Building Muscle Strength
Movement Effort and Performance
Stretching
Relaxing and Recovery
Ease of Movement
Age and Exercise
Losing Weight
Injuries
Stress

On building muscle strength:

Q:
A:

How do our muscles give us strength?
By contracting to become temporarily shorter.

Q:
A:

Why temporarily?
So that the contraction can be repeated. If it were permanent it could be done only once in a lifetime.

Q:
A:

How are the muscles arranged?
As antagonists, some doing work in one direction, others in the opposite direction.

Q:
A:

Why are they arranged as antagonists?
So that we can do opposite movements and also be able to repeat the same movement again and again.

Q:
A:

How do we know which muscles to work?
By experience and by comparing our intention with the results we get.

Q:
A:

What gives the instructions to the muscles to work?
Our brain gives the instructions; the nerves deliver the instructions to the muscles.

Q:
A:

So the muscles are just slaves?
Right. They obey the instructions from the brain.

Q:
A:

What about muscle memory?
What many call "muscle memory" is actually in the brain. There is no location in a muscle that is able to retain memory.

Q:
A:

What can you tell me about the importance of building core strength?
It has no special importance. It is much more important to incorporate the core muscles into action than to develop core muscles as a singular goal.

Q:
A:

Don't I have to work my muscles more to get stronger?
More, yes. But you don't need to work hard, or get tired. Getting stronger and getting tired are two different things.

Q:
A:

Is it possible to work my muscles more without noticing?
Yes. But to do this practically you will need to understand the Weber: Fechner Law of Psychophysics.

Q:
A:

Do I need bigger muscles to be stronger?
Not necessarily. You can get much stronger by giving your muscles a longer range to contract and by coordinating better the antagonists.

Q:
A:

Is there another way?
Yes. You can have larger muscles do the work : and have the power they generate transferred to wherever you like. The larger muscles are those closer to the center or core of the body. Let them do the big work.

Q:
A:

How will it be transferred?
Through the skeleton. Transferring force from one place to another is one of the jobs of the skeleton.

Back to top

On movement, effort and performance:

Q:
A:

How is movement created?
Instructions from the brain are delivered by the nerves to the muscles. The muscles contract or relax and as a result change the angle of bending of the joints. The bones move and everything connected to them moves as well.

Q:
A:

What is effort?
When antagonistic muscles contract at the same time, all the work that does not become movement is felt as effort.

Q:
A:

Do we have to exert more effort to get stronger?
No. Effort indicates that muscles are working without producing movement. This is wasted work and demonstrates that the coordination is not good.

Q:
A:

Do we have to exert more effort to run faster?
No. You have to move your legs faster. This has nothing to do with effort and everything to do with coordination or efficiency of movement.

Q:
A:

How can I become more coordinated or efficient?
The coordination of movement is done by your brain. One way is to slow down your practice so you can perform a given skill or movement more smoothly.

Q:
A:

Is hard work bad for me?
A ÂIt can be. Whatever your fitness level, goals or chosen physical activity, performing your exercise or sport with the proper form is important. Hard work or effort indicates that you need to improve your level of skill compared with what is needed for the task.

Q:
A:

Don't I have to work hard to improve?
Definitely not, but you do need to practice. You can improve by working hard, but it is unnecessary hard work. You also can improve in other ways!

Q:
A:

How can you improve without working hard?
Again, by working smarter, not harder.

Q:
A:

What does it mean to work smarter?
It means working with your body, not against it, trying to force it to do more.

Q:
A:

How do you work "with your body"?
By understanding the principles underlying its operation and by using these principles intelligently.

Q:
A:

What do you mean?
A ÂYour body is designed in special ways to protect itself from injury and damage. Knowing this allows you to devise your practice in a way that does not conflict with your body's design. This is working with your body rather than against it.

Q:
A:

Don't I have to push myself to improve?
If you do that, push yourself, you are deliberately going into unsafe zones and your body automatically responds by going into "protection mode". This makes improvement difficult to gain. We want you in "improvement mode."

