Nursing a sore left hip, resulting, unofficially, from our nooner 5K and the subsequent 2x20 set last night in the Barn, we are facing the intimidation of our second week of Super Eights at the Club. We do this at 0530 in order to offer a high-intensity, turbo-charged cardio session before the days commute and labor force opening bell. Today I am struggling. My power is way down as indicated by both wattage and heart rate, but even at 85% of max I can feel the value. If I can keep my focus, give the now its deserving respect and spin my way somewhere closer to the zone, it will be OK. This is one of those days when music REALLY helps.
I am searching for the median between an uptempo downbeat in a clumsy attempt to dance on the pedals. Having been here many times in the past I know the importance of latching onto the vibration and relaxing into whatever groove the artist, or artists, have presented for our consideration. I am always drawn first and foremost to the rhythm section, bass and drums. Establish a groove and you have me by the second measure. Everything after that is gravy. And please don’t get me wrong, there are many types, flavors and combinations of this delicious topping, but an arpeggio, solo, or even a basic melody always rests, for me, atop the powerful shoulders of the one-two punch of the rhythm section. I hear it loud and clear with no mud in the middle. It is crisp, clean and directly targeting my heart and soul. I find the frequency and tap out a complimentary counter, a fill of sorts, double-time but controlled. No we got something I think, and offer the experience as one the class might emulate.
Along with the foot kick now comes an interesting opportunity to augment this flowing movement with a building left-side counter. This suggests to me that in order to accomplish this advanced move I must do two things, now, in real time, and without missing a proverbial beat. One is to allow myself the freedom of experimentation, to improvise and to explore. Who is to say that I cannot or should not try to fit another four beats into the established time signature? This is, after all the basis of jazz. Do the thing that few dare to do, or flame out in the attempt (keeping the fail-safe, bold and fearless ‘treatment’ or ‘variation’ option in play - because well all know that mistakes will be made - but for the virtuoso a mistake made with attitude is a treatment while the mistake without a trace of ‘tude is simply a mistake.)
The harmonic merging of exercise and music has long been known to stimulate participation and improve enjoyment of what could otherwise be a dull and boring routine. No wonder so many of us lose interest so quick. But add some Rock ’n Roll, Texas Blues, Southern Rock or Motown and everything changes. And most of the time for the better. I have tried classical; Rossini, Jazz; Caravans, World; Afro-Celts and enough Pop to fill a juke-box, but I will forever come back to classic rock as the go-to elixir. There I find magic. I appreciate it as must as I respect the courage and skill of the folks who braved the trail once considered taboo, faddish and in some cases even vulgar.
It is all that! The second thing in this jam is, for me, to find a way to steady my focus, not think about anything but the movements I am orchestrating and the resulting buzz in my soul it creates. It is the sound of my soul. I have no space in here for doubt, fear, anger, rage, guilt or distraction. None.
We call this practice. It is our practice. We hope to improve, to get better, and to grow from the string of consistent efforts. The combination of sound and speed, of music and the rhythm of movement, is something that is both awesomely exhilarating and amazingly valuable in our relentless march on the path of continual improvement. We know we cannot have it all at once, adaptation takes time, but we do recognize that this is a whole lot better a combination than say, a donut and 500 calorie super-sugary, creme, mocha-mint grande at that place where the green mermaid hangs.
And let us please remember that our pre-dawn dance is one in celebration of spirit and not designed to be penance for the sins of overconsumption. Let’s keep the vibe of our spins positive!
And Rock on.
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