Appendix 1: Widening Your Comfort Zone

Set up

This particular exercise routine is designed to maximize your time, exercise efficiency, and body connectivity. It targets strength development, improves mental focus/clarity, and releases stress.

Before beginning, be sure you are capable of moderately to maximally exerting your body without incurring injury. This high-intensity workout requires skill and a desire to push your limits.

First warm up and prepare to exercise.

Pick three exercises of your choice, which involve the chest, legs and back. For example a good combination would be: 1) Push-ups, 2) Squats, and 3) Lat Pulldown.

If you have knee, back, or neck problems, go slowly and immediately stop if any part of you hurts. Health begins when you listen to your body.

Stand and “ground.”

1. Stand where you will not touch any person or object and begin to breathe.

2. Focus on the area inside your body where your inhale begins

3. As you focus on this area, begin relaxing your body into the floor. Allow your breath be natural.

4. Let the weight of your body flow into your feet and let go of your body as you breath out. This will connect your mind to your body and release muscle tension.

5. Take ten breaths. Close your eyes and relax into your body.

6. When you are ready you will go from one exercise to the other without stopping. The goal is to exert while attempting to remain calm.

High Exertion Workout - Chest

Push-ups

1. Push up form: Both feet pressed together and energize your legs so your knees are straight.
2. Raise your head and align it with your back.
3. Open your hands as wide as possible on the floor and push the floor away from you. Keep your chest out. Be sure not to use or tighten your upper neck.
4. Once you find this position, close your eyes and stay in it for ten breaths. Focus on keeping your breaths even and stay calm while your holding yourself up.
5. Try to focus on using the muscles you need to hold yourself up and relax the muscles you do not need.
6. After ten breaths, slowly lower yourself to the floor by bending only your elbows.
7. Listen to your body and lower yourself only as deep as feels right for you.
8. Stay calm and when you reach your bottom slowly press up.

Repeat as many times as you can while trying to maintain your original form. 

Keep in mind, exercising while trying to remain calm helps to isolate the muscle you are working and is a stress management technique.

High Exertion Workout – Legs

Squats

1. Stand with your feet about hip width apart.
2. Connect to your feet and allow your weight to flow into the floor.
3. As you give your weight to the floor the floor will begin to push back against you. In physics this is called the “Normal Force.”  The more weight you give it, the more support it will give you.
4. When you’re ready, slowly lower yourself on this force, bending your knees as you lower. The key is to lower yourself like an elevator. Listen to your body. When you reach a challenging depth pause, and then slowly ascend.
5. When you reach the top you should still be connected to your feet. Repeat and lower.
6. As you lower yourself, notice what parts of your body you need to lower and what parts don’t. For example, you do not need your neck or shoulders for this lower body exercise. Therefore, don’t clench or engage your neck or shoulders.
7. After you have completed five repetitions, lower yourself to the deepest point you have reached and stay there.
8. Practice holding this position while observing your breath and remaining calm (eyes closed). Stay connected to your body.
9. Turn off any muscles you do not need. (For example, relax your neck, face, and lower back.) Stay here as long as you can.
10. When you rise you may feel dizzy. When you are standing fully straight, stay where you are and continue to breathe and ground into the floor until the dizziness passes.
11. Continue on and finish the set. Complete as many squats as you can.

High Exertion Workout – Upper Back

Lat Pull-down

1. Make sure your knees are firmly held by the support bar. Select a weight that challenges you, but also one you can control.
2. With the bar above you, raise both hands and form a Y.
3. Grab the bar from this position. Start your set by pulling the bar down towards your chest. Perform three repetitions.
4. As you reach the fourth repetition, hold the bar at the top of your chest and practice observing your inhale and staying calm.
5. Make sure you are exerting downwards while holding the bar.
6. Begin turning off all muscles you do not need and focus on the ones you do need.
7. After ten breaths, slowly raise the bar and repeat at a slow pace.
8. Do as many as you can while holding the form you attained while performing the ten breaths.

Further techniques to help improve your ability in completing this exercise would be:

• Intentional Relaxation
• Core Conditioning