Fitness

I forgot my cold medication this morning, so after an initial feel good time after getting up I slipped a little bit into the cold twilight zone. I can easily execute Bronwyn's directions, even though I was quite tense at the start of the turn. Trying hard and tensing seem to go together, I better remember this. Her turn felt like a cure to me, even though no challenge waited later for me.

Peter Fisher, an Alexander Technician and Physiotherapeut, gave a presentation about the concept of fitness from a sociological, scientific, psychological and Alexander point of view. A lot of the statements aired from the fitness industry sound like science, but a mere opinion. The consequences, benefits and harms, of regular exercise have not been sufficiently studied, as too many disciplines with too many specific models did not use a common framework to describe the processes and relation of interventions like specific exercise regimes.

Too few exercise can do as much harm as too much, the right level of fitness allows to partake in all desired and necessary activity with sufficient strength, mobility, stamina and ease. Peter explained the concepts of the ICF, the international classification of functioning, disability and health. The ICF seems to incorporate more of a dynamic, interactive view of the human being, and can provide the basis for studies, including those trying to measure the effects of the Alexander Technique.

Unfortunately we didn't do too many Aikido exercises - it looked like a lot of fun.