body teachings.

Happy stretching!