Breaking Bricks
Breaking Bricks
Fitness is definitely not a waste of time
Fitness basically refers to the state of being healthy. Hence, it will really be wonderful if people will commit themselves to fitness throughout their lives.
It is stated in the Bible that our body is our temple. Therefore, it is our obligation to preserve it. For this reason, maintaining the health of both the mind and the body is a noble act.
But of course, this involves a great amount of effort as well as thorough actions. Anyhow, no matter how tough it will be, the fruit is very rewarding. A happy and healthy life, not all is privileged to have it, only the diligent few.
Fitness exercise is very important on one’s routine. Through fitness exercise, people are able to fight several diseases. One of which is the killer disease, the heart disease.
Sadly, more and more people nowadays tend to ignore this kind of activity. Hence, more and more people too are suffering from different diseases. No wonder hospital businesses are prospering by gaining lots of clients, even it is against the will of these patients.
In fact, the suggested activities for fitness and health by the Council of the President on Physical Fitness and the Surgeon General are not generally followed by high school students nowadays. This covers the 33 percent of its population throughout the United States.
The attitude of neglecting physical fitness of these youths is usually carried by them as they turn into adulthood. Of course, there will be an increase on the number of sufferers from various diseases caused by weak resistance.
The National Institute on Aging showed a report that America comprises only 58 percent of its people who are engaging in a program of lifetime fitness. And this fitness program is done only in their free time. Only about 26 percent are regularly performing the lifetime fitness program. Most often, about three times each week.
The importance of a commitment to lifetime exercise is always being stressed. However, more people often times neglect it. Frequently, people use to disregard the fact that it can really do an enhancement on the value of one’s life.
Most probably you have already heard that the common causes of deaths in this country are heart disease, stroke, accidents caused by unintended injuries, cancer and chronic lower respiratory ailments. These diseases are actually the five most common causes of deaths yearly as reported by the Center for Disease Control.
Think about it. All of the mentioned common causes of deaths can easily be avoided. But only if people will give enough attention on fitness exercise, much more if they commit themselves into lifetime fitness. But definitely, accidental deaths are excluded.
When referring to lifetime fitness program, we are not only dealing on physical exercise. But also, this program includes a diet that needs to be observed.
It is very imminent that with lifetime commitment of physical fitness, life will be lengthened. And definitely be enjoyed. With a healthy mind and body you can enjoy life more, you can pick more daisies.
The last sell is yours. Will you be cautious of your health and commit to lifetime fitness? Or do you just prefer to abuse it and suffer more in the end?
This week, my master changed my view of fitness forever.
My the other master in USA did it the last time, back in 2005. He made me realize that ALL of us, whether we are tiny or muscular, are capable of running our own marathons. It is our God-given gift. In addition, there is always another mountain higher than the mountain we thought we have seen.
This week, my local master, a Chinese, changed my view of fitness, in his own way.
In dragonboating, the physical and mental demands on us to be able to compete internationally are tremendous and overwhelming. We have to do endurance and fitness running. We have to run long distance well. We have to run short distance fast – literally in the shortest time possible. We have to be able to carry tons of weights, and as much as we can. We did a lot of circuit trainings for fitness… simply put, there are just no limits to what we can and have to do. We have to row an individual boat and complete a given distance in the shortest time possible… So, it seems like we have to be “jack of all trades” – long distance runner, sprinter, weights lifter, striving to be the strongest rower in the team…
This week, my master gave me and my friend the task of breaking bricks using our palms. It’s a damn, real hard brick. I knew it was not easy. We had other male students, almost all in their middle age in our class together with us too, and naturally being males, they looked forward to doing this – breaking bricks into half.
The distance between my palms and the brick, was at just about 5 inches, or 13 cm. We were not allowed to hit it hard from a higher distance.
I hit it hard, almost using all my muscles and strength. One time. Two time. The brick remained as it was. OUCH! I was crying silently inside. It was painful on my palms. The harder I tried to hit it, the more painful it was.
“You have not emptied your mind! Do not use strength. Empty all the force and strength from your hand and arm FIRST!” That was the instruction i was given.
I thought to myself… ok, that was easier said than done ok.
Third time – my hand went down. And it broke into half. It happened so fast. There was no pain.
My friend was next to do it. She was not an athlete, and had never gone through any strength or weights training.
One time – WHAM, and the brick broke into half. WOW! It looked so easy for her!
She was surprised with how easy it was for herself. And she came running up to me and told me, “It was incredible. I was not ‘thinking’ about breaking it, and it broke!!” “Well..” I grinned and told her, “I was thinking about how I could go about breaking it, and failed the first 2 attempts!!” We smiled at each other and laughed!
That, was a valuable lesson in the theory of Yin and Yang.
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