using NEW to increase Athletic Performance

[cainam_nazier]

This kind of activity has been covered a lot here.  Mostly with martial arts.  

I know with martial arts it is very easy to use, create, and monitor the energy of the body.  I have also found that, at least with martial arts, energy practitioners have found martial arts as a good way to sharpen the uses of thier energy.  And also noted that non-energy practitioners also can recieve some energy benefits from simply practicing martial arts.

I believe that this mostly comes from focus and repition.  Martial arts involves a lot of repition, going through each step slowly and really learning it.  And doing this prosess over and over to build speed and strength.  All the time they are focusing on each movement, hand position, feet, legs, arms, ect.  Constantly thinking about the position of the body.

I believe this same principle can be applied to all sports and physical activities.  As far as running specifically, a few thoughts.  While any fool can run very few actually know how to.  I would suggest first learning the mechanics behind the function.  Learn what things can be done to help run faster or longer.  Learn the little things that can make a person run faster or longer than the next.  Become aware of them, and wether or not you are doing them.  This focusing on what you are doing will help whne adding energy into the mix.  

Now while doing this work with your energy.  However I truely believe that you will not get very far when practicing at full stride.  Instead slow down, just do a light jog, or even don't actually go anywhere.  Practice steps and such in front of a mirror, focus on foot position, energy fluctuations.

The reason I think this will help is this.  You are trying to do the energy practises while in a physically stressful situation.  Running.  It is difficult to focus because the mind is focused on running and not running into things.  However the mind can be trained to multi-task a little better.  By doing the energy awareness while "practicing" and not actually running the mind will begin to see this as a normal function while practicing.  Then while walking, jogging, and finally running.

Just because you can run and you can raise energy does not mean that can be done at the same time.  They were orginally learned seperate, now they must be learned together.

[turtle]

Thanks for your reply.  You made some good points.  I'll have to try them out.

I hear stories about eastern monks running up mountains with little effort, etc...  I was just trying to see if anyone had info on how this is done.  Seems like many modern sports are so focused on scientifically measurable aids to training.  I don't argue with their effectiveness, but it seems hollow, like there is another way.

I'll go through the training, and see if energy work helps me.  I'll try to document some techiniques, and post them, in case anyone is interested.

I would imagine that this work would be directly applicable to any endurance sport.  Running, biking, swimming, x-country skiing, adventure racing, and somewhat applicable to other sports.

I think learning martial arts might help with running also.
-turtle

[jilola]

Don't forget the enhanced body awareness that comes from usiing the awareness hands technique. ´That helps with coordination and motor skillsas wel as muscle memory, both static and kinetic.

2cents & L&L
jouni

[cainam_nazier]

Another note that I thought of.  One that I use a lot myself, with almost every physical sport and I do not believe that it would be any different when bringing energy usage into the mix.

The silly line follows.

"Think about what you are doing!"

I know it sounds odd because that is exactly what you are doing.  But I mean it in a different way.  As I said before the doing the exercises sowly and concentraiting on them should be very helpfull.  But there is something else that I do a lot and as it turns out is a key part of energy manipulation.  "IMAGINATION"  The magic word.  Oddly this corrilation only just hit so pardon me if it is a little sketchy.

Just as in the begining of the N.E.W. manual where you perform a physical task, like going and getting a glass of water, and recalling it step by step in your mind.  This too could be used as a training tool for using energy while doing certain tasks.  In this manner the actual physical excertion would be fully removed.  I am sure that you tend to run the same paths frequently, anybody who runs a lot tends to.  The next time you are out try and soak up as much of your surroundings as possible for use later.

After doing this a couple of times, after you a fresh and well rested go for a run in your mind.  Do just as it says in the NEW manual, try and recall every thing: each step, the feel, the smells, the view, and thier impact on your sences.  When this can be fully "run" through.  Start doing the energy work on top of it.  You know what it feels like to run, and you know what it feels like to do energy work.  So combine them, but not when you are running, but when you are at rest.  

Although I have not tried to do this just yet my self, since it has only been five minutes since i thought of it, I believe that this would be very benifical.  Again, as far as martial arts goes, the simple act of running over techniques in the mind has proven extreamly helpful.  I can honestly say that I believe that doing this has help me in reaction times, methodes, and general coordination.  Because of this I believe that it would help "hurdle" the various obsticles you have been encountering.


Side note:  I would like to appologise for the silly puns.  My mind ran away when I was young and I have been trying to deal with it ever since.

[turtle]

The book I mentioned in the earlier post said to do this too.  Most world-class atheletes in any sport rehearse their performances in their heads over and over.

Relaxation is key too, just like with meditation.  It is funny the grimaces that many people have on their faces when they run.  You can just tell they aren't relaxed.  Loosen up your lips into a "fish" look, and you will have more energy for propulusion.  Plus you feel better.

[turtle]

Anyone use NEW or other energy work to increase Athletic Performance?

I have tried energy awareness exercises while running, and find that it is difficult to sense energy while exerting myself, and it reduces my level of concentration, which can be dangerous unless I'm running on the track.  (I fell off a treadmill trying to do this one time!)

I raised this issue on the old Astral Pulse forums, and was interested to see if anyone had any new ideas.

I would theorize that doing energy work regularly (not when running) would help bones, connective tissue and muscle growth, and at the least, recovery from intense workouts.

I have noticed that it is much easier to do energy work after I run.  My body feels much more alive.

Robert Bruce alludes in Astral Dynamics (I think), or maybe it was in the NEW treatise, that the technique could be used in Athletic development.  I would be interested in any info on this.  I did a search on the internet, and haven't found too much yet.  If anyone is interested, I'll post any info I discover, and the results of my experimentation.

I haven't been doing too much energy work/meditation recently, and likewise haven't been too serious with my running.  This is actually kind of good, so I can start from scratch.

My guess is that energy work is most effective when done right before training/competition, and right after.  Plus, I theorize that in order to maximize muscle recovery, the best time to do energy work is right before sleep, to keep energy flowing.  (in addition to the other times)

There is a fascinating book by Dr. Jerry Lynch, called "The Total Runner".  It was written in 1987, and is all about using visualization to achieve your athletic goals.  Basically, it is reality creation (www.wisdomsdoor.com).  Robert Monroe calls it patterning, Magicians and witches call it casting spells.  It is all the same thing, really, using subtle energy to shape your reality.

The technique is to relax, go into a trance (deeper the better without falling asleep), and visualize your goals as vividly and intricately as possible.  Running, basketball, money, love, etc...

This is one more way to use subtle energy to affect physical performance.