The body - brain connection
Have you ever wondered why repetitive, rhythmic movements are so much fun? Many animals, like cats and rats, spend a lot of time grooming themselves. Grooming is a repetitive, rhythmic movement. Mice and hamsters will spend a lot of time running in an exercise wheel. This is a repetitive, rhythmic movement. Research has shown that when mice run in an exercise wheel, there is a release of dopamine in their brains. Here is the link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3029369/
Humans engage in repetitive, rhythmic movements, too. Boys will endlessly bounce basketballs, teenagers dance, and busy executives click their ball point pens at board meetings. Chewing gum is a repetitive, rhythmic movement. The U.S. Armed Forces supplied soldiers with chewing gum since World War 1, because it helped both to improve the soldier's concentration and to relieve stress. And shell shocked soldiers were taught to knit, as a way of relieving stress. Knitting is a repetitive, rhythmic movement. You can Google "Soldiers knitting", and look at the images. You will be surprised to see how many manly soldiers knit.
Lots of recreational activities involve repetitive, rhythmic motions. Fishing is a good example. A fisherman will cast his bait, and reel it in. Reeling involves repetitive, rhythmic motion. Fly fishing and fishing with a lure are ideal activities for fishermen who cannot sit still. The fishermen I have spoken to all tell me the same thing. The main reason for fishing is to relax. Catching a fish is a bonus.
Golf, cricket, tennis and and baseball are activities that involve swinging a club or a racquet through the air. These activities can be very relaxing, provided they don't become competitive. Yo-yo's, ding bats, hula hoops, trampolines. Remember them? Once again, repetitive, rhythmic motions.
It's no surprise that swinging Indian clubs falls into this category. The weight of the clubs is important. They need to be light enough to enable effortless swinging for an extended period of time. Five minutes of continuous swinging is a good number to aim for. If they are too heavy, you will strain while swinging them. You will exercise your body, but not your mind! The shape of the club is also important. I find that long, slender clubs have a much more relaxed swinging motion than short, bulbous clubs. I use the short clubs for doing cross crawl exercises, but I switch to long clubs to zone out and relax. Try it some time! You will be pleasantly surprised.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3029369/
Humans engage in repetitive, rhythmic movements, too. Boys will endlessly bounce basketballs, teenagers dance, and busy executives click their ball point pens at board meetings. Chewing gum is a repetitive, rhythmic movement. The U.S. Armed Forces supplied soldiers with chewing gum since World War 1, because it helped both to improve the soldier's concentration and to relieve stress. And shell shocked soldiers were taught to knit, as a way of relieving stress. Knitting is a repetitive, rhythmic movement. You can Google "Soldiers knitting", and look at the images. You will be surprised to see how many manly soldiers knit.
Lots of recreational activities involve repetitive, rhythmic motions. Fishing is a good example. A fisherman will cast his bait, and reel it in. Reeling involves repetitive, rhythmic motion. Fly fishing and fishing with a lure are ideal activities for fishermen who cannot sit still. The fishermen I have spoken to all tell me the same thing. The main reason for fishing is to relax. Catching a fish is a bonus.
Golf, cricket, tennis and and baseball are activities that involve swinging a club or a racquet through the air. These activities can be very relaxing, provided they don't become competitive. Yo-yo's, ding bats, hula hoops, trampolines. Remember them? Once again, repetitive, rhythmic motions.
It's no surprise that swinging Indian clubs falls into this category. The weight of the clubs is important. They need to be light enough to enable effortless swinging for an extended period of time. Five minutes of continuous swinging is a good number to aim for. If they are too heavy, you will strain while swinging them. You will exercise your body, but not your mind! The shape of the club is also important. I find that long, slender clubs have a much more relaxed swinging motion than short, bulbous clubs. I use the short clubs for doing cross crawl exercises, but I switch to long clubs to zone out and relax. Try it some time! You will be pleasantly surprised.