Q:
A:

Explain "protection mode".
Protection mode is when the sympathetic nervous system is in charge and your body is engaged in protecting itself. This is being in the fight or flight mode.

Q:
A:

How do I get into "protection mode"?
Your body assumes a protective attitude every time it feels under attack.

Q:
A:

When does this happen?
Every time you violate its safety parameters and push it beyond what is safe.

Q:
A:

So when I push it beyond what is safe I am making progress difficult?
Right!

Q:
A:

How do I get into "improvement mode"?
Improvement mode is when the parasympathetic nervous system is in charge. It is also called "rest and digest" mode. Your brain naturally engages in learning and improving when in this mode. By staying in a zone your body considers safe, the default setting in this zone is improvement. It happens naturally.

Q:
A:

You say I will improve without pushing?
Yes. But that doesn't mean do nothing!

Q:
A:

If you don't use it, you lose it, right?
Right. And its counterpart: If you abuse it, you lose it. This is not as well known, but it is as accurate.

Q:
A:

What about stretching?
It is not wise to stretch as it can actually increase the chance of injury. If you must stretch, stretch at the end when the body is warmed up.

Q:
A:

How do we stretch?
Stretching happens when your brain does not give the right instruction to your muscles; instead of becoming long they remain short.

Q:
A:

Can you say more about stretching?
Yes. Most people think of the muscles as if they were rubber bands that need to be stretched in order to become longer. This is incorrect. The muscles will lengthen without stretching according to the instructions they get from the brain.

Q:
A:

All athletes stretch!
Their actions are not consistent with our physiology. Stretching muscles rarely changes the instructions the brain gives those same muscles.

Q:
A:

What is tension?
Tension arises when antagonistic muscles contract at the same time, and remain contracted. If only one contracted you'd get movement, not tension.

Q:
A:

But I get more flexible when I stretch.
Only if your stretching changes the instructions from the brain. Otherwise your achievement is temporary and you have to work hard at it.

Q:
A:

What is actually happening when I stretch?
You are getting one group of muscles, or gravity, to work against another. This causes a cascade of results which include: microscopic tears in the muscle fiber itself, compression and heating in the joints which causes them to deteriorate and so on.

Q:
A:

Is it bad for my muscles?
Yes. To your muscles, joints, level of energy you have, aging process and more.

Q:
A:

What is actually happening when I stretch?
Muscles are mechanically pulled, by force, against the instructions they get from the brain.

Q:
A:

Is it bad for my muscles?
Yes. You are deliberately injuring yourself and will have to repair the damage later on.

Q:
A:

How does this repair take place?
Your body continuously repairs itself, and does this automatically. It will also repair the torn muscles but this is extra work for your body that could be avoided if you choose to become flexible in another way.

Q:
A:

How does the stretching sometimes work?
It works when the stretching produces a change in the instructions from the brain. Otherwise you will lose all the gains from stretching in a very short time.

Q:
A:

If I don't stretch what should I be doing?
Relaxation is the opposite of tension and should replace stretching as the way to become flexible. Warm up that does not include stretching is also good.

Q:
A:

You can't become more flexible without stretching!
Sure you can.

Q:
A:

How?
By coordinating your movement better, so that antagonistic muscles stop working against each other. Think of it more as range of motion or pliability.

Back to top

On relaxing and recovery:

Q:
A:

What is the difference between flexibility, pliability and range of motion?
Flexibility is a specific direction and is usually associated with stretching as the means to achieve it. Pliability is in all directions and is usually associated with coordination as the means to achieve it. Range of motion is associated with joint motion.

Q:
A:

So if I think about range of motion I can become flexible?
Better than flexible. You'll be using different exercises to achieve your goal. Relax instead of stretch. It fits much better with our body's operating system and avoids the "protection mode" problem.

