Friday Book Report: The Human Use of Human Beings

Norbert Weiner’s book The Human Use of Human Beings:  Cybernetics and Society ranges over a wide field.  The original publication date is 1950, with a second edition in 1954, which is relevant because a lot of science has occurred since that time.  Nonetheless, his exploration between the relationship between mind and computer contains much that is thought-provoking and a great deal that seems downright prescient.

As we grow and learn (yes, there is the tenuous connection to fitness!), it is useful to remember what he says about who we are:

“It is the pattern maintained by this homeostasis, which is the touchstone of our personal identity.  Our tissues change as we live:  the food we eat and the air we breathe become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone, and the momentary elements of our flesh and bone pass out of our body every day with our excreta.  We are but whirlpools in a river of ever-flowing water.  We are not stuff that abides, but patterns that perpetuate themselves.” (p. 96)

He has many other interesting reflections on, among other things, fascism, game theory, teleportation, and prosthetics.  I would enjoy a conversation with this person and would be fascinated to hear what he thinks of where we are now.

Feel good!

Today’s news flash:  exercise includes some things that feel good.

Yes, there are times when we have done something hard and we have kicked some butt and our butts feel like they have been kicked and we feel amazing anyway, but that’s not what I’m talking about.  I’m talking about that little-kid-at-recess-who-could-run-forever feeling, the one about the wind in our hair and the new, super-fast tennies.  Also the peace that comes when we relax into a yoga pose or stretch muscles that really need it.  Or maybe the feeling of length we find in our spine during Pilates.  Or even the release that comes from rolling on foam rollers or tune-up balls.

We need to make sure that some of those things make it into our workouts.  Joy is allowed.  It can be embraced.  And we will be better for it.

A little slack

Sometimes we need to be slackers.  Not usually.  Not often.  But sometimes.  If rest is not part of our fitness plan, we are making a big mistake.  We need to rest to grow and heal.

And then we need to get moving again.

So:  how many days has it been since we took a nice long rest?  Is today that day?  If it is, great.  If not, let’s move.

There's a word for it!

While I was studying for my Behavior Change Specialization, I learned a term for something that I’ve used for a long time.  The magic word is:  Premacking.  Psychologist David Premack coined the word (I guess he was super creative with the naming thing, eh?). 

Since the name doesn’t tell what it does, I will explain.  Premacking is the process of linking something we don’t much want to do but need to do with something we like to do or do often to get us to do more of the first thing.  So knowing that there is a new season of some compelling police procedural show available on Netflix, I might get myself to stretch more by making a rule that I only get to watch while stretching.  Or if I need a little more work on balance, I might make a habit of brushing my teeth standing on one leg, either flat or up on my toe.

Some activities pair better than others.  Meditating while driving is not encouraged.  I may joke about Workout:  The Drinking Game, but that only works if the beverage in question is water.

We can all take a look around at the things we do and figure out some creative ways to hook our existing habits to ones that will make us more awesome.

Monday Workout: TRX

It’s time for TRX.  We have done this workout before, but it is still lots of fun.  Do as many rounds as you have time and energy for!

TRX
squat row (mid)	20
mountain climber (mid calf)	20
clock press (long)	20
overhead squat (long)	20
crossing balance lunge (mid)	20
plank (mid calf)	30 sec
crunch	10
hamstring curl	10
low row (mid)	20
burpee (mid calf)	10

Friday Book Report: The Book of Joy

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams have done a wonderful thing in creating The Book of Joy.  It is both practical and fun.  All too often, I think, we equate spiritual leadership with dullness, boredom, and the kind of sobriety that makes us long for something, anything, else.  These are not those spiritual leaders.  They laugh.  They joke.  They poke each other.  And they exude the kind of joy that we all would like to have in our lives.

Both the Archbishop and the Dalai Lama have faced deep personal and political crises.  There has been lots of suffering for each of them.  If they can somehow come through and find joy, they can show us the way.

The book has lots to offer those of any or no religious preference.  We can all learn from these great people and live more joyously.

Why?

Why do we choose to lift heavy sometimes and lighter other times?  There are at least two reasons.

One reason is that our bodies thrive on variety.  If we always do the same things, our bodies get bored and stop developing.  Switching up what we do helps keep our bodies (and brains!) engaged and growing.

The other is that we have different goals.  Some of us want Big Muscles.  Others of us want to be Massively Strong.  Still others want to be toned and shapely but definitely Not Bulky.

Let’s lift to get what we want!