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rhythm

Such complex spelling of a word, no? Lately I’ve been obsessing with rhythm. Naturally, I dove down a rabbit hole on the topic.

When I was younger I wanted to be a drummer. I took one drumming elective in grammar school, and was obsessed. I’ve always had a knack with picking up rhythm pretty quickly. Maybe I’ve always had a good eye, or maybe it’s the hispanic blood. I hear it all the time, people always mention they have no rhythm. Chances are you aren’t beat-deaf, which seems to be a very rare, but actual thing. We say we have 'two left feet' to indicate how clumsy we are. But the opposite of coordinated isn't clumsy, it's uncoordinated. Uncoordinated places you on a spectrum - uncoordinated to coordinated. 'Clumsy' is safe. It's a label you can place on yourself, look the other way and not worry about it anymore. Remember if you feel coordinated, then you’re not actually working on your coordination.

Don't burn that bridge.

#rhythm

GAZETTE: What can the field of architecture do better or take into consideration about how it impacts people’s bodies and, therefore, health?

FRIEDRICH: It seems right now architecture that changes the way people move or interact with the built environment is considered radical, or so out of the ordinary. I am hoping in the future this isn’t the case. Architects like Claude Parent, Shusaku Arakawa, and Madeline Gins were innovating new ways to think about design, and while their designs may have looked very different, they were playful and exploratory and they engaged the body. When you tie design with the body, people tend to think the solution is product-based ergonomics, but Sou Fujimoto’s “Primitive Future” used the body as a basis for the architecture. The solution can happen at a larger scale; it doesn’t need to rely on furniture and objects.

There will always be skeptics. How do you prove the design will improve health? How do you keep people from repeating patterns in a variable environment? How is it safe? How is it practical? Architecture can’t solve everything, but it can be conscious of the body and the way the body needs to move. My thesis got people thinking about their own movement behaviors, it raised awareness of a widespread problem, and it challenged the way we move currently. It’s only a start to the conversation.

Great Interview on designing for movement.

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2016/08/design-for-movement/

http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/2016/08/lauren-friedrich-march-16-on-connections-between-architecture-physical-movement-and-health/

#movementdesign

Studio vs Gymnasium

Studio: The word studio is derived from the Italian: studio, from Latin: studium, from studere, meaning to study or zeal. Root word: study

Gymnasium: via Latin from Greek gymnasion ‘gymnastics school’ , from gymnazein ‘exercise/train naked,’ from gumnos ‘naked.’ Root Word: naked

You Move

When you move your arms, your arms move. When you move your legs, your legs move. When you move your spine, you move.

Happy or Interesting?

“Fun is no guiding principle for life. Discovering something new is much better. My favourite philosopher, Slavoj Žižek, says, “Why be happy when you can be interesting?”

~Ido Portal Interview w/ Redbull

Complexity

High levels of strength endurance are not necessarily an indication of high levels of maximal strength. Once you reach and sustain a reasonable level of proficiency with a movement, move on to the next harder variation.

Forget The Noun

“Forget the noun. Just do the verb.” Forget about being the writer. Follow the impulse to write. Forget about being the mover. Follow the impulse to move. Forget about being the artist. Follow the impulse to create. Forget about being the leader. Follow the impulse to lead.

Flower or Tree?

Do you train to be a flower or a tree? A flower, although very beautiful, comes and goes very fast. A tree, with a much more subtle beauty, takes years to develop and lasts much longer.

I suddenly realized that the pain of halfheartedness was far greater than my fear of failure. In that moment, I made the incredibly liberating decision to release the breaks I had been unconsciously pressing for months and commit to pure unshackled effort.

Jonathan Mead

“Our role is only one. To offer a space where they can experiment. To look for circumstances that give birth to new possibilities.”

30 For 30

So this past Wednesday I turned 30 and decided to write 30 things I would write to my 21 year old self. Here they are in no particular order.

