FIGURING THINGS OUT PROJECT

HELPING ONESELF A - SET THE BASE

Introduction
The aim of this project is not to produce teacher training. The aim of this project is also
not to teach you and hold your hand. The aim of this project is to give you confidence
and some tools to take control of your own Physical Practice. With the help of each and
everyone that is involved, together you will figure things out.

Hopefully by now you have read the Training Principles Document, and therefore have a
basic resource to refer to when creating your sessions. It is important to dig in and really
try to adhere to the process outlined for the first couple of months. This will allow you to
settle into a rhythm and find a structure that suits your life.

I will create what we can call ‘sparks’, or ideas for you to possibly use, or not. I will
create examples and supply video resources where necessary. If you have any
questions, or want to know of a better exercise/movement to help reach your goal,
simply ask and I or another member will assist you. This open communication and open
information sharing will in turn greatly help each one of us. I do not claim to have all the
answers.

Philosophy
Here I would like to introduce you to a basic overview of my practice philosophy; an idea
of how we could see a physical practice. Each of the four modules builds on, or is
inherent to, the previous.
1. General Preparedness - The most fundamental part of any Physical Practice
must involve preparation. This includes awareness and articulation of all different
body parts. If we cannot load or articulate in a controlled environment, how can
we expect to safely articulate/load the body within more complex settings?
2. General Capacity - The idea is to simply work on your capacity to produce force
over a greater range of motion, in a progressive manner. GC basically builds on
the base of the GP above. The greater control over a joint and the greater one's
ability to produce force there, will in turn offer greater opportunities to explore the
myriad of possible movements that involve said joints. For example, maybe you
would like to work on a Forward Cartwheel, but have poor Hip Extension.
Working this here in a controlled environment will in turn aid you when working
the skill itself.

 3. Physical Intelligence - For me, this is the pinnacle that we can all strive towards
yet never quite reach, physically. There is always something we can work on and
improve. There are so many ways to move that will test every ounce of our
strength/mobility/control/speed/agility/coordination/rhythm/etc.. We are a
synergistic whole, not a series of robotic parts. Physical intelligence is the jump
from isolated practices, such as strength and mobility into the intelligent
application and synergy of them in dynamic scenarios.
4. The Subjective - This module encourages us to embrace the individual we each
are. The subjective areas of the practice aims to embrace what you we are
fearful of. Seeks to deal with frustration and accept emotions that arise through
practice. How do we learn new and complex patterns? How well do we each
learn? This module is heavily rooted in self awareness and personal reflection. To
me, this module encompasses all else.

As always with this project, you may take this information and use it, or not. The goal is
to give you confidence and autonomy to explore and curate a personal practice that
serves you as an individual. If the ideas that work for me don’t work for you, great. We
are different and this shows it! With that being said, I am doing my very best to give you
information I truly believe in that helps me and my students.

Here is a video that may help clarify or inspire. PHYSICAL INTELLIGENCE.

So, what to do with the modules?

Keep them in mind and aim to work them in your sessions. They do not need to be
seperated, but of course they can be.

For example, if you are a high level practitioner with regards to Straight Arm Strength,
you may be working on a Stalder Press. This has of course a huge General Capacity
component, but without question it also tests so much Coordination and Articulation that
it could be called a test of Physical Intelligence in and of itself. In an attempt to keep this
simple, I will give the sparks as separate modules in the format of my Philosophy and
leave it up to you to interpret and use as you wish. Ideas are here to be questioned.

General Preparedness
The first focus will be articulation and general self awareness. We will isolate various
parts of the body and look to isolate them in a controlled and coordinated fashion. The
exercises I state are suggestions, so feel free to also explore your own ideas for the
given body part. Please note that ‘isolate’ is simply a perspective, and we must accept

 that we cannot truly isolate body parts. Just as when you have a hole in your jumper,
the whole jumper is somewhat affected, so is true with the human body.

Spine
A1. General Spine Work
Try to spend 60-180s per direction/variation, exploring each section.

Scapula/Shoulders
B1. Scapula Coordinations x30-50r per direction
First work with forward/backward, and then integrate alternating.

