GRIZZLY PEAR

written snapshots

Finding Balance with Tech

I finally got off my duff and found an interval timer for the iphone.

Amelia Timer is so simple that it is free .

I didn’t expect it would make a big difference with doing my morning exercises, but wow! It suddenly made doing the 8 Brocades exercises quite enjoyable.

Unlike kung fu or tai chi forms which are extended series of differing movements, these exercises are closer to calisthenics. Without a timer my mind would end up focusing on when was the right time to move on to the next exercise.

Letting a computer do that cognitive load allowed me to concentrate on my body and feel my way through these movements.

On the other hand, I listened to music yesterday. As I exercised in silence this morning, I realized the music had distracted me from myself.

So there is always a balance to be made. But for me, the balance is not at zero tech.

Chinese qigong is not generally associated with modern tech, but even here, it looks like an iphone will come in handy.

Now let’s just see how long I will keep exercising going.