July 2001 Newsletter
JULY 2001 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STUDENTS EARNING A RECENT PROMOTION
THROUGH THEIR PRACTICE AND DEDICATION TO THEMSELVES AND ISSHIN-RYU. AT
THIS DOJO STUDENTS ARE EVALUATED EACH CLASS. IF YOU WANT TO ADVANCE - -
PRACTICE, BE PUNCTUAL AND CONSISTENT FOR CLASSES AND TRAIN APPROPRIATELY
WHEN IN THE DOJO. THE ONLY COST IS THE $5.00 FOR THE BELT.
CONGRATULATIONS TO GORDON AND RANDI CORTER & ERIK AND NATALIE
ALEMAN WHO COMPETED IN THE RECENT IWKA WORLD TOURNAMENT IN INDIANAPOLIS.
NATALIE WON FIRST PLACE IN KATA AND THIRD PLACE IN SPARRING. THE NEXT
WORLD TOURNAMENT WILL BE IN TEXAS - START PUTTING A FEW DOLLARS AWAY
EACH WEEK AND YOU WILL BE FINANCIALLY READY FOR 2003.
TO BE ALIVE YOU MUST DO MORE THAN BREATHE
As you read this, think about the way you are breathing. Most
typically, you will fall into one of three categories: Clavicular (very
shallow), thoracic (slightly less shallow) or deep abdominal breathing.
With clavicular breathing, the worst type, with inhalation the shoulders
and collarbone seem to rise, almost as if they are being filled with
air. Instead of the abdomen expanding, it tends to actually contract,
and only a minimum amount of oxygen is obtained. With thoracic
breathing, the shoulders and collarbone area are less involved, and more
work is done by the muscles used to expand the rib cage. Although better
than clavicular breathing, it is still incomplete. Deep abdominal
breathing involves taking slow and deep breaths using the diaphragm, the
large sheet-like muscle at the bottom of the chest cavity. By far the
best way to breathe, it allows air into the lowest and largest part of
the lungs. Taking in sufficient amounts of oxygen is important no matter
what you are doing, but particularly during exercise. We normally
breathe approximately 6 liters of air in and out of the lungs every
minute. From there, the blood transports oxygen to every cell in the
body. When your body is under stress, as with exercise, it requires
extra amounts of oxygen. Meeting these demands is important for muscle
growth and energy. The vast majority of people are shallow breathers,
using only a fraction of their lung capacity. These people barely take
in enough oxygen to expand the ribs. Without being aware of it, they may
also hold their breaths, breathe unevenly, or tend to over breathe as
the intensity of the workout increases. If left unchecked, this may
result in headaches, fuzzy thinking, dizziness or fainting. By making an
effort to breathe more deeply and naturally you can actually increase
your exercise capacity - the body's ability to do more for a longer
period of time with less effort. If you normally exercise outdoors, keep
in mind that environmental factors can make breathing difficult. Studies
have shown that exercising under smoggy conditions can decrease lung
capacity by as much as 20%. Ground level ozone increases susceptibility
to respiratory illnesses, while air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide,
high pollen counts, and hot, humid air increases the likelihood and
severity of wheezing during or following exercise. Exercising in cold
air and low humidity can also worsen breathing-related symptoms. Many
people with allergies or exercise induced asthma have mild to severe
problems with breathing during or following exercise. Physical activity
in itself can cause a temporary constriction of the airways in such
individuals, causing noticeable shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing
and tightness in the chest. Such symptoms may develop during or after
working out, and may even reappear hours later. It is estimated that 21%
of people in this country suffer from exercise induced asthma. It occurs
in approximately 80 to 90% of people with asthma and in almost 1/2 of
people with hay fever. Some people suffer more extreme symptoms when
they exercise. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis occurs exclusively with
exercise and includes symptoms such as flushing of the skin, headaches,
and gastrointestinal problems. In severe cases, swelling in the throat
and upper-airway obstruction occurs. Symptoms are usually hastened by
moderate-to-hard exercise and typically begin within the first 5 minutes
of exercise, diminishing anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours afterwards.
Exercising soon after a meal or in a warm, muggy environment seems to
increase the likelihood of attacks.
THE ART OF LIVING - Create Your Own Merit
Never depend on the admiration of other. There is no strength in it.
One's merit cannot be derived from an external source. It is not to be
found in your personal associations, nor can it be found in the regard
of other people. It is a fact of life that other people, even people who
love you, will not necessarily agree with your ideas, understand you, or
share your enthusiasms. Grow up! Who cares what other people think about
you?! Create your own merit. It cannot be achieved through our
associations with people of excellence. You have been given your own
work to do. Get to it right now, do your best at it, and don't be
concerned with who is watching you. Do your own useful work without
regard to the honor or admiration your efforts might win from others.
There is no such thing as vicarious merit. Other people's triumphs and
excellence belong to them. Likewise, your possessions may have
excellence, but you yourself don't derive excellence from them. Think
about it: What is really your own? The use you make of the ideas,
resources and opportunities that come your way is what makes you unique.
Do you have books? Read them. Learn from them. Apply their wisdom. Do
you have specialized knowledge? Put it to its full use. Do you have
tools? Get them out and build and repair things with them. Do you have a
good idea? Follow up and follow through on it. Make he most of what
you've got, what is actually yours. You can be justifiably happy with
yourself and at ease when you've harmonized your actions with nature by
recognizing what truly is your own.
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