Q:
A:

How does relaxing fit into exercise?
It allows you to get rid of unnecessary tensions which slow you down and reduce your efficiency.

Q:
A:

What about cardio?
Your heart rate going up shows you are not in good shape. When you are in better shape it will not go up as high under the same conditions.

Q:
A:

How can I get in better cardio shape without working my heart?
Focus on doing the same activity with less effort. Avoid getting yourself into "protection mode". It only slows down your progress.

Q:
A:

You mention operating system. Sounds like computers.
In a way, yes. You can look at a person as composed of software and hardware.

Q:
A:

Hardware?
All the physical components: bones, muscles, connective tissue, internal organs, etc.

Q:
A:

Software?
The programs that run the hardware. Most of them are in the brain, the minority are genetic.

Q:
A:

Which is more important to improve?
They are both important, yet the software is key. Upgraded software uses all the hardware better. This is especially important as you age.

Q:
A:

Why not the hardware?
The hardware is important. A healthy body will give you better results with the same software. So take good care and have a healthy body.

Back to top

On ease of movement:

Q:
A:

Why the focus on ease?
Ease is the best and simplest way to determine how well a movement is done. It is the easiest way to tell a good movement from a bad one.

Q:
A:

How easy can things get, is there a limit?
There is no limit to how easy things can get. Our brain is set up to look always for an easier way.

Q:
A:

How hard can things get, is there a limit?
The hardest it can get is to become impossible to do. We are always looking to head in the opposite direction.

Q:
A:

What is the connection between ease and aging?
The most obvious effect of aging is that activities become more difficult to do. Every time you find an easier way to do something you are effectively moving away from aging. You are regaining youthfulness.

Q:
A:

Are there other ways to tell a good movement from a bad one?
Yes. Ease, as mentioned before is one. Other ways include the smoothness of the movement, your ability to change to a different movement and your ability to stop the movement you are doing.

Q:
A:

Define a "bad" movement.
A movement that causes more harm than benefit. In Sugi Health and Fitness , for example, all variations of a movement are good, whether performed "correctly" or not, as long as you keep in the safe zone.

Q:
A:

No pain, no gain, right?
Wrong. Though it is possible to make gain through pain, it is much easier to gain without creating pain. Consider the "protection mode" idea.

Q:
A:

What is the difference between will power and skill power?
Will power is needed more when your skill power is smaller. They are in reverse proportions. The more skill you have, the less will power you need in order to achieve your goals.

Q:
A:

Are reflexes software or hardware?
They are hardware. They are hard: wired by our genes and can't be changed. Yet their effect could be modified.

Q:
A:

How can I speed up my movement?
By repeating it with less and less effort. This process makes the movement more effective, removing all of its unnecessary components.

Back to top

On aging and exercise:

Q:
A:

Can we completely avoid the effects of aging?
I haven't found a way, yet! But we can definitely minimize and postpone their onset for a very long time. Some we can neutralize completely.

Q:
A:

How can I stay fast as I age?
By continuing to reduce the amount of unnecessary components in your movement. This is similar to getting rid of excess baggage. You become lighter and as a result you can move faster.

Q:
A:

Will I actually lose weight by becoming "lighter"?
There is a difference between being light and feeling light. Being light means fewer pounds of weight. Feeling light means being better coordinated in your movement.

Q:
A:

Do our reflexes slow down with aging?
I'm not sure. It is possible but not likely. What is much more likely is that their effects are modified by rigidity and they appear slower.

Q:
A:

Don't we lose coordination as we age?
It is different in different movements. Those that you neglect will be lost first. You can maintain coordination with those movements that you practice.

Q:
A:

Is there a way to stay coordinated into old age?
Yes. Do a large variety of movements, more and more easily, on a regular basis. Sugi classes are excellent for this!

Q:
A:

Do we have to lose balance as we age?
Not everyone does. So it is not necessary to lose balance with age. Our balance depends on our ability to move. If we lose the ability to move, we also lose our balance. It is a result of rigidity.