Hips/Knees/Ankles
C1. Basic Squat Routine x10-15r per movement

● Your task is to use these suggestions, or others of your own choice, and
implement them on a weekly basis. Trial various frequencies, aiming to work
between 1-5x per week. The goal is to engage in moving your body with
sensitivity and awareness, without intense stimuli. In this manner we can truly get
to know ourselves, via getting to feel ourselves.
● Tip: When performing all of the above motions, maintain an easy and calm
breath. Note any unnecessary tensions and aim to alleviate them with your
exhalations.

General Capacity
This section will require you to work a lot harder, and create your own specialised plan.
You now have the basic resources and are able to communicate with all involved in the
project to help. Here I will outline a basic session, and then you can alter it as needed
for your individual level. Note, this is a general plan aimed at none of you individually.
Due to us all being in Quarantine, or having been so recently, I will assume the
following: The Upper Body session will be geared towards bodyweight push/pull
strength.

Upper Body Session

Goals: 1 Chin Up & 5 Press Ups

General Warm Up:

Skip/Run/Roll/Swim/Play as you desire. Keep it light and aim to get blood moving and
the heart rate/body temperature up. Prepare the system for stress and adaptation will
occur willingly.

Specific Warm Up: To help prepare for the main goal of the session.
A1. Scapula Push Ups x6-12r
A2. Scapula Pull Ups x6-12r
2 sets. Rest as needed.

Main Focus: Specifically aimed at ramping up to/doing the main work.

B1. Mechanical Advantage Push Ups x4-8r - Tempo (42X1)
B2. SA Ring Rows x4-8r p/s - Tempo (41X2)
4 sets. Rest 120-180s.

Auxiliary Work: Aimed at working on weaknesses relevant to the session goal.

C1. Side to Side Hang
- x20-40s Pronated
- X20-40s Supinated
1-3 sets. Rest 60-90s.

Prehab/rehab Work: Making sure all the small structures are prepared and supporting
the major work.
D1. Side Laying Cuban Rotations x8-12r
1-3 sets. Rest 90-120s.

Softening: This should be your down regulation work, for the best chance to recover.
E1. Seated Meditation x5-10 mins

Final Task: Create your own personal weekly schedule. Bare in mind your limitations, for
example family. There is no value in giving yourself too much work. This only leads to
failure and negative mental talk. Try to treat practice like a tractor, slow to get going but
always consistent. Once moving, it can’t be stopped.

Here is an example schedule. Aim to stick to your schedule for the full month, before
changing it. This way you can really see the impacts of this, both positive and negative.
Note them and then implement changes as needed. Intuition is not always correct.

 MONDAY AM - General PM - General Capacity

Preparedness Upper
TUESDAY AM - Rest PM -
WEDNESDAY AM - General PM -
Preparedness
THURSDAY AM - Rest PM - General Capacity
Lower
FRIDAY AM - General PM -
Preparedness
SATURDAY AM - PM - Rest
SUNDAY AM - Rest PM - Rest

SHU HA RI
One final note is to explain the Japanese teaching philosophy of SHU HA RI. It directly
influences how I have set up this work.

SHU - the initial stage of the learning process. Here the philosophy states that the
student should learn the rules and principles that the teacher sets out, without question.
This stage is a humble stage of embracing what we are given. Shu can be translated
into “To Protect” and “To Obey”. To me, this is the GP/GC of a general physical practice.

HA - the second stage of the philosophy. It can be translated as “To Breakfree” or “To
Frustrate”. At this stage the student may begin to allow questions to arise and begin to
apply isolated concepts into more complex situations. To me this is the beginning of
Physical Intelligence.

RI - the final stage of the philosophy, is to “Break Free”. This is where the student
becomes an equal to the teacher and can begin to add their own individuality. This is the
growth of Physical Intelligence and the embracing of the Subjective.
This first document, Set the Base, will act as our SHU.
The next document, Expand the Base, will be our HA.
The final document, Refine the Base, will then be our RI. For more, please read THIS.