Wrote this note a couple of hours before your article appeared in my feed:
“Three sets of heavy squats a day before yesterday after slacking for 2 months. Every single leg muscle is screaming but man, the monkey mind is so much quieter.”
Maybe beating the sh*t out of our bodies promotes both clarity and synchronicity. 😎💪✨
Love the essay. I don’t do martial arts, I’m into running and calisthenics (do both to exhaustion). What you are saying here is true. Nothing compares to the emotional high after a rough one-hour session.
As a military veteran, I miss those days of doing really hard things. Like carrying the weight of a baby seal on my back and fighting alongside my mates.
Life has become too comfortable for most people. It’s why I still run hard and long. Why I seek adventure. Keep up the strong work.
When I was doing Jiu Jitsu - it actually wasn't enough to get me into this state of mind.
But when I was cold tubbing first thing, going for a 5km run and doing Jiu Jitsu three times a week - I was a thinking and acting menace!
Recently got into bouldering, which is significantly more gruelling than Jiu Jitsu, in terms of pump and wearing the body down - plus it has the added benefit of a social component. More social than I found Jiu Jitsu to be.
Gotta chime in here about another form of extreme meditation. Namely, actual meditation. In Zen, we sit. A lot. On our retreats, we'll meditate for upwards of 12 hours a day. Few people realize it, but this is a monumental physical undertaking. I've done some pretty extreme physical feats in my day, but the week long sesshin (Zen retreat) remains the hardest thing I've ever done or will ever do. Here's one of our koans that descibes the process. Trust me, it's understatement:
Sitting Long and Getting Tired
Koan 17 of the Hekiganroku
Introduction
Cutting through nails and breaking steel for the first time, one could be called a Master of the First Principle. If you run away from arrows and evade swords you will be a failure in Zen. The place where even a needle cannot enter I’ll leave aside for a while, but when the foaming billows wash the sky, what will you do with yourself then?
Case
A monk asked Kyorin, “What is the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from the west?”
Wrote this note a couple of hours before your article appeared in my feed:
“Three sets of heavy squats a day before yesterday after slacking for 2 months. Every single leg muscle is screaming but man, the monkey mind is so much quieter.”
Maybe beating the sh*t out of our bodies promotes both clarity and synchronicity. 😎💪✨
Love the essay. I don’t do martial arts, I’m into running and calisthenics (do both to exhaustion). What you are saying here is true. Nothing compares to the emotional high after a rough one-hour session.
Yes to all of this. Training is truly a meditative and clarifying state, especially when it takes you to your mental, physical, and emotional limits.
100%
As a military veteran, I miss those days of doing really hard things. Like carrying the weight of a baby seal on my back and fighting alongside my mates.
Life has become too comfortable for most people. It’s why I still run hard and long. Why I seek adventure. Keep up the strong work.
Good read .
That is an amazing essay. It resonates 100% with me! I’ve always felt that but was never able to put it into words like you have. Amazing, brother!
Bukowski did this in a weird way that I would not recommend.
Hard drinking.
Hunter S. Thompson also used the idiot's method to achieve enlightenment, but it killed him in the end.
I wonder what they would have achieved through breaking their bodies in somewhat healthier ways.
Encapsulated the sentiment I've occasionally preached since I got into martial arts - particularly boxing. Nice one.
Love this.
When I was doing Jiu Jitsu - it actually wasn't enough to get me into this state of mind.
But when I was cold tubbing first thing, going for a 5km run and doing Jiu Jitsu three times a week - I was a thinking and acting menace!
Recently got into bouldering, which is significantly more gruelling than Jiu Jitsu, in terms of pump and wearing the body down - plus it has the added benefit of a social component. More social than I found Jiu Jitsu to be.
Love the work. I'll stay tuned!
Love this
Great stuff buddy
Quality post.
Yes, I agree eith the joy to feel your body after a strong effort, but martial art it is not so simple
I have tried Muay Thai and it was survival and being always in the bottom.
Because forcing yourself to do sparring when you are not young and a fighter is not productive.
You are just being hurt and afraid.
So I don't think saying go to become a fighter is a good idea for everyone.
Fantastic piece Jack.
Working on a similar write up.
The truth is this applies to women just as much as it does for men. Maybe even more.
This resonated deeply with me. Following you for some more hard truths 😊
Haha my pieces have resonated with more women that I thought they would, good stuff.
If this is true I’m an apex predator
Gotta chime in here about another form of extreme meditation. Namely, actual meditation. In Zen, we sit. A lot. On our retreats, we'll meditate for upwards of 12 hours a day. Few people realize it, but this is a monumental physical undertaking. I've done some pretty extreme physical feats in my day, but the week long sesshin (Zen retreat) remains the hardest thing I've ever done or will ever do. Here's one of our koans that descibes the process. Trust me, it's understatement:
Sitting Long and Getting Tired
Koan 17 of the Hekiganroku
Introduction
Cutting through nails and breaking steel for the first time, one could be called a Master of the First Principle. If you run away from arrows and evade swords you will be a failure in Zen. The place where even a needle cannot enter I’ll leave aside for a while, but when the foaming billows wash the sky, what will you do with yourself then?
Case
A monk asked Kyorin, “What is the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from the west?”
Kyorin said: “Sitting long and getting tired.”