1. Stop trying to "figure it out.” You won’t. Just make it up as you go. 2. No matter how long it takes. Take the time to develop the habits that will build you a practice. 3. Then start building a practice. 4. "Responsibility. That’s what gives life meaning. Lift a load. Then you can tolerate yourself… Pick something up and carry it.” ~Jordan B. Peterson 5. "Instead of, 'do what you love,' perhaps the more effective mantra for the entrepreneur, the linchpin and maker of change might be, 'love what you do.'” ~Seth Godin 6. Nothing in this process is ever wasted. NOTHING. Keep going. 7. Think about death. Often. 8. You are creative. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. 9. I can’t even begin to tell you how far, even the slightest bit of empathy will take you. 10. Learn how to tell a good story. Along with empathy, you’re probably going to need it more than you think. 11. The things that you say you "don’t have enough time for” are probably the things you need most. 12. Part of practicing what you preach, is understanding that we preach what we need most in our lives. (See #2) 13. Stop telling yourself that your introverted and shy. Go out of your way to find the right people, then see if that belief still stands true. 14. You’re first couple of serious relationships will suck. But those relationships are the reasons you find the perfect relationship. 15. Keep observing people. You’ll learn a lot about the way people present themselves to the world and how much that matters. 16. People are more what they hide than than what they show. The more of you, you show, the less of them they hide. 17. You will dig yourself deep into existential holes (often) about what it is you want to do in this life, do whatever you can to crawl out and just… live. 18. Speaking of crawling out of those holes…. you may think not talking to anyone is helping. It’s not. Talk to someone and be honest. 19. Money won’t be your driving factor in doing the things you do, but you’ll eventually come across a good amount in your life. 20. Be grateful. I know it’s easy to say you are grateful, but actually sit down and think about this. Meditate on it. 21. Look for people that’ll help you, not come up with answers, but help you ask better questions. 22. Then… Ask better questions. 23. At some point you’ll get into health, wellness, movement and fitness, but just know this has nothing to do with health, wellness, movement and fitness. Those are just gateways to self-actualization. 24. Meet people where they are. Drop your expectations. 25. Read more. (But read the shit you actually want to read.) 26. Do anything and everything you can to minimize the distractions in your life. This one’s tough, because you have to ask yourself hard questions over and over. 27. At some point you’ll take a huge leap and change your life. You won’t be ready for it. Just fucking do it. 28. Sitting at a coffee shop might also change your life. (Ask her what she’s working on.) 29. You can’t be curious and angry at the same time. So, be more curious. 30. Be grateful, that somehow all the years leading up to our adult lives, mom and dad got the whole parenting thing right. Props to them. We turned out alright.

Try

You’re obviously not as good at as you’re going to be. So just try.

Turning 30

Today I turn 30. I’m getting older. "I'm getting old." vs. "I'm getting older." Two completely different perspectives. The former insinuates there is a certain age where one becomes "old." It's loaded with a story that usually tends to hold us back - otherwise known as an excuse. "To experience the aging process differently, we need to draw on an alternative model of getting older: one that recognizes that the process starts at birth, never stops and always has the potential to enrich our lives." ~Anne Karpf, How To Age

It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.

Jiddu Krishnamurti

What’s One Life Goal?

Today in my classes I asked everyone to go around and name one life goal of theirs’. Turns out, people freak out when you ask them this question in public. A few think about it and take the time to answer, others don’t answer at all, and most default to something like “travel.”

But maybe a “fitness class” isn’t the perfect place to ask these questions. It should be.

1 Person

Note To Self, Change just 1 person. Lead just 1 person. Teach just 1 person. Start with yourself - That’s a good start.

I found an old pic to perfectly describe Jordan Peterson’s (@jordan.b.peterson) Rule 2: 2️⃣ Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible For Helping - "We deserve some respect. You deserve some respect. You are important to other people, as much as to yourself. You have some vital role to play in the unfolding destiny of the world. You are, therefore, morally obliged to take care of yourself. You should take care of, help and be good to yourself the same way you would take care of, help and be good to someone you loved and valued."

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