Q:
A:

How can I avoid it?
By keeping supple and keeping the ability to move smoothly, rapidly and easily. I personally know people whose balance improves with age.

Q:
A:

How do I keep supple, mobile?
Again, just as you maintain coordination. You need to practice the performance of all your movements with greater ease and reduced effort.

Q:
A:

How do I know I'm making effort?
Effort can be done on many levels. As you begin to pay attention to the play of effort and ease in your movements you will become clearer and clearer on this issue. You will be able to actually perceive subtle efforts that you were previously unaware of.

Q:
A:

Can older people build muscle mass?
Absolutely. In fact, they did a study at Tufts University, using frail nursing home patients raging in age from 87: 96 years, and after 10 weeks of resistance exercise, patients tripled muscle strength and increased muscle size by 10 percent.

Q:
A:

What can I do about loss of muscle mass?
Replace the hard work with easier work so you can achieve the same results with smaller muscle mass. You can also build muscle mass through resistance exercises.

Q:
A:

Is there a rule of thumb for this?
Yes. Results that depend on effort will be difficult to repeat. As you reduce the effort it becomes easier to repeat.

Q:
A:

How is exercise important for aging?
As you age, some of your hardware wears down, joints, bones etc. If you take care to upgrade your software you will be able to use a less healthy body better.

Q:
A:

Is there more to this software upgrade?
Yes. You can upgrade your software faster than your hardware breaks down. This will give you two great things: 1. Through better use/more intelligent use your hardware will last a lot longer in good condition. 2. The net of faster software upgrades and slower hardware degrades is positive. In other words : your performance will improve with age.

Q:
A:

This doesn't sound right.
Regardless of how it sounds, it is right.

Q:
A:

But reality is the opposite.
Not for those who diligently upgrade their software. Most people focus only on the hardware. Our society is excellent at that, but has a lot to learn about improving the software.

Back to top

On Losing Weight:

Q:
A:

Is weight gain inevitable as you age?
No. Not everybody gains weight as they age. I am sure you know at least one person like that yourself. Sometimes there is gain that is meaningless because it is so small.

Q:
A:

Is there a way to lose weight «The Sugi Way'?
Definitely. There is a whole booklet available that is designed to help you get rid of excess weight and become healthier in the process.

Q:
A:

Is it a difficult process?
No. But it does require patience. It is not a fast weight loss program, but it also gives you a lot more than just weight loss!

Back to top

On injuries:

Q:
A:

What can I do about slower healing from injuries?
Get injured less.

Q:
A:

How do I do that?
Remain in the "improvement mode" and use your experience to avoid the situations that make it likely for you to get injured.

Q:
A:

Does that mean I will have to do less?
Not at all! It means you have to be more skilled at what you do. In reality you will be safer and will be able to do safely things in which other, less experienced people will get injured.

Q:
A:

So I can balance out injury with experience?
Yes!

Q:
A:

But my body will heal itself.
Correct, and also protect itself more strongly than before. Healing takes a lot of time, energy and resources that could be better used.

Q:
A:

So we should do everything we can not to get injured.
Yes. Injury takes you a step back instead of a step forward.

Back to top

On stress, relaxation:

Q:
A:

How does stress affect fitness and health?
By putting additional burden on your body and mind. The additional burden uses up both your reserves and your resources, depleting you as a result. A depleted person will get sick and injured more easily and will perform and recover more slowly.

Q:
A:

What can we do about it?
There is a huge amount of material available. The basic guideline is to find, and use, ways to reduce the useless stress. The Sugi Way offers a lot of information about all aspects of stress reduction.

Q:
A:

What are the effects of tension?
There's a very long list. Here are a few of the top items: Reduces speed of movement, reduced accuracy of movement, loss of practical strength, reduced blood flow to tense muscles, greater chance of injury, greater attrition of joints, less enjoyment of movement, etc.