A few have written in disgusted with my emphasis on light weights. This was a while ago when I was on that particular soap box.
Sure, there is a time and a place for lifting heavier weights. In fact, one of my favorite ways to lift heavy weights is by doing some deadlift cycles. It always brings back memories of deadlifting in my apartment’s basement storage area.
But there is always a time and a place for muscle tuning. Using lighter weights through a variety of different angles and ranges and focusing deeply on every single move, trying to feel more and more and gain awareness.
Sometimes, it’s downright meditative. Like last night’s squat on the toes session. I really got into it, and Ruby was watching me. Best part? In the middle of it she’s like “I’m gonna do some push ups” like she was so inspired she had to get up and do something.
In muscle tuning I like to think of my body as an organism, giving it needed stimulation to grow, heal, and stay tuned up—like a machine. How are my feet positioned? My hips? Is my shoulder down and back? Am I smooth? Is my breathing right?
Posture matters. Mental attitude matters. Concentration matters.
Fundamentals matter.
That’s where we get screwed up. We’re into new and shiny, the next best thing.
Sometimes this type of “what’s next?” is an avoidance mechanism to avoid hard work and consistent effort over a long time.
A lack of patience.
What’s next because I’m getting bored with these details and my pace of learning has slowed.
So part of our training includes this type of tuning, a few daily disciplines over and over.
The Jowett Course doesn’t call this “muscle tuning” but that is what it feels like to me. It’s exercise with weights, not weight lifting. And it completely develops you from the inside out. But you have to be patient and get over stimulation for the new and novel in favor of digging deeper.
It’s good training.
https://workingmanfitness.com/products/nerves-like-steel-muscles-like-iron-jowett-course/
Justin Qualler
P.S. A jump roping tip from Jowett: “Do not be satisfied with just hopping over the rope, lift the knee so that the muscles of the entire leg get action. Two or three minutes of vigorous high stepping skipping is enough. You must not keep skipping until your heart is racing like a trip hammer. Make this practice short and snappy and breathe vigorously with it. Vary the foot movements.”
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