I just got back from my Tai Chi class and from the gym. I am bloody exhausted, I am in pain, I can barely breathe and it feels great. My mind is at peace from a combination of being relaxed from tai chi, being exhausted from working out and the endorphin rush from both.
I’ve found Tai Chi to be really relaxing and tonight’s class really helped to clear my mind. The second half of the class is focused on doing a qigong exercise which is a set of exercises and breathing patterns designed to draw energy from a chi field. Even though I love kung fu movies I’m not sold on the chi field part yet ;) However I do find the exercise to be intensely relaxing - I find it hard to go to the gym right after sometimes as it makes me feel totally relaxed, clear-headed and ready for bed.

After finishing Tai Chi class, I headed straight for the gym and I had the most intense cardio workout of my life. Normally when I do an HIIT routine, I do intervals at levels 3-6-9-12-15 using the step method from body for life and an average RPM of 65. That wouldn’t do this time. I wanted to push myself, to exhaust myself, to work myself so hard that the only thing I’d be able to think about was my aching body and a feeling of achievement. I put on my favourite hardcore album and did intervals of 5-8-11-14-17 at an average RPM of 70. By the time I finished I was barely able to breathe and completely drenched in sweat. I still feel amazing from it. I think that I’ve been capable of this for a while now but I just never pushed myself hard enough.

Listening to music has always helped me through my workouts and to this day I never workout without my ipod. Music is always there for you and can inspire you in ways that nothing else can. This is a song, one of my favourites, that I dedicate to my family and my friends that have been there for me during these hard times.

Hatebreed - Mind Over All
When I was at my weakest
And I had given in
Some had counted me out
Some rejoiced in my failures
The few that believed
Gave me power and life
Gave me strength with their trust
Surrounding me with light

No limit to what can be achieved
MIND OVER ALL
Power that has yet to be seen
MIND OVER ALL
End the instability
Stare now into glory

It’s within and it’s growing
Their mark is not worn
It’s purest devotion
It’s the war of knowing
They are there for me
They are part of who I am
It’s within me in spirit
And beside me in battle
No limit to what can be achieved
MIND OVER ALL
Power that has yet to be seen
MIND OVER ALL
End the instability
MIND OVER ALL
Stare now into glory
MIND OVER ALL
BECOME ENPOWERED

- it’s kind of cheesy and straightforward in some ways, but it gets me going like nothing else when I’m at the gym.