Everything You Do Matters

Everything you do matters. That is to say that everything has consequences (effects) — whether one knows it at the time or not. The fact that one can get out of bed — or a chair makes a difference — from not being able to do it at all — anymore. The biggest difference is being able to do one — or not being able to do any. Once you do one, then two, and how many others after that — is made possible, because you can do the one. So how one does the one, becomes the prototype for future success — because most movements are the repetition of that one movement — and that practice, makes perfect. That is the economy and efficiency of movement that shapes the body and the psyche.

Those who become the best at it, are the world champions — at whatever they do. Obviously the best at what they do, are not learning it from someone less capable than themselves — and so are essentially self-taught. as well as self-learned — and so that self-discovery and self-actualization is the transformative experience of mastering the art of being one’s best — and that is the whole point of exercise, and not just mindlessly doing what somebody else tells them they must do — often to their own detriment.

That kind of mentoring makes one resentful of everything they are doing — as though self-punishment and self-annihilation is the point. Thus the experience of pain is the gain — which later on in life extinguishes itself because of that negative reinforcement. As one gets older, aches and pain are what one is trying to cure — and not cause, because that is the default in growing older. The cessation of pain and suffering is the major objective of lifelong exercise, and in doing so, optimizes the health, functioning and well-being — and that is the purpose of exercise often lost in the misguided intents — and especially competitions with others for dubious achievements.

If one can simply reach one hundred years of life in healthy condition — with no signs of aging, then that says it all — and there is no need for further contests to determine their fitness. Very rarely does one need to prove their fitness with any arbitrary achievement. In most cases, a formidable presence and appearance is enough to deter attackers who invariably look for the most vulnerable — before engaging in combat or competition. The one who looks and acts like the winner, is usually acknowledged as such.

So at one hundred, it is not necessary to squat 500 lbs — but enough to just look like one could — and move like one can. Not too many people get there with conventional and traditional exercise strategies. So it must be something beyond that — even if one has to pioneer that knowledge themselves for all those to follow. Having observed exercise all my life, what seems to be the key to maintaining full functioning and health is the blood flow to the extremities of the body — which implies the blood flow through the rest of the body in getting there, which produces muscle growth because of optimizing those conditions that enable it — even before they are aware of bodybuilding as a goal in itself.

Many then think that it is the lifting of heavy weights that cause muscle and strength growth — but in time, actually becomes a deterrent to continued participation -- and ultimately the cause of aches and pains rather than its relief and cure. And so they stop exercising entirely — ensuring and speeding their aging deterioration.

As best as I can determine, the best exercise for maintaining the baseline health is sitting in a tripod chair and doing alternate heel raises, while simultaneously articulating the fist movement at the wrist, and turning the head from side to side — as is not practical and dangerous on a regular bicycle — but I nevertheless did on daylong rides on little trafficked country roads to restore the circulation to my hands and head. I frequently do this when I wake up at night and can’t get back to sleep immediately and this allows me to exercise silently and inobtrusively. And when one realizes that it is these subtle movements at the neck, wrists, and ankles that imply the engagement of the rest of the musculature and circulatory system, it can be done  inconspicuously anywhere, anytime, under any conditions, with or without equipment — by properly understanding the functioning of the human body — without all the commercial considerations getting in the way.