Rhythm

It has been clear to me from years of Tai Chi practice that finding the right rhythm in a movement “unlocks” the body. When I stumbled on to this video though, I was fascinated to see a similar theory being discussed in running. In the clip, he says that this particular rhythm, 180 beats per minute, helps you “tap into the body’s elastic mechanism.” After I watched the clip (the other ones in the series are great, by the way), I turned my metronome up to 180 bpm and hit the road. Here’s what happened: ...

Introducing a new series: “Rhythm as Relaxation”. Across many different practices, which I’ll go into one at a time, rhythm is a common thread. When you find the right rhythm in the practice, it gets easier, smoother, more connected, and as a result, more relaxing to perform and more energizing at the same time. Some of the practices I will explore in the series: Running Tai Chi Breathing Five Element Theory I’m going to argue that the practices on that list have more in common than not, when you look at them from a rhythm point of view. I always try to be careful not to conflate different things that have common elements, because then you usually miss the depth and richness of both, but I will try to show you how focusing on the rhythm in each activity will make it easier and more enjoyable. ...