Fulfill your potential with practices ranging from eastern disciplines such as Martial Arts and Yoga to western methods such as visualization and stress-reduciton.
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From the Author
"I wrote this book to share what I consider, the most important aspect of martial arts, sports, and activity—mindfulness. Mindfulness is that continuing, never ending, constant awareness. All martial artists no matter what style they practice, eventually get to a point where they learn to understand and cultivate this concept in order to reach the next level. Anybody can throw a punch or a kick, but doing it mindfully is another thing. Relaxing and focusing all of your power and energy is an art. Mindfulness cultivates that art. Mindfulness is not inborn, but is always available to you. First you must learn the concept, and then you must practice it. After you learn the concept of mindfulness, share it with your friends. As they become mindful there will be less arguing and conflict. When they share mindfulness with their acquaintances, peace of mind and harmony will spread to everyone, everywhere. When we get caught up in our busy lives we forget our roots. My martial arts training began at the age of eleven. I studied in Asia and trained in a dojo that required strict discipline and self-control. There was no room for ego. If I didn’t remain mindful of my stance, my Asian master promptly reminded me by taking me to the floor. After a year of training six nights a week for two hours a night, I was able to remain relaxed and focused throughout the training session. This is where I began to understand mindfulness. Mindfulness allows you to alter your activation levels at will so that you can relax and yet still be aware of your surroundings..."
From the Inside Flap
To possess the total integration of your mind and body requires you to be relaxed and focused. I call this mind/body. You know how to relax—or at least you think you do. Your muscles are stiff. Perhaps you are trying too hard. When you attempt to relax, you are unsuccessful because you are thinking too much. Think of only one thing. Whether you pay attention to your breathing, your heart rate, or your spouse, you are experiencing mindfulness. Mindfulness has everything to do with relaxation and focus. Mind/body fitness is all about awareness. Your friends may choose to play tennis or jog. You need to find what is good for you. Although affiliation and camaraderie make activity fun, it is more important that you perform your workout on your terms. Do what you love. Do what is right for your mind/body. You know when a movement or thought is right for your body or your mind, and you know when it is wrong. Your mind/body will rebel against inappropriate movements or thoughts. Perhaps at first you enjoyed running and anti-inflammatory medication dulled any discomfort you may have experienced. Then the pain and confusion became stronger than any sedative. Soon your knees and hips told you to walk. Finally, stationary cycling became your non-impact activity of choice. Group exercise leaders crank up their music so students are distracted from discomfort. They count rhythmically and entice their charges to ignore pain. Every once in a while, an insightful instructor turns off the music. The students listen to their bodies instead of chaos. At this point, there is nothing to dull their sensations. These students are mindful of their movement without distraction. Be mindful during your activities. Practice martial arts or go bowling, cycling, or running. Whatever your choice, if you are relaxed and focused, you are practicing mindfulness. Rather than fretting about your bowling score or how many calories you are burning, remain in the present. Do not fear victory or anticipate success. Play. Immerse yourself in your action. Associate with your activity. Become fully involved in whatever you are doing with no second guesses. Dissociation, the opposite of association, may be considered mindful exercise. Sometimes when practicing, martial artists, long distance cyclists, and marathon runners dissociate their minds from pain. Instead, they let their minds wander to grocery lists, dinner, or building their fortunes. Tibetan monks dissociate to achieve altered states of consciousness. You too dissociate every day of your life, for example, by doodling and daydreaming. Burned out athletes find mind/body training revitalizing. Mind/body activities can include pilates, taijiquan, yoga, and individualized programs provided in this book. You can use mind/body techniques to warmup and cooldown during athletics. Because in these activities you do not pound the pavement, mind/body training appeals to those fearful of high-intensity physical training routines. Mind/body practice results in other benefits as well, including stress management, improved concentration, and enhanced discipline.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's About Time,
By Jim Durrum (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mind/Body Fitness: Focus, Preparation, Performance (Paperback)
Mind/Body Fitness is perfect timing for the athlete or fitness person who is ready to move to the next level.Strength, flexibility, endurance, and nutrition have all been thoroughly researched but the mind-body connection is still an amorphous concept Mind/Body Fitness gathered the latest concepts in the sports psychology research and put it together with common sense principles to help me to finally get my program together. I was able to improve my ability to relax, focus, and prepare for my fitness and sport with renewed energy. I highly recommend Mind/Body Fitness without reservation.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easy Guide To Improving Your Mind And Body !!,
This review is from: Mind/Body Fitness: Focus, Preparation, Performance (Paperback)
This brand new (year 2001), 160 page guide is designed to help you improve your ability to relax, increase your focus, gain confidence, improve your health, set goals and manage your time. It's an easy-to-read guidebook, with clear strategies to help you be successful. Topics range from concentration, self-esteem, confidence and motivation, to handling fear, body language, and sleeping right. The specific strategies presented motivate you to follow the book's concepts, leading you to positive results. Everyone can benefit from it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mindfulness as a key to success...,
This review is from: Mind/Body Fitness: Focus, Preparation, Performance (Paperback)
Can you be relaxed and focused throughout an entire exercise routine? Do you take care of yourself, eat the right food, exercise on a regular basis but still fail to see the results you desire? If you want to improve your performance, your body can only take you to a certain point. Beyond that point, the mind and body must work together in harmony to produce superior results. Clinical studies have proven this to be true.
Tom Seabourne has written Mind/Body Fitness to show you how to integrate the techniques and wisdom of eastern disciplines (Martial Arts and Yoga) with western methods (visualization and stress-reduction.) "The secret to success in martial arts, sports, fitness, and even life is mindfulness." -Tom Seabourne This book will guide you into easy-to-learn relaxation and meditation skills you can practice anytime and anywhere. You will enjoy learning how to increase your focus, confidence and health using Tom Seabournes' techniques. He also includes dietary tips to optimize your mental and physical effectiveness. The easy-to-use checklist with strategies on mindfulness, goal setting and time management also make this book highly practical. With a background in sports and martial arts, Tom Seabourne will show you that "mindfulness is not inborn." It is however, available to everyone. One idea really stuck out in my mind. Tom explains how when we encounter a problem, we can 1. Become a Solution. 2. Go Away. or 3. Change. He is so right when he says that the more we focus on something the more you will become it. This book will be a great motivation for your own progress and you will find a new perspective you won't find in most fitness books. ~The Rebecca Review
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